GRADE LEVELS: 4-6
SUBJECT AREAS: social studies, art, math
CONCEPT: We can all help to reduce the amount of waste generated in the classroom and lunch room.
OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to suggest ways paper and other natural resources can be used and recycled in the classroom.
MATERIALS:
KEYWORDS: conservation, natural resources
PROCEDURE:
For one week ask students to save all
waste paper generated by class activities.
Assign groups to separate papers into two stacks daily: one that
has been completely used (e.g. on both sides) and one, for paper
that could be used again.
At the end of the week, compare the amount
of paper in the stacks and lead a class discussion on "Are
we wasting paper?" Give each group some of the reusable paper,
pencils, and one of these articles: grocery bag, box, magazine,
gift wrap paper, cards, newspaper, lunch bag, or milk carton.
Ask each group to list on the paper all the ways they can think
of to reuse the article, or list alternatives to these items that
could be used over and over again (e.g. reusable plastic containers
instead of sandwich bags, thermos instead of milk carton, etc.).
After ten minutes, share the ideas. Repeat the exercise with
items used in the classroom.
FOLLOW-UP:
Back to Solid Waste Activities Grades 4-6
Cornell Waste Management Institute ©1991
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Bradfield Hall, Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-1187
cwmi@cornell.edu