About this resource
What would you do without garbage pick-up? How would you redesign your habits if you had no trash pick up?
Curriculum & Standards
Related General Curriculum / Common Core Area
Science/English/Engineering/Social Studies
Related Curriculum / Common Core Standard
AASL Main Standard(s): VI. ENGAGE Demonstrate safe, legal, and ethical creating and sharing of knowledge products independently while engaging in a community of practice and an interconnected world. A. Think - Learners follow ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information by: 1. Responsibly applying information, technology, and media to learning. 2. Understanding the ethical use of information, technology, and media. 3. Evaluating information for accuracy, validity, social and cultural context, and appropriateness for need.
Related STEM Area: Science/Technology/Engineering
NGSS Main Related Engineering Design Standard: HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants. HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering. HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
What students will do
- I will determine my carbon footprint.
- I will identify environmental problems of waste.
- I will reduce the amount of waste I produce.
- I will work together to achieve a common goal.
- I will organize, synthesize, and present my learning to a group of people in a coherent manner.
- I will report back to my supervisors to evaluate my project and ideas.
I can determine my carbon footprint.
I can identify environmental problems of waste.
I can reduce the amount of waste I produce.
I can work together to achieve a common goal.
I can organize, synthesize, and present my learning to a group of people in a coherent manner.
I can report back to my supervisors to evaluate my project and ideas.
Resources Needed
Internet access, word processing program, and access to the community.
Lesson sequence & procedures
Dear Human,
Urgent! You are needed to help create a zero garbage footprint. Space in landfills is completely gone. It is up to you and your team to devise a plan to reduce the amount of garbage you put into a landfill. Your target is to create Zero Waste. Think about how you and your team can develop a plan to achieve this goal. You will design, present, and pitch your idea before a group of your choice.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors, Planet Earth
Questions to consider (you may need to do some research):
- How much waste do I produce per day? My family? My neighborhood?
- What is my current carbon footprint?
- How can I measure my garbage output?
- Are there alternatives to throwing out waste? If not, how can my team create alternatives?
- How is my team able to promote our "Zero Waste" campaign once created?
- Why do we need to reduce the amount of waste we produce?
- Brainstorm your ideas and answers to the above questions in your science notebook or a shared document.
- Create a preliminary plan that might be reviewed by a town planning board or waste reduction agency.
- Design a system, plan, or paper that describes how you accomplish the "Zero Waste" campaign.
- Choose an agency or group to present your project and set up a meeting time to present. (It could be as simple as your school, Scout troop, church youth group, place of work, or neighborhood.
- After your presentation, please gather feedback and report back to The Board of Directors, Planet Earth to discuss the reception of your project and to gather support for implementation of your project.
Modifications for all Learners: All learners have the choice to create a plan that suits their learning needs and that of their group members.
How learning is assessed
- I determined my carbon footprint.
- I identified environmental problems of waste.
- I reduced the amount of waste I produce.
- I worked together to achieve a common goal.
- I organized, synthesized, and presented my learning to a group of people in a coherent manner.
- I reported back to my supervisors to evaluate my project and ideas.