Curated OER
Talkin' Trash (All About Landfills)
Students investigate the types of waste created by people and identify various options for trash disposal. They read and discuss a handout about what a landfill is and the different types of trash, match types of trash with the proper...
Curated OER
Wake County Landfill Problem
Students create a proposal to solve Wake County's problem with losing the North Wake landfill in such a way that: a new landfill site is agreed upon, Solid-wase disposal is in compliance with Local and State landfill regulations and...
Curated OER
Where Does Al the Waste Go?
Young scholars construct a sanitary mini-landfill and an open mini-dump. Over a thirty day period, they compare the two methods and determine landfills are envorinmentally safer. They observe a demonstration of burning waste. They create...
Curated OER
Water: A Necessity for Life
Learners examine types of aquifers and make a model landfill. For this water usage lesson, students determine the difference between confined and unconfined aquifers. They build a model landfill, observe it for two weeks, and analyze...
Curated OER
Mini-Sanitary Landfill
Second graders work in groups to bury a variety of trash items and arrange them in a mini-landfill. They predict which items will biodegrade and then keep records of what the items look like every ten days. Students consider how...
Curated OER
One Person's Trash: Breaking it down
Students research how trash is disposed of and make an edible landfill. In this trash lesson plan, students research proper trash disposal, and discuss how trash affects the community. Then they make an edible landfill.
Curated OER
It's a Wrap
In this problem-solving, action-oriented activity, students explore the impact that wrapping paper has on our landfills. Students brainstorm ideas to address the problem and also write an article to educate adults and peers about the...
Curated OER
Eek, It leaks!
Students construct model landfill liners out of two-inch strips of garbage bags within resource constraints. The challenge is to construct a bag that will hold one cup of water without leaking. This represents similar challenges that...
Curated OER
After the Garbage Can: Where Does Our Trash Go?
Students explore how waste disposal has changed over time and what the current issues are. In this disposal instructional activity students collect data and create graphs.
Curated OER
Applied Science - Built Environment Lab
Students evaluate trash. In this Science lesson, students collect and weigh trash from their classrooms. Students categorize the trash and the corresponding weights, recording the information on a data sheet.
Curated OER
The Rotten Truth
Fourth graders watch a video about how much solid waste is produced by each person and how it is disposed of. Using the internet, they identify and interpret data on the type of trash thrown out the most. They offer possible solutions...
Curated OER
What a Waste
Pupils analyze components of garbage. They collect and sort a few days' worth of garbage. They chart the results of an investigation.
Curated OER
Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
Students determine the importance of recycling to reduce waste, to employ trash in useful ways, and to save the environment. They estimate the percentages of landfill waste that items constitute, based on what they found in their own...
Curated OER
Wise Use of Paper
Pupils explore the paper recycling process. They experiment with ways to conserve and recycle paper products.
Curated OER
Environmental Health Hazards and Children
Students are introduced to the environmental hazards their community is facing. In groups, they develop a list of the ways humans have changed the Earth and how these changes have lead to environmental hazards. They record their...
Curated OER
Make Your Own Biodegradable Plastic Stuff
Students identify the four basic natural resources. They distinguish bettween renewable and non-renewable resources. Pupils recognize that all natural resources are needed by living plants and animals. Students list consequences for...
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Biomass: Biogas Generator
It's a gas. Middle schoolers build a biogas generator following the directions in this resource. After a few days of observation, they demonstrate that the gas given off by the decomposing manure is flammable. The activity concludes as...
Curated OER
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Respect
Second graders study the vocabulary that is associated with recycling and tell what recycling is. In this recycling lesson, 2nd graders use flash cards and Concentration type games to learn the vocabulary associated with recycling. They...
Curated OER
Trash a Pizza!
Young scholars investigate data about America's trash production. In this environmental lesson, students use statistics about what we throw away to create an art pie chart project called a "trash pizza."
The Imagination Factory
Design a Postage Stamp for Black History Month
Learners create a postage stamp for Black History Month. In this U.S. History lesson, students discuss the contributions of African-Americans and design a postage stamp to celebrate their impact.
Curated OER
Make Your Own Trashasaurus Rex Sculpture
Students explore environmental awareness through reusing materials. In this environmental awareness lesson plan, students use trash to create a "trashasaurus," a large dinosaur sculpture made from waste. Detailed structure and...
Curated OER
Create, Design, and Invent with Plastic
Students explore creative ways to reuse materials. In this ecology/art lesson, students create artwork using trash. Students view examples of folk art from around the world that used waste products as a main component.
Curated OER
Aluminum Altruism
Students explore the value of recycling. They consider the importance of giving back to their school community. They calculate their earnings using multiplication and addition.
Curated OER
Making Tough Decisions about the Energy We Use
Student examine ways we use and conserve energy. They discover the choices one makes concerning excessive energy use.