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Carbon Dioxide
Students conduct a series of experiments to explore carbon dioxide properties. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the production and uses of this gas. They measure its amount in soda and waste product of yeast.
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The Miracle Resource - From Forest to Products
Young scholars create a collage of wood products labeled by type of wood product. In this product engineering lesson, students work in groups to find pictures of solid wood products, engineered wood products, wood pulp, paper products,...
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One Person's Garbage, Another Person's . . .?
Students list many, different and unusual items that could be constructed out of refuse and found objects.
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Plastics: Field Trip - Vancouver Landfill
Students examine the amount of garbage that is produced by the City of Vancouver. In this landfill lesson, students participate in a field trip to the City of Vancouver Landfill. They look at what happens to garbage, recycling, and yard...
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Is It Recyclable?
Learners bring to school five items they would normally throw away and five items they would normally recycle. Expert groups are formed to present information on the recycling of glass, metal, plastic, and organics such as paper and...
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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.
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Designing More Effective Packages
Students make an environmentally sound package. In this packaging lesson students examine various types of modern packaging. The problem of waste is discussed leading into a discussion of waste reduction. The students choose an item that...
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Packaging: What a Waste!
Students examine the environmental and economic impacts of excess packaging. They investigate the price and relative amount of processing and packaging of different food products in a local grocery store, analyze graphs, and complete a...
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A Package of Pringle
Here is a problem-solving lesson that has learners take the role of a packaging expert to design an inexpensive means of packaging a potato chip. It could benefit from having more specific detail about the lesson itself, but it does make...
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Composting -- Nature's Disappearing Act
Studenst work together to discover the concept of biodegradability. They build a model of a landfill and how different items decompose. They examine how engineers use this information for better waste management.
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Ecology of the Dump
Students recreate landfills in petri dishes, observe relative biodegradability in a year-long project, and isolate a cellulose degrading bacteria while discovering the need for recycling and the serious problem waste management has...
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The Flat Stanley Project
Students read the book Flat Stanley. In this environmental stewardship instructional activity, students participate in earth-friendly activities based upon the book. This instructional activity includes ideas such as using recycled...
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Recycling Rapping
In this recycling instructional activity, students read facts about recycling. Students complete a word scramble and a maze for the recycling activity.
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Paper Recycling Worksheet
In these paper recycling worksheets, students read 2 paragraphs about recycling paper. Students then complete a word search about related words, read facts about recycling, and create as many words as they can from the phrase 'Recycling...
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Got to Rot
Students make their own compost in a 2-liter jug and determine the actual volume loss in the composted material over a six-month period.
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Making Decisions: Packaging and the Environment
Learners work in small groups to redesign the packaging of several common items. They attempt to reach the goal of 25% reduction in packaging materials currently used and explore the impact of various materials and designs in landfills...
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Trash City
Learners work together to build a trash city. They collect items that would go into a landfill to help them build their city. They discuss ways to cut down on garbage.
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Arctic cleanup
Ninth graders examine pollution problems and how it affects the community. In this arctic cleanup lesson students study ocean currents and how they affect pollution.
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Recycle Milk and Juice Cartons
In this recognizing the importance of recycling worksheet, students complete a cryptograph, read facts about milk and juice cartons, and read about making crafts from trash. Students write 10 answers.
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Recycling-Taking it Easy on the Environment
Pupils review the garbage/landfill graphs included with the lesson plan. They discuss the information on the graphs and discuss which garbage products come from their homes. Students collect examples of over packaging to share with class...
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Related Lessons Break It
Students brainstorm about the kinds of things that they use at home and school each day. They consider the types of materials out of which these things are made. Keep a list of their repsonses on a large sheet of paper or on the blackboard.
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Recycling: The Way to Save...Fad or Fact
Young scholars write stories about recycling and illustrate them. They examine various containers and determine whether or not they are recyclable. They make a chart about the containers and visit a recycling center.
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When it is Wrong to Belong: Scavenger Hunt
Students participate in a scavenger hunt to find different types of trash items around different environments. They distinguish between man-made litter and natural materials.
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Not In My Backyard: Siting A Resource Recovery Facility
Students role play a town meeting in which a new resource facility could be built. They have time to question each other after all sides have presented.