REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE
Part of the
Solution
OBJECTIVES
-
The
student uses
a variety of strategies to comprehend text.
-
The
student uses technology to enhance their
research, create maps,
fill-in data sheets, and import pictures to
illustrate.
-
The
student makes
a plan before writing the first draft.
-
The
student focuses
on a central idea and groups related ideas.
-
The
student uses
strategies to support ideas in writing (uses several sentences to elaborate
on an idea, uses specific word choice and relevant details, reasons and
examples).
Duration
Four
one-hour
periods
Materials
FOR Activity
#4 (scroll down page)
a tool to dig
with, 4 flat sticks you can write on;
Popsicle sticks will be okay, a marker, a pear or apple core, leaf from a green leafy vegetable like spinach or
lettuce, a piece of plastic packaging; a plastic bag will do
just fine, a piece of Styrofoam
Magazine Kids
Discover Garbage, 4-H Council Compost
Curriculum You must order these materials ahead of time.
Vocabulary
aluminum, biodegradable, commitment, compost, decay, global community, glass, plastic,
toxic chemicals, recycle. EPA
Glossary From
A-Z about the Environment. It can be used for all
lessons.
.
Procedure
1.
Revisit the story The Berenstein Bears Don't Pollute Anymore.
2.
Discuss the ways in which they helped Bear Country.
3.
Read Kids Discover Garbage, Kids Discover, 1996 April Issue
4. Use the article Throaway Society to compare and contrast food stores in
Colonial times and supermarkets Today. Explain what difference it makes in the
amount of garbage we have.
5.
Use the article Recycle Shop to show what recycling does. Explain that there are three R's to remember to help save our planet.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
6.
The student will visit the following websites and learn more about recycling.
Then they will work on a three page presentation. One page for each of the
R's. In each page they will explain what the word means. Also give
three examples of things you can do for each R. Use pictures if possible.
a. Visit Fact Monster's The
Three R's of the Environment
b. Allbrite
teaches you what you can recycle.
c. The
Kids Ecology Corps (click on Programs) Read about
making a commitment
to help. Also scroll down to Waste Disposal and learn more
about what to do with
garbage.
7.
Write a commitment letter explaining what you will do to help your environment.
8.
Complete Activity #4 (scroll
down page ) How Nature
Recycles. See Compost.
9. Students
will keep a log of what they recycle for a week. Then the student
will make a graph to show how much glass, metals, plastics and paper were
thrown away that week.
Extensions
1.
After students have finished this unit on ecology and the environmental
problems, let them do their presentations for the school or P.T.A. (Parent
Teacher Association) so that
they can actually make a difference in their community. Schedule an
assembly in which they can share their multimedia presentations and what
they have learned and motivate others to get involved.
2. Start
a recycling center at the school. Provide heavy boxes to collect
glass, aluminum and paper. most
neighborhoods provide bins and will collect the recyclable materials.
If in your area they don't have this service students may want to
enlist a few parents to help transport the materials to a recycling
center.
3. If you collect aluminum cans they can be sold and you can use the money to
buy books or as a fund raiser for your school.
Home learning
1. Read the story Compost! Growing Gardens From Your Garbage by Linda
Glaser.
Begin
a compost bin in your backyard where all the biodegradable things can
be thrown away. Watch the garbage disappear.
The
4-H Council provides a Compost
Curriculum for $5.00.
2. Lots of families receive a large amount of advertisements and other junk mail that they do not want. You can stop the mailings and reduce waste by writing to the following address and requesting that they take your name off of their distribution list:
Check with your parents first.
Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9000
Assessment
1. Three R's presentation (scroll down page)
Explain what each
term means and what can be done for each R.
2.
Comparison between Colonial times store and present day
supermarkets. The Student evaluates why there is more garbage today.
3.
A commitment contract telling what the student plans to do.
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