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Diversity of Trees
Fourth graders explore the uses of trees, In this trees lesson, 4th graders discover the uses of trees and how we use them everyday. Students collect items and decide if they are made from trees, have a scavenger hunt for wood products...
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Where does our trash come from?
Students interview the school custodian to get information about the trash found in the school community. In this trash lesson, students work in groups to analyze the content of a waste basket, see where the trash goes and...
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Snowy Night Snaps
Students use misprinted photographs donated from a photo processing company to create paintings of a snowy landscape at night.
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Chocolate Chipping Away at the Rock Cycle
Eighth graders identify the different types of rocks. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders compare and contrast rocks and chocolate cookies. They explain how materials are recycled beneath the Earth.
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Excavating Your Recycling Bin as a Fossil Record
Students explore how scientists examine the past and use rock layers with fossils to understand the past. In this excavation instructional activity students divide into groups and complete an activity.
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Earth's Recyclers
Young scholars work together in groups to report on different topics related to decomposition. They answer questions and share their answers with the class. They discuss any topic that is unclear.
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Invent a Backscratcher from Everyday Materials
Students explore the design process. They discuss why new products are made, examine backscratchers brought in from home and discuss why it is a useful device, and working with a partner draw and construct a backscratcher.
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Help! Help! Save the Earth!
First graders analyze ways to save our natural resources and preserve the environment. In this environmental protection lesson, 1st graders complete four activities to analyze the importance of our natural resources and what trash does...
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Forest Stewardship
Students define the term forest stewardship and they identify good forest stewardship practices. They are asked:"Does anyone enjoy spending time in the woods?" Students identify techniques of practicing good forest stewardship (taking...
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Science: Daily and Seasonal Cycles
First graders use their observations to describe daily and seasonal cycles. through a demonstration using a suspended ball and flashlight, they determine the time of day in various locations. Next, 1st graders participate in a...
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Water Filtering
Students investigate how polluted water is filtered so people can use this recycled resource. They conduct an experiment in which they put "polluted" water through a filtering system. They investigate what happens at a water treatment...
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UNWRAPPING PACKAGING
Students study product packaging and determine if it is excessive and if it is recyclable. In this packaging lesson students examine and identify waste reduction techniques.
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Plastics: Field Trip - Vancouver Landfill
Students examine the amount of garbage that is produced by the City of Vancouver. In this landfill lesson, students participate in a field trip to the City of Vancouver Landfill. They look at what happens to garbage, recycling, and yard...
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Energy Efficiency: It really IS important!
Students compare the energy needed to produce new products versus recycling. In this physics lesson, students brainstorm ways to save energy. They create a presentation about the correlation between conserving energy and energy costs.
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How Can We Conserve Water?
Young scholars describe the importance of water conservation and list ways to conserve. They construct composts and fill them with materials that recycle nutrients. They inspect their homes for leaky pipes, toilets, and faucets.
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Paper Dragon Puppet
Students construct simple dragon puppets in honor of Chinese New Year. They are introduced to Chinese mythology, make the puppets out of recycled materials and put on a show with the finished puppets.
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Paper Masks/Heads
Learners examine the processes and beliefs used by different cultures to create works of art. Using the internet, they research the types of arts used by cultures that have been transmitted to future generations. They use recycled...
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Renewable Resources: Ancient Civilizations
Students examine how ancient people used natural resources. In this renewable resource instructional activity, students will be put into 5 groups each focusing on a different past civilization. Each group will identify they types of...
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Turning Everyday Objects Into Art
Students are introduced to the art of assemblage - which is the process of taking ready-made materials, and ordinary objects and using them to create sculptures. They create a self-portrait by assembling and joining found objects in a...
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Have Fun With Paint
Students explore different painting techniques. In this visual arts lesson, students use various materials to create different textures in their paintings. Students use wax paper and foam boards to create unique art pieces.
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Disposable vs. Reusable, Biodegradable vs. Non-biodegradable
Students examine and identify biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials. They discover ways in which biodegradable materials can help minimize pollution.
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Dirty Decomposers
Seventh graders design and conduct experiments to determine what environmental factors favor decomposition by soil microbes. They use chunks of carrot for the materials to be decomposed, and their experiments are carried out in plastic...
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It's a Wrap!
Students read about the importance of packaging foods and related items properly and reducing waste. In this packaging lesson, students read the background information about packaging and bring a variety of packaging materials to class....
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9 Easy to Make Musical Instruments for Kids
Students create various musical instruments out of everyday and recycled items.