TITLE: Let's Talk Trash
(Introduction to Solid Waste Management
AUTHOR: Therese Lloyd, Holy Rosary School, Idaho Falls, ID
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: (5-6) Upper Elementary Grades
The curriculum areas included in this lesson are:
Science, Math, Community Awareness, Career Awareness,
Group Work and Decision Making and Self-Esteem..
OVERVIEW: This lesson is designed to instigate curiosity in
the field of solid waste science and to incite a response to
improve the environment.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this lesson is to increase the
awareness of the elementary age student as to the need for
solid waste management of the environment and to give a
sense of individual and community responsibility and control
over the world.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will become aware of the types of materials
discarded into the environment.
2. Students will identify and classify types of materials.
3. Students will learn to predict and evaluate
information.
4. Students will work cooperatively in groups to process
information.
5. Students will make decisions about further actions to
be taken concerning solid waste management in their
environment.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
Science and Children, October l990, Volume 28, Number 2.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Have samples of the types of materials found in the
solid waste compositions of municipal landfills. Have
students classify these items into the following
categories: paper, plastics, metal, glass
rubber/leather, yard waste, textiles, wood, food waste,
miscellaneous.
2. On l00 separate sheets of paper(used paper, of
course...remember the environment!!), label the
categories from #1 above: Paper(34), Plastics(20),
Metal(12), Yard Waste (10), Rubber/Leather (6),
Textiles (5), Wood (4), Miscellaneous (4), Food Waste
(3), Glass (2). This needs to be done before class, as
the slips of paper will be passed out to the students.
3. Have students predict how many slips of paper will have
the names of each category. Write the predictions down
individually and set aside.
4. Pass out the slips of papers to the students until all
the slips have been distributed.
5. Write each category on the board. Each student reads a
slip of paper in turn while a class recorder marks the
tally on the board.
6. After all l00 slips have been recorded, have the
students compare their predictions with the actually
tally.
7. In small groups, discuss why different predictions
worked or didn't work. (In classes where percentage
has been covered in math, groups should explore the
meaning of percentages applied to stacks of papers of
50, 200, 500 and l000 sheets.)
8. Have groups discuss the following questions:
a. Do the landfills in my town fit the national
percentages?
What would be a practical way to find out?
b. What would you call a person who studies garbage?
If you were interested in working with the
environment, what kind of jobs could you have?
c. What are some practical things you can do yourself
and as a class to help protect your own immediate
environment?
9. Collect the garbage in your own home for three days.
Compare your percentages to the national numbers.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: This is the beginning of any study
on waste management. My class analyzes garbage from the
students' homes, the school cafeteria, the neighborhood. We
then take on projects to recycle and study the occupations
associated with environmental science.
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