Overview
Essential
Learnings
Extensions
The Waste Stream
(p. 13-16)
Waste Not, Want Not: Students categorize a collection of garbage into groups: reusable, repairable, recyclable, compostable, discardable and hazardous waste. Students chart the percentage of waste by each type. Discussion will focus on natural, renewable and reusable resources and decision-making in disposal of waste.
Science 1.1
Math 1.1, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
Communication: Students work in teams on a "Throw Away" trivia quiz as a competition against other groups (quiz provided). Communication 3.2, 3.3
The Waste Stream
Calculating Waste: The class discusses the volume of waste produced per American daily, monthly, and yearly, using inflated garbage bags to illustrate. Students calculate the volume of the classroom and how quickly a typical American would fill it with trash. Students repeat calculations, assuming a 24% reduction in waste due to recycling
Math 1.1, 1.2, 3.1
Math: Students measure and record classroom and cafeteria waste daily for a week, then use data to estimate school-wide waste produced each week, month and year. Math 1.1, 1.2
The Waste Stream
School Waste Audit: Students create and enact a plan to inventory their school waste system. Information collected should include type and amount of waste, processing of waste, and comparison of waste-production in different locations within the school (i.e. art room vs. science lab). Students present information quantitatively in charts, graphs and tables, then analyze the data to compare it with their predictions and identify trends.
Math 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 4.2, 4.3
Science 1.1, 2.1
The Waste Stream
Garbage through the Ages: Student groups gather information about the handling of waste at different time-periods of history. Students creatively present their information to the class, using provided questions as a content guide. After learning about historical waste management, students create scenarios for waste management in the future, which are then discussed as a class.
SS-History 3.3
SS-Geography 3.1
Communication 2.2, 2.5
Communication: Students interview grandparents or other senior citizens to learn how waste was managed in the past, and how waste management has changed. Communication 1.1, 1.2
Source Reduction
Packaging: Student groups analyze the packaging of various products and discuss the impact of toxic, unnecessary and/or non-recyclable packaging on the environment. After learning about source reduction, students analyze the products studied earlier and make choices of what to buy in order to reduce waste. Students create alternative packaging for an over-packaged product, making a marketing presentation to the class. Students write a letter to the original product’s manufacturer, expressing their concern about the waste and proposing alternative packaging.
Communication 2.2, 2.5, 3.2
Writing 2.2, 2.3
SS-Geography 3.1
Civics 4.2
Math: Students calculate the unit cost of an over-packaged item to an underpackaged equivalent, then analyze to determine the effects of packaging on cost. Math 1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Social Studies: Students collect their packaging waste over a given time period (2 days to 1 week), then analyze the waste from the perspective of an archaeologist, deciding what the waste says about our society, lifestyles and behavior. SS-Geography 3.1, 3.3
Source Reduction
Product Toxicity: Students study a display of different household products, including toxic materials and their non-toxic alternatives. Class discusses what makes certain items toxic, and therefore Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). Students inventory HHWs in their own homes, later splitting into teams to analyze one substance and find a less-toxic alternative. Class discusses barriers that block consumers from purchasing less-toxic substances and how the barriers can be reduced.
Science 1.1
Communication 3.2
SS-Geography 3.1
Language Arts: Students research and write a report about companies that have chosen to manufacture products that are less toxic, made of recycled products, or manufactured with less waste and toxic emissions. Research may involve letter writing or interviewing spokespeople for the company. Reading 2.1, 2.2. Writing 2.2, 2.3. Communication 1.2, 1.3
Source Reduction
Life-Cycle Factors: Students study diagrams to understand how a product’s "life-cycle analysis" can be created to determine the product’s impact on the environment. Students create a diagram for a chosen product’s life cycle, using research as a basis. Students share their diagrams with the class. The group discusses how an understanding of a product’s life cycle analysis might change their choices as consumers. Students may also write to the product’s manufacturer to obtain a copy of the company’s life-cycle analysis, if there is one.
SS-Geography 3.1
Reading 1.5, 2.1, 2.2
Writing 2.2, 2.3
Writing: At the conclusion of to the module’s activities, students log choices they make as consumers, in consideration of what they have learned through the module. Writing 2.2, 2.3
Recycling and Economics
Recycling Survey: Students use the "Recycling Data Form" to survey recycled products found in their home, grocery store, or school, focusing on four general categories (plastics, paper, metal and glass). The survey will include items that are recyclable and those made of recycled products. Students will analyze their data, calculating, for instance, the category with the highest percentage of recyclable products. Graphs and/or charts will display their results
Science 1.1
Math 1.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
Recycling and Economics
Graphing Waste: Students predict the type of material (i.e. paper, glass, aluminum, wood, textiles…) that generates the most waste. Students perform calculations on provided data to determine the "percentage of generation", reflecting the amount of material recycled rather than disposed. Students create charts and/or graphs to analyze the data on percentage of generation. Students predict the trend for material recovery over the next several years and compare their predictions to trends that they observe in data from the last decade
Math 4.2, 4.3
SS-Economics 1.1, 1.3
Civics 2.2
Recycling and Economics
Supply and Demand: Students study graphs to understand the relationship between supply and demand and how this effects the cost of a material. Students graph the supply/demand curve for recycled newspapers and discuss what the graph communicates. Students study data on recyclable and compostable materials, answering questions on the marketability of these materials. The class discusses how different agents (government, consumers, recyclers) influence the supply/demand for recycled materials.
Math 4.2, 4.3
SS-Economics 1.1, 1.3
Civics 2.2
Language Arts: Students research and report on "unlikely" products that can be made from recycled materials, such as carpeting from recycled plastic. Reading 1.5, 2.1, 2.2. Writing 2.2, 2.3
Recycling and Economics
Waste Disposal, Cost, and Recycling: Students graph and analyze data comparing population to amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) produced. Students calculate the costs and revenues of recovered recyclable materials and costs and profits that are possible for waste management. Students collect data and then discuss the costs of local MSW management. Students then focus on specific questions and calculations surrounding consumption and recycling to develop educated opinions on the benefits of recycling and the impact of recycling on natural resources and waste disposal.
Math 1.1, 4.3
SS-Geography 3.1
SS-Economics 1.1
Composting
Composting Basics: Students identify various examples of decomposition taking place on the school grounds and discuss the benefits and stages of the decomposition, or nutrient, cycle. The class defines "composting" and lists compostable materials and those not readily biodegradable. After reading brief case studies of community composting programs, students discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such programs.
Science 1.3
SS-Geography 3.1
Designing Compost Bins: Students study a worksheet describing the necessary components of composting, discussing each component’s importance for decomposition. Students groups then design compost bins that provide for these components. Students compare their design to ones provided in the module, focusing on convenience and expense. Students modify their own designs, optimizing for composting components, expense and convenience. Student designs should be complete with scale drawings, dimensions and materials list.
Science 1.3
Math 1.1, 1.2
Science: Students use different compost piles to test for the effect of different variables, such as air circulation, type of organic material, and amount of water. Science 1.3, 2.1
Constructing Compost Bins: Students construct compost bins designed in Part B. Students follow provided procedures to establish the initial contents of their bins. Over a 4-8 week period, students collect data on temperature, pH, presence of organisms, and visual changes. Students present their data in graphs and charts and discuss reasons for results and the differences between bin designs. If available, students use soil test kits to analyze the nutrients in their completed compost.
Science 1.3, 2.1, 3.1
Math 4.3
Writing: Students write a report, summarizing the results of their composting and explaining the reasons for their results. Writing 2.2, 2.3
Waste to Energy
Pros and Cons: Students are introduced to the terms "combustion" and "waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities". Discussion on the energy recovery of WTE facilities, the use of the energy made, costs, and waste output from facilities lead students to understanding the pros/cons of WTE
Science 1.3, 3.2
SS-Geography 3.1
Communication: Students research pros/cons and the perception of safety vs. risk of WTE facilities, then debate these with other students. Communication 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2
Science: Students study/perform the various chemical reactions that take place in the WTE process. Discussion can also center on conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy. Science 1.3, 3.2
Waste to Energy
The Great Debate: Students are presented with the issue of building a WTE facility in a town. Students are placed in groups representing different views on the issue. After research, each group presents their views to the class, possibly using visual aids. The "Town Council" group then makes a decision on the proposed WTE facility.
Reading 1.5, 2.1, 2.2
Communication 2.1, 2.2, 2.5
Reading: Students research actual communities that have proposed WTE facilities and the debate/outcome that resulted. Reading 1.5, 2.1, 2.2
Social Studies: Students research and locate WTE facilities in their state/region, comparing population demographics of these locations to that of the overall region. Students then address whether WTE facilities create problems with environmental justice. SS-Geography 2.2, 3.1
Designing a Landfill: Student groups create landfill models with various soil types and liners to determine the best method to minimize seepage of leechate. Students compare their models to current landfill design.
Science 1.3, 2.1, 2.2
Social Studies/Science: A local landfill engineer (or similar professional) presents landfill designs, regulations and processes to the class. Science 1.3. SS-Geography 3.1. Civics 4.2
Social Studies : Class tours a local landfill. SS-Geography 3.1. Science 1.3
Siting a Landfill: After studying background information on factors considered when siting a landfill, student groups create a proposal for a landfill in an assigned site. Groups present their proposals to the class, who act as a planning committee. After the presentations, the class discusses the problems present with the site choices, and why many people oppose landfills in their communities
Science 1.3
SS-Geography 3.1, 3.2
Communication 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
Civics 4.2
Social Studies: Students research different landfills in their state/region, including the factors involved in the site choice and how difficulties with the community were resolved. SS-Geography 2.2, 3.1, 3.2. Civics 4.2, 4.3.
Community MSW: Students research their community’s solid waste management program (recycling and composting programs, landfill and/or waste combustion facilities). Groups use the information to create a display, illustrating the flow of waste from their school through the community waste system.
Reading 1.5, 2.1, 2.2
Communication 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.5
SS-Geography 3.1
Language Arts: Students investigate how various businesses and industries reduce MSW within their organization. Students write a report on their findings and comparisons made between companies. Reading 1.5, 2.1, 2.2. Communication 1.2, 1.3. Writing 1.1, 2.3.
MSW in Other Communities: Students make contact with students in other communities, exchanging information on their community’s MSW program. Students compare the data, using graphs and charts when possible. Student analysis of the data centers around reasons for differences in MSW programs, based on differences in the communities.
Writing 2.2, 2.3
SS-Geography 3.1, 3.3
Communication 1.2, 1.3, 2.5
Language Arts: Students expand their research on MSW programs to the entire country (or world), comparing MSW programs based on community differences.
Reading 1.5, 2.1, 2.2. Communication 1.2, 1.3. SS-Geography 3.1, 3.3
Measures of Success: Students read an article "Success in Seattle" and discuss the features of Seattle’s MSW program that makes it successful, and how these keys to success may be applied in different communities.
Reading 2.1, 2.2
SS-Geography 3.1
Personal Choices: Students record all of the waste they personally generate in a day, and compare to the same record done in Lesson 1, before their study of MSW. Students create a plan to reduce the amount of waste they generate, and assess the feasibility of their plans.
SS-Geography 3.1
Civics 4.1
School Action Plan: Students gather ideas on how to reduce waste in their school, using provided case studies and an interview with their school’s administrator. Student groups then develop a 2-week pilot strategy to reduce their school’s waste. The pilot program is approached as an experiment, with the plan proposed as a hypothesis, base-line waste measured, plan implemented, and results recorded quantitatively. Successful pilot programs can then be expanded, with help of PTSA and administration.
Reading 2.1, 2.2
Communication 1.2, 1.3, 2.1
Science 2.1, 2.2
Communication: Students visit different classes in the school to promote their waste-reduction plans, or to teach about another project performed throughout the MSW study (i.e. compost bin, landfill model, school waste audit). Communication 2.2, 2.3, 2.5
