Waste
There is too much waste piling up in our landfills! This set of resources will help you design learning experiences specific to the needs of your students and their community around waste generation. Students will have a better understanding about the global issue around waste and how to solve this problem through reducing waste, recycling and taking actionable steps like composting.
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Kindergarten Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
These resources are aligned with the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for kindergarten. They help students learn and apply the Science and Engineering Practices to investigate environmental concepts and develop solutions for environmental problems. In addition, they are aligned with the Headstart Early Learning Outcomes Framework in the scientific reasoning, approaches to learning, exploration and discovery domains from infancy through the preschool years.
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: Animals, Plants, and Their Environment
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K-ESS3-3: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
Engineering Design
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K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
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K-2-ETS1-2: Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
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K-2-ETS1-3: Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
Children’s Books
These children’s books can be used as read alouds to give students background knowledge about the issue of waste and too much trash in our landfills. It also provides opportunities for students to learn how to solve real world problems like waste generation and climate change. Many of these titles can be found at your local library.
I Can Save the Earth!: One Little Monster Learns to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle by Alison Inches & Viviana Garofoli Kids can follow Max the Little Green Monster's journey to environmental awareness and learn tips on how they can become little green monsters themselves. A kid-friendly glossary of terms is included in the back of the book.
Where Does the Garbage Go? by Paul Showers & Randy Chewning Read and find out about what happens to our trash in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book.
All the Way to the Ocean by Joel Harper An uplifting story about two best friends, Isaac and James, and their discovery of the cause and effect relationship between our cities' storm drains and the world's oceans, lakes and rivers. It is sure to inspire both young and adult readers alike and teach a timeless life lesson--If we all do our part, a cleaner, safer environment is indeed within our reach.
Pesky Plastic: An Environmental Story by Leticia Colon De Mejias & Tamara Visco Pesky Plastic: An Environmental Story is a fun and educational book about plastic and its impact on our planet. Discover the dangers of "pesky plastic" in our oceans. Learn what you can do to help Sally, Allen, Pat and all the sea animals survive "pesky plastic." This ecology-centered story is a wonderful way to begin conversations with children about how each person's actions directly affect the environment.
The Mess That We Made by Michelle Lord & Julia Blattman The Mess That We Made explores the environmental impact of trash and plastic on the ocean and marine life, and it inspires kids to do their part to combat pollution. The first half of the book portrays the growing magnitude of the issue, and the second half rallies children and adults to make the necessary changes to save our oceans.
Why Should I Recycle? by Jen Green & Mike Gordon Children will gain a whole new understanding of the world we live in with this fun, first-look at recycling. Learning the value of recycling by imagining the world without it helps readers see the importance in acting to save our planet!
Recycle!: A Handbook for Kids by Gail Gibbons Where does all the garbage go after we throw it out? And how can it be used again? This lively and informative book explains the process of recycling from start to finish. Recycle! focuses on five different types of rubbish: paper, glass, aluminum cans, plastic and polystyrene. This behind-the-scenes look at recycling offers fascinating facts and helpful tips for cleaning up our environment.
What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet by Jess French In this informative book on recycling for children, you will find everything you need to know about our environment. The good, the bad and the incredibly innovative. From pollution and litter to renewable energy and plastic recycling.
The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling by Alison Inches & Pete Whitehead Learn about recycling from a new perspective! Peek into this diary of a plastic bottle as it goes on a journey from the refinery plant, to the manufacturing line, to the store shelf, to a garbage can, and finally to a recycling plant where it emerges into it's new life...as a fleece jacket!
Digital Content
This video is another way that you can provide background knowledge to your students about the issue of waste and how to solve the problem through reducing waste, recycling and composting.
Brain Pop Jr: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle A video on waste reduction. Paper, plastic, or reusable bag? Learn how you can conserve natural resources.
Curriculum Guides
Project Green Schools provides a variety of resources related to waste management. The Plastics Unit provides a series of lessons and activities on the importance of the ocean and how waste, specifically plastics, are harming our oceans, ecosystems, and Earth’s climate. In addition, you will find curriculum guides for garden based lesson plans and activities.
A set of lessons on plastic and its effect on the environment. Lesson s1-3, 5 and 7 are most relevant to Early Childhood programs and may need to be adapted to meet the needs of young learners.
A set of resources like apps, games, videos, and other useful links to get you started teaching about waste management.
This guide provides in depth details how to teach each lesson with links to resources and videos included.
A comprehensive workbook on plastic education. While workbook pages are not appropriate for young learners, this resource can be adapted to meet their needs.
The School Garden Curriculum offers a unique and comprehensive framework, enabling students to grow their knowledge throughout the school year and build on it from kindergarten to eighth grade. From seasonal garden activities to inquiry projects and science-skill building, children will develop organic gardening solutions, a positive land ethic, systems thinking, and instincts for ecological stewardship.
Lesson Plans/Activities
These lessons and activities provide students the opportunity to learn how to engage in actionable steps in order to solve waste generation in their communities.
A Teacher’s Guide to Compost Activities These activities will help warm students up to the idea of composting, and teach students basic principles of biodegradability, soil science, resource conservation, and recycling.
Go Green means that once you gaze through "green goggles," it will color your view of our world. Overflowing with engaging, hands-on activities, this booklet imparts an appreciation for the need to protect our environment, as well as the know-how to reduce the waste stream.
A complete free resource library of lesson plans and materials.
A Toolkit for Early Childhood Programs full of stewardship-related activities. Each activity will focus on one theme and follow a distinct format: (1) have an adventure, (2) take action, (3) celebrate your action, and (4) keeping growing.