Hello everyone,Hope all of you out there are having a wonderful Saturday!My name is Lucy and I am an aspiring teaching currently in my first semester of Student Teaching at the College of Education in the University of Houston. My classroom is a 4thgrade Math & Science classroom, and I am reaching out to the science community for some help.We recently covered the natural resources TEK and I closed our lesson with a conversation of the conservation of our planet and different way to do that. The kids loved learning about different ways we can help our planet and because of that I am searching ideas on how to implement recycling with in our classroom while having the students engaged. Unfortunately, the school is not a big supporter of recycling, but I would love our classroom to become one. Any thoughts, ideas or comments you have are extremely appreciated. Thank you,Lucy Torres
Hi Lucia, one year my students each researched ways to implement recycling and reducing waste. One student campaigned the adults at school not to use one time use cups. Over a few weeks, more and more teachers began bringing cups from home to drink from and washing them instead of adding plastic and styrofoam waste to the trash. Many of us still bring our own non-disposable cups to work each day and that young man just graduated high school! When you give students a problem to solve, they do it in amazing ways.
You could do things in your classroom like reusing things instead of throwing them away. There are many DIY projects that involve recycling old objects you would otherwise throw away. Maybe have the students do one that easy such as something to do with a plastic water bottle, and hopefully the trend of reusing, and recycling will catch on with the rest of the school!
Hello Lucy,
I recently responded to a similar question. Perhaps it will help.
https://learningcenter.nsta.org/discuss/default.aspx?tid=!plus!1tfI39W3Pk_E#101101
Hope this helps,
Gabe Kraljevic
It is great to know that you are trying to get your studetns involved in the conservation of our planet. These are difficult times and each time we see more on the effects that we are slowly causing. I suggest focusing on letting your students truly understand the benefits and how it works (what can be recycled what can't). I find that reusing items into functional items can lead them to become active with reclying.Teach them ways that they can go home and implement it there as well (mulch,cans,etc) the fact that the school might not support it as much does not mean that you should give up on it i salute your effort.
Best of luck,
Erica Popoca
Recyclying is such a great topic to bring up in a classroom because it allows you to cover ground in certain science topics. It also should make students aware of the destruction not recycling does to our planet.
it is unfortunate that not all schools are big advocates on recylying hopefuly that changes soon. One thing i believe in is having them recycle at home almost like homework. Getting involved with the parents letting them know about the students homework.
Maybe even a having something on the wall indicating which student recycled x amount of things every week in the classroom.
Hi Lucy! This blog on student recycling projects may have some ideas for you. Good luck! Mary B
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