Module IIB: Human Impact on the NJ Meadowlands Marsh
Session 1: Landfills & how to “Reduce, Reuse, &
Recycle”
This lesson is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under
Cooperative Agreement Number HRD 0638793.
Any opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation.
Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, non-commercial
purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
Meadowlands Environment Center - MarshAccess © Copyright 2009
A New Jersey Meadowlands Commission Facility operated by
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Module IIB: Human Impact on the NJ Meadowlands Marsh
Session 1: Landfills and how to “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle”
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Science Content
Construction of a Landfill
Parts of the solid waste cycle
Human behavior has caused the need
for landfills
Human behavior changed needed to
address landfill problem
Science Tools
Binoculars
Field Scope Tripod
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Meadowlands Content
How Landfills have influenced and
shaped the Meadowlands
How Landfills changed the natural
features of the Meadowlands
Documentation
Journal sheets
- “What’s in Our Garbage?”
Instructional Objectives:
Participants will learn / be able to:
 Why and how a landfill is constructed.
 Learn how to sort different items; for waste and recycling.
 Understand that human behavior (not reducing, reusing, and recycling) caused the
need for landfills.
 See how landfills can change the natural features of a place.
 That there are steps we can take to lessen the human impact (3 R’s)
 That many items in a landfill could have been recycled
 That DeKorte Park was built on a landfill
Activities:
“Where Does Your Garbage Go?” (20 minutes)
Content via PowerPoint
Re-introduce “Meadowlands Mindset” (Habitat, History, etc.)
Discuss the production of solid waste
Discuss how the waste that we make is handled
Show how a landfill is constructed
Show how reducing, reusing, and recycling can keep items out of a landfill
-Educator demonstrates with a bagged lunch how each item can be
replaced with something reusable to reduce waste.
Introduction Materials: -Brown lunch bag, plastic sandwich bag, juice box, individually
wrapped snack, napkin
-Reusable lunch box, sandwich packed in plastic container, reusable water bottle, snack
packed in a plastic container, and clothe napkin.
Universal Instructional Design (UID) – Educator will review, through a PowerPoint, the
necessity of landfills and how we can reduce their need. Educator reads and describes
images on slides. PowerPoint color contrast, font and size meet accessibility standards;
white space, no more than 6 lines of text, no more than 6 words per line, images have
alternate text tags.
A copy of PowerPoint is available in color (1 or 2 slides per page) in a 3-ring binder. A
sound field system/assistive listening devices for those with hearing impairments or
attention difficulties will be provided. Educator reads and describes images on slides.
Trash Sorting Activity Instructions (60 minutes; or 45 minutes if lunch or snack is
needed)
 Each participant will be given a bag filled with common landfill items
 A “What’s in our garbage?” chart will be handed out with corresponding, colorcoded labels with words and pictures
 Participants will be instructed to remove each item and sort it into the appropriate
table bin.
 As each item is taken from the bag, the participant will take the corresponding
label and place it on the chart in the appropriate column.
 Once all of the items have been removed and sorted, the chart should represent a
percentage of materials that are put into a landfill.
 Participants will then bring each bin up to the front of the room to be placed into
the corresponding hula hoop. The group will do this item-by-item together to
avoid confusion.
Once all sorting has been completed, closure will be provided and the group will discuss
the volume of each item and how each item can avoid a landfill (reduce, reuse, and
recycle).
Materials: -1 trash bag per participant filled with: 12 papers, 11 natural, 5 plastic, 3 cans,
3 fabrics, 2 glass totaling 36 items.
-Graph on clip board
-Sheet labels for graph
-6 Hula hoops (different colors to match labels)
-Labels for hula hoops
-Plastic gloves
-2 white boards on easels
-Hand sanitizer
Universal Instructional Design – Educator elicits responses. Both open-ended and
“response choices” strategies are used. Educator verbally explains and physically
demonstrates how to sort the landfill items and how to use the chart.
Participants can manually record results on the chart, using pre-printed labels that are
color-coded with a picture or written word. A sound field system/assistive listening
devices for those with hearing impairments or attention difficulties will be used.
Landfill Walk (20 minutes)
Participants will take a short hike through DeKorte Park
The difference between a man-made landfill and a natural rock formation (Laurel
Hill) will be shown.
The use of binoculars and a field scope tripod will provide a better view of each
site.
Materials: Flag (for top of landfill), Cardboard-mounted pictures of Laurel Hill,
Binoculars, field scope tripod
Universal Instructional Design - A sound field system/assistive listening devices for
those with hearing impairments or attention difficulties will be provided. Binoculars will
be on lanyards for ease of use. Large photos of sites (landfill and Laurel Hill) will be
provided.
Program Modifications/ Adaptations
Following are specific accommodations/adaptations and strategies found effective, and
currently in use or being tested for use by specific disability groups in this program
module.
Cognitive Disabilities
Content –To simplify content and place emphasis on the sorting activity, the omission of
individual graphs can be replaced with a group graph to be reviewed together at the
completion of the activity. Participants will be provided with structured guidance in
locating landfills depicted in photographs.
Learning Environment – Sorting areas will be clearly defined by color.
Materials – Simplified chart with numbers, percentages, or blank; 11” by 17” journal
page with large size peel off picture and/or text labels for recording information on chart.
All materials will be color coded by category. Materials for sorting are pre-packaged to
reflect desired results on chart.
Equipment/Assistive Technologies – Binoculars with simple focus and adjustment
controls. Communication boards with text and images serving as memory prompts, or for
use in non-verbal response.
Teaching Strategies – Use simple vocabulary; frequently repeat concepts; speak slowly;
ask multiple choice questions (only giving them two options); verbal or kinesthetic
participation in activities. Physically demonstrate how to do activities. Break down
information into small chunks. When necessary, demonstrate, hand-over-hand, how to do
an activity. Have participants work with a partner. Group subdivided into smaller groups
(4 at a table, one educator per table). If possible, train partner staff first to enable them to
better assist their participants.
Mobility Disabilities
Learning Environment – Sorting area on table top; shorter walking route; more time to
move from site to site; shortened program to account for fatigue if required.
Materials – 11” by 17” chart page size attached to large clip board; large print and peel
off labels with corresponding words and pictures.
Equipment/Assistive Technologies – Educator / assistant aids in journal completion. Lap
trays or height adjustable tables for wheelchair users or those with physical access issues.
Laptop computer for recording findings using alternative input devices. Communication
boards with text and images serving as memory prompts, or for use in non-verbal
response.
Teaching Strategies – open-ended questions, some multiple choice questions, extra time
to respond either verbally or with personal communication device; additional time to
execute activities. Participants subdivided into small groups (4 at a table) with one
educator and an assistant. Flexible approach to all activities (e.g. eliminating activities or
re-calculating time spent on each portion of the program; developing new methods for
accomplishing physical tasks based on trial and error, participant or chaperone
suggestion)
Blind and Low Vision
Learning Environment – Visual description of learning environment; shorter walking
route to field sites; more time to move from site to site; lengthened program; alternate
indoor classroom.
Content: High level, age appropriate content, closely related to expected life experiences
of participants.
Materials - Journal and other documents enlarged to Verdana 20 pt.; documents
converted to Braille; PowerPoint offered in a binder, with one slide per page; PowerPoint
available in electronic, accessible formats for personal viewing following the scheduled
program.
Equipment/Assistive Technologies – Variety of magnification devices, both low tech
(hand held) and high tech (CCTV) for viewing sorting materials. Tape recorders to
verbally record data. Braille embosser and Braille translation software for converting text
documents into Braille. Laptop computer for recording findings using alternative input
devices.
Teaching Strategies - Educator reads what is on each PowerPoint slide, and verbally
describes relevant pictures in detail. Hand-on-hand assistance with activities. Verbal
description of items being used, including color, shape, physical characteristics, etc.
Deafness and Hearing Loss
Learning Environment – Seating and activities arranged to accommodate need for lip
reading and sign language presentation.
Content: High level, age appropriate content, closely related to expected life experiences
of participants.
Materials/equipment – Sound field and assistive listening devices. Written and visual step
by step instructions for all procedures and activities. Journals with peel off picture and/or
text labels for recording information. Communication boards with text and images
serving as memory prompts, or for use in non-verbal response.
Teaching Strategies – Use of interpreter(s) that have been provided with key vocabulary
beforehand. Educator speaks slowly and clearly, to accommodate interpreters and those
who lip read; educator stands in a central, front of room location so all participants who
lip-read can clearly see the face of the educator. Educator physically demonstrates how to
use various tools/equipment, waiting between steps for interpreter to complete
translation, and to wait for any questions. Participants break up into small groups (4 or
less) during activity, with assistant working with each group, and interpreters moving
from group to group as needed. Educator refers to simplified and standard text and visual
step-by-step instructions.
Age-Related Limitations
Note: All materials, equipment, assistive technologies, and teaching strategies described
above would be implemented based on the functional ability /disability (cognition,
mobility, hearing, vision) of the participant.
Content: High level, age appropriate content, closely related to expected life experiences
of participants.
Learning Environment – Sorting site on table top. Shorter walking route to field site;
more time to move from site to site; shortened program.
Materials - High level, high interest journals with large font, visually organized with a
great deal of white space separating text, images, answer boxes. Communication boards
with text and images serving as memory prompts, or for use in non-verbal response.
Equipment/Assistive Technologies – Sound field and assistive listening devices. Low
tech and high tech magnification devices.
Teaching Strategies – slower pace of instruction (especially with those individuals with
aphasia), allowing extended time to ask and answer questions. Use of whiteboard to write
down key concepts during lecture/discussion phase of program. Relate science content to
life experiences. Participants break up into small groups (4 or less) during activity to
encourage interaction and participation.