PITCH-IN CANADA
Resource Centre

Re-Think Activities
An educational Unit for children up to Grade 4
Written by Valerie Thom, B.Ed. and edited by Allard W. van Veen, APR, Fellow, CPRS

This unit has six chapters, each filled with information, ideas and projects. Words in bold and in italics are featured in the glossary which you can reach by clicking here

REUSING AND RECYCLING: ACTIVITY 1 -   Why Recycle?                                                              K – 3

Skills: simulation game

Time: one class period

Learning Objective: students will examine the reasons for reusing and recycling.

Materials and Equipment: plasticene (or similar material); pretend money if desired.

Activity:

1. Introduce the word "recycle" to the students and have students brainstorm for word associations and definitions. Record the students’ suggestions.

2. Explain to the students that they are going to play a game to learn more about recycling.

3. Divide the class into the following groups, or select one student to represent each of the following groups while the rest of the class watches the game:

• Supplier of raw materials needed to make pop bottles
• Pop bottle manufacturer
• Pop bottle filling plant operator
• Store owner selling pop
• Consumer buying pop

Provide the following materials:

• Supplier—a small quantity of plasticene or similar material
• Consumer—a garbage can
• To each participant—pretend money if desired

4. Direct the participants through the following steps:

a. Manufacturer "buys" raw materials from supplier so he can make pop bottles (supplier gives some of his "raw materials" to the manufacturer)

b. Manufacturer uses the "raw materials" to make the pop bottles (manufacturer shapes the plasticene into bottle shapes)

c. Filling plant operator "buys" the bottles from the manufacturer

d. Operator "fills" the bottles (operator pretends to fill the bottles with pop)

e. Store owners "buys" the filled bottles and puts them in his/her store (owner puts bottles on his/her desk)

f. Consumer "buys" pop from store owner

g. Consumer "drinks" all the pop and puts bottles into the garbage can

h. Consumer returns to the store to buy more pop

5. Have participants repeat the above sequence until all of the raw materials are used up and the store owner has no more pop to sell.

6. When the "raw materials" are all used up, discuss with the students:

• Why can’t the consumer have any more pop?
• Where have all the "raw materials" used to make the pop bottles gone?

7. Select one more participant for the game—the recycler. Instruct the recycler to take the "empty" pop bottles out of the garbage. Explain that sometimes the bottles are crushed into small pieces (have the recycler crush some bottles) and some bottles may be washed and used again.

8. Discuss:

• Who can the bottle manufacturer now go to for raw materials to make into new bottles? (The recycler)
• Who can the pop bottle filling plant operator go to for bottles to fill? (Both the recycler and the manufacturer)

9. Have the students play the game again, this time having the recycler retrieve the bottles from the garbage and participate, as in step #7.

10. Continue the game for a short period of time, then stop to RE…Think with the students.

RE…Think

Show the students the empty garbage can, after the recycler has removed the bottles. Ask students to suggest reasons why it is important we recycle as much as possible. Encourage students to think about what they have just learned in the game and what they already know about garbage, reusing, and recycling.

NOTE: You may wish to review OUR GARBAGE: ACTIVITY 7 if done, which discusses the amount of garbage we produce.

Look again at the brainstorm list the students made up at the beginning of the lesson. Are there any more words or ideas they would like to add?

For Older Students:

You may wish to point out that the concepts of both "reuse" and "recycle" were illustrated in this game, as some bottles were crushed and re-processed to make new bottles (recycling) and the remainder could be cleaned and refilled (reuse).

Older student may wish to research how other post-consumer wastes, such as cans, paper, and plastics, are recycled in Canada.

Click here to return to the Index for Chapter 5 and more activities

Click here to return to the Index for Re-Think