Beyond Recycling

Author/Presenter: Monica Nissen	Target Grades: Intermediate (4-6), Middle School (7-9)
Availability: All, Fall	Theme: Ecological Footprint, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, Economics and Globalization, First Nations
Cost:	School District: School District 8, School District 20

Description

The Beyond Recycling lessons provide an opportunity for students and teachers to take part in an inspiring and interactive environmental education experience. Created in the Kootenays, these engaging lessons utilize slideshows, games, movies, skits, worksheets, costumes and more to provide students with the opportunity to understand the connections between our consumption patterns, and the resulting impacts on the environment. The lessons encourage students to think ‘beyond’ simply recycling for effective and positive environmental action and solutions for living sustainably. Beyond Recycling sparks the passion and creativity in youth that is necessary for a sustainable future.

Lessons include:
• Garbology 101 - Students consider the evolution of waste and how our consumption has increased at an alarming. Students examine the waste created in their classroom with a visiting Garbologist. Students look into waste reduction options (reduce, reduce, recycle) and watch a short film explaining the processes involved. 1 hour.
• It’s a Plastic World - Students examine how plastic is made, and the impact of our plastic use through examining the North Pacific Garbage Patch. Clips from two films allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the issue. 1 hour.
• Ecological Footprint - Students measure their footprint, identify ways to reduce their footprint, make the connection between lifestyle and size of ecological footprint, and understand that the Earth has limitations to support humans. 1 hour.
• The True Cost of Food - Students will begin to understand the impact of our food choices, examine factory farms and monoculture farming practices, understand the impacts of our food production including soil loss, deforestation, pesticide use, and emissions from transportation, look at what is involved in creating a average meal and find solutions to this issue. 1 hour
• Sustainability - Students examine the difference between a want and a need working together in groups. The class will then consider what sustainability means and learn about the First Nation’s Great Law. Students then play then ‘fishing for sustainability’ game. 1 hours.
• Making Paper - Students have a hands on experience of ‘closing the loop’ of a product. To understand the inputs required to create paper, and to imagine the larger scale implications of paper.

Notes

These lessons are best suited to grades 4-7.

Most lessons include slideshows or movies. A projector with speakers or smart board is usually necessary. A worksheet along with answer key is part of each lesson. This can be emailed to the teacher beforehand to photocopy.

Curriculum Matches

The PLO’s achieved through each lesson are available in pdf., please contact Monica for details.