PROCEDURE:
Collect the trash which accumulates in the classroom after one
day. Help the students separate it into three categories:
_ recyclables
_ biodegradables, and
_ the leftover that must be disposed of.
Reusables, Recyclables
Discuss some ways in which these materials can be reused or recycled.
Sandwich containers can be used many times; papers of various
types can be reprocessed and recycled. Find out how Oscar on
Sesame Street is using what other people throw away. Learn his
song, "I Love Trash."
Biodegradables
These are materials that will rot over a short period of time.
In a plot on a school yard, bury some samples of biodegradable
trash; unearth the trash periodically to see what is happening.
Record what you see. You might also bury some paper, glass, or
metal trash at the same time for comparison.
The leftover that must be disposed
of
This is trash that will not decay and cannot be recycled. Are
there some reusable or recyclable materials that could have been
substituted for disposable materials? Discuss what happens to
trash in your community.