Recycled Paper Garden
Recycle old paper to make a beautiful garden
Introduction
What is recycling? Can you give me some examples of items and materials that you recycle?
Recycling is taking materials from old discarded materials and making other new products from them.
Recycling or making new things from recycled ones takes a lot less money, much less energy, and saves a
lot of the Earth’s natural resources, thereby helping the environment.
Activity: (5 minutes)
Brainstorm different materials that can be recycled. Call on children and write their answers on a large
piece of paper or white/blackboard. Here are some ideas…
-
Metals
Paper
Plastic
Styrofoam
Tires
-
Water
Cell phones
Computers
Ink cartridges
Aluminum
-
Carpet
Paint
Appliances
Newspapers
Electronics
Suggested Materials
Construction
Paper
Newspapers
Printer
Paper
Cardstock
Magazines
Toilet Paper
Paper Towels
Non-waxed
cardboard
Napkins
Tissue Paper
Paper Bags
Suggested Decorations
There are many materials you can add in with the paper for decorative effect.
You may wish to add flower or vegetable seeds to the paper, which can be
planted.
Flower petals
Seeds
Dryer lint
Food coloring
Fine leaves or
grass
Liquid starch
Foil
Sting or yarn
Make your own paper (40 Minutes)
You are going to pulp the old paper together with water, spread it out, and
allow it to dry. It is that simple.
1. Have students tear the paper-consider having students contribute some of their own
used paper, but make sure that the teacher is okay with this! (Feel free to mix different
types into small bits and put into a blender.)
2. Blend wet paper and water (ratio 2 parts water to 1 part paper) in a blender until it
reaches the consistency of gravy. If you are going to write on the paper, blend in 2
teaspoons of liquid starch.
3. Set your mold in a shallow basin or pan. I used a cookie sheet. You could use a sink. Pour
the blended mixture into the mold. Sprinkle in your mix-ins (thread, flower petals, etc).
Shake the mold from side to side, keeping it in the liquid, to level out your paper pulp
mixture.
4. Press a second cookie sheet or other flat object onto the paper to squeeze out the excess
water.
5. When paper has most water squeezed out, flip the paper out onto a flat surface covered
in newspaper.
6. The paper will need to dry overnight. Throughout the activity and at the end, have
students brainstorm ways that they can recycle at school and at home. Then discuss
ways that a school or company could cut down on waste by recycling. Explain that it is
the job of some engineers to develop methods that allow materials to be re-used (the
activity that you just did is one method of recycling paper). If you have extra time at the
end, have students compete in the Recycle Relay.
Where’s the Chemistry?
Plants use the energy of the sun to make all sorts of chemicals like sugars and complex
carbohydrates. One of these complex carbohydrates is called cellulose. Cellulose is tough and
indigestible. It is the main ingredient in wood pulp. Plants use cellulose to make their limbs and
trunks strong and stiff. Without it, they would not be able to stand. Cellulose can be made into
many different products like paper, cardboard, rayon fabric, and insulation. By recycling paper
we cut down on the amount of waste in our landfills, save trees, and conserve energy.
Wrap Up Discussion
Please make sure to prepare several critical-thinking questions to help students really connect
the activity with the roles of scientists and engineers, and how they need to be aware of the
impact they are making on the environment.
Discuss how businesses need engineers to develop methods to reduce their waste and
pollution.
Side effects of not being aware of this impact are global warming, loss of beautiful space given
up for landfills, not enough clean water to drink, loss of precious wildlife and plants.
What are we doing now? What do energy efficient cars, solar energy and water conservation
have to do with recycling?
Recycling will lessen the impact of damage we are inflicting on the environment.
Desk/purse/pocket Activity (5 minutes) (optional)
Call out a letter…the first person to shout out and show something that is in their desk, purse or pocket
that starts with the letter will receive a small treat…Continue with the letter to share the Recycling Fact.
Sometimes it is nice to write the percentages on the white/black board for students to visually see.
Example…R…Rubber band…P…Pencil, Pen… N…Notebook.
R … Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space,
2 barrels of oil and 4000 kilowatt hours of electricity. This is enough energy to power the average
American home for 5 months.
P… The process of recycling paper instead of making it from new materials generates 74 percent less air
pollution and uses 50 percent less water.
N… Over 73 percent of all newspapers are recovered from recycling. About 33 percent of this is used to
make newsprint the rest is used to make paperboard, tissue or home insulation.
On The Job
Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural engineers will never be at a loss for career choices because the number of
industries that require their skills is vast.
Here are just a few examples: farm equipment manufacturers such as John Deere,
International and Harvester; seed companies such as Pioneer Hi-Bred and Monsanto);
food producers such as Kraft and Kellogg's; environmental engineering firms such as
Mock Roos and Associates; and forest product companies like Weyerhaeuser.
Agricultural engineering isn't limited to planet Earth. NASA uses agricultural engineers
to develop systems to grow food in space. One NASA project is developing hydroponic
techniques the science of growing food in water without soil that will keep some future
human colony on Mars well-fed.
Agricultural engineers are experts in biosystems, so many specialize in finding ways to
protect the environment. Some, for example, work to conserve supplies of fresh water,
while others develop methods to safeguard the Earth from pollution, including chemical
or nutrient runoff from farms. Agricultural engineers are also involved in developing
biofuels from algae – that right, pond scum -- a process that doesn’t need arable land,
which is put to better use growing food crops.
Agricultural engineers will never be at a loss for career choices -- the number of
industries that require their skills is vast. Here are just a few examples:
Farm equipment manufacturers (John Deere, International Harvester);
Seed companies (Pioneer Hi-Bred, Monsanto);
Food producers (Kraft, Kellogg's);
Environmental engineering firms (Mock Roos and Associates);
Forest product companies (Weyerhaeuser).
Architectural Engineering
Architectural engineers typically work for engineering firms, (Crossey Engineering,
Maffat and Nichol, Flour Corp.) construction firms, (Gardiner and Theobald) and
architectural firms (LPA Inc. of California, RMJM Ltd.).
The biggest trend in the industry today is architecture that's sustainable, or green. It is
the architectural engineers who come up with workable innovations so buildings use
energy and water more efficiently, creating less waste and pollution.
Architects are finding new way to challenge architectural engineers, especially when it
comes to designing buildings that reach breathtaking heights. For instance, the current
tallest building in the world is the Burj Tower, which when completed, will likely soar
more than 2,650 feet into the air, or more than 160 stories.
The biggest trend in the industry today is architecture that's sustainable, or green. It is
the architectural engineers who come up with workable innovations so buildings use
energy and water more efficiently, creating less waste and pollution.
Architectural engineers typically work for engineering, (Crossey Engineering, Maffat &
Nichol, Flour Corp.) construction, (Gardiner & Theobald) and architectural (LPA Inc. of
California) firms.