Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Caring for our Planet

Learning how to care for Planet Earth is something in which we all benefit. Use these resources to support your Reduce, Reuse, Recycle unit - perfect for learners of varied needs at all grade levels! A thematic unit on recycling can be part of social studies instruction focused on being a good citizen or as part of science instruction on caring for the planet and the impact of waste on our environment.

Learning Objectives:

Here are some general learning objectives that can be addressed with a unit on Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:

Identify what basic materials can be recycled. Students will be able to identify materials in their everyday world that can be recycled or composted
Identify some of the environmental benefits of recycling. Students will be able to understand how the earth and people benefit from recycling, reducing our use of items that can't be recycled and reusing items to decrease what is thrown away.
Identify activities that create waste and impact landfills and resource usage. Students will be able to identify specific actions they do that create more waste and consider alternatives to decrease what is in landfills and the impact on the environment.

Introduction

A KWL (Know, Want to Know, Learn) Chart provides a way to find out what students already know about the topic. Start with the K and the W and circle back at the end of the unit to reflect with students on what they have learned (L).

Continue to introduce the topic with a picture book. EPIC! Digital Library has many books that educators can access for free on the topic of recycling. Check out a recycling collection here, which includes The Life of a Little Plastic Bottle, which is part of a series of books on how to reuse and recycle. You can also support the author by purchasing it on Amazon with this link

The cover of the book The Life of a Plastic Bottle

Read a custom made book with simple text.

Vocabulary

Display on chart or a word wall for reference during the unit. Make a scavenger hunt around the room for the picture cards or find matching words in books. Explicitly teach the vocabulary on the picture cards prior to reading a book on the topic.