Reduce Reuse Recycle

In this social studies lesson, students will learn how to work to improve their school, community, or environment. Students will learn the definition of reducing, reusing, and recycling as well as understand the importance of each of them. Students will also learn what item can be reduced, reused, and recycled. This lesson give students the opportunity to learn about reducing, reusing, and recycling through music.

THE THREE R's: REDUCE. REUSE. & RECYCLE
Grade Level: 1-2

I. CONCEPTS: reduce, reuse, recycle

II. OBJECTIVES:
-Students will know the definition of reducing, reusing, and recycling.
-Students will understand the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling.
-Students will know what items can be reduced, what items can be reused,and what items can be recycled.

III. MATERIALS:
-The THREE R's song
-Examples of items/methods to:
A. Reduce
1. pre-packaged one-serving chip container
2. drinking a glass of water, rather than a can of pop
B. Reuse
1. hand-me-down clothes
2.using plastic grocery bags as garbage bags
C. Recycle
1. pop can
2. newspaper
3. plastic bottle
4. glass bottle
-Markers
-Tag board

IV. PROCEDURES:
A. INTRODUCTION
1. Teacher walks into classroom drinking a pop and eating chips out of a small one-serving, pre-packaged container, and throws the waste on the floor.
2. Students are then asked if they know any ways that they personally can help protect the environment (Brief discussion- Students will probably bring up recycling, or using less water. Others may talk about things like planting a tree. Teacher will allow this to go on for a few minutes.)
SONG IS OPTIONAL
3. Teacher sings the first verse of the song
B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1. Students begin by singing the first verse of the song with the teacher this time.
2. Students will then be asked if they know what the three R's are. (Students may respond with answers like, "reading, Writing, and Arithmetic?")
3. If answers cannot be evoked from the class, the three R's: reduce, reuse, recycle, will be stated.
4. Students asked if any one knows what it means to reduce.
5. 2nd verse of the song will then be sung by the class.
6. The idea of reducing will be explained, with the students being questioned as to what can be reduced in daily life.
7. Teacher gives examples of reducing.
- Not eating food in small, pre-packaged containers a Drinking a glass of water rather than a can of pop
8. Students asked if anyone knows what it means to reuse.
9. 3rd verse of the song will be sung by the class.
10. The idea of reusing will be explained, with the students being questioned as to what can be reused in daily life.
11. Teacher gives examples of reusing.
-Hand-me-down clothes
-Using plastic grocery bags as garbage bags
12. Students asked if anyone knows what it means to recycle.
13. 4th verse of the song will be sung by the class.
14. The idea of recycling will be explained, with the students being questioned as to what can be recycled in daily life.
15. Teacher gives examples of recycling.
Pop cans
Newspaper
Plastic bottles
Glass bottles

C. CONCLUSION
1. Students sing the 5th verse of the song.
2. Students then asked what they learned.

D. EXTENSION
Students put in groups of 3 and asked to create a poster, using the markers and tagboard, encouraging everyone else in their school to follow the 3 R's.

V. EVALUATION:
After the conclusion of the lesson is complete, and before the students begin the extension activity, they will be asked to write a couple ways that they can incorporate the 3 R's at their own house. This will be handed in and evaluated by the teacher.

Song: The Three Rs
Tune: There is a little wheel a turnin’

2. We reduce when we make less trash,
We reduce when we make less trash. Less tra—sh, less tra—sh,
We reduce when we make less trash.
3. We reuse when we use things over again,
We reuse when we use things over again. Over again—, over again—,
We reuse when we use things over again.
4. We recycle when we use trash to make new,
We recycle when we use trash to make new. To make new—, to make new—,
We recycle when we use trash to make new.
5. Lets all follow the three R's every day,
Lets all follow the three R's every day. Every day—, every day—,
Lets all follow the three R's every day.

*Beall, P.CV & Nipp, S.H. (1989). Wee Sing: Fun 'N Folk. Los Angeles: Price Stern Sloan, Inc. (p. 13)

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