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 6    
How Many Garbage Cans And Recycling Containers Can We Find In Our School?                   1 – 3 
(For schools that have a recycling program.)                                                               

Skills: using a map, counting

Time: one class period

Learning Objective: students will count the number of garbage cans and map their location in and around the school and consider their necessity; students will count the number and map the location of recycling boxes in the school and consider their necessity; students will use the recycling and PITCH-IN symbols.

NOTE: this Activity is an alternative to OUR GARBAGE: ACTIVITY 12. If not done, you may wish to do REUSING AND RECYCLING: ACTIVITY 2, which discusses the recycling symbol, before doing this Activity. For more information on the PITCH-IN symbol, see APPENDIX 3.

Materials and Equipment: map of the school and school grounds, preferably on 11" x 14" paper, one per two students; enlarged copy or overhead projection of the map.

1. Introduce the Activity by discussing the classroom garbage can and classroom and/or school recycling container:

• Do we need it?
• Why?
• Do you think there are more in the school?
• Where?

2. Introduce and discuss the recycling symbol, if your students have not done REUSING AND RECYCLING: ACTIVITY 2.

3. Introduce and discuss the PITCH-IN symbol.

4. Provide each pair of students with the map.

5. Take students on a walk through the school, looking for other garbage cans and recycling containers. In order to no disturb other classes, assume each occupied classroom has the same number of garbage cans and recycling containers as are found in your classroom. On their map, have students mark the location of garbage cans and recycling containers that they find, using the PITCH-IN and recycling symbols respectively.

6. Take students on a walk around the playgrounds, looking for garbage cans and recycling containers. Mark these on their maps using the appropriate symbols.

7. In the classroom, on the large map, have students indicate locations of the garbage cans and recycling containers.

8. Count up the number of garbage cans and recycling containers.

9. Indicate the number of garbage cans and recycling containers on two separate number lines.

Discuss with the students:

• Why do we need these garbage cans?
• Why do we need these recycling containers?
• What would happen to our school environment without them?
• Who empties them?
• What happens to the garbage collected?
• What happens to the recyclable items collected? (A general understanding is sufficient.)

If possible, arrange a visit with the school custodian to find out his/her responsibilities in handling the school’s garbage. You may wish to have him/her give a brief talk to the students on how the school’s garbage is handled, and how they can help him/her to do the job properly.

You may wish to have the person responsible for collecting the recyclable items talk to the students about his/her job, with the emphasis on how they can help him/her to do his/her job properly.

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

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