Lesson Plans and Readings by Alpha Order

Agatha's Feather Bed
Content Areas: Reading, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  4-8 
This lesson is based on the book, Agatha's Feather Bed, in which Agatha explains that "everything comes from something"--wool from sheep, linen from flax, cotton from cotton bolls. Students explore this concept, as well as learn about community recycling programs and idioms.
Click here to to go to Agatha's Memory Game! and here for a different type of memory or icebreaker game where students find the resource to go with the product.

Analyzing the Message (see Buy, Use, Toss)

Bag It!
Content Areas:  Art, Current Events, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science
Grades:  4-12
This curriculum is based on the DVD by the same name. It allows students to explore the effects of their everyday behavior on the environment, their health and well being.

Business Behind the Scenes Pollution Prevention Games
Content Areas: Business, Math, Science
Grades:  7-12
The Clean Scene, Rev it Up and Fine Print are three, real-life simulation games in which students make business decisions. Then they play board games where they reap benefits and suffer consequences of their decisions. The lesson introduces students to small business decision-making, entrepreneurship, pollution prevention, economics and finance.  

Buy, Use, Toss
Content Areas:  Business/Finance, Communications, English Language Arts, Journalism, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  9-12
Some concepts just naturally engage students' curiosity.  consumption--how we "buy, use, and toss"--is one of those. Because consumption is current, relevant, and real, it is an ideal context for teaching core subject matter and 21st century skills such as critical thinking and collaboration.

Cell Phones: A Call to Responsibility
Content Areas: English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grades: 6-9
Through student research, this lesson illustrates the negative impact disposing cell phones in a landfill has on our environment.  In addition, it encourages students to recognize alternatives for cell phone disposal. Click here for a 6-minute video that depicts the life cycle of a cell phone.

Consumption and Waste:  Shoes (doc) (pdf)
Content Areas:  Economics, English Language Arts, Family and Consumer Sciences, Geography, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  7 and up
Students break into five groups and, for about 25 minutes, study an issue around "shoes."  One group studies life cycles, another does math problems related to how many shoes students own, another looks at economics issues, yet another looks at cultural and global issues.  A fifth group looks at the good news that some shoes are reused and recycled. After the small group work, the students learn what the other groups studied.  Click here to review another "shoe" lesson plan developed by two middle school teachers titled, In Your Shoes.

Crafts--Watching Your Waste at the Holidays and Other Recycled Craft Ideas
Content Areas: Art
Grades K-8
The South Central Iowa Solid Waste Agency website includes how-tos for making recycled crafts, including a booklet (in pdf form) with patterns for holiday gift bags, ornaments, cards and other items.

Diary of a Worm--see Worms: Nature's Recyclers in the list below  

Defining Happiness (See Buy, Use, Toss)

Defining Service--A Reflection Activity
Content Areas: Science, Social Studies
Students explore on their own and with peers the various definitions of service and the value of many types of service. Environmental service projects are the focus, with special attention given to service-learning projects aimed at household hazardous materials.

Facing the Future
Content Areas: Science
The purpose of this unit is to teach important sustainability concepts and their interconnections, including natural resources, human population growth, and resource consumption. Students will also investigate their local, environment and design and implement an action plan to reduce their Ecological Footprint.

Food for Thought (from Population Connection)
Subjects: Social Studies, Science, Civics, Economics, Family and Consumer Sciences, Geography, Health, History
Grades:  5-12
A simulation where students populate "continents" drawn to scale in yarn on the classroom floor and discuss how people and resources are distributed worldwide.  The World Population Clock updates the world's population in real time.

Give Burn Barrels the Boot
This activity guide gives 4th and 5th grade teachers lessons to help teach about the hazards of burning garbage.

Global Warming
Content Areas: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
This lesson plan, produced by PBS NOW, asks middle and high school students to explore global warming. The lesson plan provides links to many online videos and other tools to help teach this complex subject.

Happiness video
This 2-minute "LoopScoops" video, by Public Broadcasting Services, is a reminder that quality is often more important than quantity. (Note: If the link fails, you may need to register at PBS to access it, or search "PBS Loop Scoops Happiness video."

Hey Little Ant-- see below To Squish or Not

How Asthmatics Feel When Their Air is Polluted (from Wisconsin Air Defenders)
Content Areas: Health, Social Studies
Grades:  4-5
This 10-minute exercise demonstrates, using straws, how difficult it is to breathe as an asthmatic when the air is polluted. 

Introduction to Consumption and Waste: Round the Room Activities
Content Areas:  Communications, English Language Arts, Journalism, Science, Social Studies 
Grades:  6-adults
By doing short tasks at five stations around the room, students are introduced to consumption and waste issues.

Is Climate Change Good For Us?
Content Areas: Drama, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  4-7
Students are introduced to the science of climate change and the idea that it brings uncertainties about how regions will be affected. Students discuss advantages and disadvantages climate change may have. For background information and more lessons on climate change, go to Climate Change North.

Is Recycling Enough?
Content Areas:   Math, Science
Students review definitions of recycling and reuse, then learn about waste reduction. They then collect data and create graphs to visually see the changes in waste generation and recovery rates from 1960 to 2000.

Island Survival
Content Areas:   Health, Math, Science
Grades:  5-8
This activity works well as an introduction to waste reduction. Through participation in the simulation, students make lifestyle choices while considering the effects of these choices on the amount of waste generated. Click here for the Island Survival story that you'll give to students. Click here for the graphic organizer students will use.    Click here for an assessment sheet.

Kid Vs. KFC Podcast
Grades:  K-8
This is a 19 minute podcast about an 8-year-old kid who organized his classmates to take on a fast-food restaurant. Also called "One Cool Kid."

Know Your Resources--Click here for student comment
Content Areas:   Economics, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  6-12
Students learn about the limited supply of natural resources in the world and, by role-playing, begin to understand some of the equity issues related to the use of those resources. 

Matching Match
Content Areas: Art, Social Studies
Grades:  K-1
This lesson can be found on page 25 in the Environmental Protection Agency's Quest for Less curriculum. The objective is to teach students that products come from natural resources.

Material World--Click here for teacher comment
Content Areas:   Economics, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies 
Grades: 4-12
Students learn about the lives of "statistically average" families from around the globe.
Click here for a handout that could be used in conjunction with this lesson, or as a stand-alone lesson.
Click here for a shorter handout, but with additional questions found in the 2012 World Population Data Sheet.
Click here for a shorter handout, but with additional questions found in the 2012 World Population Data Sheet. (doc)
Click here for the 2012 World Population Data Sheet.
Availability of Material World books:  Several Iowa Area Education Agency libraries have multiple copies of Material World, and they are available through interlibrary loan.  The following, at a minimum, should be available:
Grant Wood:  15 books in one set
Area 267:  6 sets of 5
Heartland AEA:  3 copies

Material World: How Does the US Compare?--Click here for teacher comment 
Content Areas:   Economics, Math, Social Studies 
Grades:  6-12
Through the process of making double bar and circle graphs, the students develop an understanding of how the United States compares to other countries with respect to years of school, income, and other factors. The World Population Clock may be a useful tool to discuss this book.

A Matter of Timing from Population Connection
Each individual's choices about the timing of childbearing have an impact on population trends. This lesson illustrates the difference in a family's population when childbearing occurs at age 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40.

Mercury Toolkit
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has developed mercury-related activities, brochures and presentations targeted to elementary, middle and high school students.

Mini-MRF
Subjects: Family Living, Science, Social Studies
Grades: 3-8
The Mini-Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) program is a portable recycling sort line model that engages children and adults alike by “working” the Materials Recovery Facility. You can borrow a Mini-MRF model, free of charge, by contacting Kristin Simon, East Central Iowa Council of Governments, at kristin.simon@ecicog.org or 319-365-9941, ext. 126, or Teresa Kurtz, executive director, Iowa Recycling Association, at tkurtz@iowarecycles.org. You can also inquire with your local solid waste agency or landfill to see if they have a model and could bring it to your classroom. 

Musical Resources
Content Areas: English Language Arts, Physical Education, Science
Grades: K-5
Similar to Musical Chairs, in this activity chairs represent natural resources. As they are depleted, chairs are removed but people remain and more people are added to represent a growing population. Participants share chairs and balance on laps to demonstrate depletion of resources. This activity has been reprinted with permission from the Iowa Department of Education from their 1991 publication, Clean Sweep.

No Impact Man
Content Areas: Geography, Civics, Current Events, Consumer Sciences, Economics, Health, Humanities, Language Arts, Life Science
Grades:  6-12
This curriculum, as well as the No Impact Man documentary and book, help students explore the effects their everyday behavior has on the environment, their health, and their well-being. It will also challenges students to think about how the systems in society influence lifestyle choices in ways that often are not good for environment. Finally, it guides students to take action both individually and with others to bring about positive change. 

Oral History
Content Areas:   Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grades: 4-12
By interviewing people at least 45 years older than themselves, students discover history of Americans' lifestyles and consumption patterns.

Packaging: What a Waste--For more information on packaging, check out Daniel Imhoff's book, Paper or Plastic.
Click here for 2-8th grade lesson plan.
Click here for 8-12th grade lesson plan.
Content Areas:   Economics, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies
Students are introduced to the functions of packaging, and its environmental impacts. They then compare the cost per ounce of a cereal and make a correlation between cost per ounce and amount of packaging.

Pack a Waste Free Lunch
Content Areas: Math, Science
Grades: K-6
This links you to an Environmental Protection Agency page of information about waste-free lunches, including how to order a free poster on waste-free lunches, a letter to send to parents, and tips for a waste-free lunch. Click here for information about an Iowa county conservation board's smart lunch program.

Paper Sack Folder
Content Areas:  Art
Grades: 1-8
This links you to instructions to create a folder using a paper grocery sack. 

Pick 5 exercise

Population Circle (from Population Connection)
Content Areas: Math, Science, Social Studies
Grades: K-5
A simulation of the history of world population growth, students count aloud to 100 to fast-forward through 500 years of human history.  With each number they count, the clock jumps five years ahead.  When they reach 100, they arrive at the present. The lesson takes about 15 minutes.

Population Riddle
Content Areas: Math, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  4-12
This is a short math riddle that helps students understand the difference between one million and one billion.

PowerPoint Presentations
Solid Waste Laws in Iowa
Progress and Challenges
The Reasons for Increases in Waste Generation
Household Hazardous Materials
Global Impacts

Quest for Less: Activities and Resources for Teaching K-8
Published by the Environmental Protection Agency: Washington, DC. June 2005.
Grades: K-8
Fifty-three lessons are available and address natural resources; products; waste; source reduction; recycling; composting; and landfills and combustion.

The Quiltmaker's Gift: Discovering Happiness--Click here for teacher comment
Content Areas: Reading, Math, Social Studies
Grades: 5-8
The lesson revolves around the story of a quilt maker and a rich king. The quilt maker inspires the king to give up all of his possessions and, during the process, the king discovers joy in giving. Students are encouraged to explore these ideas for themselves.

Recycling, Reusing & Reducing: What's the Difference? Powerpoint
This 15-slide powerpoint gives definitions of these three waste management strategies.

The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Hierarchy's Been Turned On Its Head
Content Areas: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts
Grades: 9-12
Students explore various waste management strategies and learn that reduction is the most preferred method.

The Secret Life of Cell Phones, The Secret Life of Paper
Grades 6-12
These approximately 5 minute videos, available for viewing on You Tube, are produced by INFORM, an environmental organization based in New York.

Something for Everyone from Population Connection
Grades:  4-6
A simulation where students compete for natural resources in a commons, then discuss the social dilemmas that arise. The lesson, which uses poker chips, takes about 20 minutes.

The Story of Change
Grades: 3-12
This 6:29 minute video explains that big ideas, working together, and action help change to occur. It also asks viewers to think about what kind of change-maker they are, and provides a quiz to take on the subject. Many other resources are available at this site.

Story of Stuff
Content Areas:  Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grades: 6-12
This 20-minute on-line video takes viewers through the extraction through sale, use and disposal of products. As its website homepage says, "The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between... environmental and social issues." Discussion questions, group activities, and other information is also available at the site. Click here for a handout to use witth the video.

Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things--Click here to learn about one school's investigation of shoes.
Content Areas:   Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  6-8
On page 7 of Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things Curriculum and Resources Guide is a lesson plan, "Stuff Presentation," which suggests student groups be assigned chapters of the Stuff book to review. The students ultimately give a 5-minute presentation about the product featured in their chapter.

72 hours
Content Areas:   Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies
Grades: 4-8
In the process of collecting their personal "trash" for a consecutive 72-hour period, students develop an understanding for the need for waste reduction.

Teen Population Awareness Campaign Kit
Grades: 7-12
This 32-page kit from Population Connection is comprised of readings targeted for intermediate and secondary level students, as well as topics for research papers. Action steps and information about how to write letters to newspapers and to legislators is included. 

Textile Tic-Tac-Toe
Content Areas:  Science, Social Studies, Talented and Gifted
Grades 6-8; adaptable to 9-12
Students learn about the textile reuse and recycling market in the United States. The lesson plan involves in-depth research as well as vocabulary study.

To Squish or Not: Everyday Decisions that Make a Difference
Content Areas: Health, Reading, Social Studies
Grades: K-5
Using Phillip and Hanna Hoose's book, Hey, Little Ant, students are challenged to make decisions that reduce waste.

Vermicomposting worksheet
W is for Worm worksheet
Content Areas: Art, Science
Grades:  PreK-1
This worksheet gives students an opportunity to cut, paste and color as they learn about red worms and the compostables they eat.

Visualizing a Plentitude Economy
Grades 7-12
This 5-minute animation provides a vision for what a post-consumer society might look like.

Waste in the Cafeteria
Content Areas:   Economics, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies
Grades: 6-12
By conducting investigations, students will determine specific amounts of waste generated by students and/or school policies regarding the use of the cafeteria.

Waste Reduction Vocabulary
Content Areas:  Language Arts, Science
Grades: 9-11
Here are nine vocabulary words high school students should know.

What's Going On? Hazardous Waste & Poison Safety 
Content Areas: Health, Reading, Safety, Science
Grades:  PreK-1
Using the book, What's Going on In There? by Geoffrey Grahn, students learn that many household products are hazardous or poisonous.

What's Going On? Household Hazardous Waste
Content Areas: Health, Reading, Science 
Grades: 2-5
Using the book, What's Going on In There? by Geoffrey Grahn, students learn: 1) many consumer products are hazardous, 2) characteristics of hazardous materials, and 3) proper storage and disposal.

Where are our Landfills and Recycling Centers? (from Wisconsin Air Defenders)
Content Areas: Social Studies
Scroll down to Activity #7.  Students find their house or street on a map and determine how far it is from a landfill, transfer station, recycling center or other regulated disposal site.

 Who Polluted the Potomac? from Population Connection
Content Areas: English Language Arts, Geography, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  4-8
Through an interactive story, students learn how our rivers have been affected by our growing population. This includes the impact of toxic materials on the environment.

Who Polluted the River? from Population Connection
Content Areas: English Language Arts, Geography, Science, Social Studies
Grades:  1-2
As the lesson's website says, Grades 1 and 2 "students participate in an interactive story and learn how, as human populations have increased and land uses have changed, many of our rivers have become polluted. This example demonstrates that just as we each contribute to the problem, we can also each be part of the solution."

Wisconsin Air Defenders
The Wisconsin DNR and the Wisconsin Environmental Health Association created this educational website, which includes curriculum materials for ages 10 and up.

World Population Video
Grades:  5-12
This seven minute film depicts the history of human population growth and distribution from 1 AD through the present, then projects future growth to the year 2030.

Worms: Nature's Recyclers
Content Areas: Health, Reading, Science
Grades:  K-5
In this lesson plan, students learn about nature's recycling process, the role worms play, and other related knowledge about composting. Diary of a Worm, an illustrated picture book by Doreen Cronin, is used with this lesson.

Wartville Wizard (character, litter, personal responsibility)
Subjects: Science, Social Studies, Family and Consumer Sciences 
Grades: K-6th grades
This lesson uses the book, The Wartville Wizard by Don Madden. It introduces students to litter and waste. Students are first asked to draw a self-portrait, then the teacher reads The Wartville Wizard. The teacher asks, “In the past year, what would be stuck to you if the Wizard were watching?” These drawings could be done anonymously, and then posted on a bulletin board. Teachers may conclude the activity by asking, “Like a fable, this story has a lesson. In one sentence, what is it?” A variety of other activities may be found by googling “Wartville Wizard curriculum”