TITLE: Integrated Unit on Nevada Solid Waste Disposal
AUTHOR: Janet Donnelly, C.C. Menely School, Nevada
GRADE LEVEL: 6 Environment
UNIT OBJECTIVE:
TO USE DATA GATHERING, COLLECTION, AND EVALUATION AS A
DISCOVERY LEARNING METHOD TO EXPOSE STUDENTS TO
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL,
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS, AND TO ASSIST THEM IN CLARIFYING AND
COMMITTING TO THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES AND CHOICES.
INTRODUCTION
ONE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT APPEARS TO NEED
IMMEDIATE ATTENTION IN NEVADA IS THE PROBLEM OF SOLID
WASTE. IN MY IMMEDIATE AREA OF GARDNERVILLE, THE PUBLIC
LANDFILL IS ABOUT TO CLOSE, ALL THE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOOD
AREAS ARE AGAINST HAVING A NEW ONE IN THEIR OWN BACK
YARD, AND SOME OF THE USERS ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF
PAYING FOR ITS CLOSURE. THE ACCESS ROAD TO THE DUMP IS
LITTERED WITH TRASH AS MANY INDIVIDUALS REFUSE TO COVER
THEIR LOADS AND SPEW IT OUT ALL ALONG THE HIGHWAY
ENROUTE TO THE DUMP SITE. THERE ARE EVEN SOME CITIZENS
THAT FEEL THE NOMINAL FEE CHARGED IS A BURDEN. THESE ARE
PROBLEMS CREATED BY IGNORANCE, AND POOR ENVIRONMENTAL
ATTITUDES. I BELIEVE EDUCATION CAN CHANGE ATTITUDES FOR
THE BETTER.
I TEACH 6TH GRADE AND HAVE NOTICED MANY WASTEFUL
ATTITUDES FROM MY YOUNG CHARGES, AS WELL. THEY THROW
AWAY NUMEROUS SHEETS OF PAPER, OFTEN BARELY USED,
CONSUME THEIR AVAILABLE RESOURCES WITHOUT A THOUGHT OF
WHETHER IT IS RENEWABLE OR NOT, AND WHEN READING OR
HEARING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS PERCEIVE EITHER
THAT IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM, OR THAT SURELY "I CANNOT
MAKE A DIFFERENCE."
AT THE END OF THIS UNIT I HOPE THAT EACH STUDENT WILL
ACCOMPLISH THREE THINGS: BE ABLE TO GATHER AND INTERPRET
DATA, ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR BEING A MEMBER OF AN
INTERRELATED AND FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT, AND DEMONSTRATE A
WILLINGNESS TO PERSONALLY "MAKE A DIFFERENCE." I FEEL THAT
KNOWING THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE RAISES THEIR SELF-
ESTEEM AND WILL GIVE HOPE TO A GENERATION THAT HAS
INHERITED A FRAGILE WORLD THAT IS SUFFERING FROM ABUSES.
THE MOTIVE FOR DOING SO IS ALREADY BUILT IN WITH THEIR NEW
KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR INTERDEPENDENCY, AND THEIR PROBLEM
SOLVING SKILLS IMPROVE WITH PRACTICE AND THE SUPPORT OF
THEIR PEERS.
INTEGRATED UNIT ON SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
LESSON 1- ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
OBJECTIVE: The student will describe an environment and be
able to give an example of a 4-step food chain as an example of
interdependency between plants, animals, and man.
ACTIVITY 1- DISCOVERY WALK
(open question) What are some of the things that you think
of when I say "environment?" ... all responses can be put on
the overhead or chalkboard. Accept all responses non-
judgementally. Also could have pictures of various types of
environments to hang up during/after the discussion such as
seashore, desert, forests, mountains, villages, large cities, etc.
(focus question) Think about the last time you were in one
of these environments. What things did you see, hear, touch,
smell? Which things did you like/dislike ?
Take a walk though an environment such as a wooded area
near your school. Remind students that each of them might see
something different and to look for the one thing that is special
to them. While there students might record on a worksheet:
a. list 3 things that they saw, 3 heard, 3 touched, 3 smelled
b. list animals, or evidences of animals seen
c. list people, or evidences of man seen
ART FOLLOW-UP - Have the students create a class mural of
what they remembered of the environment they visited.
DISCUSSION- Students share the items that they saw. Most of
them will be plants, insects, and perhaps some animals.
(interpretive question) How would you compare the living
things we saw with humans ?
(summary question) How could we put into one sentence
what an environment is to someone who might not know what it
is? The answer could be put up as a title over the class mural.
ACTIVITY 2 - A MICRO-ENVIRONMENT
In this activity students will sharpen their observation
skills, take a "closer look" at a micro-environment and see its
detailed structure. Have students cut a square out of a piece of
paper so that it resembles a picture frame.
a. Once outdoors they are to select a micro-environment. It
might be the bark of a tree, the leaf littered ground, a stand of
grass or leaves.
b. Create a vocabulary list of the shapes, colors, textures
and sizes of the objects they see inside their "frame"
c. Finally, create a drawing of what is inside the frame
FOLLOW-UP ... Students can generate a "guess what I am"
bulletin board for the hallway with their framed drawings. The
answer can be under a lift up tab. (This will resemble the
pictures seen on the back page of World Magazine that are
enlarged photos of real objects.)
Have the students generate a list of vocabulary words from
above, and put them on sentence strips around the display, or
hang from the ceiling.
ACTIVITY 3 - FOOD CHAINS, BALANCE OF NATURE
(open question) What do living things need to survive?
Challenge the students to name one living thing that doesn't
need them. People need these things, too.
a. In groups, have students brainstorm possible food chains.
Each chain should have at least four links. Brighter students
can be challenged to add a pollutant step in theirs. ... a sample
worksheet page of food chains is given in the About Woodsy Owl
Teacher Guide packet.
b. Each group puts together a food chain of their own. Every
member of the group draws a picture to represent their part of
the chain.
c. Once completed, each group mixes up the chain,
paperclips it together in mixed up order, then hands it to the
next group beside them. Every group now has a "new" food chain,
and reassembles it into the correct order. The "owner group"
can correct the finished order.
(focus question) What do you notice about these
relationships that is true?
(interpretive question) How could we account for the fact
that in some areas, the top of the food chain dies? the middle?
example: all the coyotes that normally eat rabbits and mice
disappear.
(interpretive question) Do any species on earth seem
capable of influencing their food chain or environment ?
(summary question) Could anyone suggest one word or
phrase that tells about the relationship between plants,
animals, and man.
LESSON 2 - EARTH AND ITS RESOURCES OBJECTIVE: The
student will identify 4 natural resources and explain at least
two consequences of the management of the resources.
ACTIVITY 1 - NECTARINE/ EARTH MODEL Distribute one
nectarine for each two students. Using the nectarine as a
model of the earth, tell the students that this fruit has
approximately the same ratio and proportion as our earth. Have
the fruit already sliced in half, but not apart. Ask student A to
twist apart the fruit and give half of the fruit to partner B.
Discuss the facts that follow.
l The nectarine skin is approximately the same thickness
as our earth's crust.
2 The flesh of the fruit is equal to the mantle of the earth
which is made up of molten rock and material. We only see the
mantle when their is a crack in the earth's crust, such as in a
volcano or earthquake.
3 The pit of the nectarine is about the same size as the
core of our earth.
Now the teacher holds up a whole nectarine. S/he says to the
class, I'll ask a question. You must make a prediction and you
and your partner tell each other your prediction, before I give
the answer. (This predicting helps the student to be involved
and "want to know" the answer.)
a. How much of the earth's surface is covered with water?
Cut away 3/4 of the nectarine.
b. How much of the earth that is left can be lived on because
it is not on the top of the mountain or in the middle of a desert
? Cut away 1/3 of what is left.
c. How much of the earth that is left has a climate that is
useful for growing our food as it has enough sunshine and
moisture ? Cut off another 1/3. You should have about a large
sliver left ! This is the part of the earth that all the animals and
people must have to successfully survive.
ACTIVITY 2 - NATURAL RESOURCES, RENEWABLE/ NON
-RENEWABLE
(open question) What are some of the things that living
things need to survive? man ? Put all the answers on the board.
(focus question) What do you notice about these items that
are similar ? How could we group the similar items ?
Have the students work in teams to identify ways to group the
items from the board. Have them state the criteria for the
choices. Then have each group share with the whole class.
Help to direct the students toward the general categories of
earth's natural resources.
(focus questions) What things are renewable? Non-
renewable? Does this make a difference? What happens if the
non-renewable resources are used up? Though questioning
strategies assist the students to discover that all the water
that is on earth is constant, changes form, and is reused again
and again. Contrast that with the idea that the amount of
minerals/ metals in the soil , or the supplies of natural gas or
petroleum is limited. When they are gone... they are gone forever.
(summary question) How could we state a general rule that
might be true about man's relationship to the earth's resources ?
LESSON 3 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL CHOICES
OBJECTIVE: student will identify 3 ways solid wastes can be disposed
ACTIVITY 1 - LITTER HUNT, "FOUND ART"
(open question) What are some of the things that you see
when you go camping ? hiking? for a walk at the seashore ?
(focus question) Which of the items you saw were man-
made? Were all of the man made things meant to be there ?
(litter is not)
Each child needs a paper grocery bag and a sample "litter hunt
worksheet" like the one in the Woodsy Owl Teacher Packet. The
students could label their bags... "Goodbye Litter." Their job is
to pick up anything that was not intended to be there that is
made by man.
a. After the collection, each child spreads out newspapers
and sorts their collection into categories and counts the items.
b. Have small groups of students join together and make a
graph of their common items. All members of the group needs
to come to some agreement as to the categories. Pie graphs, bar
graphs or line graphs could be used. A classroom graph is a
possibility, too.
FOUND ART - Litter or "found" art. Each child may take back
their own litter items. Provide each child with a piece of
tagboard, a large piece of aluminum foil, and glue and/or
staples. Each child distributes their "art selections" onto the
tagboard. When they are satisfied with the arrangement, have
them glue, or staple each item in place. Next, place a piece of
aluminum foil over the whole project, folding the edges down
and to the backside. Press down the foil, in and around all the
items. It will wrinkle, fold, and crease into an interesting
texture. To antique or "age" the art piece, it can be brushed over
with an India ink solution. Once dry, it is ready to frame and hang.
(focus question) How do you think that area where we got
our litter will look in 10 years? 25 years?
(intepretive question) Can we compare and contrast our
feelings about that area before and after we gathered the litter?
ACTIVITY 2 - BACK TO THE EARTH ECO-EXPERIMENT,
BIODEGRADABLE?
You'll need an apple core, a leaf of lettuce, some plastic
packaging, a piece of styrofoam, a small shovel.
Find a spot to dig a few holes, such as a far corner of the
school yard. (with permission, of course) Dig four holes wide
and deep enough to put something in. Put one item in each hole,
and fill them back in. Mark the spots that you've buried.
In one month, go back and dig them up. You'll have no trouble
finding the plastic and styrofoam, but the lettuce and maybe the
piece of apple will be gone.
Note. The lettuce and apple core are biodegradable; they can
become part of the earth again. The other items are man made.
They are from the Earth's resources, but we have changed them
into something else that cannot become a part of the earth
again. (This is from 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The
Earth, pg 140-141)
ACTIVITY 3 - GRAPHING PROJECT, HOW LONG RUBBISH LASTS
Pass out the litter graph that depicts how long the various
types of litter lasts from the Return, Recycle, and Use Less
packet. Have students research the average life span of man.
Now it will be really startling to the students to have them put
these facts into a graph.
ACTIVITY 4 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM WORKSHEET, QUICKIE WAY
(focus question) We know that litter is a form of solid
waste, and we humans have a tremendous amount of waste.
What could we do to find out how big the problem is?
Have students brainstorm in groups things that they could do
to collect data on waste products and how much of a problem it
is. Then come together as a class with their suggestions.
Possibilities are:
land fill visits weighing and counting trash
newspaper articles interview parents
magazine articles interview community leaders
The students will gather data at home, school and on the
community level. Through the use of this worksheet students
will find out how extensive this problem is, if it is a local or
national issue, who is impacted, and the what, where, who, and
why of this ecological problem. Following are suggestions:
a. Students will collect articles from local and national
newspapers, and magazines.
b. Have students compose a list of questions for use in
interviewing fellow students, adults, and community leaders.
Interview assignments can be given.
c. HOME - Collect your own trash at home for one week.
Weigh it, then sort it into categories and count. Find the class
average.
d. SCHOOL - Get permission from your principal to weight,
sort, and categorize the school trash for one week. Compile the
data into a usable form.
e. COMMUNITY - Be a junk food detective. (from 50 Simple
Things Kids Can Do, pg 148-149) Divide the class into groups.
Have as many groups as the fast food restaurants you plan to
visit. Buy the lunches, eat the food, but save the bags, plastic
and paper wrapping, napkins, styrofoam containers, etc. Figure
out which restaurants sold you the most garbage with your lunch.
Categorize and count items. Bag each groups separately for a
visual picture. Weigh them. Compile the data into a usable form.
(summary question) Based on our research, how could we
put into one sentence what we have learned ? or... What word
describes your feelings about this research ?
LESSON 4 - ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
OBJECTIVE : Student will identify 3 things they can do to help
manage solid waste disposal, on a personal, school, and community
level.
(focus question) What have you noticed about the attitudes
of people that you have interviewed concerning solid waste ?
ACTIVITY 1 - THINKING BEYOND An activity from 50 Simple
Things Kids Can Do book, pg 150 describes a survey the class
can conduct to discover that people are so caught up in their
personal lives, and friends, that they just don't "think about"
other important things.
Ask your friends to close their eyes and imagine a time last
week when they were doing their "best thinking." Ask them to
write down 10 things they were thinking about doing at that
time, and when they were thinking about doing them. For
example: Were they thinking about eating dinner that night? Or
seeing friends on Saturday? Or going to the movies next week?
Everyone puts a mark where each of their then thought belong.
See the example on the next page.
_______________________________________
World
_______________________________________
National
/Ethnic group
_______________________________________
City/state
_______________________________________
Friends
/Neighborhood X
_______________________________________
Family
_______________________________________
tomorrow next few life children's
week years time life time
Students will find that everybody's thoughts center around the
things that are closest to us and events that will happen soon.
We are not used to thinking about the environment. Even if we
care about the Earth, we hardly ever think about it. But with
practice, we can!
ACTIVITY 2 - ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES AUCTION Provided in
our binder in the miscellaneous section is a values auction that
students can use to make an identification of their own values
beliefs. 20 items are going to the highest bidder. I would have
students fill it out and then compare with their neighbors, or
perhaps their group to see the differences. I expect that they
will all be surprised to see the various choices and that what
they perceive to be the highest value item, may be lower on
their neighbor's list. Whether you actually do the auction or not
is not of importance to me; but the process of making the
decisions and supporting my choices is the valuable part of the
lesson.
ACTIVITY 3 - DATA GATHERING The time has come for the
students to become aware of the methods of solid waste
disposal that are used in the world, such as burying,
incineration, recycling, etc. I have gathered a variety of
materials for the class ranging from Return, Recycle, and Use
Less ... to Recycle Nevada. The class will be required to form
small groups and the reading material will be distributed
evenly. They can also be given access to whatever is available
in the library resources. Their job is:
a. Each person is to read and take notes from their share of
the provided material for disposal methods used in our homes,
communities, state, or nation. I would suggest they use a
different page for each heading, and a note or phrase as to its
source in case they want to refer to it later.
b. When all the research is exhausted, the students come
together into small groups to share the material. The goal of
each group is to digest all the data into reasonable ways to
dispose of trash in each area. The group should compile all the
data in a method that can be shared with the class as a whole.
c. Now the class comes together as a whole, and shares the
data. All the ideas will be listed on the chalkboard under the
appropriate headings. The goal of the class is to identify all the
ideas gathered, and reduce the possible choices to the most
reasonable 5 (or some number that seems reasonable to the class).
I'm sure that this will present some lively discussions/arguments,
as the students argue the merits of each system, from the research
they have concluded.
d. The last part of this research is to put the data into a
table, graph, or other usable form.
ACTIVITY 4 - CHOICES AND COMMITMENT An excellent
resource for this part of the unit is 50 Simple Things Kids Can
Do To Save The Earth.
(interpretive question) Can you compare and contrast your
opinions about solid waste disposal before and after our research?
a. As a class, list all the things that could be done at home
to help manage the problem of solid waste disposal. Examples
might include sorting the trash, recyling when buying items,
recycling what is still usable.
b. As a class, list all the things that could be done at school.
Examples might be to pick a spot to adopt, beautify, and
maintain. Another might be to investigate the possibility of
changing from using foam trays in the lunchroom to using
reusable trays. It could be as simple an idea as using up both
sides of school paper, and providing a box to store paper that
has one usable side left for reuse as scratch paper or practice
work.
c. As a class, list all the things that could be done in your
community such as a letter writing campaign, being an informed
voter, working on a program to get additional recycling available
locally.
d. The class is now invited to select one to three of the
choices presented and to write down their commitment on a 3x5
card that is titled, "I Can Make a Difference." This can be taken
home and hung on the refrigerator, taped inside their desk, etc.
Students are invited to share their commitments with the class
orally. The class could be invited to applaud after each
commitment is read.
(the last section of this activity is its own conclusion or
summary)
CONCLUSION
This ends the unit but in my mind is a beginning. At this
point I would survey my class and allow them to decide together
if we are finished or if they want to pursue a particular issue
as a class. Some of the activities I have considered include:
* a letter writing campaign to retailers, community leaders,
etc. concerning our research, what we would like to see change,
and the desired outcome we are working towards.
* selecting something at the school site that we would like
to change, improve, or prevent. It might be getting rid of foam
trays, or adopting a site for beautification.
* changing something in the classroom, such as a recycling
box for half used paper, or aluminum can recycling, or a
newspaper recycling drive to raise money for classroom goals.
* presenting our research data to the parents, in a "parents
night" program where our class provides skits, plays, etc. and
enlist their support in making at least one small change in their
own homes to "make a difference."
I also have several other ideas for units that I did not put
together here, but would like to put together soon. Some of the
activities include the Adopt a Tree Program, the Archaeologist
Rubbish Research activity listed under the E.E.Programs section
of our binder, and more eco- experiments like making your own
recycled paper (and writing your own nature poetry on it) from
50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth. I will also
continue to add pamphlets, books, and articles to my school
library on environmental issues and updates.
REFERENCES
BRANCH, fall 1989 and spring 1990 - a periodical by Project
Learning Tree
COMPLETE TRASH, the Best Way to Get Rid of Practically
Everything Around the House by Norm Crampton
THE FIELD OF FORESTRY - flyer provided by Outdoor Education Workshop
50 SIMPLE THINGS KIDS CAN DO TO SAVE THE EARTH by The
Earthworks Group
50 SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE EARTH by The
Earthworks Group
THE FOREST, THE FORESTER AND YOU - flyer provided by Outdoor
Educ. Wrkshp
THE JEWEL OF THE SIERRA, can be Saved Drop by Precious Drop -
pamphlet by Westpac Utilities
LIVING GREEN: 101 Things You Can Do - flyer provided by Outdoor
Educ.Wrkshp
NEVADA NATURAL RESOURCES EDUCATION COUNCIL by NNREC, Las Vegas
NEVADA OUTDOOR ECUCATION WORKSHOP - class binder
RECYCLE NEVADA - pamphlet by Nevada Area Council Boy Scouts of America
RECYCLE NEVADA - pamphlet by Governor's Office of Community Services
RETURN, RECYCLE, AND USE LESS - a packet provided by Outdoor
Educ. Wrkshp
WATCHABLE WILDLIFE - by the U. S. Bureau of Land Management
THE WATER LESS BROCHURE, How to Use Less Water, Indoors &
Out - by Westpac Utilities
WOODSY OWL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION LEADER'S KIT by the
Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
OUTLINE FOR
INTEGRATED UNIT ON NEVADA SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
INTRODUCTION ...................................................... page 1
LESSON 1 ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS ................................ page 2
ACTIVITY 1 Discovery Walk ................................. page 2
ACTIVITY 2 A Micro-environment .............................page 3
ACTIVITY 3 Food chains, Balance of Nature .................page 3
LESSON 2 EARTH AND ITS RESOURCES .................................page 4
ACTIVITY 1 Nectarine/ Earth model ..........................page 4
ACTIVITY 2 Natural Resources, Renewable/ Non-renewable .....page 4
LESSON 3 ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL CHOICES ....page 5
ACTIVITY 1 Litter Hunt, Found Art ..........................page 5
ACTIVITY 2 Back to the Earth Eco-experiment, Biodegradable? 6
ACTIVITY 3 Graphing Project, How Long Rubbish Lasts ........page 6
ACTIVITY 4 Environmental Problems Worksheet, Quickie Way ...page 6
LESSON 4 ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS .................................page 7
ACTIVITY 1 Thinking Beyond .................................page 7
ACTIVITY 2 Environmental Values Auction ....................page 8
ACTIVITY 3 Data Gathering ..................................page 8
ACTIVITY 4 Choices and Commitment ..........................page 9
CONCLUSION ................................................page 10
REFERENCES .................................................page 11
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy Curricular Exchange
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Menu
John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org