Environmental Lessons & Activities

For Your Information

Topic: Waste
Grade: 1
Duration: 30 – 45 minutes
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Students will create a display to remind students in the school what can be recycled.

Curriculum Expectations

1s40: Identify materials that can be used to join and fasten other materials
1s42: Recognize that objects made of certain materials can be recycled
1m42: Compare two objects and identify similarities and differences
1m95: Conduct an inquiry using appropriate methods
1m96: Pose questions about data gathered
1m97: Compare, sort, and classify concrete objects according to a specific attribute
1m99: Generate yes/no questions for a given topic
1m103: Organize materials on concrete graphs and pictographs using one-to-one correspondence
1a25: Produce two- and three-dimensional works of art that communicate ideas (thoughts, feelings, experiences) for specific purposes
1a26: Use the elements of design (colour, line, shape, form, space, texture), in ways appropriate for this grade, when producing and responding to works of art
1a38: Produce two- and three-dimensional works of art (i.e., works involving media and techniques used in drawing, painting, sculpting, printmaking) that communicate thoughts and feelings

Background Information

By being creative, your class can increase awareness of recycling and give a friendly reminder to others of what their actions can do to the environment.

Accountability

Teachers and students will be aware of what has the potential to be recycled. Students will become more accountable for their ability to make choices as to where their waste goes.

Teacher Notes

Take the garbage from an average day. Try to ensure the waste from lunch is saved and include in the garbage.
Either outside on a nice day (with no wind) or inside on a plastic tarp, sort the garbage into what could be recycled, composted and garbage to be thrown away. Is there any garbage at school that could be recycled at home?
Create an art collage to remind the class about what they can do to reduce waste. Titles for the art could include: “This could have been recycled today”, “Haste makes waste”, or “Next time recycle”.
When class is finished with the artwork, take it apart and recycle what you can. It is a good practice to show that the class means business about reducing waste.

Home Extension

At home with parents, create things out of blue box treasures. These can be brought in to class to show to others. After the show and tell, they need to go home to be recycled again.

Lesson Comments

What creative structures came in from home?
What was the response of the other classes?