Teacher Candidate: KristiJoy Fedorowicz, Niki Carpenter, Sabrina Searock (ALL

EQUAL)

Group Size: Whole Class Allotted Time: 1 hour Grade Level: 2nd

Subject or Topic: Recycling

Common Core/PA Standard:

● Standard - 4.5.2.C Identify how people can reduce pollution
● Standard - 4.5.2.D Describe how people can help the environment by reducing, reusing,
recycling and composting

Learning Targets/Objectives:
1. The students will be able to determine which items are recyclable by completing the “Can
I Recycle This?” worksheet.
2. The students will be able to define the word, recycle by completing the exit ticket.
3. The students will be able to recognize the recycling symbol by drawing it on their
recycled paper.

Assessment Approaches:
1. “Can I Recycle This” Worksheet
2. Exit Slip
3. Recycled Paper
Evidence:
1. The students will write whether an item is recyclable or not.
2. The students will answer 5 questions about recycling.
3. The students will follow directions to create their own paper out of old newspaper and
draw the recycling symbol on it.
Assessment Scale:
For the exit slip, the target for this assessment is an 80%.
Advanced Proficient Basic Below Basic

The student The student The student answered The student answered
answered 5 answered 4 2-3 questions less than 2 questions
questions correctly, questions correctly, correctly, resulting in correctly, resulting in
resulting in a 100%. resulting in a 80%. a 40-60%. less than a 40%.

Subject Matter/Content:
Prerequisite skills/vocabulary needed to be successful
● Reduce- lessening how much we use something.
● Reuse- using items again
● Pollution- waste that harms air, water, or land and when people make pollution, they
harm natural resources.
● Natural Resource- naturally found in the environment, these are very important to
humans. They are things like air, water, plants, and animals.
New Key Vocabulary specifically needed for this lesson
● Recycle- to break a product down or change it in some way and then use the material to
make something new.
Facts/Content covered in this lesson
● What is recycling
○ Instead of throwing a particular item in the trash can, recycling is breaking a
product down or change it in some way and then use the material to make
something new and use it again.
● What is the symbol of recycling
○ Arrows that form a triangle. Each arrow points to the next arrow in an endless
cycle.
● What types of items can be recyclable
○ Glass, paper, plastic, metal, and cardboard
● What types of objects are recyclable items turned into
○ A newspaper can be recycled into notebook paper
○ Plastic soda bottles can be recycled into fleece
○ Soda cans can be recycled into juice cans
○ Newspapers can also be recycled into cereal boxes
Implementation:

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies create clear lesson goals. May include:

1. Choose a paper from the plastic jar that was introduced last class. Say the idea on the card
and explain that it is a great way to help the earth and ask the students to watch a video
and see if the idea was shown in the video.
2. Show the BrainPop video (5 minutes),
https://jr.brainpop.com/science/conservation/reducereuserecycle/
a. Explain to the students that this video is a review of what the students have
already learned about natural resources, reusing, reducing, and recycling. Instruct
the students to pay extra attention to the part about recycling, since that is what
we will be focusing on in today’s class.
3. Ask the students to talk to someone at their table and share one thing that they already
knew and something new that they learned from the video.
a. Call on at least three students and have them share their answers with the entire
class
4. Essential Question: Why is it important for students to know what types of items are
recyclable?

Development/ Teaching Approaches may include:

1. Place a recyclable and a non recyclable item on each table.
a. Recyclable items
i. Plastic water bottle
ii. Milk Jug
iii. Soda can
iv. Newspaper
b. Non recyclable items
i. Styrofoam cup
ii. Ceramic Flower pot
iii. Lightbulb
iv. Potato chip bag
2. Instruct the students to turn and talk with their table members and decide which item is
recyclable and why. (5 minutes)
3. Tell the students to send one representative up to the board to write the name or draw a
picture of their recyclable item under the poster that says their table number (1-4).
a. Do not erase from board, will discuss at end of lesson to see if students were
correct.
4. Display slide 1 of the PowerPoint, explain to the students that the word “cycle” means a
circle of events, almost like a plant or animal life cycle that we have learned about earlier
this year. Explain that “re” is a suffix and it means to do again. Because of this, recycle
means to go through a circle of events again. When people recycle, they treat or process
something again so it can be used again as something new. (5 minutes)
5. Display slide 2, ask the students if they have ever seen this symbol before. Instruct the
students to talk with their table and decide why this symbol is used for recycling.
Circulate around the room and ask each table why they think this symbol represents
recycling. (5 minutes)
a. Return to the front of the class and explain that this symbol is used because each
arrow points to the next in a never ending cycle. This is a good way to represent
recycling because it shows how a resource can go through the same cycle (use,
reuse, reform) again and again.
b. When people recycle, they put items into a separate bin than a trash can. A
recycling bin has this symbol on it so people know where to put their recyclable
items.
6. Display slide 3, explain that as shown in the video, some items made out of glass, plastic,
metal, and paper are recyclable. Ask students if they recycle at home. If so, ask them
what kind of items do they recycle. (5 minutes)
7. Hand out a brainstorming graphic organizer to each table (5 minutes)
a. Explain to the students to choose an item that someone at their table recycles and
write it in the big circle in the center of the page. Instruct the students to then
write items that they think their item might be recycled into in the smaller circle
surrounding their item. Show a model on the projector.
b. Tell the students to stand up once their table has completed the graphic organizer.
Once all students are standing, ask them if a member from each group can hold up
their graphic organizer and explain their ideas.
8. Display slide 4, explain that some recycled materials items are turned into similar objects
and others are turned into very different objects. Say examples like this: (5 minutes)
a. A newspaper can be recycled into notebook paper
b. Plastic soda bottles can be recycled into fleece
c. Soda cans can be recycled into juice cans
d. Newspapers can also be recycled into cereal boxes
9. Hand out the worksheet named “Can I recycle this?” (5 minutes)
a. Instruct the students to look back up at the board and write yes or no to the
number on the worksheet that corresponds with the number above the item. Next
to their original item, tell them to write if they changed their mind whether which
item was recyclable and why or why not.
b. Circulate around the room to see if the students have mastered the concept about
which items are recyclable
 c. Instruct the students to give a “thumbs up” when they are completed with the
worksheet.
d. If the teacher notices that the students need more practice, review each item and
state why it is recyclable or not.
10. Explain to the students that now since they are experts at recycling, that they will be
recycling newspapers to make their own paper. (15 minutes)
a. First student need to tear the newspaper into small pieces and place in the mixing
bowl, then add half a cup of hot water into the newspaper.
b. Mix the ingredients together until it has the consistency of a thick soup.
c. Pour the mixture on the flat pan
d. Slide the screen into the bottom of the pan making sure to cover all of the screen
evenly.
e. Lift the screen out of the pan holding it level while it drips for one minute.
f. Place the screen mixture side up on a piece of cloth, then on the pulp place
another piece of cloth then add newspaper on top.
g. Use the rolling pin to squeeze out the rest of the water
h. Remove the newspaper that is on top and flip the cloth and the screen very
carefully.
i. Place on the drying racks
j. Let it dry until the next day
k. When the paper is dry, instruct the students to draw the recycling symbol on their
paper

Closure/Summarizing Strategies approaches may include:

1. Instruct students to fill out an exit slip. (5 minutes)
2. Once all students have handed in their exit slip, explain to the students that next class we
will be playing “Jeopardy” as a review game for the unit test.

Accommodations/Differentiation:
How are you selecting supports that are tied to the learning objectives and
address similar groups of students’ needs and specific individual needs?
● Specific Learning Disability
● Other health impairment
Process:
● Step by step instructions will be given to the students to follow alongside the
teacher’s instruction in class.
● A student may be given an iPad to type their response.
● The student will have access to the Powerpoint we discussed in class.
● Student will be guided through the making of the recycled paper making
Product:
● If student with a Specific Learning Disability or OHI has a hard time with auditory
processing, we will give them a filled in worksheet at the end of class so they can try to
mainly focus on the material.

Materials/Resources:
● “Can I Recycle This” Worksheet
● Exit Slip
● Brainstorming Graphic Organizer
● Recycled newspaper
● Recyclable and nonrecyclable items for each table (8)
● Marker to draw recycling symbol
● BrainPop video
● Extra paper to write
● PowerPoint
● Mixing bowls
● Screens for paper
● Cloth
● Hot water
● Rolling pins

Reflective Response:

Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

Reflect after lesson is taught
Includes remediation for students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Personal Reflection

Questions, written before lesson is taught, pertaining to YOUR GROWTH as a teacher.

Consider setting goals/focus to enhance your growth.

Additional reflection/thoughts can also be included.

 Resources

Jones, R., & Harcourt Brace & Company. (2002). Harcourt science. Orlando:
Harcourt School.
Name: ____________________________________ Date: ____________________

Can I Recycle This?

1.

2.

3.

4.
Name: ____________________________________ Date: ____________________

Recycling Exit Ticket

1. What is recycling? _____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. True or False: Plastic can be recycled? ____________________________________________

3. True or False: Styrofoam can be recycled? _________________________________________

4. True or False: Glass can be recycled? _____________________________________________

5. What can a newspaper be recycled in to? __________________________________________