Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ethics in the Science Classroom: Recycling

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers work in a group to create a skit of a scenario involving recycling. Student skits should encourage and convince the audience members to participate in recycling activities. Students provide written responses after the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing a Flotation Strategy for the Purification of Recycling

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders work in teams to design a method of recycled plastics purification by flotation. They base their design on the concept that different kinds of plastics have different densities and keep overall costs and purification time...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solid Waste and Recycling

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this unit of lessons, students examine solid waste and recycling. They discover how litter is a major part of human waste. They also collect newspaper for recycling.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Litter and recycling

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Young scholars read and discuss as a group the story, " Litter bugs Ignoring new laws." They discuss the story and then fill out a questionnaire and discuss ways of improvement and recycling ideas.
Lesson Plan
United Nations

Compost Monitor Training

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
What should go in the trash, and what can be composted? Guide your young conservationists through the process of composing their trash with a instructional activity about the different ways we can dispose of garbage. Using a trash bag...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where Is Away?

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore garbage. In this landfill lesson, students investigate how much garbage is collected in landfills on average each day. Students discover hazardous materials that are disposed of improperly and the effects of these...
Lesson Plan
Wilderness Classroom

Pollution

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Educate scholars on pollution—air, water, and land—with a series of lessons that begin with a thorough explanation of each type. Learners then take part in three activities to reinforce the importance of reducing pollution. They...
Lesson Plan
3
3
Chicago Botanic Garden

Personal Choices and the Planet

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
How big is your footprint? Activity three culminates the series by having groups complete carbon footprint audits with people in their schools and/or around the districts. Groups then gather their data, create a presentation including...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rx for Tired Classrooms: Vocational Ed to the Rescue

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Secondary carpenters apply their skills to improve display spaces in classrooms at their campus. Includes a contract between workers and teachers who sign on for improvements in the their rooms. Concurrent exploration of building and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's Not Easy Being Green

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students complete a unit that focuses on their school's waste production. They conduct a litter survey, collect the waste produced in their classroom for a week and generate a waste-audit, and identify how their school can minimize...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Litter Patrol

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students collect litter. In this recycling lesson, students review the term litter and give examples. Students collect litter at their school. They separate the litter into different categories and discuss if these materials could be...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Second Time Around

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore how items can be reused. In this recycling lesson, students present skits about reusing materials and brainstorm products that can be reused at home, school and in the classroom.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Litter

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students discuss the concept of littering and what they do personally to contribute or prevent littering. In this environmental awareness lesson, students create a jingle, or a commercial to promote recycling. Links to some excellent...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It All Adds Up

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars brainstorm reasons for politicians to expand recycling programs and find statistics to support recycling programs. They design posters, displaying a compelling statistic about recycling, to convince students at their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classroom Trash Audit

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students investigate solid waste. In this environmental instructional activity, students collect their own garbage for a day and analyze the weight and the percentage of recyclable items in their trash.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Now We Teach Six Rs

For Teachers K - 4th
Learners explore recycling.  In this ecology lesson, students sort classroom garbage into items that can be reused, reduced, or recycled.  Learners brainstorm ideas for reusing items and discuss ways to celebrate Earth Day at...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sojourner Model

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the concept of Sojourner.  In this visual arts lesson, student create a model of Sojourner using recyclable or "junk" materials.  Students are encouraged to experiment and problem solve to find what works...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

War on Waste

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students take a closer look at food waste. In this global studies lesson plan, students perform a waste audit at their school and institute a lunchbox challenge to reduce food waste. Students may also complete the extension activities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recycling!

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Pupils explore environmental awareness by participating in a recycling activity. In this sustainability lesson, students identify methods in which things can be reused, such as paper. Pupils utilize aluminum foil, a bowl, water, spoons...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Products in the Classroom

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students make recycled paper as they discuss products we get from trees.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Packaging

For Teachers 4th - 8th
In this environmental awareness lesson, students discuss packaging and the importance of using recycled materials in their packaging. Students bring in all sorts of items from home, and brainstorm ways that those items could have been...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fashion Forward, Fashion Functional

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students consider the implications of waste. In this waste streams lesson, students learn what waste streams are and identify their impact on the environment. Students also recycle waste materials to create functional objects.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We are the World - Writing about our Earth

For Teachers 1st
First graders write facts about the Earth. In this Earth lesson, 1st graders discuss natural resources, recycling, and how to keep the Earth clean. They work in groups to create a small book with 3-5 facts about the Earth's environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dumptown, USA: Making a Ton of Difference

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners investigate the recycling system in the United States by participating in an online activity.  In this environmental care lesson, students research what makes up our trash output in this country and where it goes....