Rapid Valley Recyclers Rapid Valley Elementary is currently located outside the city limits of Rapid City. There is no recycling program in place here. These fifth graders decided to do their part to change that…

THE CHALLENGE RAPID VALLEY NEEDS YOUR PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS Currently there is no recycling in Rapid Valley. Every day at Rapid Valley Elementary, students and staff throw away aluminum lunch trays, paper, and plastic, much of which could be recycled. Your task is to focus on one of these materials and find a solution. You will need to address the following: How our class will recycle How our class will help other classes to recycle Where we will store recycled material How we will transport recycled material to place where recycling exists

Students got math data from the lunch room. They computed daily, weekly and yearly averages. Then they graphed weekly data for one month using Create A Graph!

Students discovered we average between 315 and 325 trays per DAY! This is what 325 trays looks like! And they were HORRIFIED to discover that is more than 58,000 trays PER YEAR! They were SHOCKED to realize that is about 1,600 trays per WEEK. They were DISMAYED to calculate that is Over 6,000 trays per MONTH. They decided to TAKE ACTION…

Do some research, get permission. After researching the problem, and gathering data from the cafeteria about daily tray use, each student had to apply this new knowledge by writing a letter to the principal, custodian, or cafeteria manager to get permission to recycle. They had to support their letters with evidence with one paragraph containing information from recycling research, one paragraph sharing math data from our school, and one paragraph explaining how the fifth graders would do the extra work.

Measurement Activities Do trays weigh the same as a can? Answer: It takes about 2 trays to equal 1 can. Students computed how many trays could fit into various containers by applying volume.

Our Evolving System Trays will only be taken by the recycling companies if they are CLEAN. On recycle days, we have a rolling cart to transport our washing containers from class. We use 1 large tub for prewashing, 2 smaller tubs for washing, and 1 large tub for rinsing. 4 dryers and1 stacker help to make the process go smoother.

Students Make a PTA Request 2 weeks later, the PTA President delivers their Request to the class!

Thank You Note to PTA

. Two students bring supplies to decorate our bin with spray paint. They stay after school to create this MASTERPIECE to make sure no one thinks it is for GARBAGE!

March 14—After contacting the energy director, he delivers recycling bins & recycling dumpster to promote all school recycling!

PTA BINGO NIGHT RECYCLING FOR THE FIRST TIME!! On March 18, a team of 10 5 th Graders RECYCLED aluminum cans and plastic bottles during the PTA Bingo Night. They worked diligently from 5:15-8:00 p.m. and significantly reduced the amount of waste generated!

POSTERS

12 pounds of aluminum cans were collected that night! Bingo Night Recycling Team SAVES Two Bins Worth of Trash for RECYCLING!

WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER During the 5 th grade lunch, the recycling team had identified meals that were easier to clean that others. One menu item in particular was amazingly clean. We decided to try the whole school that day by teaching other classes about our process. Instead of washing the trays, however, we would just stack them. A few days before the easiest meal, we did a test run with a fourth grade class on another relatively clean lunch day. It went well so we went to individual classes and modeled the process. It went well so we found another easy meal and did it again that week. We got 17 pounds in two days instead of 12 pounds in ten days! No washing was involved.

MONEY EARNED AFTER OUR NEW SYSTEM WITH WHOLE SCHOOL NO WASHING NEEDED TRIP 1: 3 lbs of foil trays Rate: $.15 per pound Manager gave us $.25 for being school Earnings: $.75 TRIP 2: 12 lbs of foil trays Rate: $.10 per pound Earnings: $ lbs of aluminum cans Rate: $.58 per pound Earnings: $6.96 TRIP 3: 17 lbs of foil trays Rate: $.10 per pound Earnings: $1.70 CANS AFTER BINGO NIGHT Trays collected over 10 days during 5 th grade lunch washing all. Students computed totals by multiplying and adding during our number talk time On days after trips to recycling. (They help load up the truck on those days.) $.75 + $ $ $ = $21.05 TRIP 4: 18 lbs of cans (brought in by 1 student) Rate: $.58 per pound Earnings: $10.44 Trays collected during small group testing phase.

WHERE WILL THE MONEY GO? The class is very concerned with those less fortunate. This year they have raised money for cancer patients and Special Olympics through student council sponsored fundraisers. When it came time to how money would be spent, the decision was unanimous. The students wanted to help a classmate’s family as the stepmom has a rare form of cancer and has had to have her leg amputated. Many trips to the Mayo Clinic are necessary. They made a point to have this discussion, however, when this student was gone. They said, “We shouldn’t tell him, though.”

ECO CHALLENGE GRANT We entered the Brita FilterforGood Eco Challenge in December. We WON! We will receive $1,000 at the end of April. Since applying, we found venues for items listed on the grant. We were able to change a few things… We will use the funds to promote more recycling at our school, by purchasing supplies such as more bins, banners for recycling drives, etc. We will go on a field trip to the city landfill’s recycling center & create a video to educate other kids. We will invest in a padding press to begin with

Letter to the Community about RECYCLING DRIVE Dear Rapid Valley Families, On Friday, April 29, we are having a recycling drive at Rapid Valley Elementary. We ask you to bring clean aluminum, plastic, and glass on that day. Please separate your aluminum from the other recyclable materials. Some fifth graders will be outside to collect the bags when you take your kids to school. Each student who brings in recycled materials will be eligible to win a prize. Did you know that recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television for 3- 4 hours? By recycling, we are also stopping more landfills from being built. Remember to rinse your aluminum, plastic, and glass and bring them to school on Friday, April 29. We think Rapid Valley can make a difference and recycle!

NEXT STEPS Field Trip to Rapid City Landfill’s Recycling Center as well as Pacific Steel & Recycling where we take our cans and trays. (May 3) Using digital cameras and Flipvideo cameras to create a video project! Organizing RECYCLING DRIVE near Earth Day (April 29) Organizing COMMUNITY CLEAN UP DAY (April 30). Recycling at 5 th Grade Track Meet (May 13)

And Then… PURCHASING A PADDING PRESS TO CREATE TABLETS OF PAPER TO REUSE FROM COPY PAPER

Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have. ~Margaret Mead