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V O L U M E I V

Go Green!

TAKE ACTION! SuSTAINAbIlITy & CONSErvATION bEgIN AT SChOOl ANd AT hOmE

TEACHER’S GUIDE

3 Publix Go Green Video Contest Project Description

4 Contest Judging Rubric & Criteria

5 Contest Prizes & Additional Information

6-7 Contest Official Rules

8-10 Lesson Plan 1: Going Green While in the Red

11-14 Lesson Plan 2: Mathematics and Environmental Concerns

15-20 Lesson Plan 3: Every Last Penny

21-23 Lesson Plan 4: Eggceptional Packaging

24-31 Lesson Plan 5: Dumpster Diving

32-37 Lesson Plan 6: Mission: Conservation

38-41 Lesson Plan 7: Making Paper

42-44 Lesson Plan 8: Who’s Eating My Lunch?

45-51 Lesson Plan 9: Compost Critters

Table of ContentsGREEnGO

GO GREEn Teacher’s Guide 2

GREEnGO


PROJECT dEsCRiPTiOn

How to EnterTo submit an entry, each entrant or team must

produce (write, shoot and edit to final production)

his/her/their own video. All entries must be sub-

mitted by a teacher or school appointed designee.

To enter, go to NIEGoGreen.com and complete

all required information on the page and click

‘submit’. The Contest will begin at January 2, 2012

at 12:00:01 a.m. ET, and will end at February 17,

2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET (the “Contest Period”).

All entries that are incomplete, illegible, damaged,

irregular, have been submitted through

illicit means, or do not conform to or satisfy any

condition of the Rules (defined on page 19) may

be disqualified. Publix and its affiliates are not

responsible for any errors or omissions in printing

or advertising the Contest.

VIDEO FORMAT· Running time: cannot exceed three minutes

· Format: digital video presented in any of the

following file formats: .avi, .dv, .mov, .qt, .mp4,

.mpeg, .3gp, .asf, .wmv or .mpg

· Must not exceed 1 GB in size

VIDEO CONTENT Any media containing explicit

content or content without permission/license

will not be accepted. Publix reserves the right to

refuse or remove any media for which they deem

invalid, All content must be the original work of

the entrant(s) or be legally licensed to qualify for

the competition.

How to ParticipateCreate a short video, up to three minutes in length, on

a current or a proposed sustainable practice that students

or teachers have used or would like to use at your Middle

School. Entrants must register to compete in the contest.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS You must receive

permission for the use of the image or likeness of any and

all identifiable persons appearing in your submission. You

will be required to submit a release signed by each identifi-

able person appearing in your submission granting Publix

and it’s project partners permission to use his or her image/

likeness if your submission is selected as a finalist in the

competition. Submissions that do not include all required

information and adhere to the rules will not be reviewed.

Copyright Statement (Required) I attest that this

video does not contain any copyrighted material not

in the public domain or for which I have not ob-

tained the rights to use, third party voice-overs for

which I have not obtained the rights to use, or third

party stock photography or artwork for which I have

not obtained the rights to use.

Rules Statement (Required) I agree to abide

by the complete rules of this contest.

Publix Super Markets, Inc. invites the entire sixth grade class in eac h and every county and s tate (in the

project scope) to participate in the contes t by making a video (up to three minutes in length) with a theme

related to campus sus tainability. S tudents or teams of s tudents should produce their bes t, three-minute (or

less) video promoting sus tainability at their sc hool. Topics should incorporate one of the three R’s of sus

tainability: Reduce, Reuse or Recycle. Use the resources you have available. For example, many of today’s

emerging videographers create work on their cell phones. Grab your video device and dive in.

>> THEME: Green Routine®

We’re looking for ideas that

address a specific need for young

people, create an impact beyond

one community and reduce

carbon consumption through

education which, in turn, changes

behavior.

>> ToPIC

Define who the members

of your community are. This is

your primary viewing audience.

How will your video motivate

members of your community to

become aware, aligned and take

action to become more sustain-

able through everyday choices?

What first action would you want

your viewers to take after seeing

your video?

>> ELIGIBILTY

The contest is open to all cur-

rently enrolled sixth grade students

in public, private or home schools

in the contest area. All contest

teams or individuals must be a

current sixth grade student at a

middle school in one of the coun-

ties and states listed in project area.

Students entering the contest must

receive grade verification from a

teacher or school administrator.

Contestant certification –

By submitting the contest entry

form, your teacher certifies that

you acknowledge and agree to

comply with all of the rules and

regulations set forth for the Go

Green Video Contest.

>> TEAMS

This contest was designed to

inspire teamwork and community

and to expand the discussion of

sustainable choices on your cam-

pus. Involving multiple individuals

or groups will add to the fun and

creativity of making your video

project. Teachers may enter either

individual students or in teams of

up to four (4) eligible students per

team producing the video. (There is

no limit on the number of students

who may appear in the video.) If a

teacher submits an entry for a team,

none of those students can be part

of another entry, either individually

or as part of another team. Dupli-

cate entries will be disqualified.

GREEnGO


REVIEW PROCESS A rubric is an authentic assessment tool that most school districts use in competitions to measure students’

projects on real-life criteria. They provide for a more consistent evaluation process by enhancing the quality of direct instruction. We will include the

Digital Video Rubric attached below in the review process for all student video entries as a sum value of the criteria rather than using a single score. We

have included the rubric prior to the contest launch as a consistent working guide for all sixth students and their teachers. By publishing it in advance,

students from all five states in the contest area will know the full range of criteria on which their video will be judged.Judging

Video team fully followed instructions regarding length and formatting of the video.

The video clearly explained a Green Routine® and effectively highlighted its importance and effect as a sustainable practice.

The video used a unique and original method to effectively express its message and was engaging to the viewer.

All facts and information presented were accurate & complete.

Video did not rock/shake and the focus was excellent throughout the entire video.

Many different “takes,” camera angles, sound effects, and/or care-ful use of zoom provided variety in the video.

The video’s sound was sufficiently loud and clear at all times.

The video was well conceived and showed good organization of the content.

All titles and credits are accurate, legible, and draw the viewer’s attention.

Video team partly followed instructions regarding length and formatting of the video.

The video clearly explained a Green Routine®, but did not effectively highlight its importance and effect as a sustainable practice.

The video used traditional methods, but did include some unique elements that effectively drew in the viewer.

Most facts and information present-ed were accurate & complete.

Video only occasionally had slight movement and/or slight focusing problems throughout the entire video.

Some variation in “takes,” camera angles, sound effects, and/or care-ful use of zoom provided variety in the video.

The video’s sound sometimes faded out and was clear part of the time.

The video showed good organiza-tion of the content.

Most titles and credits are accurate, legible, and draw the viewer’s attention.

Video team did not follow some instructions regarding length and formatting of the video.

The video did not clearly explain a Green Routine®, and only vaguely highlighted its importance and effect as a sustainable practice.

The video used a unique method to express its message, but the method overshadowed the message leaving the viewer unclear.

Some facts and information pre-sented were accurate & complete.

The video was unstable and/or the focus was poor for part of the video.

Few different “takes,” camera angles, sound effects, and/or care-ful use of zoom provided variety in the video.

The video’s sound was poor and not clear at all times.

The video was not well conceived or showed poor organization of the content.

Some titles and credits are accu-rate, legible, and draw the viewer’s attention.

Video team did not follow most instructions regarding length and formatting of the video.

The video did not explain a Green Routine® and did not highlight its importance and effect as a sustain-able practice.

The entire video was crafted in a very traditional manner and did not include any creative elements that would draw in the viewer.

Few facts and information pre-sented were accurate & complete.

Video was unsteady and moved, and the focus was very poor throughout the entire video.

Most of the shots were taken from only one camera angle, and the zoom was not well used.

The video’s sound was insufficient and difficult to make out.

The video was poorly done and showed little or no organization of the content.

Few (less than 75%) titles and cred-its are accurate, legible, and draw the viewer’s attention.

General Requirements

Objective or Thesis Green Routine®

Creativity & Originality

Content Facts & Information

Videography: Techniques & Clarity

Videography: Interest

Audio

Style & Organization

Titles & Credits

CatEgORy 7 PtS 5 PtS 3 PtS 1 Pt

PUBLIX gO gREEN VIDEO CONtESt RUBRIC : : : 63 tOtaL POINtS Points may be awarded on a sliding scale from 1-7, the point allocation listed below is just a guideline.v

The video entries will be judged

based upon the following criteria:

>> Relevance to the theme of the video

contest: A Middle School Green Routine®

>> originality

>> Clear, concise creative statement

& a well-defined primary audience.

>> Quality of submission.

>> Appropriate for a middle school

campus audience and the

surrounding community.

>> Well-defined narrative sequence

that visually demonstrates:

A Middle School Green Routine®

>> Memorable and engaging use of

imagery and sound to communicate

your message.

>> Resourceful use of the available

equipment.

>> Visual metaphors are unique

and avoid commonly used clichés.

>> The majority of the video content

is original.

>> All non-original footage is public

domain or licensed and cited as such.

>> All music is properly cited with

permissions sought as needed.

+JUDgINg CRItERIa Below is a general description of the evaluation criteria that is detailed in Contest Rubric above.

GREEnGO


For additional information regarding this Newspaper in Education program, please contact

Mary Charland, NIE Manager, Herald-Tribune Media Group at (941) 361-4545 or e-mail [email protected]

NIEgogreen.com orheraldtribune.com/nieFor more information on the

Publix GREEN YOUR SCHOOL’S ROUTINE CONTEST and full lesson plans, please download your teacher guide

at NIEGoGreen.com OR AT: heraldtribune.com/nie,

or your local Newspaper in Education website

Student Team Prizes (up to four per state):

A $25 gift card from Publix

Teachers of the teams of four state finalists would receive a Prize:

(one per state)

$100 Publix Gift Card to be used for school

recognition event

PRiZEs

Each member of the winning Student Team (up to four) would receive a Prize:

FiRsT PLACE WinnER PRiZE(s):

A $50 gift card from Publix

A pocket video flip camera

$100 Publix gift card to be used for school

recognition event

Teacher of the First Place

Team would receive a Prize:

Go Green Video Contest

FOuR sTATEFinALisT PRiZE(s):

SEE PagE 17fOR DEtaILS & PagE 19 fORCONtESt RULES

GREEnGO


1. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING TO ENTER OR WIN. MANY KIDS MAY ENTER THIS CONTEST BUT ONLY A FEW WILL WIN PRIZES.

2. The Publix Show Us Your “Green Routine” Contest (“the Contest”) is sponsored by Publix Super Markets, Inc. (“Publix”), Florida Press Educational Services, Inc. (“FPES”), and the Herald-Tribune Media Group (“HTMG”) (col-lectively referred to “Sponsors”). This Contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and is void where prohibited.

3. Contest begins on January 2, 2012. Entry deadline is February 17, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time (“ET”). Each student may only enter once. HTMG’s computer is the official time-keeping device for this Contest promotion. Win-ners will be announced on or about April 22, 2012.

4. Sponsors may interpret these Official Rules as needed — including but not limited to rules regarding entries, selection of winners, deadlines, restrictions on prizes, and eligibility — and all of Sponsors’ decisions are final.

5. By entering, you (and your parent/legal guardian) agree to these Official Rules. There are other restrictions so read these Official Rules carefully.

ELIGIBILITY6. To be eligible to participate in this Contest, you must have your parent or legal guardian’s permission, you must be enrolled in the sixth (6th) grade and you must reside in the geographic scope of the Contest, which includes only:

a. The entire state of Florida;

b. The following Alabama counties: Autugua, Baldwin, Elmore, Houston, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone , Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Russell, Shelby, St Clair and Tuscaloosa;

c. The following Georgia counties: Barrow, Bartow, Bibb , Bryan , Camden, Carroll , Chatham, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, DeKalb, Dougherty, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Glynn, Greene, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Lee Lowndes, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Richmond, Rockdale, Seminole, Spalding, Thomas and Troup;

d. The following South Carolina counties: Aiken, Anderson, Beaufort. Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Greenville, Jasper, Lexington, Pickens, Richland and Spartanburg; and

e. The following Tennessee counties: Davidson, Hamilton, Maury, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson.

7. You are not eligible to enter the Contest or to win any prizes if anyone in your immediate family (which means mother, father, sisters and brothers) is an employee of Publix, FPES, or HTMG.

8. There is no limit on how many students may appear in a Video Entry (defined below). However, each student is limited to participating as a Team member in one (1) Video Entry. In addition, Team prizes are limited to four (4) students per Team.

PRIZES9. Grand Prize (1): Up to four (4) Team Members will receive a pocket video flip camera and a $50 Publix gift card. The Grand Prize Team’s Teacher will receive a $100 Publix gift card to use during a school recognition event. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $740 ($160 per Team Member and $100 Teacher).

10. State Runner-Up Prizes (4): Up to four (4) Team Members per State Runner-Up Team will receive a $25 Publix gift card. The State Runner-Up Team’s Teacher will receive a $100 Publix gift card to use during a school recogni-tion event. ARV: $200. ($25 per Team Member and $100 Teacher).

PRIZE RESTRICTIONS11. Publix Gift Cards are subject to certain terms and conditions. Please refer to http://www.publix.com/services/gift/GiftCertificates.do for more information. All details of all prizes are at Sponsors’ sole discretion. You are responsible for any charges that are not specifically listed above in the prize description. You are also responsible for paying any taxes that may be associated with your prize.

12. You may not transfer or change your prize or exchange it for cash except that the Sponsors may substitute a prize with a prize of equal or greater value if they believe that it is necessary.

13. Any portion of your prize that you do not claim or use will be forfeit and you will not be entitled to any alternative or cash substitute. All prizes are being provided to you “as is” with no warranty or guarantee of any kind by Sponsors. Merchandise prizes do not have any warranty except for manufacturers’ warranties (if any). Sponsors have not made any promises to you about any prize or any part of it.

TO ENTERa. Step One: Your Team will need to have a sponsoring teacher (“Team Teacher”) who will first be required to visit niegogreen.com (“Contest Site”) to provide his/her contact information (name, address, telephone num-ber and email address). Once the Team Teacher has been validated, he/she will receive a link to return to the Contest Site to complete the online registration process for each his/her respective Team. The Team Teacher must supply the following information for each student member of your Team during the online registration process: (i) name, (ii) address, (iii) current grade in school, (iv) confirmation that the student’s parent/guardian has given permission to participate in this Contest. Your Team may have as many Team members as you like, but only four (4) individual (student) prizes will be awarded for any winning Team.

b. Step Two: Create your video entry (your “Video Entry”) relating to the contest theme of campus sustainability, which means the social and environmental practices that protect and enhance the human and natural resources needed by future generations to enjoy a quality of life equal to or greater than our own. Your Video Entry should incorporate at least one of the three “R”s of sustainability: “Reduce”, “Reuse”, and “Recycle”. Your Video Entry also must satisfy all of the “Submission Requirements” that are described below.

c. Step Three: Once you have finished creating your Video Entry, your Team Teacher must log back in to the Contest Site and follow the online instructions to submit your Video Entry. You may only enter the Contest one time. Once you have submitted your Video Entry, it may not be changed, modified or corrected.

14. Entries will be accepted into the Contest starting on January 2, 2012 at 12:00:01 a.m. ET and ending on February 17, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET (“Entry Period”). To enter, your team (each a “Team”) must follow the following steps:

15. To be eligible for the Contest, all Video Entries and required information must be received by Sponsors no later than February 17, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Any Video Entries that are not received along with all required information by this deadline will not be judged or eligible to win. All Video Entries become the property of Sponsors and will not be returned or acknowledged.

16. Sponsors are not responsible for any entries that are lost, late, illegible, misdirected, mutilated or incomplete or that are not received by Sponsors by the deadline stated above for any other reason.

17. The information that provided in connection with the Contest may be used by Sponsors in accordance with the Privacy Policy (or Policies) found at the Contest Site, which may be updated from time to time.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS;18. To be eligible for judging, your Video Entry must satisfy all of the following requirements (“Submission Requirements”):

a. Your Video Entry must be original to you and your Team members and must not include any content (such as music, pictures, video or other material) that was created by any other person unless you have obtained the rights to use such content or it is “public domain” content.

b. Your Video Entry must not contain any third-party logos, trademarks or copyright material.

c. Your Video Entry must not include any profanity, nudity, illegal or immoral conduct or any material that Sponsors or any of the Contest Judges determine is offensive in their discretion.

d .Any person whose face is shown in your Video Entry must have given you permission to use their image in this Contest. If your Video Entry is selected as a winner, you will be required to give Sponsors a written permis-sion to use their images in this Contest. Sponsors may require you to provide the names and contact information (such as phone number or address) of each person who is visible in your Video Entry.

e. Your Video Entry must not exceed one (1) GB in size or three (3) minutes in run time.

19. Any Video Entry that is determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion at any time during the Contest to violate the Submission Requirements or these Official Rules, or to otherwise be unsuitable, offensive or in poor taste, may be rejected and disqualified even if it has previously been submitted for any of the Panel Judging rounds (below). Sponsors retain sole discretion as to whether any Video Entry satisfies the Submission Require-ments and these Official Rules and their decisions are final.

WARRANTY BY CONTESTANT20. By entering your Video Entry, you promise that your Video Entry is original to and created by you and your Team Members and that it does not plagiarize, libel, disparage, or otherwise violate anyone’s rights.

LICENSE21. If your Team is declared a winner, you agree that you will grant to Sponsors a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to copy, distribute, display, modify, publish and make derivative works from your Video Entry or portions of your Video Entry on the Contest Site and in Sponsors’ marketing materials in any media of any kind, including Sponsors’ web sites, and you agree that you will not be entitled to any compensation or money for any of these uses of your Video Entry.

FIRST ROUND OF JUDGING (SEMI-FINALIST SELECTION)22. On approximately February 20, 2012, FPES will assemble an independent panel of judges consisting of educational professionals who will judge all of the properly submitted Video Entries in accordance with the Digital Video Rubric detailed at the end of the Official Rules. Subject to verification of eligibility, the four (4) contestants in each participating state whose Video Entries receive the highest overall scores during the First Round of Judging will be declared the Semi-Finalists, for a total of twenty (20) Semi-Finalists.

SECOND ROUND JUDGING (FINALIST SELECTION)23. On approximately February 27, 2012, Publix will assemble an independent panel of judges consisting of Corporate Publix Marketing professionals. This second panel will judge the entries of the twenty (20) Semi-Finalists based on the judging criteria listed above. Subject to verification of continuing eligibility, the Semi-Finalist in each participating state whose Video Entry receive the highest score during the Second Round of Judging will be declared a Finalist, for a total of five (5) Finalists.

O f f I C I a L R U L E SGo Green Video Contest

GREEnGO


FINAL ROUND JUDGING (WINNER SELECTION)24. On approximately March 2, 2012, Publix will assemble a new (and final) independent panel of judges consisting of Corporate Publix professionals. This second panel will judge the entries of the five (5) Finalists based on the judging criteria listed above. Subject to verification of continuing eligibility, the Finalist whose Video Entry receives the highest score during Final Round of Judging will be declared the Grand Prize Winner. The remain-ing four (4) Finalists will be declared the State Runner-Up Prize Winners.

25. In the event that there is a tie during any of the three (3) rounds of judging, the Video Entry that receives the highest score in the “Objective or Thesis” (Green Routine) category within the Digital Video Rubric detailed at the end of the Official Rules will be declared the winning Video Entry of the tied Video Entries. Sponsors reserve the right to select fewer than the stated number of Semi-Finalists, Finalists or Winners in the event that they do not receive a sufficient number of eligible and adequate entries.

26. Sponsors may, but will not be required to, post all or part of the winning Video Entries on the Contest Site and other Sponsor web sites. Subject to obtaining parental consent (except where prohibited), Sponsors may, but will not be required to, show pictures and/or profiles of the Team Members and/or Team Teachers of the Grand Prize Winner and/or the Finalists and/or the Semi-Finalists on the Contest Site but will not be required to compensate the Team Members or the Team Teachers for such use of their pictures and/or profiles.

WINNER NOTIFICATION 27. Sponsors will contact the Team Teacher of the potential winning Teams via telephone and/or email using the information provided by during registration. Team Teacher will be responsible for distributing the eligibility verification materials to the parents/legal guardians of Team Members of the potential winning Teams. Parents/legal guardians may be asked to provide Sponsors with valid identification, signed affidavits of eligibility and publicity releases (except in Tennessee) and proof of current enrollment and may be required to sign other legal documents, including tax forms and a release supplied by Sponsors which, among other things, releases Spon-sors and a range of related companies or persons from liability related to this Contest and the prizes. Sponsors in their sole discretion may post the name of the Team Teacher and the first name and last initial of the Team Members of the confirmed Semi-Finalists and/or Finalists and/or Winners on the Contest Site.

28. A potential winning Team may be disqualified and forfeit its prize if any of the following occur: (a) Sponsors cannot reach its Team Teacher directly after trying to contact him or her for seven (7) days, (b) the Team Teacher or any Team member fails to satisfy any eligibility or verification requirement in these Official Rules, (c) the potential winning Team refuses to accept the prize, or (d) the potential winning Team is determined to be ineligible for any reason.

29. In the event that a potential winning Team is disqualified for any reason, Sponsors will select an alternate winning Team from the remaining Video Entry entries using the same judging method and judging criteria set forth above, so long as there are a sufficient number of eligible and properly submitted Video Entries remaining. Any alternate winning Team must satisfy all eligibility requirements and restrictions of these Official Rules.

PUBLICITY RELEASE / COPYRIGHT RELEASE30. By accepting a prize, where permitted by law, each winning Team and Team Member grants to Sponsors and those acting on their behalf (and agrees to confirm that grant in writing), the right to print, publish, broadcast, and use for the purposes of this or similar contest only, worldwide in any media now known or hereafter developed—including, but not limited to, the World Wide Web—at any time(s), their name, picture, likeness, and information, as news or information and for art, trade, and/or promotional purposes without additional compensation or review. Any individuals depicted in the potentially winning Video Entries must also sign and return a Release of Liability/Publicity within the time period specified by Sponsors. Each winning Team and Team Member also grants to Sponsors the rights to use the winning Video Entries for promotion of this Contest or similar purposes for a period of three (3) years, where permitted by law.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY / DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY31. All Teams, Team Teachers and Team Members agree that Sponsors and their respective parents, subsidiaries, directors, agents, agencies, affiliates, franchisees, promoters, officers, directors, employees and related persons (a) are not responsible for lost, interrupted, or unavailable network, server, or other connections, or for any failed telephone or computer hardware or software, or for any failed, delayed, misdirected, corrupted, or garbled transmissions or errors of any kind, whether human, mechanical, or electronic, or for entries that for any reason are not received by Sponsors by the deadlines stated above; (b) are not responsible for any injury or damage to any computer, modem or other electrical device as a result of participation in this Contest or downloading of any software or materials; (c) are released from any and all liability related to this Contest and the receipt and use of the prize; and (d) will not be responsible for the inability to select Semi-Finalists, Finalists or Winners because of postal failure, equipment failure, or data storage failure.

MISCELLANEOUS32. Sponsors have the right to cancel, terminate or suspend this Contest or any part of this Contest if the security, administration, fairness or operation of this Contest corrupted or impaired by any non-authorized interven-tion, network failure, information storage failure, telecommunications failure, malfunction, or other causes beyond Sponsors’ control, as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion. In that event, Sponsors will select the Semi-Finalists, Finalists or Winners from among all entries received at the time of the Contest termination that are not believed to have been affected by the event causing termination, using the same judging method and criteria set forth above.

33. Sponsors have the right to prohibit you or your Team from participating in this Contest if Sponsors determine (in their discretion) that (a) you have attempted to tamper with Contest in any way; (b) you have tried to cheat or circumvent the Official Rules; (c) you have acted in any unfair way while participating in the Contest; (d) you have tried to annoy, threaten or harass any other contestant or Sponsors; or (c) you have acted in any other disruptive manner. If Sponsors fail to enforce any of these Official Rules in any situation, that does not mean that Sponsors have waived the Official Rules with respect to you.

34. All activity arising out of and relating to the Contest is subject to verification and/or auditing for compliance with the Official Rules and you agree to cooperate with Sponsors concerning verification and/or auditing. All references to a Team’s status as a “Semi-Finalist,” “Finalist” or “Winner” are subject to verification and/or auditing by Sponsors. If verification activity or an audit evidences non-compliance with the Official Rules as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion, Sponsors reserve the right to disqualify that Video Entry from the Contest at any time.

35. Sponsors reserve the right to correct typographical or clerical errors in any Contest-related materials. No more than the number of prizes stated above will be awarded. If more than that stated number of prizes is claimed for any reason, Sponsors will award only the stated number of prizes by selecting the Semi-Finalists, Finalists and/or Winners from all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims by applying the same judging method and criteria described above.

DISPUTES36. By participating in the Contest, you agree that (a) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action that relate to the Contest or any prizes, will be resolved individually, without any class actions of any kind; (b) any and all claims, judgments and awards will be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs, but will not include attorneys’ fees; and (c) no person will be permitted, under any circumstance, to claim or receive any award of punitive, inciden-tal or consequential damages or damages that are multiplied or increased in any way and you waive any claims for such damages.

37. All issues and questions relating to this Contest or the Official Rules in any way are governed by Florida law, regardless of any choice of law or conflict of law principles. Any legal proceedings relating to the Contest or the Official Rules can be brought only in the federal or state courts located in Hillsborough County, Florida and nowhere else and all you consent to jurisdiction in Hillsborough County, Florida. If any of these Official Rules is held to be invalid or unenforceable or illegal, these Official Rules will otherwise remain in effect and be interpreted as if the invalid or illegal rule were not included. WINNERS’ LIST / OFFICIAL RULES COPY38. For a copy of the Official Rules or Winners’ List, visit NIEgogreen.com, or mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Publix “Show Us Your “Green Routine” Contest,” c/o Publix Marketing Department, 3300 Publix Corpo-rate Parkway, Lakeland, FL 33811, specifying either “Winners’ List Request” or “Official Rules Request.” The Winners’ List will be available after May 22, 2012.

O f f I C I a L R U L E SGo Green Video Contest


Go Green!

Go Green: Teacher’s Guide 6

GO GreenL

ESSO

N P

LA

N 2

Going Green While in the Red Overview: In this lesson, students suggest and evaluate environmentally-friendly policies in tough economic times and write letters to President Obama offering policy advice on energy and climate change.

FIRST ACTIVITY:Prior to class, make a six-column chart on the board with the following headings: Energy Resourc-es, Transportation, Education, Population Growth, Food Production, and Scientific Research.

Students can work in pairs or small groups. Ask them the following questions, they can write their answers in journals or on a piece of paper.

1) “If you could give President Barack Obama advice on how to promote earth-friendly policies, especially in these troubling economic times, what would it be?

2) What ideas do you have for how he can solve the nation’s environmental problems while work-ing toward economic recovery?

Select any three categories from the chart on the board, and propose at least one idea for each of your chosen categories.

After a few minutes, invite students to write their ideas on the board under the appropriate category until the class has generated a large list of possible suggestions. As a class, discuss and evaluate the list:

n Which ideas do you like the best and why?

n Which ideas seem to be the most achievable?

n Which ideas seem the most outlandish or extreme?

n What obstacles would have to be overcome to put an idea into action?

Then have student pairs or groups select one idea from the list. Record students’ initials or group numbers next to the respective idea selected so that every group has a different topic. Encourage the class to select a wide range of ideas so that all six categories are represented.

L E S S O N 1

ANewspaperinEducationpublicationbroughttoyoubyPublixSuperMarkets,Inc.4 Go Green!

Your ecological footprint is a measure of how much land, water

and resources it takes to support your lifestyle and consumption.

More specifically, it is a calculation of human demand — for housing,

food, transportation, and more — in relation to how quickly the earth can

absorb waste and regenerate resources. The footprint is currently based on

scientific data and international standards that were developed in 2006.

The United States as a nation has the highest ecological footprint in the world.

It’s frequently noted that if all 6.8 billion residents of the earth lived as Americans do,

we would need five planets. The world’s population today uses 1.4 planets,

meaning it takes one year and five months to regenerate what we use in

one year. (www.footprintstandards.org)

Dr. Mathis Wackernagel, the co-creator of the concept of an ecological

footprint, co-authored “Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact

on the Earth” with William Rees in 1996. The widely used calculator helps

business and government leaders make policy decisions based on data rather than

having to guess. It incorporates some hidden costs — such as the cost of transporting

the food you eat or clothing you buy to the store in your neighborhood. Dr. Wackernagel

has compared the system to an accounting tool we would use to understand how

much money we are earning in comparison to how much we are spending.

Data gathered within the scientific fields of ecology (especially fisheries), environmental

science, forestry, atmospheric science and climatology and geography are all required to

calculate today’s footprint. It is a useful tool to help us understand how what we buy, how

we travel and what we throw away can impact the earth. It can measure which changes

(like recycling) have the most impact and help us make smarter daily choices.

Climate Change: a change in a measur-

able property of the

climate (e.g. average

temperature) that per-

sists for an extended

period, typically de-

cades or longer. Such

changes can be due to

natural variability or

to human activity

Consumption:to eat or take in, or to

use (people consume

energy when they

watch television or

drive a car)

Greenhouse Gas: natural or manmade

gases that trap heat in

the atmosphere and

contribute to the green-

house effect. These

include water vapor,

carbon dioxide, meth-

ane, nitrous oxide, and

fluorinated gases.

Photovoltaic:voltage produced when

exposed to radiant

energy, especially light.

Solar Energy: Energy from the sun,

which can be converted

into other forms

of energy such as heat

or electricity.

U R ThE ChANgE

carbon footprint1. a measure of

the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by a single endeavor or by a company, household, or individual through day-to-day activities over a given period

2. the amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (as a person’s activities or a product’s manufacture and transport) during a given period

eco footprint1. the measure of

how fast we con-sume natural re-sources, generate waste as compared to how fast nature can regenerate natural resources

C 2

+>> www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/calc/index.html

>> www.footprintstandards.org/calculator

>> www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/index.htm

>> www.zerofootprintkids.org

m

take actionStart a carbon-free

day (week or month) at your school:

» Walk, bike, skateboard, rollerblade or take a bus to school. Just make sure to stay safe. Ask your school about a SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM (www.saferoutesinfo.org).This program has lots of tips for students and families, like forming “walking school buses” led by one or two adults.

» Talk to parents about the possibility of carpooling to school.

» Start a NO IDLE ZONE at your school: by asking school visitors , parents who are picking up or dropping off their kids, bus drivers waiting to pick up or drop off kids or any vehicles that are stopped for 30 seconds or longer in your zone to shut off their vehicle.

What else could be done to lower

your school’s carbon footprint?

CAlCulATE yOur FOOTPrINT

vv

grEATgrEENIdEA!corresponding with pAGE 4 in tab


Go Green!


GO GreenGoing Green While in the Red: (Continued)

LESSON PLAN 2

SECOND ACTIVITY:Groups will use the handout “Dear President Obama,…” to create a classroom “station” where they will promote their idea or proposal for President Obama. Depending on the time available, “stations” may be as simple or complex as students or the teacher choose to make them. For example, groups may choose to make a simple, enlarged copy of the handout stating their idea and supporting reasons in clear, persuasive language. Or students may make a more elaborate poster-board that includes clips of text from the article and other resources, persuasive images on the topic, quotes from leading researchers or graphs and data supporting their respective points of view. It may be useful to provide a time limit in which students must complete their station.

When all groups are ready, students rotate through every station with pens in hand. At each spot they are asked to write a comment, reaction, or question about the advice or proposed idea they find there. Because each group rotates through each station adding their own comments, this quickly becomes a “conversation on paper” in which students react to the text as well as to previous students’ comments.

At the end of class, you may wish to wrap up by having students privately vote for the best three ideas gen-erated by the class.

Handout “Dear President Obama, …” on next page.

FOR HOMEWORK OR FUTURE CLASSES:For homework, students compose a formal letter offering earth-friendly advice to President Obama. Stu-dents should use the comments and questions posed by their classmates to further refine their ideas.

In future classes, provide time for students to find news articles from their local newspapers or websites related to policy advancements on their proposed idea. In their journals, have students record the headline or title, date published and a brief summary. Students may present updates to the class on what, if anything, President Obama is doing in relation to their topic.

Lesson Plan Source:Going Green While in the RedNY Times Learning Network(www.nytimes.com/learning)

L E S S O N 1



































to human activity


use (people consume

energy when they

watch television or

drive a car)



the atmosphere and


house effect. These




fluorinated gases.


exposed to radiant




into other forms


or electricity.

U R ThE ChANgE






C 2





m









vv



Go Green!

Go Green: Teacher’s Guide 8LESSON PLAN 2

GO GreenGoing Green While in the Red: (Continued)

L E S S O N 1



































to human activity


use (people consume

energy when they

watch television or

drive a car)



the atmosphere and


house effect. These




fluorinated gases.


exposed to radiant




into other forms


or electricity.

U R ThE ChANgE






C 2





m









vv



Go Green!


GO GreenL

ESSO

N P

LA

N 3 Mathematics and Environmental Concerns

Includes three worksheets & instructions: Aluminum cans, Plastic Packaging & Classroom Paper

Aluminum Cans: LEARNING OBjECTIVES:

n Gather data about aluminum can use

n Graph the data and interpret graphs

n Develop a recycling plan

Materials: Aluminum Cans Activity Sheet and Aluminum Cans

Show aluminum can. Discuss what students know about such cans.

n Of what are they made? [Aluminum.]

n What products are sold in similar cans? [Soda, other soft drinks, juice, motor oil.]

n What other products are made of aluminum? [Siding for houses, rain gutters, silver paint, mirrors, packaging (i.e., aluminum foil) and CDs.]

Why is aluminum an important metal? [It’s relatively inexpensive, malleable, and lightweight.]

Distribute the Aluminum Cans activity sheet to each student. (On pages 11 and 12) Allow time for students to record their own numbers, and poll eight classmates. The data should be recorded in the chart on the activity sheet. A sample chart is shown below.

Name Number of Aluminum Cans Used Yesterday

Me 1

Sarah 2

Jose 0

Wally 3

Helene 2

Sachin 1

Grace 3

Billy 2

Noel 2

L E S S O N 2

ANewspaperinEducationpublicationbroughttoyoubyPublixSuperMarkets,Inc. ANewspaperinEducationpublicationbroughttoyoubyPublixSuperMarkets,Inc. Go Green! 5

Weather is a specific event or condition that happens over a period of hours or days. For example, a thunderstorm,

a snowstorm, and today's temperature all describe the weather.

Climate refers to the average weather conditions in a place over many years (usually at least 30 years). For example,

the climate in Minneapolis is cold and snowy in the winter, while Miami's climate is hot and humid. The average climate

around the world is called global climate.

“Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.”

– Mark Twain

Be The Change! » Do something today

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at home and school….

» To impact climate change, you will have to switch from getting most of your energy from burning fossil fuels to getting more of your energy from a clean energy source.

» Clean energy tech-nologies like wind and solar power produce energy without burning fossil fuels. And other technologies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency or by capturing these gases before they can enter the atmosphere.

For more information on solar energy and how to be energy efficient at home, go to:

m http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/solutions/ technologies/solar.html

m www1.eere.energy.gov/kids/roofus/

Publix is working with the Florida

Solar Energy Center and several other

companies that are proficient in solar

integration to conduct Photovoltaic*

Feasibility System Pilots to determine

how best to integrate photovoltaic

systems into their stores and offices.

They have been researching photo-

voltaics. They have four operating

photovoltaic systems — one on each of

these locations: GreenWise Market Palm

Beach Gardens; GreenWise Market Boca

Raton; Publix at Miami Lakes; and the

corporate office in Lakeland. m www.publix.com/sustainability

v

Scientists can compare the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today with the amount of carbon dioxide trapped in ancient

ice cores, which show that the atmosphere had less carbon dioxide in the past. Source: EPA’s Climate Change Indicators (2010).

Solar Energy brings light to Publix stores

FACT: There's more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere nowthan at any other time in at least 650,000 years!

Weather VErSuS Climate

corresponding with pAGE 5 in tab


Go Green!


GO GreenAluminum Cans: (Continued)

LESSON PLAN 3

Next, each student should create a line plot or bar graph of his or her data. (Or, you may ask half the class to create each type of graph. Then, a rich discussion can occur about the differences between the graphs and the types of information that each shows.) A sample of each type is shown below; the line plot is on the right, and the bar graph is below:

Have each student look at the line plot and write several things that the graph shows. Students should note the range of numbers on their graphs. Review, as needed, how to figure the mean (average). Have students compute the mean of their sets of data. They may check their calculations by using the calculator.

Discuss ways to compare an individual’s can use in a day with the typical American’s use of 1500 cans per year (Javna, 1990). Have students compute per-year use and compare it with 1500. They should also work with the group mean, figure the number of can used per year on the basis of this number, and compare the number per year with 1500. Students should use calculators and may check each other’s work.

Discussion questions could include:

n Were they surprised at their own or the mean for the people they polled?

n What did they learn about the mean as compared with individual numbers in their data sets?

L E S S O N 2








– Mark Twain






















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Go Green!



LESSON PLAN 3© 2008 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics http://illuminations.nctm.org

NAME ___________________________

It’s common to see people drinking from aluminum cans. How many cans do you and your classmates ordinarily use in a day? Let’s find out. Think back to the number of cans you used yesterday. Record that number in the chart below. Ask eight classmates about the number of aluminum cans they used yesterday, and record their responses in the chart below.

NAMENUMBER OF ALUMINUM CANS USED YESTERDAY

Me

1. Make a line plot of the data from the chart.

2. Write about the line plot you made. What are some things it shows?

3. What was the largest number of cans that was used? ____ The fewest number? ____

What was the mean number of cans used? Show how you determined the mean.

4. Discuss some things you noticed about the mean and the other data collected.

L E S S O N 2








– Mark Twain






















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Go Green!



LESSON PLAN 3© 2008 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics http://illuminations.nctm.org

5. Fifty Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth (Javna, 1990) states that a typical American uses 1,500 aluminum cans each year. On the basis of the number of cans you used yesterday, figure the number of cans you might use in a year.

How does your number compare with 1,500?

6. Aluminum cans may be recycled many times, which allows more of the metal to be used for airplanes, bicycles, and building materials. Less energy is used. Write some things you might do to recycle or conserve aluminum.

L E S S O N 2








– Mark Twain






















v








Go Green!

EVERY LAST PENNY Teacher Preparation (20 minutes):

• Gather materials listed. • Prior to the class, hide 200 pennies around

the room. Make sure that some are hidden in very obscure places.

• This website give great information about renewable vs. nonrenewable. You may want to review prior to teaching the lesson: http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/index.html

Time: Two 30-45 minute classes.

Materials:

• 200 pennies • piece of coal, or photo of coal/

coal mining• toy pinwheel • data sheet • 4 3-oz plastic cups per pair of

students• permanent markers • construction paper • glue • markers or crayons • scissors • shoe boxes (one per group of

4-5 students)

Objective: This lesson focuses on the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources, with emphasis on resource availability and depletion. The activity simulates the ever-increasing difficulty of finding nonrenewable energy resources.

Vocabulary: Conservation – The protection of resources and using them carefully. Energy – A source of usable power. Nonrenewable resource – An energy resource that takes millions of years to form. Renewable resource – An energy resources that can be replaced in a person’s lifetime. Resource – Things that people use to meet their needs.

Background: Fossil fuels, such as natural gas, oil and coal, come from the accumulated remains of ancient plants and animals. Because this organic material takes millions of years to replenish, fossil fuels are considered nonrenewable energy resources. Since fossil fuels are limited in supply, it is important that we find clean, renewable alternatives to meet our energy needs.

L E S S O N 3








– Mark Twain






















v








Go Green!

2

Procedure: • Start the class by asking: What is energy? How do we get it? What are some

different sources (electricity, gasoline, batteries, wind, solar)? How do we use it everyday?

• Show the class a piece of coal (or photo of coal/coal mine) and ask for student volunteers to tell what it is and what it is used for. Lead the students to classify it as a source of energy that must be burned in order to release energy. Point out that many of our electrical power plants generate electricity from burning coal.

• Demonstrate the movement of the pinwheel by blowing toward it. Again, ask students to identify the source of the energy. (If they say “you,” be sure to translate that into “wind” or “nature.”) Also, ask how the pinwheel uses the wind

— how it is captured or harnessed. Students should be able to recognize that the shape of the pinwheel creates the rotation when a current of air strikes it. (For a graphic of a wind machine: http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/wind.html).

• Ask students to suggest which one of the energy sources is more likely to run out of its supply. In comparing the two energy sources, students should explain why they think one will likely run out and the other is not likely to run out. Label the two energy sources: nonrenewable (coal) and renewable (wind).

• Explain the definitions of nonrenewable vs. renewable. • Brainstorm with the students for other sources of energy. As they come up with

each, ask them to categorize it as either renewable or nonrenewable. Some examples of Nonrenewable resources would be: Oil (petroleum), Natural Gas, Coal and Uranium (nuclear). Some examples of renewable resources would be: Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Biomass, Hydro and Ocean (tides, waves, currents). If student guess electricity, you can explain that electricity actually is made from another kind of energy and therefore it is a secondary energy source.

• Tell the students that tomorrow they will be doing an activity to learn about nonrenewable vs. renewable resources.

• Craft Project – Making a Power Plant: Arrange students in groups of 4-5. Pass out the shoeboxes, markers or crayons, construction paper, scissors, glue and have the student decorate their power plants. Students can brainstorm in their group to come up with a name for their new power company.

L E S S O N 3








– Mark Twain






















v








Go Green!

3

References Vocabulary Definitions: Measuring Up to the Florida Sunshine State Standards. PeoplesEducation, Inc. Saddle Brook, NJ. 2008.

Lesson adapted from: http://www.alliantenergykids.com/stellent2/groups/public/documents/pub/phk_001458.pdf

Energy Information Administration– Nonrenewable vs. renewable resources – Kid’s Page: http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/index.html

Day Two: • Arrange students into their groups of 4-5 and hand out the data sheet, plastic

cups, and markers. Have them label the cups 1 through 4. Tell them that they are going to be searching for a nonrenewable source of energy (such as the coal discussed the day before) symbolized by pennies hidden throughout the classroom.

• Tell the students that they will have at least four 30-second opportunities to find pennies. After each search, they will count, record, and deposit the pennies into a cup (one labeled for each search). The cup of pennies is their energy for the power plant. Have them place the cup inside the shoebox.

• At the end of their four searches, they should make a bar graph and analyze their data.

• When the paired groups have completed the data sheet, ask for volunteers to share their results. Once a few pairs share similar results, lead the class in a discussion. Through the data, students should be able to deduce that due to a limited supply to begin with, the search yielded smaller returns each time.

• You may want to extend the activity beyond the fourth search if you know there are still pennies left. Searching to the exhaustion of the resource will drive home that message that once a nonrenewable resource is gone, it is gone forever (or at least a very long time!).

• Extend the discussion on renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, connecting the search for pennies to the search for nonrenewable energy sources.

L E S S O N 3








– Mark Twain






















v








Go Green!

4

Name_________________________________________

Every Last Penny

Pretend you have been hired to find sources of natural gas, coal or oil. Natural gas is used to heat many homes and operate many appliances such as stoves and dryers. Coal is often used to generate electrical power, which we use throughout the day. Oil is used to make gasoline and other fuels, which we use everyday to fuel cars, trains and airplanes.

Natural gas, coal and oil are called fossil fuels, because they come from the remains of dinosaurs and ancient plants that existed thousands of years ago. When they died and became buried deep in the earth, the heat and pressure of the earth’s layers gradually transformed them into coal, natural gas, and other energy sources, such as oil. Fossil fuels are sometimes called “nonrenewable” energy sources because once we find them and use them, they are gone forever!

In this exercise, you will be asked to search for pennies (let’s pretend those pennies are coal deposits) in four 30-second sessions. After each search, you will count the pennies, record the total in the area below, and deposit them in the correctly numbered cup. After the fourth search, recount each cup of pennies one at a time, and make a bar graph to show the number of pennies you found in each search.

First search Second search Third search Fourth search

Pennies from ... ?

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Search Attempt

Number of penniesfound

50 — _

40 — _

30 — _

20 — _

10 — _

L E S S O N 3








– Mark Twain






















v








Go Green!

5

Questions about your penny data:

1. Look at your graph. In which search did you find the most pennies?

_______________________________________________________________

2. What is the range of your four searches?

_______________________________________________________________

3. Why do you think it became increasingly harder to find pennies?

4. If you were really searching for coal, what does your graph data tell you?

5. What would a real power plant have to do if they ran out of their nonrenewable resource?

L E S S O N 3








– Mark Twain






















v








Go Green!

6

Teacher Answer Key 1. Student answers will vary based on the data collected. The expectation is that

the largest quantities will be found during early searches 2. Student answers will vary based on the data collected. 3. Student answers should include that students found the easiest-to-find-pennies

first. With each search there were fewer pennies. 4. Student answers should include that because coal is a non-renewable resource,

as we continue to keep mining for coal, it will become increasingly more difficult to find it.

5. Student answers should include that they would have to look for other forms of energy, preferably from renewable sources.

L E S S O N 3








– Mark Twain






















v








Go Green!

EGGCEPTIONAL PACKAGING! Teacher Preparation:

• Purchase eggs in three different types of packages: Styrofoam, plastic, and cardboard.

• Gather Materials on the materials list. This may take several days to gather.

Time Estimate: ~ 1 hr

Materials: • Three different types of egg

cartons• Eggs, one per group of 4-5

students• Bucket • Measuring tape • Tape • Glue • Creative packaging materials,

such as:o Disposable cups o Cotton balls o String o Rubber bands o Resealing plastic baggies o Styrofoam o Foam rubber o Bubble wrap (6” squares) o Balloons o Corrugated cardboard o Plastic grocery bags o Coffee cans o Newspaper

Objective: Students will understand the role that packaging plays as a way to keep our food fresh and as protection. They will also understand that while some packaging can be recycled, too much packaging can be wasteful.

Background: Nearly all products use some kind of packaging, from the point of manufacture to use by the consumer. When we are choosing a product for purchase, we should consider not only the product itself, but also the type of packaging used. There is a variety of materials available to package the many products we use. Packaging is important for freshness, sanitation, and protection from damage (during transport, handling, etc); on the other hand, a product’s packaging inevitably becomes waste. Consumers have the responsibility to make environmentally friendly choices, when possible, opting for products that reduce waste. Such products lack excessive, non-biodegradable, or non-recyclable packaging. As we have seen, when we purchase eggs there are a few packaging options available to us, and there are environmental considerations for each type of egg carton, but most importantly the packaging needs to protect the eggs.

L E S S O N 4


Publix is making a difference:

In 2001, Publix created Get Into a Green

Routine™, a program for environmental re-

sponsibility. The program began with educa-

tion and emphasis on energy conservation,

and has extended to waste reduction, recy-

cling, and conservation of other resources,

including water.

Through Get Into a Green Routine™ and other

conservation projects like lighting and refrigera-

tion improvements, Publix has saved more than

1 billion kilowatt hours which equals a reduction

of more than 760,000 tons of greenhouse gas

and enough kilowatt hours to power 83,000

homes for a year (assuming the typical home

uses 1,000 kWh a month for a year).

These efforts have helped us reduce

company wide electricity usage by over

9 percent in existing stores and by

23 percent in new store designs.

m See how Publix measures its own

environmental impact by reading their

Social & Environmental Stewardship Report,

available at www.publix.com/sustainability

Conservation & Sustainability3U R ThE ChANgE

E veryone in your community or at your school needs

to work together to form a balance between the three

pillars of sustainability — environment, society and

economy. Each one of your states has state wide department

that works with or coordinates efforts for other agencies.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has a program

specifically for middle school students such as yourself ...

the “Make A Difference Campaign for Middle School Students”

is aimed at educating and engaging you in resource conserva-

tion and environmental protection. This campaign helps you

make informed decisions for protecting the environment in

your day-to-day life. The following resources will inspire you

to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste — to “make a difference”

at home, at school, and in your community.

m www.epa.gov/osw/education/mad.htm

m

take actionYou Can Make a Difference!

It can be as simple as:

Working together to make a difference

Conservation:a careful preservation

and protection of our

natural resources

will help sustain our

environment for

future generations

Sustainability: in ecological terms,

sustainability is a

method of harvesting

or using a resource so

that the resource is

not depleted or perma-

nently damaged. It also

relates to the lifestyle

that incorporates use

of sustainable methods

and choices.

>> ALABAMA Department of Environmental Management, www.adem.state.al.us/default.cnt

>> FLORIDA Department of Environmental Protection, www.dep.state.fl.us

>> GEORGIA Environmental Protection Division, www.gaepd.org

>> SOUTH CAROLINA Department of Health & Environmental Control, www.scdhec.gov

>> TENNESSEE Department of Environment & Conservation, www.tennessee.gov/environment

WhAT IS ThE AgENCy

IN yOur STATE?

» Changing one light bulb

» Using a reusable water bottle or lunchbox

» Walking or biking to school

» Switching from disposable grocery bags to resuable bags

» Reading the newspaper or your favorite magazine online



Go Green!

2

Procedure:• Hold an egg (in a sealed bag) above your head. Ask the students what will happen if

you drop it. Hopefully they will suggest that the egg will break. Drop the egg. • Ask the class why the egg broke. Guide them towards the fact that it had no protection. • Ask the class how they buy eggs at the store. • Show the class the three cartons of eggs. Ask if they know what each is made from. • Discuss the pros and cons of each: Does each carton provide the same amount of

protection? How can each carton be recycled? • Discuss the issues involved in product packaging: Point out the importance of packaging

for freshness, sanitation, and protection from damage (during transport). Have the students give examples of packages that they know and how each provides for freshness, sanitation and protection. What are the pros and cons of each discussed.(Examples – Freshness and Sanitation: sealed in a plastic bag – Pro: the bag keeps the item fresh for a long time, Con: Not recyclable and when thrown in the trash, it takes a long time to break down. Protection: Large amounts of bubble wrap – Pro: can be reused, Con: if thrown in the trash, it takes a long time to break down.

• Some things to consider about packaging when you go to the store: o Buy products in the largest size you can use. Examples: Cereal in large boxes rather

than single size servings. Juice and other beverages in gallons or half-gallons not small individual bottles. Raisins in a large box rather than single serving box. Kids will be able to give lots of examples of similar products.

o Whenever possible, shoppers should buy products in recyclable containers, and be sure to recycle them.

• Make sure that students understand that too much packaging inevitably becomes waste. • Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students. Explain that each group will work together

to design packaging for an egg. Each group will test the egg-protecting potential of their design in an experimental egg drop.

• Show the students the supplies that they can choose from to create their packaging. • Have the students brainstorm about the best type of packaging. • Once the groups have a strategy, give an egg to each group and have them collect the

supplies that they will use for their experiment. Remind students that there should be no intentional egg dropping before the experiment.

• Give the groups about 20 minutes to create their packaging. If needed, they may obtain additional supplies.

Vocabulary: Pollution - Any change of the natural environment producing a condition harmful to living things.Recycling – The collection and often reprocessing of discarded materials for reuse. Reduce - To use less.

L E S S O N 4









including water.

































m






natural resources


environment for

future generations


sustainability is a









and choices.






WhAT IS ThE AgENCy

IN yOur STATE?








Go Green!

3

References Lesson adapted from: http://www.tnengineering.net/eweek/Demonstrations/Egg%20Drop%20Demonstration.pdfandhttp://www.stanford.edu/group/sciencebus/Lessons/2005%20Winter%20Science%20Olympics/Lesson%20Plan%20for%20Egg%20Drop.doc.

Egg Drop results: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/eggdrop.html

Packaging information: http://www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=lib&a=shopsmart/shop.inc

Procedure (continued:• Before the egg-drop, gather the students around and have each group discuss their

packaging. What did they use? Why do they think this is the best? You may even have the class rate all of the packaging. Whose will work best? And see if their hyptheses are correct.

• For the egg-drop, place the bucket next to a wall. Measure and mark off a point 1 foot above the bucket.

• With the class observing, drop each egg in its packaging from the point marked into the bucket.

• For the eggs that didn’t break, discuss the packaging. Which one does the class feel is the best? Why?

L E S S O N 4









including water.

































m






natural resources


environment for

future generations


sustainability is a









and choices.






WhAT IS ThE AgENCy

IN yOur STATE?








Go Green!

DUMPSTER DIVING

RECYCLING MODULE

LESSON 1

Teacher Preparation: • Several days before you do this activity, ask

students to bring in trash from home:o Give students Parent’s Letter which

informs the parent about the activity, gives an idea list of what to bring in, and how to “prepare” the items to bring into class.

o Discuss that they will bring in 1-2 items that they think are recyclable.

o Discuss that these items should be clean and dry.

• Several days before doing this activity purchase hand sanitizer and plastic (shower curtain liner or plastic paint dropcloth are inexpensive options)

• Copy the Recycling in the Home to take home to parents.

• Copy the Recycling Categories handout. • Copy the Green’s Family Trash graphing

handout on page 4-5 to distribute to students. • Create 8 ½ x 11 signs for each recycling

category: plastic, aluminum, glass, paper, cardboard, cartons/drinkboxes & non-recyclables.

Time Estimate: ~1-1.5 hour

Materials: • Several Days Before:

o Distribute letter for parents and Recycling in the Home

o Piece of plastic for sorting recycling materials

o Hand sanitizer • Recycling categories handout (2-sided) • Green’s Family Trash handout x

(2-sided)• Recycling category signs

Objective: To utilize and improve students’ math, comprehension and writing skills by using recycling as an important environmental theme.

Background: Recycling preserves our natural resources, conserves energy, prevents pollution and protects our environment. Many of the items that we throw in the trash could be reused or recycled. The US only recycled 6% of our trash in 1960. Today we recycle 31% of our trash. (National Energy Education Development Project, Museum of Solid Waste, 2006). In Palm Beach County, households and businesses recycle more than 130,000 tons of recyclable materials per year. What happens to these items? The Solid Waste Authority sorts, processes and sells them, earning back money for the county. Aluminum cans are sold, reprocessed and can appear back on a store shelf as a new aluminum can in about 60 days. High-grade paper can be recycled into envelopes, writing paper and office paper. Recycled plastic can be used to make a variety of products including t-shirts, carpets, recycled plastic containers, hoses, plastic lumber, street signs, pens, recycling bins, fiberfill for sleeping bags, notebooks and many more products. Newspaper can be reprocessed for newsprint as well as many other products (insulation, tarpaper, roofing shingles, and animal bedding).

L E S S O N 5


The vast major-

ity of energy used

in the U.S. food

system (ap-

proximately 80

percent) goes to

processing, pack-

aging, transporting, storing and prepar-

ing food. Produce in the U.S. travels, on

average, 1,300 - 2,000 miles from farm

to consumer. Since 1970, truck shipping

has dramatically increased, replacing

more energy efficient transportation by

rail and water. Local food systems can

reduce “food miles” and transportation

costs, offering significant energy savings.

m Go to publix.com/sustainability

Publix has sold more than 13 million

reusable shopping bags, and given away many

more. These reusable bags, first introduced

in mid 2007, are recyclable. Publix is reduc-

ing the use of paper and plastic grocery bags

by encouraging the use of reusable bags,

and through the distribution of free reusable

bags through various partnerships. One such

partnership is this Newspaper In Education

program.

In an average month, Publix is

saving more than 40 million paper

and plastic grocery bags thanks to

customers opting for Publix reusable

bags. So far these initiatives have helped

Publix reduce its use of paper and plastic

grocery bags by over one million per day.

Paper and plastic grocery bags saved each

year at Publix, exceed 400 million thanks to

customers opting for Publix reusable bags.

Purchase Recycled Products. These days recycled paper is everywhere – in

everything from cool greeting cards to toilet

tissue and computer paper. “Post-consumer”

recycling – buying and reusing a product that

already has been recycled – is best. Choosing

recycled paper products cuts waste and saves

trees, which provide animal habitats. Trees also

help keep us healthy by taking greenhouse gases,

such as carbon dioxide, out of the air. Of course,

paper isn’t the only recycled product. You even

can find great clothes made from recycled fibers

and much more.

rEDuCE

rEuSE

rECYCLE

Buy used. Buying things that have

been used before means that your pur-

chase doesn’t use more resources or en-

ergy. If the item is still reusable when you’re

through with it, then the next person to use

it is not using additional resources either.

You can find retro clothes, room acces-

sories, and even sports equipment at your

local thrift store.

Share with friends. Another

way to save resources and energy is to swap

with friends and family instead of buying

brand-new products. Maybe you and your

friends like the same video games. Why not

share your games instead of each of you

owning the same game? Or maybe you can

rent the game first to see if you really want

to own it.

Visit the grocery store

with a parent. Find five

items that are made of re-

cycled products and com-

pare the prices to similar

items that are not partially

recycled.

3 rs ofSuSTAiNABiLiTY

“Paper, Plastic or Neither!”ACTIVITYm Go to publix.com/sustainability

to see what the count is on the ticker

today. Using the information on the

ticker below, what do you think it will

be next week at this time? How about

one month?



Go Green!

2

References The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 20 Jul. 2007.

The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, Florida. http://www.swa.org/.

Procedure: Day One:• Distribute the Parent’s Letter and the Recycling in the Home handout. • Have a class discussion about recycling: What does recycling mean? Why is it

important? Discuss items that are recycled and what they reprocessed into. • Go over types of items to bring into class and how to prepare them. Day Two (several days later): • Distribute the Recycling Categories handout to the class.• Place the plastic on the floor in a large vacant area of the room. (Clear desks out of the

way, if necessary.) • Have the students bring their trash items and gather around the plastic. • Using the Recycling Categories handout, identify and brainstorm the different categories

of recyclables. • Have a few students place the recycling category signs around on the plastic. • Ask students one at a time to place the trash that they brought in a category. Confirm

how the students sorted each item: “Do you agree with where the item was placed? If not, what category does the item belong in: plastics, aluminum, glass, paper, cardboard, cartons/juice boxes and non-recyclables?”

• Once all items are placed into a category, have the class count the number of recyclables in each category. Write this information on the board as it is determined.

• Distribute the Green’s Family Trash handout to the class – Students can work alone or in groups.

o Side One of Handout - Students will answer questions based on the data from the Green family’s garbage. If the students haven’t worked with graphs recently, review graphs and terms such as mean, mode, range, etc.

o Side Two of Handout – Students will graph their own data (using the Green family graph as a reference, if necessary). After graphing they will write a paragraph about their data.

Vocabulary: Conservation – The controlled use and/or maintenance of natural resources; various efforts to preserve or protect natural resourcesEnvironment - The sum of conditions affecting an organism, including all living and nonliving things in an area, such as plants, animals, water, soil, weather, landforms, and air Pollution - Any alteration of the natural environment producing a condition harmful to living organisms.Recycling – The collection and often reprocessing of discarded materials for reuse. Styrofoam - A brand of expanded plastic made from polystyrene.

L E S S O N 5


The vast major-

ity of energy used

in the U.S. food

system (ap-

proximately 80

percent) goes to

processing, pack-




















program.






















and much more.

rEDuCE

rEuSE

rECYCLE









local thrift store.









to own it.







recycled.







one month?



Go Green!

3

Newspaper Magazines Catalogs

Telephone Books

CorrugatedCardboard

Paper Grocery Bags

Plastic Containers

Plastic Containers #1-7 Glass Bottles and Jars

Aluminum Cans, Foil, and Pie plates

Drink Boxes Milk and Juice Cartons

Glass Aluminum

Cartons & Drink Boxes Cardboard

Paper Products

Recycling Categories

L E S S O N 5


The vast major-

ity of energy used

in the U.S. food

system (ap-

proximately 80

percent) goes to

processing, pack-




















program.






















and much more.

rEDuCE

rEuSE

rECYCLE









local thrift store.









to own it.







recycled.







one month?



Go Green!

4

Junk Mail Cereal Boxes

Plastic Grocery Bags

Tin Cans

Styrofoam

Do Not Recycle these itemsIn Palm Beach County, the following items can not be recycled in your yellow and blue bins:

Can be recycled at Publix or Publix Greenwise Market

L E S S O N 5


The vast major-

ity of energy used

in the U.S. food

system (ap-

proximately 80

percent) goes to

processing, pack-




















program.






















and much more.

rEDuCE

rEuSE

rECYCLE









local thrift store.









to own it.







recycled.







one month?



Go Green!

5

Name _____________________________________________________

The Green family examined their trash and found that they were throwing many items in the garbage that could be recycled. The bar graph below shows 6 categories of recyclables that they found in the trash, and the numbers for each category. Using the bar graph below, answer the questions.

The Green Family’s Trash

1. Which type of recyclable was most common in the Green family’s trash? PlasticAluminumPaperCardboard

2. What is the range of the items recycled by the Green family? 461213

3. What is the mode of the items recycled by the Green family? 2678

4. How many more plastic items than cardboard items were there? 10

11 12 13

Plastic Aluminum Glass Paper Cardboard 0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Num

ber o

f ite

ms

Types of recycling

Cartons & Drink boxes

L E S S O N 5


The vast major-

ity of energy used

in the U.S. food

system (ap-

proximately 80

percent) goes to

processing, pack-




















program.






















and much more.

rEDuCE

rEuSE

rECYCLE









local thrift store.









to own it.







recycled.







one month?



Go Green!

6

Using the recycling data that you collected in class and create a bar graph below similar to the graph of the Green family’s trash. Make sure to give your graph a title and to label the x- and y-axis.

Graph Title: ________________________________________

5. In the space below, discuss the data you collected.• What category did your class have the most of?• What category did your class have the least of?• Compare your class data to the Green family’s data?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

y-ax

is ti

tle

x-axis title

L E S S O N 5


The vast major-

ity of energy used

in the U.S. food

system (ap-

proximately 80

percent) goes to

processing, pack-




















program.






















and much more.

rEDuCE

rEuSE

rECYCLE









local thrift store.









to own it.







recycled.







one month?



Go Green!

7

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We are currently studying recycling in class. As part of this unit, we are asking students to bring in 1-2 clean recyclables from home. This assignment is designed to help students learn that recycling preserves our natural resources, conserves energy, prevents pollution and protects our environment.

In class, the students will categorize the items that they bring in and graph their results.

Your child will require some assistance in gathering these items and ensuring that they are washed out and dry. Please assist him/her in finding items that are recyclable. A list of possible items has been attached on the Recyclingin the Home handout. Please do not send in items from the “household hazardous waste" category in the green box or any items with sharp edges. We encourage you to post this handout in a place that you and your family will see it. This will remind you what and where to recycle.

Thank you for your cooperation with this activity. Please contact me should you have questions/concerns regarding this assignment. The recyclables need to be brought in on _____________________________________.

Sincerely,

L E S S O N 5


The vast major-

ity of energy used

in the U.S. food

system (ap-

proximately 80

percent) goes to

processing, pack-




















program.






















and much more.

rEDuCE

rEuSE

rECYCLE









local thrift store.









to own it.







recycled.







one month?



Go Green!

8

Recycling in the Home What can you bring to Publix or Publix Greenwise Market to recycle?

• Plastic Bags • Styrofoam Egg Cartons & Trays

Solid Waste Authority in Palm Beach County recycles: Paper products go in your yellow bin. These include: • Newspaper • Magazines • Catalogs • Telephone Books • Corrugated Cardboard • Paper Grocery Bags

Recyclable containers go in your blue bin. These include: • Plastic containers #1-7 • Glass Bottles and Jars • Aluminum Cans, Foil, and Pie Plates • Drink Boxes • Milk and Juice Cartons

DO NOT RECYCLE: Please be careful NOT to place the following in your bin: • Junk Mail • Cereal Boxes • Plastic Grocery Bags

DO NOT PLACE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN YOUR GARBAGE OR YOUR RECYCLING BINS:

Where to Take Household Hazardous Waste - http://www.swa.org/pdf/hhw_matrix.pdf These items can be taken to drop-off locations in Lantana, Delray Beach, Jupiter, Royal Palm Beach and West Palm Beach:

• Tin Cans • Styrofoam • Food Waste

• Rechargeable Household batteries

• Automotive Batteries • Used Oil • Oil Filters • Antifreeze • Fluorescent Lamps • Propane Cylinders • Electronics • Paints, Stains, Thinners

• Pesticides • Cleaners • Flares • Acids • Caustics • Corrosives • Pool Chemicals • Fuels - gasoline, diesel • Solvents

L E S S O N 5


The vast major-

ity of energy used

in the U.S. food

system (ap-

proximately 80

percent) goes to

processing, pack-




















program.






















and much more.

rEDuCE

rEuSE

rECYCLE









local thrift store.









to own it.







recycled.







one month?



Go Green!

Mission: Conservation Teacher Preparation:

• Make copies of: o Energy and Water Scavenger Hunt

Handout (pages 3-4)o Parent Letter o Family Energy and Water Conservation

Plan Handout

Time Estimate: Day 1 – Classtime – ~30 minutes Day 2 - ~45 minutes -1 hour

Materials: • Energy and Water Scavenger

Hunt Handout (2 – sided) • Letter to parents • Family Energy and Water

Conservation Plan Handout

Objective: To utilize and improve students’ math skills while using water and energy conservation as important environmental themes. By completing the home water and energy scavenger hunt, students will understand and identify ways to conserve water and energy at home.

Vocabulary: Conservation – The controlled use and/or maintenance of natural resources; various efforts to preserve or protect natural resources

Background: Most homes install energy and water efficient fixtures when they are built. However, older homes may still have fixtures that use more energy and water. Local energy and water companies explain ways in which you can conserve home energy and water use ontheir websites. Also, EnergyStar (http://www.energystar.gov/) is a government program that helps conserve energy. Appliances, home electronics, and other items that have the EnergyStar logo save energy.

L E S S O N 6


A. 142 billion gallons of water

B. 136 billion gallons each day

C. 43 billion gallons each day

D. 20 billion gallons each day

______ 1. HOuSEHOldS, BuSInESSES And CITIES, including firefighting, public

pools and street cleaning.

______ 2. POWER PlAnTS to cool

energy created from fossil fuels, nuclear and

geothermal sources.

______ 3. AGRICulTuRE, for crop

irrigation and dairies, fish farms and livestock.

______ 4. MAnuFACTuRInG And MInInG, for cooling in industrial processes

for making paper, steel and other products.

Match these four sectors in the

United States with the amount of

fresh water they use each day:

PopQuizAnswers:1.C,2.B,3.A,4.D.Agricultureandpowerplantsusethreetimesasmuchwaterasindividu-alsandbusinesses.Notallofthatwateristreatedfordrinking,butitisstilldrawingfromourfreshwatersupply.Today,waterconservationisimportantinindustryandagricultureaswellasincitiesandhomes.

Would you drink water from a mud puddleor a retention pond? Not even on a dare, right? But why not?

We are surrounded by water, but only one percent of it is usable by humans for drinking, bathing, cooking and other household uses. Water that is untreated for human use con-tains viruses and other pathogens that can cause illness. Retention pond water may contain fertilizers, insecticides and other chemicals used to maintain grass and landscape plants. Those chemicals, along with oil and dirt from roads, wash into ponds and other waterways when it rains.

It’s easy to take for granted the clean water that flows out of our faucets every time we want a drink. One

billion people in the world don’t have access to safe drinking water.

With population growth, we are using more wa-ter, and some countries are grappling with provid-ing a clean and safe water supply. Water shortages

and disputes over water are occurring even in the United States.

Stormwater Runoff is created

after rain or snow

melts in streets,

driveways, park-

ing lots and other

surfaces that don’t

absorb water. When

there is a lot of

precipitation, dirt,

garbage and chemi-

cals can flow with it

into waterways and

create pollution that

harms fish, plants,

animals and people.

H2O Go

slow on the

WhErE dOES Our WATEr gO?

corresponding with pAGES 8 & 9 in tab


Go Green!

2

References Lesson adapted from Energy Hog Scavenger Hunt: http://www.energyhog.org/adult/educators.htm

Procedure: Day One:• Review Lessons One and Two from the Energy and Water Conservation Module • Have a class discussion about water and energy use: Ask student how they use water

and energy at home. Make a list on the board. • Explain to the students that they will do a scavenger hunt at home to see how their

family uses water and energy. • Distribute the Parent’s Letter and the Energy and Water Scavenger Hunt handout. • Explain the scavenger hunt to the students.

Day Two (several days later): • Go over the results with the students.• For the water results, make a list on the board of all the student’s responses for total

number of gallons per person. How different is the data? How similar is the data? If a student has a really low number, see if they can figure out why. (i.e.They live in an apartment and don’t have a lawn to irrigate.)

• Break the data into several ranges with the class. For example, if the class data ranges from 100-500 gallons per day, make 4 groups. Make a bar chart on the bar using the class’ data: How many student fall within the 100-199 category? 200-299? 300-399? 400-500?

• Now go over each individual question. As you go over the questions, ask the students what they can do to save water or energy relating to that particular question. For example, for shower use, you would encourage shorter showers (and not less showers!). For brushing teeth, don’t leave the water running, and so on.

• Write these conservation ideas on the board as they come up with them. • Pass out the Family Water and Energy Conservation Plan and have them write the ideas

that they think will most benefit their family based on the information that they collected on their scavenger hunts. Have the students work in groups or alone.

L E S S O N 6










geothermal sources.
















after rain or snow

melts in streets,

driveways, park-

ing lots and other


absorb water. When

there is a lot of


garbage and chemi-


into waterways and


harms fish, plants,

animals and people.

H2O Go

slow on the




Go Green!

3

Name ______________________________________

Energy Scavenger Hunt This is a scavenger hunt to explore your home’s energy use. Search your home to find the answers to the questions below. Then add up your energy points to discover how energy efficient your household is.

1) How many compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s) can you count in you home? a) No CFL bulbs (2 points)

b) 1-4 CFL bulbs (4 points) c) 5 or more CFL bulbs (6 points)

1) How many Energy Star labels can you find on your home’s appliances and electronics (Hint: Look at appliances in kitchen, washer/dryer, AC, home electronics, etc?

a) No Energy Star labels found (2 points) b) 1-2 Energy Star labels found (4 points) c) 3 or more Energy Star labels found (6 points)

2) How often do you turn off the lights when you leave a room? a) Never (2 points) b) Sometimes (4 points) c) Always (6 points)

3) At what temperature do you wash your laundry? a) Hot (2 points) b) Warm (4 points) c) Cold (6 points)

5) At what temperature do you set the thermostat in the summertime when you are at home? a) 74 degrees or less (2 points) b) 75-77 degrees (4 points) c) 78 degrees or more (6 points)

6) How often do you turn the temperature up when no one is home? a) Never (2 points)

b) Sometimes (4 points) c) Always (6 points)

7) Find the Energy Guide on your home’s water heater and look at the efficiency rating. How much energy does it use compared to similar models? a) Uses the most energy (2 points) b) Uses average amount of energy (4 points) c) Uses the least energy (6 points)

TotalPoints:

________

14-27 You can make some easy changes in your home to become more energy efficient.

28-42 Wow! Your family is doing a great job!

L E S S O N 6










geothermal sources.
















after rain or snow

melts in streets,

driveways, park-

ing lots and other


absorb water. When

there is a lot of


garbage and chemi-


into waterways and


harms fish, plants,

animals and people.

H2O Go

slow on the




Go Green!

4

Water Scavenger Hunt This is a scavenger hunt to explore your home’s water use. Ask each person in your household the following questions. Their answers do not have to be exact; just ask them for their best guess. For each question, write their answers in the table. Then use their answers to solve the math problem. For each question, circle and use the first number if you have standard fixtures and the second number if you have water-efficient fixtures.

4) How many minutes a day does each person spend in the shower?

2) How many times a day does each person flush the toilet?

3) How many minutes a day does each person run the faucet to brush teeth, shave, wash hands and face?

4) If your household uses a dishwasher, how many times a week do you run the dishwasher?

5) How many loads of laundry does your family do in a week?

6) How many minutes per week does your family irrigate your lawn?

Person #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 Total minutes water used in shower Minutes + + + + =

Person #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 Total flushes Flushes + + + + =

Person #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 Total minutes water is running Minutes + + + + =

Household Total Loads =

Household Total Loads =

Irrigation Total Minutes =

__________ x 7 / 2.5 gallons per minute = ______________ gallons x 7 days = _________ gallons Total minutes circle one Total daily shower water

__________ x 6 / 1.6 gallons per flush = _______________ gallons x 7 days = _________ gallons Total flushes circle one Total daily toilet water

__________ x 3 / 2 gallons per minute = _______________ gallons x 7 days = _________ gallons Total minutes circle one Total daily faucet water

__________ x 15 gallons per load = _________ gallons Total weekly Loads in dishwasher

__________ x 40 / 25 gallons per load = _________ gallons Total weekly laundry loads

Total weekly water use: _________ gallons ÷ ________________ = _____________________ Number of people in family Total number of gallons

per person per family

__________ x 45 gallons per minute = _________ gallons Total weekly Minutes irrigating lawn

L E S S O N 6










geothermal sources.
















after rain or snow

melts in streets,

driveways, park-

ing lots and other


absorb water. When

there is a lot of


garbage and chemi-


into waterways and


harms fish, plants,

animals and people.

H2O Go

slow on the




Go Green!

5

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We are currently studying energy and water conservation in class. As part of this unit, we are asking students to do a scavenger hunt for energy and water use at home. This assignment is designed to help students understand how water and energy are used in the household, and steps their families can take to conserve.

In class, the students will discuss and compare results. The information students obtain through the scavenger hunt will be used to help each of them develop a water and energy conservation plan for their own household.

Your child will require some assistance in gathering this information. Please assist him/her in answering the questions on the Water/Energy Scavenger Hunt handout. When your child brings home his/her Energy and Water Conservation Plan, we encourage you to post this in a location where the entire family can see it.

Thank you for your cooperation with this activity. Please contact me should you have questions/concerns regarding this assignment. This survey needs to be completed by

_____________________________________.

Sincerely,

L E S S O N 6










geothermal sources.
















after rain or snow

melts in streets,

driveways, park-

ing lots and other


absorb water. When

there is a lot of


garbage and chemi-


into waterways and


harms fish, plants,

animals and people.

H2O Go

slow on the




Go Green!

6

The ________________ Family’s Energy and Water Conservation Plan

We will try to reduce our home’s energy and water use by doing the following:

• ______________________________________________________________

• ______________________________________________________________

• ______________________________________________________________

• ______________________________________________________________

• ______________________________________________________________

• ______________________________________________________________

• ______________________________________________________________

• ______________________________________________________________

L E S S O N 6










geothermal sources.
















after rain or snow

melts in streets,

driveways, park-

ing lots and other


absorb water. When

there is a lot of


garbage and chemi-


into waterways and


harms fish, plants,

animals and people.

H2O Go

slow on the




Go Green!

1

MAKING PAPER Teacher Preparation (1− 2

hours): • Several days in advance of doing this activity,

start saving newspapers, white recycled paper and colored paper scraps.

• Gather materials on the materials list. The plain gelatin will “size” the paper, making it more usable by preventing ink from bleeding.

• Make the mold and deckle in advance. Take your two picture frames and remove the glass and backing from both. (Or make your own frames out of wood.) To make the mold, stretch the screen tightly over the surface of one of the frames, and attach the screen to the back of the frame with a staple gun or tacks. The second frame will be used as the deckle, which makes the sheet of paper the desired size.

• Gather several items to demonstrate reuse. For example, coffee cans, cat litter buckets (you can use these for the paper soaking!), cloth napkins, glass jars, egg cartons, etc.

Time Estimate: - 2 days, 1-1 ½

hours each day

Materials: For every 12-15 students: • About 50 sheets of white photocopy

paper from your recycling bin • About 12 sheets of colored

photocopy paper or uncoated gift-wrap paper

• 2 wooden frames that are flat across their top surfaces (5" x 7" picture frames work well)

• fiberglass or plastic screen (available at hardware stores)

• staple gun or tacks • dishpan • blender • Disposable kitchen cloths

(Handiwipes, for example); 1 cloth for 2 sheets of new paper

• Sponge • Several Buckets • stack of old newspapers • Paper enhancements: food coloring,

potpourri, dried flowers, dried herbs and spices, seeds, thread, lint from the dryer, etc.

• A packet of plain gelatin (needed if you're making stationery)

Objective: Students will understand that many items that we throw away on a daily basis can be reused to make something useful. Students will learn how to make paper out of old newspapers, rather than throwing them in the trash or recycling them.

L E S S O N 7


Creating New Products: The slurry can be made into office paper (by adding wood or cotton fibers) or into cereal boxes, cardboard and newsprint. Tossing:

You toss your paper into a bin marked for recycling. Trucks transport the waste to a recycling facility.

Breaking Down: Paper is put into a large vat and mixed with water creating a product called a slurry. The slurry is spread on racks, where big rollers can push all the water out. Sorting:

The paper is separated by type and grade.

What goes around, comes around

WhAT hAPPENS TO ThAT NEWSPAPEr yOu TOSS INTO ThE rECyClINg bIN?

DID YOU kNOW? Each American uses

approximately one

100-foot-tall Douglas fir

tree in paper and wood

products per year.

Source: EPA

ThESE NumbErS Add uP . . .+ Every ton of paper recycled saves

more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space

+ In 2010, 6.35 percent of the paper used in

the U.S. was recovered for recycling. This represents

an 89 percent increase in the recovery rate since 1990.

+ 268 million Americans have access to curbside

or drop-off paper recycling programs .

+ In 2010, the amount of paper recovered for recycling

averaged 334 pounds for each man, woman and child

in the United States.

+>> Of all the disposable post-consumer

material that is made into new products,

paper is among the easiest to recycle.

>> The individual fibers of paper are degrad-

ed somewhat with each new use, so paper has a

finite lifespan – usually about seven generations.

>> Many different grades of paper

can be recycled into new products.

NOTEBOOk PAPER: into printing or

writing paper, newspaper, or packaging.

NEWSPAPER: into new newsprint,

egg cartons or paperboard.

CARDBOARD: into new cardboard

or paperboard packaging.

www.paperrecycles.org



Go Green!

2

Procedure:Day One:• Discuss the 3 R’s with the students: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. In the first lesson,

students learned about recycling. In the second lesson, students learned about reducing the amount of packaging by making smart choices. In this lesson, they will learn about ways that they can reuse items.

• Show the class the items that you’ve brought in to demonstrate reuse. Ask them to share ideas about what each item could be used for.

• Show the students the recycle paper bin in the class. Ask the students what will happen to that paper. What if it wasn’t recycled, where would it go?

• Discuss that for every 100 pounds of trash we throw away, 35 pounds is paper. • Ask the students what paper is used for when it is recycled. (It is turned into other

paper products.) • Discuss with the students that rather than recycling or throwing the paper away, it can

be reused. For example, you can make your own paper! Papermaking instructions • Have the students tear paper into pieces the size of quarters (do not cut) and put them

in a bucket. Used white photocopy paper is the best material to start with for the pulp base; avoid newsprint and glossy paper. Rip the copy paper into small pieces, roughly an inch square. Soak the pieces overnight in a bucket of water. Rip assorted sheets of colored paper into small pieces, and soak them separately. A good ratio to begin with is four times as much white paper as colored paper. Colored photocopy paper and uncoated gift-wrap paper are good choices, but glossy, brightly colored magazines can be used in small amounts for accents.

• Add warm water to cover the paper and soak overnight in buckets.

Vocabulary: Recycling – The collection and often reprocessing of discarded materials for reuse. Reuse – To use something again without reprocessing it.

Background: According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during the past 35 years, the amount of waste each person creates has almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.4 pounds per day. The most effective way to stop this trend is by preventing waste in the first place. Reusing products that we would otherwise throw away or recycle is a great alternative because the item does not need to be reprocessed before it can be used again. According to the Energy Information Agency, paper is the number one material that we throw away. For every 100 pounds of trash we throw away, 35 pounds is paper. Newspapers take up about 14 percent of landfill space, and paper in packaging accounts for another 15 to 20 percent.

L E S S O N 7









approximately one



products per year.

Source: EPA




























Go Green!

3

Day Two:Making the Pulp • Put a handful of the soaked white paper into the blender. Add warm water to fill

the blender about three-quarters full. Blend for up to a minute until the mixture has a consistency something like that of oatmeal. (If the mixture is not blending well, or if the motor is straining, add more water, or remove some paper.) Repeat this process four times to form the batch of basic pulp.

• Dump the pulp into a large, deep dishpan, and swirl the pulp around with your hands. You'll probably have to add more water at this point; the mixture should be about 90 percent liquid.

• Dissolve a packet of gelatin in hot water, and stir the gelatin into the pulp mixture so that ink won’t bleed on your paper.

• Now lightly blend your soaked colored paper for about ten seconds. Don't overblend - you want the colored paper to appear in your paper as confetti-like accents. Alternatively, you may add other materials or food coloring directly to the pulp, or you can add textures on top of the pulp after forming a sheet. For example, you might want to add some wildflower seeds on top of the paper. Cards made with seeds can later be planted by the recipients to create flower gardens.

Making the paper • Always stir the pulp just before dipping the mold and deckle into it. Hold the mold

with the screen facing up. Place the deckle upside down on top of the mold so the smooth sides of the frames face each other.

• Grasp the mold and deckle securely and lower them vertically into the dishpan.• Immediately bring the mold and deckle to a horizontal position under the pulp and

lift them straight up, allowing the pulp to cover the screen. • Don't let the pulp collect too thickly on the screen - thinner paper turns out better!

Let the excess water drip off for about two minutes. You can rest the mold and deckle on a corner of the dishpan while the water is draining. If you want to add seeds or other adornments to the top of the paper, now is the time.

• Set up a drying space where the handmade paper can be left overnight. Place one-half of a disposable kitchen cloth on top of several sheets of newspaper.

• Lift off the deckle. Turn the mold over onto the cloth so that the pulp side is down. With a sponge, soak up the water from the back side of screen. Gently pat the screen to soak up the water; don't wipe it. Make sure to sponge well around the edges. Squeeze the water out of the sponge into a small container or back into the pulp pan. Keep soaking up the water until you see the paper separating from the screen. Starting at one corner, gently remove the mold.

• Repeat the above process to make as many sheets of paper as you like. • Let your paper dry undisturbed overnight. When it's dry, gently peel off the kitchen

cloth from each sheet of paper, starting at one corner. If a sheet isn't dry on the reverse side, turn it over and let it finish drying. When all the sheets are completely dry, stack them and place heavy books on top of the stack for a couple of days to press the sheets flat. (To speed up these last steps, you can iron partially dry paper between two kitchen cloths at a medium temperature.) After the sheets have been pressed, they'll be ready for display or to be made into cards or other objects.

L E S S O N 7









approximately one



products per year.

Source: EPA




























Go Green!

4

References Paper-making instructions adapted from: http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/paper/handmade.htmlEPA’s Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle - http://www.epa.gov/msw/reduce.htmEnergy Information Agency Recycling Paper & Glass - http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/saving/recycling/solidwaste/paperandglass.html

Other Paper Making Resources Papermaking Facts - http://www.abundantforests.org/gifts.htmlInstructions for making paper beads - http://www.tappi.org/paperu/art_class/paperBeads.htm

Cleaning up • Paper fibers can clog your drain, so do not throw any leftover pulp into the sink.

Instead, recover it! Use the mold to strain the pulp from the water. Cover the drain in the sink with the mold, and pour the remaining pulp over the screen. Remove the pulp from the screen before it's full. Dry the leftover pulp and place it back in your recycling container.

L E S S O N 7









approximately one



products per year.

Source: EPA




























Go Green!

WHO’S EATING MY LUNCH? Teacher Preparation:

• Purchase 10- gallon bin (~24" X 18" X 8"). The box should be shallow rather than deep and can be made of plastic (like a storage bin).

• Drill holes in the lid and two rows of holes on the side of the bin. Holes in the side should be 2 inches from the top and 1 inch from the bottom. Cover these holes with screening material and attach with hot glue, liquid nails or duct tape For very detailed instructions you can see: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms/neighborhood/01-intro.html

• Obtain red wigglers - Red wigglers can be purchased at local bait shops ( or via the Internet.Make sure that you are ready to go with this project before ordering your worms.

Time Estimate: 2 days with

~45minutes-1 hour each day

Materials: • Compost, By Gosh! by

Michelle Eva Portman • 10- gallon bin (~24" X 18" X

8")• Tray for under the bin • Newspaper • 1 pound of Red Wigglers

(about 100) (Eisenia fetida)• About a gallon of topsoil or

good black dirt from a garden (do not use potting soil)

Objective: By creating a worm bin, students will see how the composting process takes place, thereby learning about decomposition.

Vocabulary:: Compost - A mixture of various decaying organic substances. Vermicompost – Composting with worms.

Background: Students learned in Lesson One that decomposition is an important part in nature. Plants obtain the nutrients that they need to grow as a result of decomposition. Vermicomposting is an easy way to compost indoors. Just like regular composting, food scraps are turned into nutrient-rich material that can be used by plants.

L E S S O N 8


#1 PET (Polyethylene terephthalate): This is

the plastic in most clear bottles and is considered to be safe. However it is known to have a porous surface that allows bacteria and flavor to accumulate, so it is best not to keep reusing these bottles as makeshift containers. This would include soda bottles, water bottles and large clear juice bottles. This plastic is picked up by most curbside recycling programs.

#2HdPE (High-density Polyethylene): This

plastic is considered safe and has low risk of leaching. It can be made without color as it is in milk bottles, and it is usually opaque. It can also be dyed any color for laundry/detergent bottles, fabric softeners, bleach, butter tubs and toiletries bottles. It is also picked up by most recycling programs.

#3 PVC (Poly vinyl chlo-ride): This plastic is

tough and holds up better against some oils and alcohols, so it is frequently used for salad dressing

and cooking oil bottles. There are phthalates in this material – softening chemicals that interfere with hormonal development. It is also used to make food wrap, so you should never cook using food wrap, especially in a microwave oven. #3 plastic is rarely accepted by recycling programs.

#4 ldPE low-density Polyethylene (This is

a lightweight version of HDPE): It is frequently used for garbage, grocery, sandwich, produce and bread bags. This plastic is con-sidered safe, but is unfortunately not often accepted by curbside recycling programs.

#5 PP (Polypropylene): Yogurt cups and

similar wide-necked containers are often made from it, as well as water bottles with a cloudy fin-ish. You’ll also find it in medicine bottles, ketchup and syrup bottles, and straws. This plastic is also considered safe, and is increas-ingly being accepted by curbside recycling programs.

#6 PS (Polystyrene): This is a common plastic

with many uses. It is often referred to by a brand name “Styrofoam.” PS is used to make coolers, plastic silverware, food boxes, egg cartons, meat trays and disposable dishes. Evidence is increasingly suggesting that this type of plastic leaches po-tentially toxic chemicals, especially when heated. PS is very light and expensive to transport. This makes it very expensive to recycle so most communities do not accept PS, however you can recycle Styrofoam at Publix (please be sure to empty and clean cartons).

#7 Other: This num-ber basically means

“everything else.” It’s a mixed bag, composed of plastics which were invented after 1987. Polycarbonate falls into this category, including the dreaded BPA. It also includes some baby bottles and food storage containers which resist staining. It is difficult to recycle #7 plastic and most curbside recy-cling programs won’t accept it.

M ost plastics in the U.S. are labeled with the numbers

1 through 7, in line with the code developed in 1988

by the Society of the Plastics Industry. The numbers

refer to the type of polymer used to produce the plastic in

question.

The numbers do not refer directly to the plastics’ use

in recycling. This is confusing when you are trying

to recycle them. Number one and number two

plastics are the most common and most

easily recycled. Plastic containers with

the other numbers are recycled differ-

ently from one community to the

next. Contact your local recycling

service to find out your local rules.

These numbers can also help you to decide

which products to buy before you use them. If you have a

choice between two products when one comes in a bottle

that you can recycle in your community and the other comes

in a bottle that cannot be recycled, which should you buy? Of

course, it is the one you can recycle.

Publix offers in store

recycling of paper and

plastic bags at all of its retail

locations. Not only can

customers drop off any

brand plastic shopping bag

for recycling, they can

recycle plastic sleeves from

dry cleaning and news-

papers. In addition, Publix

recycled 8,500 tons of plastic,

which combined with the

cardboard and paper recy-

cling, saved approximately

2.5 million barrels of oil.

plastic?The Seven

Types of Plastic

Here’s a list of the numbers,

from 1 to 7. Each number

represents the type of resin

made to produce the plastic.

pLASTiC?Just what is



Go Green!

2

Procedure: DAY ONE - • Tell your students that they will be helping to set up a worm bin in the classroom. • Read the short story Compost, By Gosh! to your class. • As a class, determine how many pounds of newspaper strips you will need. Multiply the

number of gallons in the bin by 0.4. If using a 10 gallon bin, that would be 4 lbs. of newspaper.

• Have the students tear the newspaper (no glossy or colored) into one inch wide strips and put into a garbage bag.

• Add 3 pints of water for every 1 pound of paper and toss in a big plastic garbage bag until they are as damp as a wrung-out sponge. If you have 4 lbs. of paper, that would be 4 x 3 = 12 pints of water. Let strips stay in bag overnight to insure that all paper is evenly damp. Be sure to squeeze out the excess water before adding to the bin.

DAY TWO: Setting up your bin:

o Add newspaper strips and fluff them up. Fill your bin 3/4 full with this moist "bedding." o Sprinkle bedding with the topsoil. o Place 1 pound of worms on top of the bedding. o Leave the bin exposed to light as the worms work their way down in to the bedding.o Once all the worms have left the surface, bury their first meal, cover with the lid and

leave them alone for a week or so to allow them to get used to their new home.o Place the bin on a “tray” to collect the moisture, or compost tea, that will drip out. o After about a week, begin their regular daily feeding schedule. Feeding your worms: o Feed worms 3-7 days a week (averaging about a cup of good scraps per day). Feed

worms fruits, vegetables, breads, cereal, eggshells, coffee and napkins. Cut up fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces. Eggshells should be crushed.

o DO NOT feed them meat or oil products. o Always bury food under the bedding and put fresh paper over the food. You can also

wrap food scraps in moistened newspaper. Do not leave food scraps exposed on top of the bin.

Harvesting the vermicompost (usually done every 1-4 months and can be done several ways):

o Start feeding on one side of the bin and the worms will migrate to that side. OR o Move the contents of your bin to one side. Fill the empty side with fresh damp

bedding and a small handful of soil. Feed only on the new side and the worms will eventually migrate to the fresh side. OR

o Dump out the contents onto a plastic-covered table in daylight or under a bright lamp and form many small piles of material. The worms will dive down, and in a few minutes you can remove a small amount of vermicompost free of worms. Ten minutes later, the worms in each pile will have gone down again and you can continue to remove the vermicompost. When you’re finished, rebed the worms.

L E S S O N 8





















question.































plastic?The Seven

Types of Plastic








Go Green!

3

References Worm Composting Basics, by Jen Fong and Paula Hewitt: http://compost.css.cornell.edu/worms/basics.htmlThe Adventures of Herman: Com live with Me: http://www.resourcefulschools.org/2004/learnwithworm.html

Extensions: More About Worms... And Related Classroom Activities: http://compost.css.cornell.edu/worms/moreworms.htmlPotential Cross-Curricular Applications of a Worm Bin For the Elementary School Classroom: http://compost.css.cornell.edu/worms/curriculum.html

Great Worm Bin Resources on Web: Worm Composting Basics, by Jen Fong and Paula Hewitt: http://compost.css.cornell.edu/worms/basics.htmlThe Adventures of Herman: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms/index.htmlThe Adventures of Herman: Com live with Me: http://www.resourcefulschools.org/2004/learnwithworm.htmlThe Worm Woman: http://www. wormwoman.com/ The New York City Compost Project: http://www.n yccompost.org/how/wormbin.html

Great Worm Bin BooksCompost, By Gosh! by Michelle Eva Portman Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up & Maintain a Worm Composting System, 1982, Mary Appelhof, Flower Press, Kalamazoo, Ml

Procedure (continued): Rules for a successful bin: • Keep the bin at temperatures of 65-85°F.• Don’t use citrus fruits as they are acidic and attract fruit flies. • Use more vegetable material than fruits. • Wash off food scraps to prevent the infestations of fruit flies. • Avoid broccoli and onions as they can smell. • Collect the compost tea (the liquid that will accumulate in the tray beneath your bin) and

add this liquid to the water that you use to water your plants! • If the bin starts to smell or food isn't breaking down quickly, give your worms a break and

feed them less food. • Feed in a pattern, choosing a spot and rotate around the bin. • Add fresh bedding every 2-3 weeks, keeping a 4" to 6" layer of fresh bedding over the

worms and food in your bin • Keep bedding moist, like a wrung-out sponge. Add dry bedding to absorb excess

moisture. The bin should never be too wet.

L E S S O N 8





















question.































plastic?The Seven

Types of Plastic








Go Green!

L E S S O N 9

COMPOST CRITTERS Teacher Preparation (30 minutes):

• Copy the Compost Critter Cards and cut out. You may want to paste these onto card stock or just print them on card stock. If you have more than 24 students, you can assign more than one student to the organic material. If you have less than 24 students, give more than one card to a student and have them hold one card in each hand.

• Print the Compost Pile Food Web Game rules and checklist.

• Copy the Compost Pile Food Web handout (2-sided). • To speed up the game, you may consider pre-cutting

your yarn into 4-6 foot lengths. ~ 54 total pieces • You may want to review the information at:

http://www.css.cornell.edu/compost/invertebrates.html. This website gives a detailed overview of what happens in the compost pile.

Time Estimate: 2 days for ~45 minutes-1 hour each day

Materials: • Compost Critter Cards • Yarn for food web • Compost Pile Food Web

Story Handout

Objective: Using composting as the environmental theme, students will improve reading and writing skills as well as learning that all living things are connected in complex relationships within an ecosystem.

Background: DAY ONE - Food Chain: The Food Chain shows how living things get the energy that they need to survive.

o Plants are called producers because they are able to use light energy from the Sun to produce food (sugar) from carbon dioxide and water.

o Animals cannot make their own food so they must eat plants and/or other animals. They are called consumers. There are three types of consumers: Some animals eat only plants. They are called herbivores or, primary

consumers. Some animals eat other animals. They are called carnivores.

• Carnivores that eat herbivores are secondary consumers. • Carnivores that eat other carnivores are tertiary consumers.

o Decomposers (bacteria and fungi) are also an important part of the Food chain because they feed on decaying matter. Decomposers speed up the decaying process releasing nutrients back into the food chain for absorption by plants.

DAY TWO - Compost Pile Food Web: When discussing the food web of the compost pile, explain that the consumers are also playing a role as decomposers because they are all breaking down the organic material in the pile. In the compost pile, primary consumers eat only organic matter. Primary consumers include: bacteria, molds, fungi, earthworms, and sow bugs. Secondary consumers eat organic matter and primary consumers. These include: springtails, mold mites, roundworms, beetle mites, and protozoa. Tertiary consumers are flesh eating predators that eat other organisms: centipedes, rove beetles, ants, and predatory mites.

ANewspaperinEducationpublicationbroughttoyoubyPublixSuperMarkets,Inc.16 Go Green! ANewspaperinEducationpublicationbroughttoyoubyPublixSuperMarkets,Inc.

Composting your food, paper and yard waste can reduce what you

send to the landfill by one to two-thirds. You can use compost to

nourish the plants in and around your home and school.

Composting speeds up the decomposition cycle by creating an ideal

environment for microorganisms to break down waste. Still, it takes three

months to a year to create good compost for your yard or garden plants.

In a school composting system, many pounds of food can be turned

into useful finished compost over the course of a school year. Remember,

the total amount of material (food wastes plus bulking material) is reduced

by as much as two thirds during the composting process.

CrEATE A rECIPE FOr yOur gArdEN

Compost: A mixture of decaying organic matter — such as grass

and leaves, coffee grounds, eggshells and paper — that can be used

to fertilize or condition soil. Compost looks like dark brown or black

soil and smells earthy.

We can conserve our natural resources

if we reduce waste going to landfills

>> The organic waste at

the landfills breaks down and

produces toxic leachate and

methane gas, which is damaging

to the environment.

>> Composting can capture the

nutrients and return them to the soil.

>> HALF of the waste we pro-

duce at home and school is organic,

which means it can be composted.

Composting: The act of

converting organic matter into

compost at a farm, home, school

or anywhere else.

COMpOSTiNg

There are 4 different compost systems:

Vermicomposting: Organic matter is placed

in bins with red worms.

The worms will break it

down into a high-value

compost called castings.

Aerated (Turned) Windrow Composting: Organic waste is placed

or raked into “windrows,”

which are long piles

between 4 and 8 feet high

spaced about 14 and 16

feet apart. The windrows

need to be turned or

aerated so that they can

generate sufficient heat and

maintain temperatures, and

to let oxygen in to the core.

Aerated Static Pile Composting: Organic

waste is mixed together

in one large pile along

with layers of loosely piled

bulking agents (e.g., wood

chips, shredded newspa-

per) that help to aerate. Air

blowers can also be added

for extra aeration.

In-vessel Composting: Organic materials are

placed into a container

has a mechanism to turn

or agitate the material for

proper aeration.

Most schools have

found that a combination

of two or more

composting systems

yields the best results.

decomposition: The process of rotting,

decaying or breaking

down through chemi-

cal change.

What nOTto Compost – leave These Out of the Recipe!

• Meat, fish, fats and

oils, dairy products.

They will attract

insects and rodents

you don’t want!

• Black walnut tree

leaves or twigs, coal

or charcoal ash and

yard trimmings treated

with chemicals.

They may contain

harmful substances.

• Dog, cat and pet

wastes – They may

contain parasites,

pathogens and

other harmful stuff.

Source: EPA.gov*

c

A Recipe for Compost c Cardboard rolls c Clean paper c Eggshells c Fruits & vegetables c Coffee grounds & filters c Dryer lint c Gras

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Go Green!

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Procedure: DAY ONE - • Ask the students if they have ever heard of the food chain. Explain that it is the transfer

of energy from one organism to another. • Have students give examples of some food chains that they know about. Help them

along by asking leading questions. (Examples: Plant→caterpillar→Bird→Cat; Plant →Deer →Panther; phytoplankton → small fishes → seals → killer whales). Write examples on the board .

• Discuss the Food Chain as detailed in the Background section. • Have the students help you label the examples on the board as producers (energy

source), primary consumers, secondary consumers & tertiary consumers. • Explain that some creatures can be categorized into multiple levels if they eat many

types of organisms. • Explain that all of these examples are very visual food chains that you can see. Discuss

fallen leaves and trees? What causes them to break down? • But that in nature, there are some examples that you can’t see because the organisms

are very small. Explain that they will play a game to take a closer look at some of these food chains.

• Pass out the Critter Cards to the class and discuss the rules for the Compost Pile food web game.

• Follow the Compost Pile Food Web Game Rules on page 3. • Once your food web is complete, have a discussion of the food chain vs. food web.

From one critter down to the organic material is a food chain and the entire complex relationship that the class created is the food web.

DAY TWO - • Pass out the Compost Pile Food Web story worksheet. • Discuss that the previous day they learn about the complicated food web that takes

place in the compost pile. Like the hydrologic cycle which recycles water, decomposition recycles nutrients into soil, so they can be used again.

• Have students work alone or in groups to complete the worksheet. • Review the answers as a class.

Vocabulary: Consumer – Living things that feed on other living things for food. Decomposer – Living things that get energy by breaking down decayed plants or animals. Food chain - Transfer of energy along one path as one animal eats another. Food web (food cycle) – The interconnected feeding relationships in a food chain Producer – Living things that make their own food from sunlight, water and air.

L E S S O N 9























to the environment.









or anywhere else.

COMpOSTiNg


























for extra aeration.





proper aeration.

Most schools have


of two or more

composting systems




down through chemi-

cal change.




They will attract

insects and rodents

you don’t want!



or charcoal ash and


with chemicals.

They may contain

harmful substances.


wastes – They may

contain parasites,

pathogens and


Source: EPA.gov*

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Go Green!

3

References Vocabulary Definitions: Measuring Up to the Florida Sunshine State Standards. Peoples Education, Inc. Saddle Brook, NJ. 2008. Composting Information: http://www.css.cornell.edu/compost/invertebrates.html. Teacher’s Answer Key to the Compost Pile Food Web Story:

1. B 2. C 3. Decomposition is important because plants rely on the nutrients that they

receive as a result of decomposing material.

L E S S O N 9























to the environment.









or anywhere else.

COMpOSTiNg


























for extra aeration.





proper aeration.

Most schools have


of two or more

composting systems




down through chemi-

cal change.




They will attract

insects and rodents

you don’t want!



or charcoal ash and


with chemicals.

They may contain

harmful substances.


wastes – They may

contain parasites,

pathogens and


Source: EPA.gov*

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Go Green!

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Compost Pile Food Web Game You will need a large area to play this game.

The strings of yarn between students represent the flow of energy. 1. There are 24 cards. If you have more than 24 students, make several students

Organic Material. If you have less than 24 students, have one or more students take two cards and make sure they are critters that don’t eat more than one or two other organisms.

2. Pass out the cards to the students. Each student will get one (or two, if necessary) card. One card represents Organic Material – the base of the compost pile food web. The remaining cards will each be a different organism that needs to survive in the Compost Pile web of life. The cards indicate what the organism eats and a fun fact about that organism. Each card indicates their consumer level.

3. Review the behavior rules of the game with the students: • do not pull on the string, • do not let go of the string unless the teacher tells you to, • hold onto your own card, and • hold it so that everyone can see what organism you are.

4. Start with the organic material. Ask “Who has the card with Organic Material?” That student will come up and read their card.

5. Now the teacher will ask “Who has a card that says they are a primary consumer (this will also include primary-secondary AND primary-secondary-tertiary?” Have these students all gather in one area. There will be 14 students.

6. Following the list in order on the next page, call on each student one at a time. As the student comes up, the organic material will give that student energy (yarn from the skein). Students should walk about 4 feet away from the other student. If you haven’t precut the yarn, you will need to cut the yarn. The student will then say what level consumer they are, a fun fact about that consumer and if they eat anything else besides organic material. If yes, have that organism give them energy (yarn) and cut. Check off each organism as they read their card.

7. Now ask for the secondary consumers (3 students) to raise their hands. Call on the secondary consumers in order according to the list on the next page. As each student comes up, ask them to read what level consumer they are, a fun fact and what they eat. Have the organism(s) that they eat pass them energy (yarn) and cut. Check off each organism as they read their cards.

8. Now ask for the secondary-tertiary consumers (6 students) to raise their hands. Call on the secondary-tertiary consumers in order according to the list on the next page. As each student comes up, ask them to read what level consumer they are, a fun fact and what they eat. Have the organism(s) that they eat pass them energy (yarn) and cut. Check off each organism as they read their cards.

9. Now all students should be connected by the “food web,” and many will be connected more than once. Discuss what the students see as they look at the web.

L E S S O N 9























to the environment.









or anywhere else.

COMpOSTiNg


























for extra aeration.





proper aeration.

Most schools have


of two or more

composting systems




down through chemi-

cal change.




They will attract

insects and rodents

you don’t want!



or charcoal ash and


with chemicals.

They may contain

harmful substances.


wastes – They may

contain parasites,

pathogens and


Source: EPA.gov*

c


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c H

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& fu

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Hay

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Go Green!

5

Compost Pile Food Web Checklist Numbers indicate the number of strings that organism will need when they pass their energy onto the organisms that eat them. Check off each item as the student reads the information on their card. ENERGY SOURCE ___Organic Material (14 – All Primary, Primary-Secondary, Primary-Secondary-Tertiary)

PRIMARY, PRIMARY-SECONDARY, PRIMARY-SECONDARY-TERTIARY CONSUMERS

___Fungi (8 – All Secondary & Springtails, Ants, Roach, Fungus Gnat, Nematodes)

___Bacteria (2 – Roach, Nematodes)

___Earthworms (2- Centipedes, Pseudoscorpians, )

___Slugs and snails (1 – Ground beetle)

___Sowbugs (1 – Wolf Spider)

___Ant (1 – Ground Beetle )

___Millipede

___Soldier Fly (3 – Rove beetle, Ground beetle, Spider)

___Fungus gnat (3 – Rove beetle, Ground beetle, Spider)

___Sap beetle (1 – Spider)

___Scarab beetle (1 – Spider)

___Roaches

___Nematodes (4 - Rove beetle, Pseudoscorpians, Springtails, Predatory mites)

___Springtails (2 - Centipedes, Predatory mite)

SECONDARY CONSUMERS

___ Mold Mite (4 - Rove beetle, Centipede, Pseudoscorpians, Predatory mites)

___ Beetle Mite (4 - Rove beetle, Centipede, Pseudoscorpians, Predatory mites)

___ Feather-winged beetle (1 – Spider)

SECONDARY-TERTIARY CONSUMERS

___ Predatory Mite (1 – Pseudoscorpian)

___ Rove Beetle (1 – Spider)

___ Centipede

___ Pseudoscorpians (1 – Spider)

___ Ground Beetle

___ Wolf Spider

L E S S O N 9























to the environment.









or anywhere else.

COMpOSTiNg


























for extra aeration.





proper aeration.

Most schools have


of two or more

composting systems




down through chemi-

cal change.




They will attract

insects and rodents

you don’t want!



or charcoal ash and


with chemicals.

They may contain

harmful substances.


wastes – They may

contain parasites,

pathogens and


Source: EPA.gov*

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air

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r c

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& s

traw

c Y

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trim

min

gs c

Nut

she

lls c

Lea

ves

c S

hred

ded

new

spap

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Tea

bag

s c

Saw

dust



Go Green!

6

The Compost Pile Food Web Story Who ate my lunch?

Don’t just toss that apple core into the garbage! Recycling food waste by composting reduces garbage going into landfills and the nutrients are returned to the soil. So what happens to your apple core in a compost pile? Under the right conditions, composting speeds decomposition, the process of turning your apple core, into a nutrient-rich organic material that plants can use. Just like we need nutrients to grow, plants and animals also need nutrients to grow. The food web of the compost pile is made up of millions of tiny organisms, and they all take part in the decomposition process. Your apple core has nutrients and energy that can be used by each organism in your compost pile.

Primary Consumers: Primary consumers eat only organic matter (living and dead plants and dead animals). Some primary consumers include: Bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and sow bugs.

Secondary Consumers: Secondary consumers eat organic matter and first level consumers. Some secondary consumers include: springtails, mold mites, beetle mites, and feather-winged beetles.

Tertiary Consumers: Tertiary consumers are predators that eat other organisms. Some tertiary consumers include: centipedes, rove beetles, ants, and predatory mites.

Bacteria fungi earthworms sow bugs

Springtails mold beetle feather-winged mites mites beetles

centipedes rove ants predatory beetles mites

L E S S O N 9























to the environment.









or anywhere else.

COMpOSTiNg


























for extra aeration.





proper aeration.

Most schools have


of two or more

composting systems




down through chemi-

cal change.




They will attract

insects and rodents

you don’t want!



or charcoal ash and


with chemicals.

They may contain

harmful substances.


wastes – They may

contain parasites,

pathogens and


Source: EPA.gov*

c


s cl

ippi

ngs

c H

air

& fu

r c

Hay

& s

traw

c Y

ard

trim

min

gs c

Nut

she

lls c

Lea

ves

c S

hred

ded

new

spap

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Tea

bag

s c

Saw

dust



Go Green!

7

Life in the Compost Pile In a compost pile, small living things feed on your apple core as well as other food

scraps and plant debris. Some of these organisms grind, chew and shred the organic material. However, they leave behind a large amount of unused nutrients and energy. Bacteria, fungi and several other types of organisms finish the decomposition process by changing the shredded organic matter into smaller bits of nutrients. These organisms break down the material on the smallest level. When they have finished, the compost is ready to be used by plants. Back to Nature Just like in the compost pile, decomposition in nature puts nutrients back into the soil that plants need to survive. For example, leaves that fall on the forest floor or into a lake are eaten by small organisms, bacteria, and fungi. The nutrients go back into the environment so more plants can grow. Decomposition plays an important role in nature.

1. Secondary consumers are consumers that : a. Eat only organic material

b. Eat organic matter and primary consumers

c. Are predators that eat other organisms

d. None of the above

2. Which if the following is NOT an example of a compost pile food chain?

a. Rove beetle > Mold Mites > Fungi > Organic Material

b. Predatory Mites > Springtails > Fungi > Organic Material

c. Beetle Mites > Earthworms > Ants > Organic Material

d. Centipedes > Springtails > Fungi > Organic Material

3. Explain why decomposition is important in nature.

L E S S O N 9























to the environment.









or anywhere else.

COMpOSTiNg


























for extra aeration.





proper aeration.

Most schools have


of two or more

composting systems




down through chemi-

cal change.




They will attract

insects and rodents

you don’t want!



or charcoal ash and


with chemicals.

They may contain

harmful substances.


wastes – They may

contain parasites,

pathogens and


Source: EPA.gov*

c


s cl

ippi

ngs

c H

air

& fu

r c

Hay

& s

traw

c Y

ard

trim

min

gs c

Nut

she

lls c

Lea

ves

c S

hred

ded

new

spap

er c

Tea

bag

s c

Saw

dust


teacher’s guide - nieonlinenieonline.com/tbtimes/downloads/supplements/2011niegreenteachers… ·...

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