Earthday Lesson Plan by Fern Hickey, CityYear Corps Member

Think Before you Throw


Materials:

4 Recycling bins
4 Trash cans with plastic liners
Recyclables (i.e. soda cans/plastic bottles, wadded up paper, etc.)
Masking tape
A handful of scoring papers
Pen for keeping scores
1 clipboard

Procedure:
1. Lead a brief discussion about recycling and why it's important. Begin by asking students to raise hands if they recycle. Ask "What does it mean to recycle?" "Why is it important to recycle?"
2. Tell students that they are going to practice recycling.
3. Divide students into two even teams and have them make two lines behind the masking tape.
4. Give the first student in line a recyclable and tell him/her to try and get it in the recycling bin. Warn them not to "litter" (by having it land on the ground) or "throw it away" (by having it land in one of the trash cans). Tell the students that they get 1 point for every recyclable that lands in the recycling bin and minus1 point for every recyclable that lands on the ground. (trash cans are neutral.)
5. Keep scores on a clipboard.
6. When everyone in the first team has had a turn, it's the second team's turn.
7. Let them take as many turns as desired and then tally up the final score for each team.
8. Before announcing the winner, ask students "What materials are recyclable?" and "What do we recycle in our school?" Finally, remind them of the importance of recycling, both at school and at home, and then announce scores. Congratulate everyone for good teamwork.

 

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