Recycling
I created this unit plan to teach the students about the importance of recycling. In this unit students will be
introduced to the concepts of reducing, reusing and recycling. They will learn new vocabulary and connect
environmental concepts to their everyday experiences. I integrated science, social studies, and language arts into
the unit to give the students a well-rounded understanding of recycling. The unit incorporates different strategies
to provide the students with different ways to learn the material.
Grade 3 Mrs. Lowe’s Classroom Social Studies/Science Integrated Unit Plan 10 days plus PBA
Overarching Concept: Recycling
Supporting Concepts: Natural Resources, Resources, Human-Environment Interaction, patterns
Essential Question:
How do human beings depend and modify the environment?
Enduring Understanding:
Human beings depend on and modify the physical environment.
Social Studies Disciplines:
1. Geography
2. History
Multicultural Goals:
Bennett’s Goals 5 and 6
Content Areas Included:
1. Science
2. Social Studies
3. Language Arts
4. Art
State Standards:
Science
3.2.5, 3.2.6
Define a real world problem and list criteria for a successful solution.
Social Studies
3.3.12, 3.3.13
Language Arts: 3.4.1, 3.W.1, 3.W.2.1
Day #1 Composting With Worms
Objective: Students will
 Predict what will happen in two containers—one with soil and trash, the other with soil, trash, and worms
 Discuss how worms can help solve environmental problems
Standard: 3.2.5, 3.2.6
Vocabulary: Earthworms, recycle, compost, biodegradable
Overview of Lesson:
Anticipatory Set: Prepare two clear plastic containers; one with soil and trash and one with soil, trash, and worms. The trash should
be visible for the students to observe. Chopped fresh vegetables work best for the trash in the containers.
Read the book, Compost Stew by Mary McKenna Siddals
1. Pose the Question: What do you think will happen with the trash in the two containers?
2. Lesson: This lesson will continue for two weeks. The students will start by drawing a picture of the two containers and their
contents in their journal. The students will also make a prediction about what they think will happen to the trash. Make sure
the trash is visible for the students to observe for two weeks. I will remind the students to check the containers at the
beginning of science class and tell them to record any changes in their journals. Compare the trash in the two containers by
making notes about the changes happening in their journals. After two weeks, discuss with the students:
 What happened to the trash in the container with the worms in it? In the other container?
 How did changes in the two containers differ? Why?
 How can worms help cut down on trash?
Assessment: The information recorded in their journal.
Day #2 The Lorax
Objective: Using a real world problem, students will figure out a solution to the impact humans have on the environment.
Standard: Define a real world problem and list criteria for a successful solution. 3.3.12, 3.3.13, 3.4.1, 3.W.1, 3.W.2.1
Vocabulary: ecosystem, environment
Overview of Lesson:
Anticipatory Set (A.S.) Think-Pair-Share strategy: Michelle will write the word “environment on the board. Think-Pair-Share
strategy: Students will discuss with their partner about what the word environment means to them. I will ask for volunteers to share
their ideas with the rest of the class.
Co-teaching: team teach: Helen will read the book, we will both discuss with the students adding remarks when necessary. When
students are coming up with ways to save the village we will both walk around the class to answer questions and assist students.
Differentiation: Process: Below level students will record their response on an IPad that will write their paper. Content/Product: On
level students will include at least 3 facts of why their solution is needed in their paper. Content/Product: Above level students will
need to include at least 5 facts of why their solution is needed in their paper.
Assessment: Formal/Rubric: Students will brainstorm possible solutions to rebuild the Truffala Village ecosystem using the
bubble map graphic organizer strategy. Then, the students will write a paper discussing how they would create a solution for current
environmental problems.
Day #3 Litter Patrol
Objectives: The students will:
 identify many different types of waste materials/litter
 know what types of waste materials/litter can be reused
 create solutions to help reduce litter on the school grounds
Standard: 3.3.12
Vocabulary: litter, recycle, biodegradable, longevity, landfill
Overview of Lesson:
Anticipatory Set: Stand in front of the class with a bag of dry litter and, without saying a word, dump it on the floor, then walk
through it.
1. Pose the Question: “How would you feel if your playground was filled with garbage like this?”
2. Lesson: Introduce/Review the term "litter." Ask the students to give some examples of litter and record them on the board.
Divide the children into three groups and assign each group an area of the playground to search for and collect litter. The students
will collect litter for about 10-15 minutes. We will go back into the classroom to talk about the garbage picked up from the
playground. Explain to the students that there are three different categories in which to separate the litter (paper, plastic, and
Styrofoam). Show the students examples of each of these items. Have the students, in their groups, examine their litter and place it
into different categories (plastic, paper, Styrofoam, ) Have the students present to the class what kinds of litter they found. Record
each item under the correct category on the board (plastic, paper, Styrofoam, other) After each group has presented their litter,
discuss as a class the following questions orally: Do think we can reuse any of these materials? How?
3. Explain to the students that we will be creating a class picture book, to show others how we can improve our school or
community. Have the students draw a picture of themselves doing something to improve the school. Write one sentence about
the picture to explain it.
4. Differentiation-Product—The students can choose the activity they draw and write about themselves.
Assessment: I will assess the picture the students draw and sentence the student writes.
Day #4 Magic School Bus Meets the Rot Squad
Objective: Using the information from the movie, students will discuss problems and solutions about recycling in the real world.
Standard: Define a real world problem and list criteria for a successful solution.
3.SL.1 , 3.SL.2.1, 3.SL.2.4
Overview of Lesson:
A.S. Students will watch Magic School Bus Meets the Rot Squad video.
Lesson: Co-teaching: Parallel teaching: After watching the video, Helen and I will split the third grade in half to have a discussion
about the movie. There will be more opportunity for the students to participate by splitting the grade between us. I will ask the
students the following questions to start the discussion.
 What rotting things have you seen?
 Where did you see them?
 How does this process help other living things?
Assessment: Informal: One word Summary strategy (Wormeli)
Day #5 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Objective: Students will develop an understanding of the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle)
Standard: Define a real world problem and list criteria for a successful solution.
Vocabulary: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Overview of Lesson:
A.S.: Read the fake newspaper article, “Mayor Announces That The City Has Run Out Of Room For Garbage”
 Pose the Question: What happens to the items we throw away?
 Read the book, Where Does the Garbage Go? by: Paul Showers
 Lesson: The students will be divided into groups of four to five. Each group will be provided with several items from
the trash. The students will discuss the items with their group and write down some ideas for using the 3 R’s with
these items. Bring the class back together and have each group share their ideas about recycling their item with the
rest of the class. The students will choose one of their item to research and find the procedures for the best disposal
method of the item. The students will share the process they found for the items. The students will complete one of
the following assignments.
 Differentiation: The students can choose between
a. writing a short story about what it would be like to run out of room for garbage in their city
b. illustrate the newspaper article I read in the anticipatory set.
Assessment: Short story or illustration
Day #6 How Long Does Trash Last?
Objective: Students will
 work together in groups to formulate an estimate of how long some trash items might last in a landfill
 Learn about environmental consequences of not recycling
 Create a graph
Standard: 3.3.12
Vocabulary: biodegrade, longevity, landfill
Overview of Lesson:
A.S.: Read the book, Why Should I Recycle? by: Jen Green Display some items for the students such as: aluminum can, banana,
cotton rag, glass bottle, leather boot, paper bag, 6-pack plastic ring, milk jug, Styrofoam cup, soup can, wool sock
Pose the Question: What do these items have in common? (end up in a landfill) How long do you think they will last there?
Lesson: Divide the students into groups of four to five. Have the students discuss the items on the list and arrange them in the order
of life spans of the items in the landfill. The students will write their list in order on the board. I will share the estimated life span of
the items on the list.
Assessment: The students will write a summary on why people should recycle.
Day #7 Reducing our Waste
Objective: The students will
 Investigate the composition of their classroom trash
 Record, analyze, and draw conclusions from data
 Discuss positive and negative impacts of trash reduction
Standard: Define a real world problem and list criteria for a successful solution
Vocabulary: None
Overview of Lesson:
A.S.:
1. Pose the Question: What is in our trash? How could we reduce the waste we create?
2. Lesson: Collect the trash from the classroom for a couple of days. Divide the students into groups—one group per day of
trash saved. The groups will analyze the trash from their day and create a report for the rest of the class. The groups can
classify, measure, make charts and graphs of their trash. Have the groups share their reports with the rest of the class. Have
each group suggest one or two ways for the classroom to reduce waste.
Assessment: Group participation and information recorded in journal.
Day #8 Primary Source Lesson
Objective: Students will explore the effects recycling has on the climate.
Standard: Define a real world problem and list criteria for a successful solution.
Vocabulary: life cycle, climate, extracting, manufacturing, usage
Overview of Lesson:
A.S. Helen and I will each take a turn to read the following facts from the EPA website to the students.
 “The average person generates over 4 pounds of trash every day and about 1.5 tons of solid waste per year.”
 “Americans make more than 200 million tons of garbage each year, enough to fill Busch Stadium from top to bottom
twice a day. “
 “Over 75% of waste is recyclable, but we only recycle about 30% of it.”
 “We generate 21.5 million tons of food waste each year. If we composted that food, it would reduce the same amount of
greenhouse gas as taking 2 million cars off the road.”
 “Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to listen to a full album on your iPod. Recycling 100 cans could light
your bedroom for two whole weeks.”
 “Americans throw away 25,000,000 plastic bottles every hour.”
 “In 2009, Americans threw away almost 9 million tons of glass. That could fill enough tractor trailers to stretch from
NYC to LA (and back!).”
 “If every American recycled just one-tenth of their newspapers, we could save about 25 million trees each year.”
www.epa.gov
1. Pose the Question: How does recycling or not recycling affect our climate?
2. Lesson: Co-teaching: Parallel teaching: Helen and I will divide the students in half to lead a discussion on the article. We
will pair the students with a partner to read the article, Climate Change and the Life Cycle of Stuff, printed from the EPA
website. We will ask our students, “What can you do to help the environment? After the discussion, the students will then
participate in a virtual expedition on the EPA’s website. (Take a Climate Change Expedition!) The journey takes them around
the world exploring the effects of climate change on the different areas. The students will watch a 5 to 10 minute video at
each stop of their journey. They will be asked questions throughout and at the end of the video. They will receive a passport
stamp and a code at the end of each stop. At the end of the expedition the students will enter their codes to receive an award.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/students/index.html - the link for the expedition
Assessment: Informal assessment observation and participation in the journey
Day # 9 3 R’s Activity
Objective: Students will learn how to choose the best disposal method of an item.
Standard: 3.2.5, 3.2.6
Vocabulary: None
Overview of Lesson: The students will be given a card with waste product on it. They will ask “yes or no” questions to their group
members to figure out their product. Once the student figures out their product he/she will go to the sign with the best disposal
method for their product. (Trash, Compost, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) The students will share their product and disposal method
with the rest of the class.
A.S.: Today we are going to play a game to review what we have learned about the 3 R’s.
1. Lesson: The students will be divided into groups of four to five. A card will attached to the back of their shirt that has
a waste product printed on it. The students will not be able to see their card, so they will have to ask their group
members questions about their product to figure out what it is. The students will then decide the best disposal method
of their product and go to that sign in the room. Once the activity is over the students will write a paragraph
explaining the best disposal method of the product.
Assessment: The paragraph written about their waste item.
Day # 10 Guest Speaker from Switzerland County Recycling Center
Objective:
Standard:
Overview of Lesson:
A.S.: Gary from the recycling center will be speaking with the students about
1. Lesson: Students act out the method of turning a tree into paper or bauxite into an aluminum can, then the class
discovers how the process changes when people recycle. Participants learn about energy use, renewable and nonrenewable resources as well as the impact of consumer choices. The students will participate in a reusable activity
with the guest speaker.
Assessment: Informal—observation
Assessment: Project Based Assessment
The students will create a poster persuading people to reduce, recycle, and reuse. I will provide the students with poster board and
art supplies for the project. They will be given 1 class period to complete their poster. If more time is needed the students can finish
their poster the next day during morning work time. I have provided and explained the rubric for the poster for the students.
Resources
www.epa.gov
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/climate-change-waste/life-cycle-diagram.html primary source article
http://www.recycleguys.org/lessonplans.html
www.educationworld.com
www.kidszone.com
Educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson308b.shtml
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZeAK7oqQGU
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/students/index.html