Let's Separate our Garbage
Objective:
The students will understand the definition of recycling and be able to identify materials that are recyclable.

Vocabulary:
recycling, aluminum, garbage, recycle triangle.

Material:
Aluminum pop cans, glass bottles/jars, plastic containers/jars, newspaper, telephone directory, old bicycle tire, branches and leaves, food boxes, old clothing, and recycling garbage bags.

Activity:

1. The students work in teams to sort garbage. They must separate items that can be recycled from those that can not.
2. This activity is done twice. The first time tells what the students already know about recycling.
3. Discuss what items were placed in which area and why.
4. The second time place all the clean garbage in a large pile by each team.
5. Each student picks one piece of garbage and runs to the other end of the room and must decide which pile to sort garbage.
6. The first team to correctly sort their garbage is the winner.

No Garbage Lunch
Elementary
Paula Jones

Objective:
Students will prepare a lunch that is safe for the earth. They will be able to discuss what they can do as a class to improve their environment.

Background:
A no-garbage lunch is a lunch with very little garbage to throw away.

Activity:

1. Choose a no-garbage lunch carrier, such as: a brown paper bag, a lunch box, or a reusable cloth lunch bag.
   
2. Carry sandwiches or other food in reusable containers. Wrap sandwiches in aluminum foil. (Wippe and reuse.) Ziplock plastic bags can also be used. They are easy to rinse and reuse.
   
3. Snacks should be purchased in large quantities and placed in reusable containers. Snacks that come in natural wrappers should be eaten daily! For example: bananas and oranges can be added to a compost pile.
   
4. Carry drinks in small thermos. If students do not have thermos, only have drinks in recyclable containers.
   
5. Send the suggestions home to involve the parents. Try the no-garbage lunch for one day, one week, one month, one quarter, or a school year. It is important that the students realize the importance of reducing the amount of garbage in the environment. This project lets students realize they ccan do something to help clean the Earth.

Book Go Round
Elementary
Paula Jones

Objective:
Students will realize a book that they no longer want can be used by someone else.

Activity:
Arrange a book recycling program. The students will bring books that they want to trade. They can trade as many books as they bring. This program allows for the students to get new books for free.
To add books to the class library, students donate at least two books. One book goes to the class library and the other book is available to trade. This also allows the students to continue to read their book at school and to know they added something to the class.

Recycling Detectives
2nd grade
Paula Jones

Objective:
Students will be able to use graphs and charts to tell what their neighbors recycle.

Activity:

1. Students make a chart to track their observation.
   
2. Count the houses on the street.
   
3. Count how many homes recycle.
   
4. Count those that recycle newspaper, cans, and glass. Use tally marks to record information.
   
5. Record the day of the week the garbage/recyclable are collected.
   
6. Combine the information from each student to get an idea of the community.