K-3 : Lesson Plan #4
Garbage Routes

Objective: The students will diagram and compare 2 routes of garbage disposal, landfills and recycling.

Materials:

A book or web site with information on waste removal and recycling. See the Literature List and Internet Resources for suggestions.
Landfill or Recycling? Worksheet
Label Printouts – to designate different areas of the classroom
Chart Paper or chalkboard

Procedure:

Ask the students to brainstorm where they think garbage goes once it is thrown away. List responses on the chart paper or chalkboard.
Share information from the book or web site. Emphasize 2 of the different paths garbage may take – 1) ending up in a landfill or 2) being recycled into a new product.
Using the Label Printouts , designate areas in the classroom as follows – trash can, recycling bin, garbage truck, recycling truck, landfill, and recycling center, new soda cans, used soda cans.
Divide the class into 2 groups. Instruct both groups of students to pretend they are empty soda cans being thrown away and to stand in the used soda can area. Group 1 (the landfill group) should then go to the trash can area while Group 2 (the recycled group) goes to the recycling bin area. Group 1 should follow the path of trash can, garbage truck, landfill. Group 2 should follow the path of recycling bin, recycling truck, recycling center, new soda cans, used soda cans. Group 2 may continue going through this path repeatedly as Group 1 sits still in the landfill. This will emphasize the point of recycling being a never-ending process. The students in the landfill will represent the pile up of garbage and the used space.
Continue doing this activity until all students have had a chance to do both paths.
Pass out the Landfill or Recycling? Worksheet. Have the students complete the worksheets individually or as a whole class.