Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 5 th Grade

Overarching Rationale  Our society is considered a consumer society based on instant gratification and mass production. With each generation demanding more goods and producing larger amounts of trash, the Earth never has a chance to catch up or balance out. It is important for current and future generations to be aware of the damage throwing away goods that can be reused is to our environment. We must ban together to return the goods we take from nature and reuse them for a greater good.

Guiding Questions 1. How does recycling influence you, your community, and the environment? 2. In what ways do our actions effect the environment? 3. What does reducing, reusing, and recycling mean to you?

Lesson #1  In this lesson, students will listen to a read aloud of the book, Stuff! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Steven Kroll. After listening to the story, students will have an understanding of what they can do to help their own community in terms of reducing, reusing, and recycling products. Students will use benefits found throughout the book and give examples of things they can recycle, reduce, or reuse in their very own fan fiction.  Literacy: Students will work on reading, listening, writing and comprehension skills throughout this lesson.  Visual Art: Students will sketch, draw, paint, photograph, or collage 3-6 pages for their fan fiction.  Environmental Science: Students will learn the benefits of reducing, reusing, and recycling products they no longer have use for.

Stuff! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Steven Kroll

Connection to Standards  National Art Standards:  1. Content Standard: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes  2. Content Standard: Using knowledge of *structures and functions  3. Content Standard: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas  PA Literacy Standards:  Grade 5 Speaking and Listening  Grade 5 Quality of Writing

Objectives  Students will be able to give examples of reducing, reusing, and recycling.  Students will be able to explain the benefits of reducing, reusing, and recycling.  Students will be able to create 3-6 images using a medium of their choice  Students will be able to create a fan fiction based off the book, Stuff! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Steven Kroll.

What They Will Do: Fan Fiction minutes

Sources  Kroll, S. (2009). Illus. Steve Cox. Stuff! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish.

Lesson #2  In this lesson, the students will learn what kinds of materials can be recycled and how they can be reused. Students will discover how the things they recycle are broken down and melted into plastic pellets. These pellets can then be reused to make new items from different molds like a toy, window, or bus. Recyclable items can even be reused to make a statement, like an art piece. Students will be directed through two art websites where the artists used materials that could be recycled to make a statement. Students will reflect upon one or more pieces of art they find striking.

Continued…  Literacy: Students will read and write about an art piece that stands out to them while navigating the provided websites. Students will include what materials were used, what they thought the artist was trying to convey, and how the art piece makes them feel.  Visual Art: Students will be viewing various artists’ works that utilized recycled materials to produce a statement about recycling. Students will also have the opportunity to make their own art using recycled materials.  Environmental Science: Students will learn about what they can recycle and how we can reuse certain materials to make new ones.  Mathematics: When building their own toy, students will have to solve mathematical equations in order to discover how many caps, bottles, tins, etc. they need to complete their first task. Only after every equation has been solved, checked, and corrected can students begin.

Connection to Standards  National Art Standards:  2. Content Standard: Using knowledge of *structures and functions  PA Literacy Standards:  Grade 5 Quality of Writing  PA Mathematical Standards:  Grade 5 Algebra and Functions

Objectives  Students will be able to solve mathematical equations using Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction (PEMDAS)  Students will be able to give examples of how recycled materials can be reused  Students will be able to navigate a webpage to find information they need.

What They Will Do: Create a recycled toy soldier, work on math, and… 120 minutes

Explore art sites Clare Graham ml Bottle Caps Soda Cans

Sources  Falcon, A. (2012). Recycled Art: 66 Masterpieces Made From Junks. Retrieved from masterpiece-made-from-junks/ masterpiece-made-from-junks/  Graham, C. (2012). Clare Graham Art. Retrieved from tml tml  Meehl, B., May, J. (writers) & Bastien, C. E. (director). (December 1996). Holiday Special [television series episode 39]. In Scholastic Entertainment (producer), The Magic School Bus. United States: PBS.

Lesson #3  For the lesson knowledge and creativity is key. Students will need to do a text rewrite of a favorite song and change it to reflect reducing, reusing, and recycling products. Once groups come up with their songs, the must put together a dance to go with it and make backdrops for the video. Students must have a solid understanding of reducing, reusing, and recycling and must be able to think outside the box for the video.  Literacy: Students will write their own songs.  Visual Art: Students will create their own backgrounds and pictures to use in their video.  Environmental Science: Students must have a firm grasp of reduce, reuse, recycle  Music: Students must be able to match a song they created to the beats and stressed syllables within the original song.

Connection to Standards  National Art Standards:  1. Content Standard: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes  PA Literacy Standards:  Grade 5 Quality of Writing  PA Music Standards:  Grade 5 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts

Objectives  Students will be able to create a song using facts about reducing, reusing, recycling  Students will be able to design a background and pictures to communicate a scene, setting, or message.

What They Will Do: Text Rewrite & Music Video  E E   minutes

Sources  5 th Grade Recycle Song. Retrieved from  Johnson, J. (February 2006). 3 Rs. On Jack Johnson and Friends: Sing-a-Longs and Lullabies for the film Curious George [iTunes]. United States: Brushfire Records.  Meehl, B., May, J. (writers) & Bastien, C. E. (director). (December 1996). Holiday Special [television series episode 39]. In Scholastic Entertainment (producer), The Magic School Bus. United States: PBS.

Lesson #4  This particular lesson will bring in the students knowledge of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle together. It will allow students to understand that recycling will reduce the harm to animals and that there are other ways to reuse recyclables. It allows students to use their imagination in creating items but it will also become a very unique piece of art that can be shown off in the classroom.  Literacy: Students will read the book Parker, S. (1997). Waste, Recycling, and Re-Use. England: Wayland  Environmental Science: Students will have a firm understanding of the harmful effects of not recycling does on the environment.

Connection to Standards  National Art Standards:  3. Content Standard: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas  PA Literacy Standards:  Grade 5 Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Text

Objectives  Students will be able to create a classroom curtain using many recyclables.  Students will be able to understand the harmful side effects of not recycling.

What They Will Do: Discuss Harm to Animals and Build a Classroom Curtain 60 Minutes

Sources  Parker, S. (1997). Waste, Recycling, and Re-Use. England: Wayland  The best parts of this book are the bar graphs that put different types of waste into perspective for the reader. A lot of this book focuses on what happens when we pollute our planet and who gets hurt. The majority of harmful substances hurt innocent animals who are forced to live in a polluted environment with chemicals and hazardous waste that causes sickness and death. Humans, usually in poorer communities, are also affected and can become very sick when clean water is compromised and chemicals are illegally dumped.