Throw It My Way: Composting and Recycling

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Program Title (as applicable):

  N/A

  Course Title:

  AgriScience Foundations 1

  Course Number:

  8106810

  Career Cluster:

  Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

  CIP Number:

  N/A

  Course Type:

  N/A

  CTE Standard(s) or benchmarks

  CTE Benchmarks:

  03.06 Research Best Management Practices that sustain the natural environment.

  03.07 Examine how land use decisions (development, conservation, agricultural production, etc.) impact the environment.

  Integrated benchmarks: ELA or Other:

  SC.912.CS-CC.1.5 Communicate and publish key ideas and details to a variety of audiences using digital tools and media-rich resources.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “Throw It My Way.” See CPALMS resource ID#209267.

• Career Connection

  
  

  This lesson will support students in practicing skills to communicate effectively with other members of a team and come up with solutions to a problem. Students will practice problem-solving and collaboration. Being able to share ideas, actively listen, and appropriately resolve conflict are important skills in agriculture careers.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Discuss real world environmental issues.
  • Research and discuss best practices related to natural resources.
  • Examine through debate how recycling and composting can impact the environment.
  • Create a digital poster promoting recycling or composting.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • Recycling and composting in their community.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • Where does your trash go?
  • Where does the recycling go?
  • How does composting impact the environment?
  • How does recycling impact the environment?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To introduce the lesson, have a few piles of lunch scraps available for your students to observe. Lunch scraps may include banana peels, apple cores, bread crust or uneaten bread, grapes, paper wrappers, aluminum foil, water bottles, yogurt containers, etc.
  2. Divide students into small groups of 4, with each group having their own pile of lunch scraps. Have each group break apart the trash and recycling into 2 piles. Each group will have to discuss and determine which items go into what pile.
  3. Provide students with the case study, “Throw it My Way,” (see CPALMS resource ID# 209267). Have students read the case study in their small groups.
  4. Provide students with the Case Study Questions handout (see attachment). Have students discuss in their small groups and answer the case study-based questions.
  5. Continue by introducing a class debate for the case study. Suggest that the three students in the case study are considering whether they should start a recycling campaign to raise money to buy supplies like soil or fertilizers or if they should start a composting campaign to improve the soil for their horticulture projects.
     • Ask students, “What do you think is the best course of action for the students? Should the students plan a recycling or composting campaign?” Provide students time to make their decision and prepare for a brief class debate. Have students work in groups (recycling or composting) to use chart paper to write their justifications. Student groups should provide 3-5 justifications for their stance.
     • Allow students to research best practices for recycling and composting as part of their justification. Prompt students with questions such as, “What environmental practice would be best suited for a school?” and “Which practice would be the most sustainable for the students and staff?”
     • Provide time for each side of the argument to present their case. Ask for each group to elect a spokesperson to share their reasonings.
  6. After, students will create digital posters that can be placed around the school to bring awareness to recycling and composting.
     • Have students work in pairs or small groups to use a digital platform or software for the creation of their poster.
     • Posters should include
       1. an explanation of how recycling/composting impacts the environment and
       2. at least one ‘best practice’ tip for recycling/composting.
  7. To close the lesson, remind students that food is thrown away every day, and oftentimes, people don’t consider how it impacts their community and environment. Ask students, “How could we better help the environment that we live in, and reduce the amount of waste that goes to the local landfill (incinerator)?”

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • This lesson can be spread across two class periods if necessary.
  • For the lunch scrap sorting activity, you may want to
    • cover tables with old newspapers or some other method to keep tables clean from the trash
    • provide students with disposable gloves (look for latex free options in case a student has latex allergies)

• Optional

  
  

  Summative Assessment Ideas:

  • Have students write an opinion piece about the benefits or challenges of recycling/composting.

  Extension Idea:

  • With approval from school administration, have students print out and display their posters around the school.