Title Grades Subjects Time Objectives: Standards: Materials: Overview

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Emerald Harper
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1 Page1 Title: Reusing r Recycling Grades: 5 Subjects: Science, Scial Studies, Language Arts Time: Tw 45 minute in class sessins, additinal utside f class time fr each grup Objectives: Identify and describe the difference between recycling and reusing materials. Identify and describe hw an individual s actin in regards t waste management can affect change and imprve the envirnment. Make ral presentatins related t the tpic f study. Standards: Gegraphy Standard 16: Understand the changes that ccur in the meaning, use, distributin and imprtance f resurces. Benchmark # 5: Knw advantages and disadvantages f recycling and reusing different types f materials. Gegraphy Standard 18: Understand glbal develpment and envirnmental issues. Benchmark # 2: Knw ways in which resurces can be managed and why it is imprtant t d s (e.g., cnservatin practices, recycling nn-renewable resurces). Technlgy Standard 3: Understand the relatinship amng science, technlgy, sciety and the individual. Benchmark # 4: Knw that new inventins reflect peple s needs and wants, and when these change, technlgy changes t reflect the new needs and wants. Benchmark # 5: Understand that technlgy may affect the envirnment bth negatively and psitively (e.g., the intrductin f plastics). Language Arts Standard 8: Use listening and speaking strategies fr different purpses. Benchmark # 3: Respnd t questins and cmments (e.g., gives reasns in supprt f pinins). Benchmark # 5: Use strategies t cnvey a clear main pint when speaking (e.g., express ideas in a lgical manner, use specific vcabulary t present infrmatin). Benchmark # 7: Make basic ral presentatins t class (e.g., use subject related infrmatin and vcabulary; include cntent apprpriate t the audience; relate ideas and bservatins; incrprate visual aids and prps; incrprate several surces f infrmatin). Materials: Cards with waste items recrded Empty cntainer r plastic bag Pencils and paper Empty plastic drink bttle Sample f waste materials t be reused (see list prvided) "What Are We Wasting" Wrksheet prvided belw Pictures f items made frm recycled and reused plastic water bttles Magazines shwing ways t reuse materials Internet access Overview: Waste is part f everyday life. As we g abut ur daily tasks we create waste. The average US citizen generates apprximately ne tn f trash annually, but seldm gives it any thught nce they thrw it away. This trash ges int the waste stream where it is cllected and hpefully, dispsed f in a manner that least impacts the envirnment. This prcess is knwn as slid waste management.

2 Page2 The Envirnmental Prtectin Agency has designed a plan fr this prcess, which they refer t as integrated slid waste management, and has identified five ways t prperly handle waste materials: a) surce reductin and reusing, b) recycling, c) cmpsting, d) cnverting t energy thrugh incineratin, and e) burying it in a sanitary, engineered site. The EPA emphasizes that there is n definitive apprach t waste management and encurages cmmunities t cmbine these five methds t effectively address the issue. In mst cmmunities acrss the cuntry waste materials end up in at least ne f three lcatins: a) a materials recvery facility, b) a waste-t-energy facility, r c) a landfill. While the technlgies driving these methds have greatly imprved in recent years, they still present a number f envirnmental prblems; s surce reductin is, by far, the mst preferred methd f slid waste management. It uses fewer resurces, less energy and is essentially free. Unfrtunately, it is als the mst difficult cncept t cmmunicate t cnsumers. Fr manufacturers, surce reductin means lking at and reducing the waste they generate during prductin, and the materials they use in packaging prducts. Fr individuals, it means reevaluating current practices, learning t d mre with less, using what already exists respnsibly, and recgnizing the difference between needs, wants and what is ultimately best fr the envirnment and the future f mankind. Kid s Speak: Trash takes up space, uses valuable resurces and harms the envirnment. Peple make a lt f trash. Every day they thrw it away withut even thinking abut where it will g r what will happen t it. Peple need t understand the cnsequences f making all that trash, make better chices s the amunt f trash they make is reduced, and have a plan t prperly dispse f the trash they d make. Nt all trash needs t g in the garbage. There are ther things that can be dne. Sme f it can be reused it in a different way, sme f it can be recycled s it can be made int smething else, and sme f it, like scraps f fd, leaves and grass clippings, can be cmpsted and added t the garden. But there are als things that peple can d s there isn t as much trash. They can use fewer items that make trash. Instead f using plastic sandwich bags t put snacks in, they can use a reusable cntainer. Instead f a plastic drink bttle, they can use a reusable water bttle. Instead f paper napkins and plastic utensils, they can use clth napkins and washable frks and spns. There are lts f things that peple can d t make less trash. They just have t think abut the chices they have and try t make the best nes fr the envirnment. Ec-Fact: Fuzz That Wuzz! stuffed animals are a new prduct designed by Mary Meyer t reduce the amunt f waste that ges int landfills. The uter fabric and the stuffing f each stuffed animal are bth high quality plyester fiber made frm 100% recycled plastic PET bttles. Each ty will keep 10 plastic bttles ut f landfills. Prcedures: Nte: The Data Cllectin wrksheet and dispsable plastic bttle frm the previus lessn will be helpful in cnducting the fllwing activity. Befre Cnducting the Lessn: Review the wrksheet frm the previus day. Discuss the types f prducts the class was able t mve frm the dispsable clumn t recycling clumn. Display the plastic drink bttle listed n the sample wrksheet. Explain t students that this bttle was riginally ging t be dispsed f, but was mved t the recycling clumn. Ask students t cnsider the fllwing questins: Is recycling the nly ptin fr this type f waste? Hw is reusing an item is different frm recycling it? Shw students items and/r pictures f items made frm recycled bttles and then items made frm reused bttles. Items made frm recycled plastic drink bttles may include:

3 Page3 Fuzz that Wuzz stuffed animals Cagule Fleece bttle caps (hats) Drink t Wear t-shirts made frm Cke Cla bttles Earthpak envirnmentally friendly backpacks Gaiam Turkish Pattern Reversible All-Weather Rug Items made frm reused plastic drink bttles may include: Fun water bttle sculptures Rfs made plastic bttles Slar water heater made f bttles Lamp Bat Inhabited flating island made frm plastic bttles Chandelier made frm plastic bttles Ask students t identify sme ways t reuse the plastic water bttle n display ther than t refill it. Explain t students that due t txins, which may leak int a drink, a plastic drink bttle is nt recmmended fr use as a reusable drink cntainer. Sme ther ways t reuse the bttle may include: Using it as an ice pack Making it int a bird feeder Making a sand bttle Ask students why they shuld cnsider reusing a bttle rather than recycling the bttle. Help facilitate the cnversatin s the students understand that even thugh recycling a bttle uses far less energy than prducing a new plastic bttle, sme energy is still used in the recycling prcess, while reusing a prduct minimizes energy usage, depending n hw it is reused. Cnducting the Lessn: Nw that the students understand the difference between reusing and recycling waste materials, tell them they are ging t find ways t reuse ther items. Shw them a bin cntaining each f the items listed belw. Divide the class int grups f tw. Having written each waste item ut n a separate card prir t the start f the lessn, place the cards int a cntainer, shake it, and ask ne member f each grup t reach in and take ut a card. Written n the card is the item the grup will reuse.

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5 Page5 Students will cnduct research using the Internet, craft magazines, interviews, r any ther suitable surce t lcate ideas fr reusing the item in a different way. Students will make a list f suggestins fr reusing the item. At least five suggestins shuld be listed. Students will select ne f the suggestins and transfrm the waste item int the reusable item. Internet research sites recmmended fr this activity: After Cnducting the Lessn: Have each grup identify the item they reused, make recmmendatins frm the list they generated n ways this items can be reused, and present the item in its new frm, describing hw it was repurpsed. Have the students place the wrd REUSABLE in the header f the third clumn f their waste management wrksheet. Have the students reexamine there waste list fr items that can be reused r repurpsed and mark them in this clumn. Nw have the students reevaluate their waste management. Is it imprving? Have they been able t reduce the amunt f material they wuld thrw away? Adaptatin: Brainstrm ways the items culd be reused in a whle grup sessins and have students select ne t research and reuse as a hmewrk prject. Extensin: Hst a Reuse Art Shw r Museum at the end f the week.

6 Page6 Sample Data Cllectin Wrksheet

Saving Energy Lesson Plan

Saving Energy Lesson Plan Prviding energy educatin t students in the cmmunities we serve. That s ur Prmise t Michigan. Saving Energy Lessn Plan Cnsumers Energy s Saving Energy Lessn Supprts the Michigan Grade Level Cntent Expectatins