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Conservation, Disposal and Recycling

Conservation, Disposal and Recycling

TEKS Objective

The student will identify and learn how to use natural resources and materials, including conservation and reuse or recycling of paper, plastic, and metals. 


Essential Understanding

The student conducts classroom and outdoor investigations following home and school safety procedures and uses environmentally appropriate and responsible practices. 

Science Background

Houston-Galveston Area Regional Recycle Guide: Houston-Galveston Area Council (website) - Useful information about what can be recycled (almost anything), and how to participate in recycling programs in your area.

Houston-Galveston Area Council
Houston-Galveston Area Regional Recycle Guide, www.recycleinfo.org

Recycling and Composting: US Department of Environmental Conservation (website) - Ideas, resources, and guidelines for keeping the environment safer by removing trash in a responsible way.

Recycling and Composting
US Department of Environmental Conservation, www.dec.ny.gov

Signature Lesson

My World is Your World: US Environmental Protection Agency (PDF) - Kids learn the importance of conservation and recycling, become familiar with some types of recyclable materials, and identify new uses for these materials. (The lesson is on page III-2.)

My World is Your World
US Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov

Supporting Lessons

Garbage vs. Recycle Centre: EarthCARE (PDF) - Students practice sorting trash to understand that some garbage can be recycled or composted.

Garbage vs. Recycle Centre
EarthCARE, www.joeji.com

Milli’s Super Sorting Challenge: American Chemical Society (PDF) - Sort and recycle materials by their physical properties.

Milli’s Super Sorting Challenge
American Chemical Society, portal.acs.org

Making Recycled Paper: American Chemical Society (PDF) - Simple investigation in which students recycle their own paper.

Making Recycled Paper
American Chemical Society, portal.acs.org

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Invention Time: US Environmental Protection Agency (PDF) - Students use discarded or recycled materials to craft art projects. (Find the activity on page III-6.)

Invention Time
US Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov

Graphing Trash Materials: Illuminations (website) - Students participate in activities that identify recyclable materials and develop plans to use, conserve, and dispose of natural resources and materials.

Graphing Trash Materials
Illuminations, illuminations.nctm.org

Materials 2: Recycled Materials, Science NetLinks (website) - Students identify materials that can be recycled and find possible uses for recyclable materials.

Materials 2: Recycled Materials
Science NetLinks, www.sciencenetlinks.com

Assessment Ideas

Display a selection of objects made of plastic, metal and paper. Ask students to sort the objects into two categories: “recyclable” and “not recyclable.” Then have students list four ways they can conserve natural resources in school and at home. 

Literature Connections

Recycling. Goldsmith, Mike (ISBN-13: 978-0778747390)

Why Should I Recycle? Green, Jen (ISBN-13: 978-0764131554)

The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle. Roca, Nuria (ISBN-13: 978-0764135811)

Related Science TEKS

(1.2A) Ask Questions
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events observed in the natural world.

(1.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data and observations using pictures, numbers, and words.

(1.2E) Communicate Observations
The student is expected to communicate observations with others about simple descriptive investigations. 

Related Math TEKS

1.12A  Explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

1.13A  Justify his or her thinking using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology. 

Additional Resources

Environmental Curriculum Work Sheets: Kids for Saving Earth (website) - A free list of many activities that promote environmental education topics, such as conservation.

Environmental Curriculum Work Sheets
Kids for Saving Earth, www.kidsforsavingearth.org

Earth Day: Family Education (website) - A list of conservation related resources and activities.

Earth Day
Family Education, fun.familyeducation.com

The Truth About Water: Clark County Soil and Water Conservation District (website) - Discuss the careful management and preservation of natural resources and the environment. Scroll down to find interesting “Q&A” facts that can assess your students’ understanding of conserving, recycling and reusing our natural resources.

The Truth About Water
Clark County Soil and Water Conservation District, www.clarkswcd.org

Recycling: Energy Kids (website) - Students learn that different kinds of materials can be recycled, and that it takes less energy to make a product from recycled materials than from new materials.

Recycling
Energy Kids, www.eia.gov

Green Tips Podcasts: US Environmental Protection Agency (website) - Learn what you can do to help protect the environment at home, at school, while traveling, or at work.

Green Tips Podcasts
US Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov

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