Talking Trash (and Recycling)
10/21/2017
For the past few weeks, we've been working to answer the question, "How can we take care of and share the resources we have at home, at school, and in our community?" The entire investigation started when a mysterious pile of trash and recyclables appeared on our carpet at the end of the day! We discussed possible solutions and decided we should throw some away and keep some to make creations with. We also talked about how we can save certain things, like plastic and paper, and other people can recycle them and use them again to make plastic, paper, and other items. (Throughout our inquiry, we also discussed natural, manmade, renewable, and nonrenewable resources.) But we had a few problems. We didn't know what to throw away and what to recycle, and we didn't have anywhere to put the items we wanted to recycle! Luckily for us, we happened to have first grade for the afternoon. They got busy researching the kinds of things we could recycle. While first grade did some research, we brainstormed about how we could make some recycling containers. We wanted something that would make recycling fun, so we settled on recycling monsters. (And, let me tell you, they have made recycling fun!) We would work in groups to make multiple containers, but the first step was to individually design a recycling monster. Each student drew just how they thought a recycling monster should look. After the individual plans were finished, students paired up to collaborate. As with all projects, students began by telling their partner what part of their plan they liked. They combined each other's favorite parts from their original plans and then deleted and added other parts as well to come up with a recycling monster that they both loved. Students then met with me to decide what kinds of materials they would need to make their monster. (I love how creative they all were!) With the final plans in hand, it was time to get creating. We worked across multiple days and students used their plans to create the monster they had drawn out. I love how each group created and executed their own vision for their recycling monster. (The last monster will be finished when one of its creators returns from vacation!) Finally, we made signs to show what each monster eats: paper, plastic, or project materials. After the finishing touches were added, we celebrated by feeding our monsters! Please feel free to send recyclables because our monsters seem like they have pretty big appetites! The middle schoolers will collect the plastics and paper, and we will use some of the project materials during our Creative Time and donate the rest to the school's Makerspace. I think we've come up with a great plan to take care of and share some of the resources we use at school (and home)!
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Saania AliMs. Ali graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelors of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. She specializes in Early Childhood Education, ESL, and Special Education. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and painting! Archives
April 2021
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