Lesson 3: Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

Day One: 45 minutes

Before Strategy

As students watch the videos "Reading Rainbow: How Trash Is Recycled" and "Kid Vision Pre-K Recycling Field Trip", ask them to think about the answer to this question: "What materials can be recycled?" After the video, students should turn and talk to a partner about different recyclable materials and ways the materials were recycled. From student responses, the teacher should create a list of the different recycled materials (ex. plastic, paper, aluminum). Discuss with students that the class will be creating a recycle drive for their classroom. From the list, label baskets with the names of the recyclable materials. Give each student two popsicle sticks for voting on two of the recycled materials. Count the votes for each material. The two recyclable materials with the greatest number will be the materials selected to recycle for the classroom project.  

During Strategy

Discuss the different responsibilities to start the classroom recycle drive (notifying parents to help send recycle materials, signs in the classroom to promote the drive and decorating, and labeling the recycle bins for the materials). 

Divide students into three groups to work together on notifying parents to help send recyclable materials, signs in the classroom to promote the drive, and decorating and labeling the recycle bins for the materials. The teacher can divide the students into these groups by student interest. The teacher can give the students choice of which group. Before allowing students to choose their group, the teacher should describe each group to the students. The teacher would also need to set a number of students for each group, so that each group is evenly proportioned with students.

Group One - Notifying Parents

Students write and illustrate a notification to parents about their recycle drive. The note should include dates to bring items, type of recyclable items to be sent, and the reason for items to be sent (class recycling project). Students use their writing to record the notification in the ChatterPix app. Students will use their illustrations for the picture in the ChatterPix app and upload to the Seesaw app. (ChatterPix - take the picture, draw a line on the picture, record the message/notification, save in camera roll. Seesaw - plus sign to add a notification, a choice menu will be shown, choose from camera roll, check by everyone to send to everyone in class, plus sign to upload.)

If the ChatterPix and Seesaw apps are not available for the teacher, students can take the notification notes/drawings home to share with parents.

Group Two - Signs in the Classroom to Promote Recycling Drive

Students create signs with illustrations to promote students bringing recyclable materials.  Students will hang the signs around the classroom.

Group Three - Labels and Signs to Decorate Recycle Bins

Students draw pictures and label the recycle bins.

After Strategy- Sharing

Each group will share their group projects with the rest of the class: ChatterPix notifications, Signs to Promote Recycling Posted Around the Classroom, and Labeled and Decorated Recycle Bins.

Students will play Kahoot Quiz game on Recycled Materials.

For the Kahoot quiz, the teacher will use this link: https://create.kahoot.it/create#/edit/a4dd9dfb-a24b-4704-a028-972121ea249f/done. The students will need a Chromebook or iPad to play Kahoot.  Students can play in small groups if needed. The students will need to go to Kahoot.it to play the quiz. The students will enter the game number from the recycle quiz that the teacher has on the interactive whiteboard. The students will enter their name. The teacher will start the quiz. The students will choose the correct answers on the quiz in a multiple choice format. At the end of the quiz, a winner will be shown on the teacher's screen. Students will be able to rate the quiz at the end.  

Day Two, Day Three and Day Four - 30 minutes each day

Before Strategy
As students bring recyclable materials in the classroom, the students should sort materials into recycled materials bins.

During Strategy

Graph for Sorting Materials  

List each name of the recycled material and the amount that students brought to school for each day.

Discuss which material has the greatest amount and which material has the least amount for each day.

This graph should be the same as the student worksheet graph (see Recycle Student Worksheet linked in materials). The teacher can record with pictures/simple sketches of the item and the number of the items turned in.

Graph for Weighing Materials

The teacher weighs the different materials.

The chart has two areas. One area has material that weighs the most.  One area has material that weighs the least.  This graph should be the same as the student worksheet graph (see Recycle Student Worksheet linked in materials).  The teacher can record with simple pictures/simple sketches of the item and the name of the item.

After Strategy

In whole group discussion, compare the numbers on the graph. Which materials have more? Which materials have less?  Which materials weigh more?  Which materials weigh less?

On day four, students will record results from both class chart/graph to an individual student worksheet.

The individual student worksheet is a small version of the class graph.

Day 5 - Students Favorite Part of the Classroom Recycle Drive - 45 minutes

(The teacher should have made previous arrangements for items to be picked up by parent and taken to recycle company, or items could be placed in school recycling bins, if available.)

Before Strategy

The teacher dictates different parts of the classroom recycle drive from the students. The teacher reads the chart with the students.

During Strategy

Students write and illustrate about three different events from the Classroom Recycle Project. Students share their favorite parts with a partner.

After Strategy

Students share their writing samples with a partner and evaluate ways that they could improve the project. After partner share, students will share with the whole group the ways that they discussed improvements of the project.