Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Unit Overview

Rationale: This unit has been created to teach kindergarteners about the importance of respecting the earth. All students live on this planet and they deserve to know ways that they can protect it. The lessons and tips that would be taught in this use can be used life long and benefit more than just the earth. By following the three R’s students can also save money and learn how to think more creatively.

This unit teaches the students about the importance of protecting our planet. This lesson is appropriate for all learners, but these lessons have been made specifically for kindergarteners. The lessons within this unit incorporate ideas, skills, and movement that is meant to engage 5 year olds.

Objectives:

1. Students will understand the concept of recycling. They will be able to place recyclables in the correct containers (paper, cardboard, plastic). By the end of this unit, recycling in the classroom should increase.
2. Students will be able to verbally give examples of how to reduce waste.
3. Students will be able to reuse paper and other classroom materials. Students can also put old papers in the reuse bin in our classroom so that other students will be able to use them.
4. Students will be able to create something new using recycled materials. (ex. art projects)
5. Students will be able to grow their own potato plants.

Overview:

This unit contains literary activities, math activities, centers, art projects, and more. I encourage you to click on the blog tab at the homepage and explore. All of the activities listed on this website relate to the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Unit.

Poems and Songs for the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Unit

 

 

 

Check out these great resources for poems and songs to use with the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Unit. Links to all of these webpages can also be found below! 

 

Bibliography: 

Let’s Recycle Poem – Printable Worksheets & Teaching Aids. (2011, April 1) teachers.net Gazette, Retrieved December, 11,2016, from http://www.teachers.net/gazette/APR09/printables/index2.html#five

This Old Earth – Roper, B. (2012, April 10). Earth Day Poem and Spring Break [Web log post]. Retrieved December 11, 2016, from http://reallyroper.blogspot.com/2012/04/earth-day-poem-and-spring-break.html

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Song – Wummer, M. (2013, April 8). Earth Day Songs [Web log post]. Retrieved December 11, 2016, from http://crmpreschoolbilingualproject.blogspot.com.es/2013/04/earth-day-songs.html

Find Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Poem Here

Recycle Twinkle, Twinkle Song

Let’s Recycle Poem 

Books to use with the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Unit.

These ten books are all great options to use with this unit! Check out the list below for some great ideas of books to use in your classroom.

1. The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling                                        by Alison Inches  (Author), Pete Whitehead (Illustrator)

This book is all about the journey of a plastic bottle. The bottle goes many different places such as the garbage, a grocery store, and a recycling plant.

2.  I Can Save the Earth: One Little Monster Learns to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle    By Alison Inches  (Author), Viviana Garofoli (Illustrator)

The little green monster offers tip on how children can help to save the earth!

3. Why Should I Recycle?                                                                                                                                     By Jen Green  (Author), Mike Gordon (Illustrator)

This would be a great book to use to introduce the unit!

4. Where Does the Garbage Go?                                                                                                                   By: Paul Showers (Author), Randy Chewning (Illustrator)

This book follows a garbage truck on its journey to a landfill and to a recycling plant.

5. Don’t Throw That Away!: A Lift-the-Flap Book about Recycling and Reusing     By: Lara Bergen (Author), Betsy Snyder (Illustrator)

This interactive book would work well in a literacy center!

6. Michael Recycle                                                                                                                           By: Ellie Bethel (Author), Alexandra Colombo (Artist)

Michael Recycle is a kid superhero who has the super cool super power of recycling.

7. Where Do Recyclable Materials Go? Read, Think, Recycle                                             By: Sabbithry Persad (Author)

This story is about a family whose dog ran after a recycling truck. The family then goes out on a search for their dog and learns a little about recycling on their way.

8. How to Help the Earth-by the Lorax                                                                                                By: Tish Rabe (Author)

This story uses the well-known Dr. Seuss character, the Lorax,  to teach children about simple ways that they can reduce, reuse, and recycle.

9. Stuff!: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle                                                                                                              By: Steven Kroll (Author), Steve Cox (Illustrator)

This story is about a mouse who doesn’t want to get rid of anything! After he is convinced, this mouse learns a lot about the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling.

10. Big Earth, Little Me                                                                                                                       By: Thom Wiley (Author), Kate Endle (Illustrator)

This is another lift the flaps book. This book offers simple tips on how younger children can practice reducing, reusing, and recycling.

 

Bibliography:

Hart, C. (2013, August 12). Read About Recycling – Terrific Picture Books Help Children Gain Environmental Awareness. Retrieved December 11, 2016, from http://www.storytimestandouts.com/2013/08/12/picture-books-green-environmental-awareness/recycling-picture-book/

T. (2015, April 15). Recycling Books for Kids. Retrieved December 11, 2016, from http://embarkonthejourney.com/recycling-books-for-kids/

Letter Recognition and Formation: Pipe Cleaner Activity

Objective: This activity will allow students to practice creating uppercase letters. Students will pick an uppercase letter from the letterbox and then they will recreate that letter using a pipe cleaner.

Rationale: By using pipe cleaners, the students will be able to practice the concept of reusing. The pipe cleaner letters can easily be taken apart and reused over and over. The whole activity will also fit nicely in a recycled box, which is a bonus for the teacher!

I choose to have students practice only uppercase letters in this activity, but this activity could also be used with lowercase letters, and even numbers if you wanted to use this idea for a math lesson. 

 

Citation: 

Pipe Cleaner Idea:

LeBaron, M. (2011, March 14). Learning Letters with Pipe Cleaners | Make and Takes. Retrieved December 11, 2016, from http://www.makeandtakes.com/learning-letters-with-pipe-cleaners

Letter Box and Cards: My idea

Recycled Portraits Art Project

Rationale: For this project students will be practicing the concepts of reusing and recycling magazines to create a fun self-portrait. Students will also get a chance to practice cutting and gluing skills while making this art project.

Materials 

• Body Parts cut out from Magazines (I would pre-cut pages out, but the students would still be able to cut and choose body parts)
• Classroom set of scissors
• Classroom set of glue
• Markers
• Construction Paper

Motivation: Kindergartener’s love to be imaginative and play dress up. With this activity the students will get to create their very own person. They can model the person after themselves, a family member, or even a made up character! “Good Morning Class! Today we are going to do a very special project. We are going to make our own self-portraits! Does anyone know what a self-portrait is? This project is extra special because you get to create your person out of pictures from magazines.You get to create your person however you would like. I’m so excited to see what your protrait will look like!”

Steps:

1. Cut out appropriate pictures from magazines the day before or before students arrive.
2. Place a stack of magazine pages at each table.
3. Have students choice body parts and clothing from the magazine pages
4. Students will cut out body parts.
5. Students will then glue the cut out pieces onto a piece of construction paper.
6. When students are finished they may add extra designs to their person using markers.
7. Once the whole class is done, do a class art walk so that everyone can see all of the portraits.

Communication Tool: Bulletin Board

    Rationale: This bulletin board would be used to introduce the students to the three R’s concept (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle). This presentation uses lots of pictures and simple words so that all learners can understand the material.

    Materials

• Reusable Lunch Box
• Reusable Water Bottle
• Bulletin Board
• Plastic Bags (3)
• Paper cards
• Reusable Bag

 

Motivation:  I chose to make this communication tool very interactive because I know that Kindergarteners learn best through play and movement. Each of the three R’s has an activity that the whole class will do. I wanted to create a way to teach these concepts that would keep my class engaged. The examples that I use for reducing waste are also all things that the students should be exposed to everyday (ie. turning off water when they are brushing their teeth).

Description of Project:

1. Reduce

I will first read  that definition and examples that are on the bulletin board. After the information is shared, I will ask the students to pair and share with their seat neighbor and talk about one way they can reduce what they use. I will walk around and help those who are confused.

2. Reuse

I will also read this definition for reusing. After we read the definition three students will get to reach inside the bag at the front of the room and see what reusable things are inside. Once they grab an object all of the students will get a chance to look at the objects.

3. Recycle

For recycling I will read the definition and example of things that can be recycled and where. After this everyone will get a paper card with a different object on it. One by one the students will decide if the object is recyclable or not. They will then place it in the can recycle or can’t recycle bags attached to the bulletin board.

Bibliography 

This was my own idea, but I had some inspiration from bloglovin.com and teachers pay teachers. The links to each of these sites are below. Thank you for visiting my page!

Teachers pay teachers

Bloglovin.com