Marcia L. Gerencser
The third unit to run concurrently with the above will be on recycling. Taking care of products above the ground is essential for a clean earth. Taking care of what we put into the ground and what eventually gets into our bodies is of the utmost importance. Through the years, because of industrialization and urbanization many “things” have been introduced into our ecosystem. Over a period of years our soil, water, food supply and wildlife have been affected by these “things.” They have saturated resources to the point of causing destruction, whether it be to our bodies or our environment. Before we could create a new balanced ecosystem on Mars, it is important to know how to conserve our natural resources and how to protect them. In order to prevent water, air and soil pollution, we must first understand how to reduce, recycle and reuse our waste. We must also eliminate our use of dangerous or toxic chemicals because there is no safe method of recycling or storing them.
The class will be involved in constructing two landfills. The objective will be to construct one of biodegradable material and the other of non-biodegradable materials.
Skills:
1. Comparing
2. Contrasting
3. Organizing
4. Categorizing
5. Predicting
6. Observing
7. Recording
8. Evaluating
9. Technical Writing
10. Narrative Writing
Materials:
-
1. 2 ten gallon aquariums.
-
2. 1 20 lb. bag of soil.
-
3. Several pieces of newspaper, metals, plastics, glass, styrofoam and cardboard.
-
4. Banana skins, vegetable pieces, peanuts, grass, twigs, dried leaves, flowers, and other biodegradable items.
-
5. 2 labels, permanent markers, small shovel, journal.
Procedure:
-
1. Put a label on each aquarium. Label the aquariums #1 plus the date and #2 plus the date.
-
2. In aquarium #1 put a 1-inch layer of soil.
-
3. Place a layer of newspaper pieces of top of soil.
-
4. Place a layer of soil on top of newspaper pieces.
-
5. Alternate layers of soil and items in non-biodegradable list until all are used.
-
6. Follow the same procedure for aquarium #2 using items from the biodegradable list.
-
7. Keep the soil damp by watering it gently when it becomes dry to the touch.
-
8. After a week gently stir the soil and materials in both aquariums.
-
9. Record the changes that you notice in your journal.
Record your observations in the following manner:
|
Aquarium #1
|
Aquarium #2
|
|
Week #1
|
Week #1
|
|
Color:
|
Color:
|
|
Texture:
|
Texture:
|
|
Size:
|
Size:
|
|
Odor:
|
Odor:
|
|
Other observations:
|
Other observations:
|
Continue making observations at one week intervals for several weeks.
Evaluation:
-
1. What did you observe about the materials in each landfill?
-
2. Which materials decayed?
-
3. Which materials did not decay?
-
4. What are the advantages of aquarium #2 landfill over the aquarium #1 landfill?
-
5. Which aquarium is a bio-degradable landfill?
-
6. What are some ways that we could eliminate storing our non-biodegradable trash in a landfill?
A comprehensive resource for lessons on reducing, reusing and recycling is entitled, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Sandra Ford Grove and Dr. Judi Hechtman and published by Creative Teaching Press, Inc. Cypress, CA, 1996. The lessons provide the teacher with a systematic approach to hands-on scientific explorations with meaning. Each lesson states the learning outcome, process skills, connections, materials, explorations and conclusion. The materials used are things you find around the house.
In this unit, it is important to have feeling for the earth and regard it in much the same fashion as the American Native showed respect for their land by wearing moccasins. They felt that you must walk gently upon the earth so that it would not be injured. Creative writing is a good tool for children to become more involved in their lessons from a fun point of view. A good method to follow would be the one developed by Dr. Robert Paulker and demonstrated through his book, Thinking Through Questioning and The Organizer, Dr. Robert Paulker, Chester, CT 1996.
Dr. Paulker’s formula employs the M6DF pattern. Have children write an essay in response to the following prompt. The essay should be composed of an introduction followed by three paragraphs and a conclusion. Each paragraph will have a main idea and consist of six sentences. Descriptive words in those sentences and the paragraph should end with an expressed feeling. To elaborate, sentences follow with who, where, what, why and how procedure. Give the following prompt. (6)
As a discarded piece of (peach, tomato, peanut, string, candy wrapper or any other item of their choosing), I have spent three weeks in the soil behind my house. It has been quite an unusual experience. Many interesting things have happened to me!
This essay should be entered into their writer’s journal and presented to the class as an oral presentation. With such a variety of ideas and feelings, children will hopefully look upon trash from quite a different perspective.
These simple explorations will eventually be applicable on a more global scale. Learning to recycle, reuse and reduce trash and making it fun makes for a more motivated student. These practices will benefit the earth, or whatever other planet that we will live on, and also helps to maintain its health. Exploration and discovery will lead to quality learning.
