(Adapted from
Team Team Up for a Clean New York, by Curriculum Editorial Unit,
Brooklyn, NY)
GRADE LEVELS:
K-3
SUBJECT AREAS:
social studies
CONCEPT:
What are the consequences of our actions with litter and garbage?
OBJECTIVE:
To get students to think about what happens with their litter
or garbage.
MATERIALS:
worksheet: *The Waste Paper Basket
KEYWORDS:
litter, solid waste
PROCEDURE: Have the students complete the following questions,
either individually or as a class project. Then discuss the results,
emphasizing the idea that individual actions are significant.
How we all treat our environment determines how good an environment
we will have.
FOLLOW-UP: Discuss
the following questions:
1. Extend the waste paper basket situation
to the world outside the classroom. If you were walking down
a street and there were no litter baskets around, and you wanted
to throw some candy wrappers away, what would you do?
2. If you threw one piece of paper on the ground, would that
make a big difference? Explain.
3. Suppose 100 people threw papers on the ground, what would
it look like then? Why?
(*Waste Papaer Basket worksheet)
What would you do? Suppose
the waste paper basket in the classroom is full?
Answer the questions A. B. C. D. E.
with these choices:
Yes - No - Maybe - How will this
affect you? - How will this affect others?
Would you ...
A. Would you put your garbage in your
desk?
B. Would you throw your garbage on
the floor?
C. Would you try to put your garbage
in the waste paper basket anyway?
D. Would you put your garbage in your
bookbag until you find another waste paper basket to put it in?
E. Would you ask your teacher for another
waste paper basket to put your garbage into?