Intro
Let's think about trash! Humans throw away a huge amount of trash everyday. It's important for us to pay attention to what we throw away and be aware of where it goes. Cities produce huge amounts of trash because of the large concentrations of people. Trash is messy and fun for kids, and can be used to teach them important lessons.
Questions to get everyone thinking
- Think about these questions yourself, then ask them to your child learner:
- Why do we make so much trash?
- What happens to our trash once we throw it away?
- Do you think twice before throwing something away?
- Have you ever seen litter? How did that make you feel?
New words to learn
Landfill - a system of trash and garbage disposal in which the waste is buried between layers of earth to build up low-lying land —called also sanitary landfill
Incinerator - a furnace or a container for incinerating (burn to ashes) waste materials
environmental degradation
Incinerator - a furnace or a container for incinerating (burn to ashes) waste materials
environmental degradation
Activities
Count your trash! |
Everyday, we all throw things away. Pick a day where you will count and record everything that you toss in that trash can. For younger children this can be done in an afternoon. Older children should try and record what they throw away and when, in a journal-like fashion. When the project is over, ask if your child thinks more about what they throw away.
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Litterbugs |
Ask your child if they can think of a place in their city that is special to them. On a walk to this place, bring a trash bag and some gloves with you to pick up trash along the way. It can even be a contest to see who can pick up the most. Ask your child to think about what that place would look like if no one ever picked up garbage. What would it smell like? Would it still be special?
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Trash Detective |
Where does your trash go after you throw it away? Ask your child to draw a story of where they think their garbage ends up. Next, research to find out! It may go to a landfill in a nearby town, or an incinerator. If your child is old enough, ask them to try and do the research themselves. Garbage disposal is different for every city, but show your children this video as an example.
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Activities and Questions for Reflection
- What can we do to reduce how much we throw away? (see next two lessons!)
- How does litter affect animals in the city? Your pets? wildlife?
- What would happen if no one used garbage cans?
- Ask your child to think of their favorite outdoor place in the city (a park, farmer's market, a certain street). Ask them to draw a picture of it now, then draw a picture of it if it was polluted by litter. What can they do to prevent this from happening?
- What will happen when we run out of landfills? Do you think everyone can reduce the amount we throw away?