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Environmental Benefits of Recycling
Fourth graders understand the benefits of recycling. In this recycling literacy instructional activity, 4th graders read an article and identify the main idea. Students understand the process of transfer to the landfill and discuss how...
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Garbage: A Puppet's Paradise
Students make puppets from recycled materials. In this puppetry and recycling lesson plan, students investigate different types of puppets and their uses. They make puppets using mostly recycled materials such as old socks, CD's, dry...
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Mixed Media Messages: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Students examine the process of recycling by creating a mock television commercial about recycling. In this recycling lesson, students watch an animated demonstration about recycling and answer content questions. Students play an online...
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Performance Art and The Waste Stream
Students research local waste management services, discuss findings, give opinions about what they have found, offer solutions and ideas, and create performance art, design art works, and fine art works to convey information on waste...
PJ Library
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
Teach children that just because something is old, doesn't mean you have to throw it away with a reading of Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback. Engaging children with an arts and crafts activity in which they patch the...
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Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Students explore the concept of waste management. In this environmental stewardship activity, students study the nuances of the terms reduce, reuse, and recycle. Students investigate ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle many everyday items...
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Recycle! Recycle! Recycle!
Students investigate recycling and reusing. They view an online video, create an recycled art collage using picture files in Inspiration software, and write a choral poem about recycling.
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Talkin' Trash (All About Landfills)
Students investigate the types of waste created by people and identify various options for trash disposal. They read and discuss a handout about what a landfill is and the different types of trash, match types of trash with the proper...
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The Zabbaleen, Cairo's Garbage Workers
Here is a fascinating human geography study of the Zabbaleen. They are a sub-class of people who work as garbage collectors in Cairo, Egypt. I can't say enough good things about this resource in my limited space here. It is fabulous! If...
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The Akron Global Polymer Academy Lesson Plan Format
Students identify types of garbage that will decompose quickly and the ones that do not. In this decomposing lesson students observe and record the photo degrading of six pack rings.
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School Yard Waste
Fourth graders examine the types of garbage that they collect on the playground. They collect the information in a spreadsheet and create a graph that displays the number of types of trash found. They design and monitor a playground...
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Make Something Beautiful
Students create an art piece using recycled objects. In this environmental lesson, students collect and sort recycled objects and create a three dimensional art piece.
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Where does our trash come from?
Students interview the school custodian to get information about the trash found in the school community. In this trash lesson, students work in groups to analyze the content of a waste basket, see where the trash goes and...
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Classroom Recycling Center
Students create, organize and advertise a recycling center in their classroom. Students brainstorm different items that could be recycled, including cell phones and printer cartridges. Various recycling stations are set up in the...
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Classroom Recycling Center
Students create, organize and advertise a recycling center in their classroom. Students brainstorm different items that could be recycled, including cell phones and printer cartridges. Various recycling stations are set up in the...
Curated OER
Recycling Program
Students develop and implement a recycling program in their school. Students work in groups to complete tasks in their student-created recycling program. They keep records of the items collected, the amount of money earned, and the...
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Pick It Up!
Students investigate recycling by creating receptacles that can hold trash or recyclable items. In this graphic design lesson, students encourage their classmates to help save the environment by using a recycling receptacle they...
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Aluminum Can Drive
Second graders complete a recycling project to clean-up their school. In this service project lesson, 2nd graders assess their campus for litter, set up a recycling project, clean up their campus, and recycle the trash. Students also...
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Life Science- Useful Waste
Fourth graders explore the topic of waste and recycling. In this useful waste lesson plan, 4th graders classify objects and sort them into most usable and least usable categories. Students complete an activity sheet and have a discussion...
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It’s Your Trash!
Students identify the different sections of a landfill. In this ecology instructional activity, students brainstorm ways that they can help in proper trash disposal. They write a reflection journal about their thoughts on the subject.
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Think Green
Students experience and practice compositing and recycling through hands-on-activities. They distinguish between which items from their trash can be recycled, composted and reused. The process for making recycled paper is also covered in...
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Protecting Natural Resources
Third graders recognize what our natural resources are and their importance. For this natural resource recycling lesson, 3rd graders understand why it is important to recycle and conserve natural resources. Students can explain how...
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Illegal Dumping
Students go on an outing and note garbage near picnic tables. They brainstorm ways to be involved with anti-litter campaigns and write letters to local officials.
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All Wrapped Up
Students work in teams to identify and sort types of packaging used in food production. They consider ways to reduce the environmental impact of packaging and reflect how consumer choices play a role in trash production.