Grades: 3-5

Duration: 1 class period, and 1 at home assignment

Objective: To increase awareness about waste and simple ways to reduce what we throw away

• One box of cereal (any kind)
• One bag of cereal (ex. Quaker bagged cereals)
• Large bag of any type of chips
• Box of individually packaged bags of chips
• Fruit, Nuts and/or Eggs
• Reusable containers like thermos, Tupperware, and reusable lunch bags

Start by asking children what happens to our trash when we throw it into our trashcans. Follow the process through to landfill. Discuss what happens to our trash then. Does it biodegrade (break down) or does it stay there. Show the children how the same products come in different types of packaging. Which is better for the environment, which biodegrade. Compare the differences between a box of cereal and a bag of cereal, which produces more waste, which costs more. Next compare the large bag of chips with the smaller bags. Which produces more waste between these two. Is there a way for you to take a smaller amount of chips with you to school but not buy the individual bags? Introduce the idea of using reusable containers. Bring them in a container you can take home, wash and reuse. Which method is better for the environment?

Finally show the children different types of fruits and nuts. Explain to them that these are wrapped in natures packaging. What happens to these "wrappers," must you always throw them away? When they are thrown away do they biodegrade or do they stay in the earth for hundreds of years?

Afterwards you may have a party so not to let your demonstration materials go to waste!

You may ask your students to look in their cabinets at home. Do they have lots of wasteful packaging? How many bags of trash does the household dispose of every week? What ways could they reduce the amount of trash they throw away.

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