Reduce reuse recycle

KERPOOF LESSON PLAN The Three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

TOPIC

Environmental Conservation

GRADES 1-4

OBJECTIVES Each student learns about the three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) and learns that

reducing waste has a positive impact on the environment. First, students put

environmental conservation into context by creating a picture illustrating what they love

about nature. Next, students learn about the three Rs and discover actions they can

utilize to reduce waste. At the end of the unit, each student becomes an activist by

creating an environmental poster for the classroom.

STANDARDS

National Science Education Standards, Grades K-4

6.3: Life Science - Organisms and Environments

6.5: Science and Technology - Abilities to distinguish between natural objects and

objects made by humans

6.6: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives - Types of Resources

6.6: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives - Changes in environments

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES Kerpoof’s Make a Card, Make a Picture, and Make a Drawing

Handouts:

o Brainstorming Worksheet

o Vocabulary List

Local Recycling Information Sheet (optional)

PREPARATION

Before the lesson, research local recycling guidelines and policies.

o Are there recycling bins at your school?

o What materials are accepted for recycling in your area?

o Is there a center for hard-to-recycle material nearby?

o Is there a deposit for recycling cans and bottles in your state?

o Does your city offer curb-side pick up?

Optional: Make a handout with your findings for your students.

KERPOOF LESSON PLAN: The Three Rs

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ACTIVITY 1: My Reason to Protect the Earth

STEP 1: Ask students to think about their favorite things to do in nature. Ask:

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Where is the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? STEP 2: Ask students to write down their answers, and then call on a few students to share

their experiences with the class. Explain that all of the activities they enjoy and places they’ve been are good reasons to protect the earth.

STEP 3: Tell your students that they will be illustrating their ideas on Kerpoof. They can

either draw a picture on Make a Drawing or use one of the Make a Pictures to express their idea. Students should title their creation, “My Reason to Protect the Earth.” Project the example, if desired.

STEP 4: Encourage students to share their artwork and award each other stars.


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Example: Activity 1


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ACTIVITY 2: The Three Rs

STEP 1: Draw (or project) the recycling symbol on the board. Ask students if they know what the symbol means.

STEP 2: Explain to the class that recycling is actually the third step in reducing waste. There

are three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and then Recycle. The three Rs are in order of importance, so reduce is the most important step!

Reduce means to use less – it’s the most effective way to prevent waste from happening in the first place. Ways to reduce include: Using and buying less, turning off the lights when you leave the room, taking shorter showers, and carpooling or taking the bus to school.

Reuse means using something as many times as you can. To practice reusing: Use both sides of a piece of paper, repair broken items instead of replacing them, shop at garage sales, read books from the library, and include secondhand clothes in your wardrobe.

Recycle means to dispose of certain products – like paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic – at a special facility that will break them down for use in a new product.

STEP 3: Share the results of your local recycling research and ask students what items they

already recycle. STEP 4: Discuss the vocabulary list and encourage students to use the new words they have

learned in the rest of the lesson. STEP 5: Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students and ask each group to brainstorm as

many actions for the three Rs that they can in 5 minutes. Remind them to put each action into the correct category!

STEP 6: When time’s up, have each group share their list with the class. Have a discussion

about the actions that most excite the students. STEP 7: Remind students of the pictures they made in the first activity. Ask them to imagine

the scene they drew if there were litter in the picture, if the forest was gone, or if the water weren’t safe for swimming. Tell them that reducing waste by following the three Rs helps keep nature beautiful and healthy.

STEP 8: In the computer lab, ask students to open Kerpoof’s Earth Day Make a Card activity.

Using the provided stamps for inspiration, students should use the canvas to list the Three Rs and describe an action for each they want to implement. If students don’t see the stamp they want, they can draw their own illustrations. Project the example, if desired.

STEP 9: Encourage students to share their artwork and award each other stars.


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Example: Activity 2


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ACTIVITY 3: Be an Activist

STEP 1: Ask each student to make a sign for your classroom with one of the tips he or she brainstormed in Activity 2 (Example: “Turn off the faucet when you’re brushing your teeth”).

STEP 2: Optional: Make this assignment a research project. Have students conduct online

research for statistics and facts related to their actions to include on the poster. STEP 3: Students can make their signs in any activities – Make a Picture, Make a Drawing,

and Make a Card would all work well. Project the example, if desired. STEP 4: Print the signs (on recycled paper, of course) and display around the classroom.


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Example: Activity 3


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VOCABULARY LIST

Composting: How nature recycles food scraps and other organic

materials

Conservation: To use resources wisely, preventing waste

Hazardous Material: Something that can harm the environment if not

disposed of properly

Landfill: A specially constructed site where waste is buried

Natural Resource: Materials we use that are made by nature

o Renewable Resource: A natural resource that can be easily

replaced by natural processes (example: timber)

o Non-Renewable Resource: A natural resource that cannot be

easily replaced by natural processed (example: fossil fuels)

Recycle: To process materials (such as glass or cans) to make them

suitable for reuse

Waste: Garbage; useless material that we throw away


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BRAINSTORMING WORKSHEET

NAME_____________________________________________ DATE___________________

Ways to Reduce

1 6

2 7

3 8

4 9

5 10

Ways to Reuse

1 6

2 7

3 8

4 9

5 10

Ways to Recycle

1 6

2 7

3 8

4 9

5 10