Introduction:
Teacher will introduce the subject of recycling to students. Their knowledge will be assembled on a KWL chart and posted for a later comparison to see how much new information was learned by the class. The primary teaching resource materials will come from the: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle A Solid Waste Management Curriculum for the City of Chicago" prepared by: The City of Chicago, Dept of Environment Division of Public Education.
This well written document provides the K-3 grade teacher with every bit of materials for a unit on Recycling, the teacher needs.
The Statewide Objective and Standards for Learning for content areas are complete and can be used across the curriculum.
There is a lot of information for the teacher about the City of Chicago's recycling program and is current and up to date having been printed in 1994.
The activity sheets are geared for children to successfully complete.
Other content areas include: Composting, Energy Recovery, Landfills

Content area:
Science

Activity: Have children respond to KWL
Pre-test from "Reuse, Reduce, Recycle
Later after studies Post-Test.

Procedure:
Let children know we are going to be learning about recycling and find out from them what they already know and what they think they know. Teeachers will provide the children with information and will have working knowledge of the concepts and basic vocabulary of biological, physical, and environmental sciences, and their application to life and work in a contemporary technological society.

Materials:
Manual- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Pre-test, Post-test, Answer sheet, KWL chart, pencils

Content Area: Language Arts

Activity: Have children write a story on recycling later they can draw/illustrate the story.

Procedure:

1. Have large sheets of lined paper mounted on walls and tell children they are to help create a story on recycling. Have them decide on a hero/heroine, imaginary or real, give the character a name/names. Let them decide if there is to be an anti-hero/heroine and then direct them into developing a plot. This will be fun.
   
2. As the children develop the story the teacher can write the story on the chart paper. It can later be transcribed on regular paper and formatted so the children can draw pictures to match the written words.
3. Each child will have his/her "book" to do own drawings.

Materials:
chart paper, markers, paper, photocopy machine, crayons

Content Area:
Language Arts/Fine Arts/Science

Activity:
Have children complete the activity sheet: "Lets separate our Trash"

Procedure:
Introduce the activity and test children knowledge of what is a recyclable item. After getting and reviewing a children's information provide each child with activity #1 pages 1 and 2.

Materials:
"Let's Separate Our Trash" activity sheets 1 and 2, scissors, glue, pencils

Content Area:
Math

Activity:
Bar Graph- count different kinds of containers or ways things can be packaged and whether they can be recycled or not. Have children bring in samples. Children can also differentiate shapes (cylinders, squares, etc.)

Procedure:
Make large chart showing different kinds of containers: tin cans, aluminum cans, glass, styrofoam, cardboard, plastic trays. As children bring in real samples and make a display of items. They can give oral report about what was in the container the kind of material, is it recyclable, the name of the shape and record it on the chart.

Extension:
Children can make a group collage of items they bring to class.

Content Area:
Cross Curriculum

Activity:
Field trip to a Recycling Center (Recommended highly- Resource Center 71st and Dorchester)

Procedure:

1. Arrange to take field trip via Chicago Board of Education guidelines
   
2. Get parent permission
   
3. Call recycling center and arrange date
   
4. Class discussion about what they think they are going to see. Record guesses/predictions
   
5. Send note home, be sure children have on old clothes.
   
6. Have each child bring pop can.

Materials:
camera, film, bag for cans, clip board, teacher created check list of children's predictions, check off what they guessed if they are correct.

Extensions: Make a picture story of children's trip. Have children describe what each picture shoes them doing. Laminate to preserve.
Combine rest of trip to a Museum or Nature Center near recycling plant and tie in a walking trip to include other topics of class discussion.
A Healthy Day Activity Sheet.