in Yoor School
A How-to Guide for Engaging Students
in Resource Conservation and Waste Reduction
-------
"I the to the air we the
we drink,"
—John, 7th grade
no —
a or a
—Abby, 7th grade
"My will change due to ibis I I it
a lot of work for someone to up,"
—Matt, 7fh grade
"It for me to I a in I set a
for the itt e
—-Aaron, 7fh grade
'C if -'- people do a lot to the
con ao anything/'
—Lee, 7th grade
"I to be of - jw to be to
—Ben, 7fh grade
"We do to the
the is a
—J, 7fh grade
-------
About This Guide ............................. .2
"What Is a "Make a Difference Day"? 3
Why Teach Kids About Waste Reduction
and Resource Conservation? 3
Planning a "Make a Difference Day" ............... .4
"Make a Difference Day" Activities ................ .1 2
Resources .................................. .27
Appendix: Sample Schedule ..................... .29
-Len Ference, principal, Mechanicsburg Middle School
-------
for
Activities in this can
be by com-
munity youth in
planning a vo unteer
or service-learning experi-
ence for young
Engaging in hands-
on activities to the
environment is
no matter what the venue.
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency
(EPA) developed this
guide to provide
advice, ideas, and
inspiration to teachers,
school administrators,
and others for planning
a hands-on environ-
mental day at school.
Students apply mulch to frees on campus.
Many of the tips and ideas in this guide come from
"Make a Difference Day" events supported by EPA. EPA
launched its "Make a Difference" campaign in October 2003
at an Environmental Symposium for middle and high school
students held by the City of San Diego Environmental Services
Department and the San Diego County Office of Education. EPA
also supported Environmental Challenge days in May 2004 and
May 2005 at Mechanicsburg Middle School in Mechanicsburg,
Pennsylvania. EPA also assisted Kingsview Middle School in
Germ an town, Maryland, with the school's "It's a Green Day at
Kingsview" event, held in April 2005. EPA hopes that schools
across the country will embrace the ideas presented here and
involve their students in environmental studies and activities.
After you plan and successfully run a "Make a Difference Day" of your
own, e-mail EPA about your event! We will post success stories on our
Web site so everyone can share in the good news! Send to
.
-Mechonscsburg feacher
-------
A "Make a Difference Day" involves hands-on activities that
engage students in learning about reducing waste, reusing
materials instead of throwing them away, recycling, compost-
ing, and conserving natural resources and energy. Whether
it involves conducting a "waste-free lunch" or building art
sculptures out of cans, bottles, and other recyclable trash,
a "Make a Difference Day" engages students in a variety of
environmental activities. These activities help foster an appre-
ciation for the environment and life-long environmental stew-
ardship.
Your "Make a Difference Day" can include other environmen-
tal topics as well, such as water quality, biodiversity,
or ecosystems. Depending on the location and nature of your
school, you might want to include stream cleanups,
trail maintenance, or other environmental activities.
Waste reduction activities (which include pre-
venting waste, reusing, and recycling) can:
• Prevent pollution created by manufacturing
new products, or products made from
virgin materials.
• Save energy in manufacturing, transporta-
tion, and disposal of products.
• Decrease greenhouse gas emissions, which
contribute to global climate change.
• Conserve natural resources, such as timber,
water, metals, and fossil fuels.
• Reduce the need for landfilling and
incineration, which are expensive to
operate and maintain.
« Protect and expand U.S. manufacturing
jobs and increase U.S. competitiveness.
• Help sustain the environment for
future generations.
-York, Grade 7
—Lauren, Grade 7, on what she
learned and could teach others.
Sfudenfs pick up litter from school grounds.
-/Mechanics burg teacher
-------
Advance planning is essential to running a smooth, pro-
ductive "Make a Difference Day." Based on suggestions
from previous "Make a Difference Days," EPA recom-
mends the following basic planning activities. You can
conduct these activities in the order that is appropriate
to you depending on your school's needs and priorities,
or it might make sense to conduct several of these activ-
ities simultaneously. Use the checklist at the back of this
section to make sure you've covered all the bases.
Benefits. ai: o '"-Yiake a
Planri i":q ~, "c'vV.-;|-:^ •-. Dif^'^nce Day"
for your school,
teachers, the local community. It can:
* a of
bility an for the envi-
at a
* Show that can a dif-
ference in the environment at home, at
school, in the community.
*
do to national, or
A "Make a Difference Day" needs a team leader, such
as a principal or a lead teacher, who organizes and
oversees all planning and operations. The team leader in turn needs teacher volunteers to help coordinate
the event and brainstorm, plan, and run activities. The team should plan to meet every one to three weeks,
and each person should be willing to spend anywhere from one to 10 extra hours per week on planning,
depending on the number of months you have to plan, the number of students involved, and the nature of
the activities.
Form committees within the team to take charge of specific tasks, such as:
Setting an agenda or schedule of activities for
the event
Securing materials donations (e.g., tools) and
ensuring their return
Soliciting financial contributions
Making necessary purchases (e.g., plants
for gardening)
Engaging parents and volunteers
Inviting and confirming speakers/presenters
Ensuring event receives local media attention
of
To Mechanicsburg's Environmental
Challenge Day, the principal
for volunteers. A of science, art,
family/consumer science, educa-
/environmental club came for-
ward. The principal also invoved
who an in environmental
Issues, At Kingsview, the committee
individuals of the school—
environmental such as rep-
from agencies.
Setting specific goals for the event will help keep all
planning and brainstorming on target and will
ensure that all members of the team are working
toward the same outcome. This is one of the first
activities that should be conducted when organizing
a "Make a Difference Day."
Students learn about pond management.
-------
Because teachers and schools are held accountable for
complying with specific state and/or national standards of
learning, and because classroom curricula are already
planned around these standards, the goals for your "Make
a Difference Day" should also align with these standards.
The activities and experiences that the students participate
in during the event should directly support the concepts,
lessons, or goals set for their grade range based on the
state and/or national standards and your school's grade-
specific curricula.
iOncl —Ana Carvalho, City of San Diego
Environmental Services Department
Mechanicsburg School
answered the par-
in
2005:
» do to be
a in environmental conservation.
» Using the 4 Rjs (reduce, reuse, recycle,
rebuy), how can you your
more environmentally friendly?
« What is the
during this Environmental
Challenge?
» how your will
because of your Environmenta
Challenge experience.
» What like to see in
your community that will conserve
and the environment?
» After tod a yjs experience, what changes
would you to the
learning experience for year?
Measuring the success of your event is a way of measuring
whether your goals were met. Ideally, you should conduct
a pre-assessment as well as a post-assessment, to deter-
mine how much students learned about environmental issues, how their appreciation of the environment
has changed, and how their behaviors have changed or will change. Quantifying results in some way will
not only help you improve your program for future years, it will help explain and justify the benefits of the
event to others and the need for the required time and budget for the event. The success of the event will
help sell the event, and may even help obtain grants or donations in the future.
Among the first tasks of the team leader or the team should be determining the grade level and number of
students to be involved. You can start off small by conducting "Make a Difference Day" activities within indi-
vidual classrooms (we recommend consulting with EPA's The Quesf for Less for relevant classroom activities),
or you can plan for a single grade or a school-wide effort. It all depends on the number of teachers on your
-Dennis Queen, principal, Kings view Middle School
-------
team, the level of effort you wish to undertake,
and the resources available for the event. Part
of the decision about how many students and
grades should be included might be dictated by
the financial budget for the event. Keep finan-
cial constraints in mind when setting goals and
brainstorming activities.
Early in the planning process, select a date
that allows for three to five months of lead Sfudenfs show off their solid waste management plan science project.
time to plan and organize the event. San Diego
planned its event in about three months. Mechanicsburg spent four to five months but would recommend
even more time. Kingsview started planning in the fall for its spring event.
Gather the team together to brainstorm activities for your
event. (You might even want
to include some students in the planning and brainstorm-
ing.) The ideas presented in this guide are intended as a
springboard, or jumping off point, for discussion and con-
sideration by the team. You also might want to consider
unique possibilities that might be available at your school
or in your community (e.g., an onsite environmental center
or wooded trails; an inner city location close to a residen-
tial neighborhood). Activities may be hands-on (e.g., art projects) or informational (e.g., environmental
career sessions).
Designate a notetaker and keep notes on every idea that is mentioned; later, you can weed through the list
of ideas to identify the strongest ones.
of
n Mechanicsburg at Kingsview, the
in to plan
discuss the The city of
in pla
ninq the event.
-Leo ference, principal, Mechanicsburg Middle School
-------
—Ana Carvalho, City of San Diego
Environmental Services Department
Review your list of activities based on potential for
pre-event preparation, resource and staffing require-
ments, and whether they meet your goal.
Be sure to plan how you will structure the day: How
long will each activity last? Where will each activity be
located? How many activities will each student partici-
pate in during the day? How many students can rea-
sonably and safely participate in each activity? When
will students sign up for activities?
Also determine who is going to lead each activity and whether parents or others are needed to assist.
For example, you might want to send a note home with students or through the parent-teacher association
asking for parent volunteers to assist with a gardening activity. Perhaps you want to contact your local
Master Gardeners or Master Composters or bring in a nearby environmental nonprofit group to lead an
activity in which they specialize. You might also want to assess what community partnerships you have
already established and could draw on for financial or other support.
See appendix on page 29 for a sample schedule.
As you refine and finalize your activity list for the day,
determine what materials and tools are needed for
each activity (e.g., garden shovels for composting,
art supplies for trash sculpture). Then identify whether
you have any of the supplies already, whether you
can borrow any from parents or local businesses.
Tally any financial support received to date and cal-
culate the cost of what you will need to buy. If funds
fall short, consider holding bake sales or other
fundraising events or soliciting funding support from
local businesses. You might also ask students to
bring common supplies to the event (e.g., clearly
marked gardening tools).
The school nurse should set up a first-aid station if
kids are working outside on a hot day and have
supplies and staff available to deal with and pre-
vent dehydration, heat exhaustion, or other injuries. All
staff involved in the event should be aware of students1
special medical needs.
Studenfs prepare their tools for a day of green gardening
and beautification.
-------
Provide time and/or place for students to refill
water bottles several times during outdoor physi-
cal activities.
Let your community know what you are doing! Be
sure to follow protocol for public relations estab-
lished by your school district. Suggested activities
include:
» Publishing an article about the event in your
school newspaper or other school- or district-
wide publications.
• Issuing a press release to your local media
(both print and broadcast), and even the
statewide media.
• Posting information on your school's Web site.
-Dennis Queen, principal, Kingsview
Middle School
Depending on the nature of your event, you may need to consider the following additional planning steps:
» Preparing name tags
» Preparing certificates and goodie bags for students (e.g., water bottles)
• Securing parental permission, if necessary
« Preparing a map for participants
Students prepare fo apply mulch to wooded hiking trails on campus.
8
-------
Mechanicsburg Middle School
about $1,1 00 in school funds on its
Environmental Challenge Day.
Without donations from loca busi-
Principal esti-
mates the cost would have been
closer to
Students plant a "green" garde
-Len Ference, principal, Mechan/csburg Middle School
-------
In addition to following the initial planning steps outlined in this guide, use this checklist to ensure
that you've considered or implemented these important planning activities:
-s Identify a team leader.
J Solicit teacher volunteers.
J Form committees for each specific task.
J Set educational goals and measures of success for event.
J Determine grade level and how many students will participate in event.
J Select a date and location for the event.
J Brainstorm activities for event.
J Designate a notetaker for all meetings regarding the event.
J Select activities for event.
J Set an agenda or schedule for event.
J Assign teachers/volunteers to each activity.
„! Give the event a name.
...i: Inform staff and students of event.
~i: Determine specific material needs for each activity (donation and purchase).
J Determine specific tools necessary for each activity (donation and purchase).
J Contact local businesses for donations or financial contributions.
-s Send letter home to parents for volunteers or donations.
-2 Encourage the PTA, Master Gardeners/Composters, or other relevant organizations or local
government entities to participate as volunteers or provide expertise, donations, or financial
contributions.
J Assess available funding versus needs.
J Engage a speaker/presenter for the event.
J Invite special guests (e.g., mayor, governor).
J Follow public relations procedures to gain publicity (e.g., write press release).
J Prepare a map for all participants.
-------
Determine how activities will operate during the day (timing, periods).
Allow students to choose activities.
Schedule students for activities/provide an agenda/schedule to students and teachers.
Plan for inclement weather.
Prepare students for the day (e.g., discuss scheduling, timing).
Send letter home to parents with clothing/supplies needed for event (e.g., shoes, no sandals;
water bottle).
Prepare name tags, if necessary.
Prepare certificates and/or goodie bags for students.
Secure any necessary parental permission.
Prepare first aid station for outdoor activities, including ready access to water.
Consider methods for assessing learning after event (e.g., students fill out reflection sheet).
t,..
_? • fe
,:-^\ »h:
:••• ~ - *;'
¥§' Li
-------
The following pages provide a few sample activities to consider for your "Make a Difference Day." Each
activity includes a description, objectives, materials needed, and steps to consider when planning the exer-
cise. Feel free to improvise or add additional lessons or themes to make your day a success!
*Be sure to check EPA's Quest for Less for other relevant activities (see Resources).
Waste-Free Lunch .................................................. .1 3
Waste-Free Lunch Poster Contest 15
Recycled Art Sculpture ............................................... .1 7
Swap Shop [[[ .19
Outdoor Composting ............................................... .20
Environmental Expressions Contest ...................................... .22
RecycIeMania 23
-------
Hold a waste-free lunch on your "Make a Difference Day." Order EPA's free Waste-Free
Lunch poster listed in the Resources section of this guide to educate students, parents, teach-
ers, and administrative staff about planning and packing a waste-free lunch. Students will
bring in lunches from home and measure the amount of waste they create. This activity will
help students realize ways in which they can reduce waste in their daily lives.
» To show students how to reduce their individual impact on the environment, using their
lunches as an example.
» To help students learn more about reusing, recycling, and composting materials.
Packed lunches brought from home.
Measurement worksheet (see the Waste-Free Lunch Poster in the Resources section).
Be sure that the school has access to a recycling and composting program and find out
what materials can be recycled or composted.
* If a recycling program is not available at your school or in your community, contact
your state, municipal, or county solid waste management agency to find out what
you can do to get a recycling program started in your community, or have a one-
time collection event at your school.
Plan a waste-free lunch as part of "Make a Difference Day" by working with the plan-
ning team to educate parents about waste-free lunches.
« Send a letter home to parents explaining waste-free lunches and asking them to help
students bring in lunches from home on "Make a Difference Day" and a pre- deter-
mined day prior to "Make a Difference Day."
On the pre-selected day prior to "Make a Difference Day" have students bring in a reg-
ular lunch from home. After lunch, have students make a detailed record of the items left
over. Note whether they are recycled, composted, reused, or thrown away. These items
can be recorded on the measurement worksheet found on the Waste-Free Lunch poster
or a similar measurement sheet can be created.
* Once the items have been recorded, help students place the recyclable or com-
postable items in the proper receptacles.
After the lunch items have been recorded, have students brainstorm ways to replace
the items they threw away in their lunch with items that can be reused, recycled,
or composted.
13
-------
On "Make a Difference Day" have students bring in a lunch that they consider to be
waste-free. Students should again take measurements of items in their lunch that can
be reused, recycled, composted, or thrown away.
Have students compare the number of items that they threw away prior to "Make a
Difference Day" to the number of items they threw away on that day. The goal is to
have the majority of the items from the waste-free lunches be reusable, recyclable,
or compostable.
14
-------
Students will work with their art teacher during class or after school to design and make
posters illustrating waste reduction, and specifically promoting the waste-free lunch that will
take place during "Make a Difference Day." This event could also be used to kick off a
school composting program.
• To show students the importance of waste reduction in their everyday lives, using lunch-
time as an example.
• To allow students to consider ways to communicate the importance of waste reduction to
their classmates through art work and creativity.
Is
Poster board
Art supplies (markers, crayons, paint, erasers, scissors, construction paper, glue, glitter)
Work within the planning team to determine guidelines for the poster contest before
announcing it to students. Whether created by the full team or perhaps just the art
teacher, guidelines will help students stay on topic and will also provide them with due
dates, allowable materials, and judging criteria.
« Be sure to consider when students will work on the contest (e.g., during art class,
during home-room, after school).
» Determine who will judge the contest and how the winners will be notified (e.g., dur-
ing morning announcements, at lunch on "Make a Difference Day").
« Create a plan for where the winning posters will be on display (e.g., in the cafeteria,
throughout school hallways).
Waste-Free Lunch Poster Contest entries.
15
-------
Ask students to keep a journal for a full day to note which of their everyday activities
generate waste. In particular, ask your students to log the types of waste they generate
at lunch.
Using their daily logs, discuss ways to reduce waste throughout the day. Refer to the
resources section for helpful Web sites to visit.
Once students have a better idea of how to reduce waste, ask them to brainstorm ways
to illustrate what they've learned. Remember to refer them to the guidelines of the poster
contest to see if there are any themes or topics they should cover.
Now that students know how to reduce waste at lunch, they can begin making their
posters! Using available materials, students should spend time drawing/painting/illustrat-
ing what they think is the best way to remind people to reduce waste during lunch. They
can illustrate actions, objects, or anything they think will make an impact and help their
friends and classmates learn about waste reduction.
Judges will determine winners based on the judging criteria and students will be notified.
16
-------
Students will work in teams during art-
class or after school under supervision to
make sculptures using recyclable materi-
als or materials that would otherwise be
thrown away. This activity illustrates cre-
ative uses for materials that have reached
the end of their "useful" life.
To illustrate to students the import-
ance of waste reduction in their
everyday lives.
To allow students to consider ways to
communicate the importance of waste
reduction to their classmates through
art work and creativity.
Various recyclable materials and/or
non-recyclable materials Such as: Students create a "trashy" Statue of Liberty.
plastic bottles and containers,
aluminum cans, wood, paper, newspaper,
magazines, hangers, wire,
or cloth.
Glue, paint, markers, rulers, and other art supplies.
Hammers, nails, screws, pliers, screw drivers, wire cutters, dremel tool.
Try to avoid sharp objects and glass.
j Work with the planning team to determine where the sculptures will be displayed once
they are completed.
J Prior to "Make a Difference Day," ask students to bring in clean recyclables or reusable
items and/or collect clean recyclables from school.
j On "Make a Difference Day," have students split into teams.
j Teams should use the collected materials to create a sculpture about waste reduction.
They should work together to help connect or attach materials to one another. Students
should be instructed to make a sculpture that will either stand or hang easily.
-------
Once the sculptures are
complete, each team
should give their sculp-
tures a name and should
write a brief paragraph
describing its meaning,
what materials were
used, and what they
hope students will
learn from their work.
Students should weigh
their sculptures to see
how much waste they
diverted from the
waste stream.
Students show off their "trash sculpture"....
Display the sculptures and
descriptions around the school after the "Make a Difference Day" to remind students of
the importance of waste reduction and the creativity of reuse and recycling.
Check with local malls, post offices, grocery stores, banks, libraries, and other com-
munity locations to see if they would like to display the art sculptures.
...and "frash pizza."
18
-------
Students will bring in, collect, and organize items (e.g., clothing, toys, books) that they no
longer want or use and will swap with one another for different items. This activity illustrates
the ease and effectiveness of extending an item's useful life, by simply allowing others to
reuse the items.
,'jjee Mves
To illustrate to students the importance and ease of reuse and recycling in their everyday
lives.
To allow students to consider ways to reuse items they may no longer want or need,
instead of throwing them away.
To illustrate to students that sometimes items they no longer use can be used by others.
Various items that students would enjoy swapping, including clothes, toys, books, and
CDs. Instruct students not to bring large appliances, broken items, dirty or badly worn
clothes, books with missing pages, puzzle pieces, etc.
Work with the planning team to determine when students should start collecting items to
bring in, how many students should be in the shop at a time, and how the swapping will
take place (i.e., guidelines for swapping). Consider allowing students who donate some-
thing to visit the shop first to take what they like, then open it up to everyone.
Work with the planning team to determine where items will be stored prior to the "Make
a Difference Day."
Plan for where remaining items will go: To a charity? Back home with the students who
brought them? Make sure everyone knows this and agrees.
Assign students and volunteers to help organize items prior to the "Make a Difference
Day." Be sure to weigh the items that are brought in so students can measure how
reusing materials helps reduce the amount of waste going in the waste stream.
On the "Make a Difference Day," have students and volunteers help set up the "shop,"
so that items will be on display. Start swapping!
19
-------
*EPA's Quest for Less offers a variety of composting activities, including indoor composting
and worm bins. Choose the activity that is right for your students.
Students will learn about composting and will have an opportunity to create a compost bin
for the school. This activity illustrates ways to reduce waste by reusing outdoor materials for
landscaping and gardening.
To allow students to learn about a new way to reuse items and reduce waste.
To illustrate to students how natural materials can act as a natural fertilizer for gardens.
This activity works best for creating a compost area on school grounds.
« Leaves, grass, landscaping trimmings.
» Wood; pallets or another material to build your container; nails, hammer.
« Shovels, gloves, wheelbarrow.
» Thermometer.
Activity
Ul Work with the planning team to identify a Master Gardener or Composter, teacher, vol-
unteer, or community member who is an "expert" on composting and can teach students
about its benefits.
y Work with the planning team to decide where you will put the outdoor composting "cen-
ter," and what kind of container you will use to hold the compost. Consider using old
wooden pallets from
deliveries, instead of
purchasing lumber or
plastic containers.
[ I Work with the plan-
ning team and appro-
priate staff at school
to determine who will
continue caring for the
compost (e.g., science
classes, student volun-
teers).
Students build compost bins from old pallets.
-------
Work with your composting "expert" to design a composting container, noting the steps it
will take to build the container and how students can participate.
Prior to "Make a Difference Day," ask students to rake leaves and collect grass clippings
and place in a pile near the composting site.
Prior to "Make a Difference Day," work with the planning team to ensure students are
learning about composting and how it can be used in gardens/landscaping.
On "Make a Difference Day," spend time reviewing the design of the composting con-
tainer, and work with 1 0 to 12 students to build the container and place the first batch of
compost (the leaves and grass clippings) into the first bin.
• In order to prevent dehydration, be sure students have ready access to water during this
activity, as they may be participating in physically challenging activities for several hours.
Students gather leaves and grass clippings to compost.
-------
Adapted from , part of Be, Live, Buy Different—Make a Difference,
a national campaign from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Center for a New American
Dream.
Students will create an original song or poem or other creative work about an environmen-
tal issue that's important to them. A performance will be held on "Make a Difference Day"
for students to showcase their creativity. Judges will be invited to select the winners.
To allow students to creatively voice their opinion on environmental issues.
To allow students to focus on an environmental issue of their choice.
To illustrate to students that environmental issues may be addressed through all types of
media (water, air, land).
Work with the planning team to determine guidelines for the contest. Be sure to identify
when students will work on creative pieces (e.g., music class, English class, after-school,
at home). You may also need to consider:
« Limiting the type of performance media.
* Restricting performance time.
« Allowing student supplied props.
* How performers will sign up.
« Prizes such as a recording session, backstage passes to a radio station, or publica-
tion in a newsletter.
Identify judges who are experts in the music, arts, or environmental fields. Judging
should be based upon enthusiasm, creativity, and environmental awareness.
Introduce the contest prior to "Make a Difference Day" and ask students to pick an envi-
ronmental topic that is important to them. You may choose to limit the topics to themes
that will be studied on "Make a Difference Day."
Ask students to research the topic they choose (see the Resources section) and to create
an original song or poem or other creative work.
Students will perform their original piece on "Make a Difference Day." Judges will select
winners and provide feedback for all participants.
22
-------
Adapted from the RecycleMania competition for colleges and universities across the
United States, For more information, please see the RecycleMania Web site at
.
Students will be teamed up—by class, grade, cafeteria period, lunch table, or other logical
grouping—and compete over a 1 0-week period to collect the largest amount of recyclables
from waste generated in classrooms and/or to increase the waste reduction rate.
To illustrate to students the importance of recycling and waste prevention.
To allow students to become aware of the school's waste management and recycling
programs.
Plastic bags or baling material for collected materials
Weight scale or volume metric for measurement
Recycling containers for classrooms and cafeterias
Collection and pick-up areas for recyclables
Work with planning team to create guidelines and select a competition format for this
activity before announcing it to students. Schools may choose to run both competitions
simultaneously, or may choose only one competition format.
• Option A - Per Capita Recycling Competition: Teams will compete to see who can
collect the largest amount of recyclables in 1 0 weeks. All classrooms (or other
applicable rooms) will be outfitted with recycling containers, which must be used to
collect recyclables. Teams report measurements on a weekly basis in pounds recycled
per student. This option focuses on increasing the amount of recycling in a school.
• Option B - Recycling Rate Competition: Teams will compete to increase the waste
reduction rate by increasing the amount of recyclables collected and decreasing
waste generated. Teams report the weight of the trash generated in addition to the
recycling weight in option A. This option focuses on overall waste reduction.
Students are teamed up according to individual classes, grades, or other specified desig-
nation. Each team will need a teacher or other volunteer to lead the team and report
measurements.
Identify materials to recycle depending on the school's recycling program. Standard recy-
clable materials include paper, aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles, and cardboard.
Make sure there is a market for the recyclables, and contact a local hauler about collec-
tion of the materials.
-------
Educate teachers and students about recycling and waste prevention. Refer to the
Resources section for helpful Web sites to visit. Reuse + Recycling = Waste Reduction: A
Guide for Schools and Groups will be especially helpful.
Determine how winning teams will be notified (e.g., during morning announcements or
at an awards ceremony on "Make a Difference Day") and what, if anything, the teams
will win.
Competition should be started approximately three months before your "Make a
Difference Day."
For 10 weeks prior to your "Make a Difference Day," teams will collect pre-determined
materials for recycling.
Develop a measurement system for teams to follow. This may include physically
weighing the recyclables and/or trash or using a volume metric available from EPA at
. Each team is
responsible for measuring and reporting their own recyclables and trash collected.
• Use the following formula to determine the per capita recycling:
Weight of Recyclables
Number of Students in Class (or other unit)
• Use the following formula to determine recycling rate:
Weight of Recyclables
Weight of Recyclables Collected + Weight of Trash Generated
Continue educational activities throughout the 10-week period to encourage participa-
tion.
The winner of competition A is the team that recycles the most per student over the 1 0-
week period. The winner of competition B is the team that has the highest recycling rate.
Announce winners on "Make a Difference Day."
-------
Students will work in small groups during science class or after school under supervision to
make science projects to display on "Make a Difference Day." Students will design their own
environmental experiments, based on a list of ideas provided by the school. Projects will cor-
respond to activities that will be held on "Make a Difference Day." This activity allows stu-
dents to use critical thinking skills to focus on environmental problems. In addition, this
activity ties classwork to "Make a Difference Day."
To illustrate to students that they have the ability to solve some of the environmental
problems they encounter in their own lives.
To allow students to work together and help them to develop critical-thinking and prob-
lem-solving skills.
IS
Each project might have different material requirements, but all teams will need access to
the following materials to present their findings:
« Poster board
* Paint, markers, rulers, and other art supplies
AJ-. -.-. --S , « « „ ." •» .*», *K,i JL/ I | *»% ™lp
fV.,-i ;-l;U
U: Work with the planning team to determine guidelines for the science fair before
announcing it to students. Guidelines will help students stay on topic and will also pro-
vide them with due dates and judging criteria.
« Be sure to consider where students will work on the science fair (e.g., during science
class, during home-room, after school)
• Identify where the science projects will be displayed once they are completed (e.g., in
the cafeteria, throughout school hallways)
l=J Determine who will judge the science fair and how the winners will be notified (e.g., dur-
ing morning announcements, at lunch on "Make a Difference Day").
i H Develop judging criteria for judges to follow. Judges should consider the following attrib-
utes for each project:
• Adherence to guidelines and the scientific method
• Clear presentation of hypothesis, procedures, and results
• Creativity and analytical skills
» Accurate conclusions
• Thoroughness
« Teamwork
-------
LI Several weeks prior to "Make a Difference Day," split science classes into groups of
three or four. Present topics and ask students to choose a topic to explore or to develop
an environmental inquiry of their own. Refer to the resources section for EPA's Science
Fair Fun for detailed topic ideas and the scientific method. Topic areas include:
* Environmental benefits of bulk purchasing
• Performance of recycled content products
• Waste analysis and/or recycling survey
* Composting
* Household hazardous wastes alternatives
LI Outline project expectations to students. See EPA's Science Fair Fun for step-by-step
instructions to conduct a science fair project. Students will be expected to:
« State the purpose of the project and craft a hypothesis
« Design an environmental procedure to test the hypothesis
* Perform the experiment; record data and observations; perform calculations
« Summarize results and draw conclusions
* Prepare a poster to enter into science fair and present findings
LJ Completed posters should be submitted according to the guidelines.
LJ On "Make a Difference Day," have students display poster boards to the class or the
school.
LJ Judges will determine winners based on the judging criteria and students will be notified.
-------
The following resources are available for free from EPA. Call (800) 490-9198 or (513) 490-8190 or visit
to order copies.
• The Quest for Less: Activities and Resources for Teaching K-8, A Teacher's Guide to Reducing, Reusing,
Recycling (EPA530-R-05-005)—A 200+ page resource of classroom activities related to the prod-
uct life cycles, from manufacturing to disposal. Includes fact sheets for teachers, worksheets for stu-
dents, glossary, and other helpful tools.
• The "Make a Difference" Kit: Your Life, Your World, Your Choices: Everything You Do Can Make a
Difference (EPA530-E-03-001)—A collection of resources for middle and high school students to help
them learn about volunteering, service learn-
ing, environmental careers, school and com-
munity waste reduction programs, and the
life cycle of everyday products, and more.
The following are some of the resources
included in the kit:
• The Life of a CD or DVD (EPA530-
H-03-002), The Life Cycle of a Cell
(EPA530-H-04-002), and
The Life Cycle of a Soccer
(EPA530-H-05-001)—Colorful posters
showing product life cycles from produc-
tion to reuse/remanufacturing/recycling
disposal, with classroom or take-home
activities. When ordering, ask about other
life cycle posters that might be available.
« + Recycling = Waste Reduction: A
Guide for Schools Groups (EPA530-
K-03-001)—A how-to handbook provid-
ing innovative ideas for setting up a
waste reduction program in a school or community group.
Sfucfenfs make fcurcffeecfers.
Service Learning: Education the Classroom (EPA530-K-02-001)—A booklet for students and
adults highlighting successful service-learning case studies from around the country, involving
schools, local governments, businesses, and communities.
Science Fair Fun: Designing Environmental Science Fair Projects (EPA530-K-00-008)—A booklet for
teachers and students on how to conduct a science fair project, including sample projects that
address reducing, reusing, and recycling.
-------
• Pack a Waste-Free Lunch (EPA530-H-05-002)—A poster to help students create less waste at lunch.
* Environmental Protection Begins with You: A Guide to Environmental Community Service (EPA530-K-
06-001)—A booklet for community volunteers with ideas for environmental service.
For more information on waste reduction, visit EPA's Web site at .
.*~*- 5**°i: :! ': : .$ - .s - "~~* '•'•*\£^f~'- »**'" • **- s i! 5"°v :' "4
'"- -. •> ';*''•". ':. V..-1 CI :=,-'"- ",-'-. ->U
www.makeadifferenceday.com
Sponsored by USA Weekend Magazine, "Make a Difference
Day" is a single national day of volunteering that inspires and
rewards volunteers. Everyone who helps others on the selected
day each year, and sends in an entry form, is eligible for an
award and a cash donation to a charitable cause.
A school principal kicks off "Make a Difference
Day" with a schoolwide assembly.
www.projectwild.org
Project WILD is a joint project of the Council for Environmental Education (CEE) and the Western Association
of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA). It is an interdisciplinary, supplementary environmental and conserva-
tion education program for educators of K-12. The program emphasizes wildlife because of its intrinsic and
ecological values, as well as its importance as a basis for teaching how ecosystems function.
www.projectwet.org
Project WET (Water Education for
Teachers) is a water education program
for educators and young people ages 5
through! 8. The program facilitates and
promotes awareness, appreciation, knowl-
edge, and stewardship of water resources
through the dissemination of classroom-
ready teaching aids.
www.earthday.net/involved/teachers/
default.aspx
Students repaint an old shed to help preserve it
The Earth Day Network Teacher's Corner provides interactive lesson plans and activities; local, national,
and international news updates; and current information on the activities Earth Day Network is engaged
in around the globe. It is geared toward teachers of any subject who want to incorporate environmental
curricula into their classes.
-------
Session 1
Art
(10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.)
Session 2
(10:50 a.m. - 1 1:35 a.m.)
Recycled sculpture
Clearing trails
Flower beds
Gardening
Mulch runners
Rebuild picnic tables
Composting
Career presentation
Environmental Jeopardy
Photography/Reporters
Recycled sculpture
Clearing trails
Flower beds
Gardening
Mulch runners
Rebuild picnic tables
14 teams x 5
Teacher 1
Greenscapes
6 teams x 10
3 teams x 6
10
6 teams x 4
4 teams x 6
Teacher 3
Teacher 4
Teacher 5
Teacher 6
Teacher 7
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
8
Teacher 8
Workshops, Etc.
15
12
8
Ai
14 teams x 5
Teacher 9
Teacher 1 0
Teacher 1 1
t
Teacher 1
Greenscapes
6 teams x 1 0
3 teams x 6
10
6 teams x 4
4 teams x 6
Teacher 3
Teacher 4
Teacher 5
Teacher 6
Teacher 7
051
Environmental Center
Pavilion
Courtyard
Environmental Center
Pavilion
Environmental Center
021
025
015
051
Environmental Center
Pavilion
Courtyard
Environmental Center
Pavilion
-------
Session 2 (cont.)
(iu:ou a.m. - i i :oo a.m.;
Composting
8 Teacher 8
Environmental Center
Workshops, Etc.
Career presentation
Environmental Jeopardy
Photography/Reporters
Population sampling
Project Wild - wildlife
poetry
Session 3
fl 1 -/in n m 1 9-9S n m \
Insects paper
Sewing recycled class
Recycled sculpture
15 Teacher 9
1 2 Teacher 1 0
8 Teacher 1 1
15 Teacher 14
20 Teacher 1 3
021
025
015
022
027
Art
1 8 Teacher 15
1 2 Teacher 1 6
14 teams x 5 Teacher 1
052
053
051
Greenscapes
Clearing trails
Flower beds
Mulch runners
Rebuild picnic tables
Composting
6 teams x 10 Teacher 3
3 teams x 6 Teacher 4
6 teams x 4 Teacher 6
4 teams x 6 Teacher 7
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
8 Teacher 8
Environmental Center
Pavilion
Environmental Center
Pavilion
Environmental Center
3O
-------
Session 3 (cont.)
(11:40 a.m.- 12:25 p.m.)
Lunch (12:30 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.)
Session 4 (1:10 pm. -
1 :55 p.m.)
Workshops, Etc.
Career presentation
Environmental Jeopardy
Photography/Reporters
Schoolyard report card
15 Teacher 9
1 2 Teacher 1 0
8 Teacher 1 1
7 Teacher 1 7
021
025
015
Courtyard
LUNCH
Art
Insects paper
Sewing recycled class
Recycled sculpture
1 8 Teacher 1 5
1 2 Teacher 1 6
14 teams x 5 Teacher 1
052
053
051
Greenscapes
Clearing trails
Flower beds
Mulch runners
Rebuild picnic tables
6 teams x 1 0 Teacher 3
3 teams x 6 Teacher 4
6 teams x 4 Teacher 6
4 teams x 6 Teacher 7
Environmental Center
Pavilion
Environmental Center
Pavilion
Reduce,
Composting
Litter pickup
8 Teacher 8
3 teams x 1 2 Teacher 1 8
Environmental Center
Pavilion
Workshops, Etc.
Career presentation
Environmental Jeopardy
Photography/Reporters
15 Teacher 9
1 2 Teacher 1 0
8 Teacher 1 1
021
025
015
31
-------
------- |