Let's create continuous conversations about climate change education: Spreading the Sediment of Science!

Recycling Freighters Lesson

Provided by: Great Lakes Now

Lesson Plans Grades 6-8

Synopsis

This lesson explores recycling differernt materials, with an emphasis on shipbreaking in Lake Erie.
Students will watch videos to see what happens to paper and ships when they are recycled, read about recycling efforts in Michigan, explore the difference between the recycling numbers on plastics, melt plastic to make something new, and take apart a LEGO build to create a new one.

Subjects: Chemistry, Engineering

Authors: Great Lakes Now, Detroit PBS

Region: Michigan

Languages: English

Positives

Students will love getting to build with LEGO and making the connection between something they love and sustainability.
Many of the note-taking and exit ticket handouts can be reused in other reading activities or lessons.
This can connect to many topics related to climate change, such as sustainable resource use, the reuse of materials, and the effects of increasing consumption on natural ecosystems.

Prerequisites

Teachers should refer to the Introduction information for a list of topics students should be familiar with.
Students should also know how to calculate volume and density.

Differentiation & Implementation

If your school is near a shipyard, taking a field trip there may help students connect what they see in the Recycling Freighters video to their local reality.
To make another connection to students' communities, students can explore their local recycling system and discover what happens to their recyclables.
Younger students may not be able to complete the reading independently in class and may benefit from having the reading as homework or reading it aloud in class.
Teachers can make connections to persuasive techniques by having students write advertisements for their products in Activity 4.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format