Recycling
Submitted by: Michael Harris, Cleveland, GA
Endorsed by: Barbara J. Speziale, Clemson University
Date: December 19, 1996
Grade Level: Appropriate for grades 5-8
This lesson plan is the result of a semester-long course on the environment and food
production conducted over the Internet for teachers at six universities: Auburn
University, Clemson University, Florida A & M University, South Carolina State
University, University of Florida, and University of Kentucky. The project was funded by a
grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Extension,
Research and Education Service. Grant No. 95-EATP-10059.
TIME: 1-hour class period
OVERVIEW:
The current landfill in White County receives 40 tons of waste per day. Over 35% of
this material could be recycled. The tipping fee at the landfill is $25 per ton. When the
landfill closes in December 1996, all the garbage will have to go to a transfer station,
where the fee will increase to $50 per ton.
The purpose of this class is to teach students the economic and ecological importance
of recycling.
CONCEPTS:
- How materials break down in the environment
- Materials suitable for recycling
- Gathering and sorting of recyclable materials
- Environmental impact of recycling
OBJECTIVES:
- To help students identify garbage that can be recycled
- To acquaint students with the cost of handling garbage
- To illustrate the relationship between recycling and conservation of natural resources
- To teach students how to recycle
MATERIALS:
- Posters:
- -Percent of different materials in household trash
- -Recycling symbol
- -Show cost to build a new landfill (this information can be obtained
- from local officials or from state EPD)
- Bag of miscellaneous trash for sorting--gloves and aprons should also
- be provided for the students to ensure their safety while handling the
- garbage.
- Pre-test/Post-test
- Fact sheets (one per student)
- Recycling containers (various styles)
- Magnet
- Markers
- Poster board
PROCEDURE:
-Start the activity by defining RECYCLING. Recycling is the collection of recyclable
waste materials and the re-manufacture of the collected materials into new products.
-Pass out fact sheets and discuss some of the information. Use examples to make numbers
more dramatic.
FACT SHEET:
-27 billion glass containers are thrown away each year
-1 quart of motor oil can contaminate 1 million gallons of water
-Making new paper from recycled paper uses 45% less energy than making paper from trees
(Numerous examples of recycling facts can be found in recycling publications.)
-Ask students to name some of the benefits of recycling:
-Saves resources
-Saves energy
-Reduces pollution
-Saves money
-Use a bag of trash to show students some of the items we typically throw away. Dump
this out on the (covered) floor.
-Use a chart to illustrate the percentage of materials in household trash:
-40% paper
-10% metal
-8% glass
-8% plastic
-7% food scraps
-9% other
(These figures change from year to year, so check with the state EPD for current
figures.)
-Ask students where their trash goes. Use this opportunity to give facts about the current
landfill. Provide information as to when the current landfill will close, and the cost of
constructing a new landfill (total cost divided by total population). Tell students that
recycling will reduce the amount of solid waste going to the landfill and thereby save
everyone money. (Current figures can be obtained from local officials or the state EPD.)
-Ask students to sort trash into appropriate piles; for example, paper, plastic, glass,
metal, etc.
-Present information about the different types of items in each pile; for example
(paper)-newspaper, office paper, cardboard, etc. -Allow students to use a magnet to
demonstrate how to separate aluminum cans from steel cans.
-Select one or two examples of recyclables and give examples of new products that can be
made from each. Use this opportunity to teach students the symbol that indicates a
recycled product. Encourage them to buy recycled products when possible; show some
examples.
-Select one example (newspaper) and discuss how much raw material is needed to produce the
Sunday newspaper (500,000 trees).
Show students that if recycled paper were used, these trees could be saved.
-Inform the students that starting a recycling program at home is easy: place containers
in a convenient location and you're ready to go. Show several examples of recycling
containers.
-Give students a list of locations that will accept recyclables. -At the end of the
program, provide poster board and markers and ask students to design labels to place on
their recycling containers at home.
ASSESSMENT:
Design a pre/post multiple-choice test to give students. Base the questions on the
facts provided in the presentation.
Example: By weight, which accounts for the largest percentage of your trash?
a) glass
b) paper
c) plastic
Comparing pre-test and post-test scores will help assess how much students have learned.
RESOURCES: Ecoweb factoids: commonly used recycling terms;
http://ecosys.drdr.virginia.edu/terms.html
Household waste: recycling;
http://wfs.vub.ac.be/schools/timeline/household/waste1.htm
"Our country's growing problem: trash...trash...trash," by Betty
Debnam. The Mini Page, 1990, Universal Press Syndicate.
"Recycle, reduce, and reuse!" Nature Naturally, Vol 14, No. 1, 1990,
Ida Cason Callaway Foundation.
Recycling and recycling activity;
gopher://neeet.snre.umich.edu:70/00/.p-r/precyc.clres
"Reduce, reuse, recycle!" Discovery Guide #T-1841, 1990, Trend
Enterprises, Inc.
| 
