Lesson Plan Essay

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Environmental Studies Level: Grades 6-8 Duration: 2 hours

Today, recycling is one of the most important topics in the environmental conservation agenda. From trash and dysfunctional electronic gadgets to plastic materials, wrappers, and packaging materials, we generate tons of waste every day. This waste increasingly poses a significant threat to the natural environment. For instance, oceans and other natural water bodies are now filled with substantial amounts of plastics, posing a threat to water life. Similarly, when deposited in landfills, our trash emits gases that are harmful to the environment. The gases harm the environment by destroying the ozone layer, consequently creating negative effects such as global warming. The situation is likely to get worse in the future given that the human population is growing at an unprecedented rate. Greater human population will mean more consumption, more creation of waste, and hence more harm to the environment.



Recycling is important if we must save the environment for our future generations. Simply stated, recycling refers to reusing. It means using again or converting waste into something useful. For instance, our spoilt electronic gadgets can be used to make new gadgets. Also, our trash can be used to make fertiliser or energy. When we recycle, we not only reduce waste, but also minimise the depletion of natural resources.



Recycling starts at home. It starts with us. It is time to change how we treat the environment. We must be more responsible. We must be more mindful about what we do and what we buy. By doing something at the individual level, we can make a big difference.

Objectives

Students will:



• Understand the concept of recycling



• Understand what creates waste



• Understand the impact of waste on the environment



• Understand why recycling is important



• Learn how they can recycle common products



• Understand the three R's -- reduce, reuse, recycle



• Develop collaborative and problem solving skills



Materials



• Recyclable products -- e.g. an old cell phone, a plastic bottle, a newspaper, a cardboard, an aluminium can, etc.



• Scissors



• Film on "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle"



• Computer



• Projector or display board

Directions

Step 1: Introduce the topic. What is recycling? What creates waste? What is the impact of waste on the environment? Ask students to name any recyclable products they are aware of, and if they have ever recycled anything. For some students, recycling may be a common practice, but for others it may be an unfamiliar concept. Allow feedback and a brief discussion.



Step 2: Watch the film together with students. Ask students to identify recycling ideas or new ideas they have learned from the video. Allow feedback and a brief discussion.



Step 3: Display the recyclable items for students to see. Ask students whether they are familiar with the items, and how often they use them. Allow feedback and a brief discussion.



Step 4: Group students into groups of four and give each group a recyclable item. Ask students to think of and discuss ways in which the provided item may be recycled. In groups, students will create a new (functional) item from the provided item.



Step 5: Explain the importance of recycling. What can we do? Explain the three R's -- reduce, reuse, recycle. Ask students whether they think recycling would be important for the environment. Allow feedback and a brief discussion.



Step 6: For homework, ask students to make a list of recyclable products in their home. If not sure whether an item is recyclable, students will conduct research on the internet to confirm whether the item can be recycled.



Evaluation



Individually, students will create a functional item from a plastic bottle, a plastic bag, a cardboard, a newspaper, or aluminium can.



Differentiation



As some students may have difficulties working alone, students will be allowed to work with a partner or in a small group.



Justification for Choice of Instructional Techniques



As can be observed, the lesson is centred on the concepts of participative learning and differentiated instruction. Though there is no universally accepted definition, participative learning generally denotes a teaching and learning…