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Overview: Students read the book What Happens To Trash and make and observe their own class "dump." They later participate in a simulation game challenging them to reuse trash items.
Booklink: What Happens to Trash by Meredith Costain, Sundance Publishing (Little Green Readers), 2000. ISBN 0-7608-4149-7
Science Activity Link: Children will focus on what we do with our trash, what happens to it in landfills, and the advantages of reusing or recycling.
Objective: 1. Students create a class dump and observe items as they change or remain the same after different time intervals.
2. Students race to "reuse" various items that have been "thrown out." Groups are challenged to reuse as many items as possible in as many ways as possible.
Science Processes and Content: Processes-observing, predicting, inferring, forming questions, gathering and recording data, and communicating. Content-Students will understand the concepts of biodegradation and reuse of materials. They will observe various items and record the changes or lack of changes with time. Students will recognize the need to reuse or recycle items.
National Science Education Standards: Unifying Concepts and Processes, (1) Science as Inquiry, (2) Physical Science, (3) Life Science, (4) Earth and Space Science, (5) Science and Technology, (6) Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Materials:
A. Class dump: large plastic bin, potting soil, various items to bury.
B. Reusing Game:
1. various items typically found in trash (socks, batteries, boxes, plastic bags, glass bottles, plastic bottles, plastic containers, old shoes, paper, Styrofoam, etc.) NOTE-be sure trash is clean.
2. clipboards and idea recording sheets.
Procedure:
1. The "Class Dump" is an ongoing, long-term project. Students choose items to "dump" in class dirt bin. Items are buried and left. Students check on and observe items after 1 week or 1 month intervals, until the end of the school year. Observations are recorded at each check point.
2. Students read What Happens to Trash, making predictions for how long it will take each item to break down or biodegrade. Students can create a graph and compare which items take the least/most amount of time.
3. After discovering the importance of reusing and recycling, students work in teams, partners, or individually. A variety of clean trash items are placed out in a field or playground area. Students run and choose an item to bring back to a table. Students brainstorm how the item can be reused. Repeat with various items. This activity can be a competitive race or a game with points. The race can be to see how many items can be reused in a certain amount of time. Points can be awarded for the most ideas on how to reuse a single item or the most creative ways to reuse and/or recycle. Hold a class discussion and sharing session after the game.
4. Students choose the best idea from their reusing list. They take the item and actually reuse it. Perhaps they can encourage a school wide reusing program.
Safety: Be sure to use clean trash. No garbage. No sharp objects, broken glass, etc.
Related Books:
The Wartville Wizard by Don Madden, Aladdin Paperbacks, 1986. ISBN 0-689-71667-2
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