Step One: Introduction and Discussion (Review) 10 Minutes
This lesson is intended to compliment many kinds of language arts lesson that involve communication skills and strategies. More specifically, students will consider contemporary issues involved in the process of recycling, waste and ecology. This new knowledge will be used to support design-thinking strategies about how to repurpose and reuse common waste materials that cannot be easily recycled.
Waste that is not recycled goes into large landfills, such as the one pictured above.
Begin your lesson by discussing historical and contemporary issues related to recycling, waste and the environment. Start your discussion about common things students buy and throw away on a daily basis. As an opening question ask students to tell you what they brought for lunch (or intend to buy in the cafeteria). Begin to write down some of the items on the board. Encourage them to talk not just about the food they brought but also about the materials used to package and wrap their lunches.
Ask students about the kinds of materials that they have in their lunch bags/boxes.
Some common materials you may find range from plastic bags, soda cans, paper bags, plastic forks and spoons etc. After getting some responses, ask where most of the trash generated from their lunch ends up?
Talk about the difference between trash and recyclables. Students should have some previous knowledge about what is recyclable and what is not but make sure to take a moment to gauge their understanding during this lesson.
Now introduce the concept of a waste stream: a set of waste or recyclable materials generated by a particular activity. Write down the word “lunch” on the blackboard. Circle the word and begin to create waste streams stemming from the lunch (ie. Paper, plastic, organics, metal etc.).
Everything we throw away contributes to the waste stream. We have developed ways to reduce the amount of trash we contribute through a process called “recycling”. Define recycling for students: recycling involves recovering used materials to process into new products or materials. The process is intended to prevent the waste of potentially useful materials.
Ask students what kinds of wastes they recycle at home or in school? Which waste is recycled the most in the U.S.? (answer is paper) Talk about what is locally recyclable in your region and in your school. Close this discussion and explain that in this activity we will think about new and creative ways to re-use materials that cannot be easily recycled like electronic wastes, clothing, certain plastics and other materials.
Step Two: Investigating Impacts and New Uses (Investigate) (10 minutes)
Now let’s get down to business. Talk with students about some of the wastes we commonly recycle including plastics, metals and paper. Define these wastes to students:
• Plastics - Certain kinds of plastics may not be recyclable because they are made of special polymer structures that won’t melt down with other plastics.
• Metals - Aluminum, tin and steel are the most common materials. However, gold and other heavy metals are recycled from computers and other electronic waste.
• Paper and Cardboard - Some paper products are not recyclable because there is a wax layer coated on the paper
• Organic Matter - Organic wastes (like food scraps and garden waste) can be composted (broken down naturally) and used to fertilized crops or gardens. Dairy and meat products cannot be composted in most systems.
• Glass - Most glass is easily recycled
Now lets consider wastes that we don’t often recycle or cannot recycle because of their material composition. Most wastes are not recycled because it’s difficult to isolate the raw material components. Ask students to think about everyday things that are not easily recycled:
• Clothing and Textiles
• Styrofoam - Styrofoam is often used as a generic term for expanded polystyrene foam manufactured from petroleum.
• Plastic Bags
• E-Waste - Electronic wastes including things like televisions, computers, and other electronics.
After discussing these examples, ask students about the importance of recycling. What’s the big deal anyway? How does recycling relate to me and why?
Recycling helps save energy and water by preventing the need to manufacture new materials or products. Recycling also helps save space in landfills, eliminating many water quality and land-use issues. (Note: every recycling program has its flaws and is specific to the region where it is implemented--the goal of this lesson is to help students understand the need to conserve resources and think creatively about re-using materials).
Math Connection
As a math extension, you can calculate the amount of energy or water saved by recycling one bottle, can or other material. You can also calculate the volume of space saved in a landfill by recycling a particular material. There are many tools available online like the
Environmental Defense Fund's Paper Calculator to help you or students make these calculations.
Now setup your design challenge. Explain that students will be divided into “Green Design Teams”. Each team will focus on one material that cannot be recycled easily like Styrofoam or plastic bags. Teams will be challenged to sketch and design a prototype that communicates a new use for their raw material. Students will then present their ideas and discuss how these designs help mitigate environmental impacts. Make sure that your objectives are focused for this activity.
Warm-Up Activity Extension: Recycled Knitting and Crochet
If time permits use this warm-up activity to get students thinking creatively about re-using materials that cannot be recycled easily. An easy and simple activity is to knit or crochet with plastic bags or old clothing. To create “yarn” simply cut up a continuous strip of material from a plastic bag or old t-shirt by cutting a circular path around the base or top of the bag or shirt. Once you have 5-10 feet worth of “yarn” to work with, you can teach students how to knit or crochet. (
https://www.theyarnco.com/instruction.php). A simple 10-20 minute activity you can do with students is making a 4" by 4" potholder or dish rag out of old t-shirts. See
https://www.instructables.com/id/Knit-a-Dishcloth-from-old-Clothes/
Another great idea is to make a loom with students to weave together your plastic yarn or to simply hand weave the plastic into a pouch, basket or bag. You can make a loom using an old picture frame, some cardboard and clamps. (see
https://www.hallnet.com/Build.html)
1. Using a frame that is about 24 - 30 inches wide the first step is to warp your loom.
2. First, take a very long piece of thread; wool or thick cotton work well. Tie one end in a double knot around the bottom cross-piece of the loom.
3. Loop the thread under and over the top cross-piece and bring it down to the bottom and do the same. The warp thread should be kept tight but not so tight that you can't lift the warps up with one finger.
4. Continue looping around the top and the bottom cross-pieces making a figure eight pattern each time you go up and back.
5. When you have around 20 or so loops, you can make more or fewer if you like, tie the warp thread off at the top cross-piece.
6. Now it’s time to learn weaving on your frame loom. You will need a chopstick for this next step.
7. The first step is to cut a length of weft yarn that is long enough to make several passes across the loom, about 4 feet will do.
8. Next, insert the chopstick into the warp threads going from one side of the loom to the other and just above where the threads cross in the middle of the loom. Then pull the chopstick down to the bottom of the loom. This creates tension in the warp threads. The thread will fall down towards the chopstick.
9. Now, take the shed stick - the long flat piece of wood you made at the same time as the loom - and weave it in and out of the warp threads, going under the lower threads and over the top ones
10. With one hand on either end of the shed stick, twist it so that it opens a new shed. Pass your ball of weft yarn through this shed from left to right.
11. Don't pull the yarn tight! Make an arc as the yarn goes across the warp threads from left to right. This will leave enough slack so that, as you continue to weave, the tension in the piece will not cause the sides to pull together.
12. Now flatten the shed stick again and pull it out of the loom. Your ball of wool should be on the right and you will be able to see the first two rows of weaving. Using the tines of the fork, push the weft yarn from the last shot down towards the first row. Pack it down nice and tight.
13. You now have a natural shed once again and you can pass the ball of yarn back from the right to the left. Again, don't pull it tight, try and leave a small arc to create some slack.
14. With the shed stick repeat the previous steps, going under the lower threads and over the top threads. Twist the shed stick to open up a new shed and pass your ball of wool back from the left to the right. Remove the shed stick and pack the weft threads together with your fork.
Step Three: Let the Design Challenge Begin! (Frame/Reframe - Generate) (20 minutes)
After design teams have been assembled. Give each team a category or material to work with: electronic waste, old clothing, plastic bags, juice pouches and yogurt containers, soda can tabs and caps among others. (Note: using certain e-wastes may be dangerous, please use your discretion and when in doubt use multiples of a safe category). Each team should get a box filled with their material waste.
As an extension, ask each team to independently research their waste material area - what are some of the specific environmental impacts associated with the material and why can’t it be recycled?
Focus teams by suggesting that they design an accessory or body armament that can easily clip onto an existing piece of clothing or some part of their body. Reference military designs, science uniforms or NASA space suits for ideas. (See PDF)
Each team should be given 15-20 minutes to brainstorm and write down some ideas about what they can do with their material. Each team should generate 2-3 sketches from their brainstorm with a description of each. Require that each design be something functional, meaning it must be something a consumer can wear or use in her or his every day life.
- Soda-tab purse
- Juice Carton Wallet
- Cardboard hats, jackets or anything!
- Plastic bag ropes
- Ethernet Hats
Consider using some examples found in the Cooper-Hewitt’s National Design Triennial Catalog to further drive home the innovative techniques and strategies designers are using in relationship to sustainability. For instance the design firm Fin has invented
AgriPlast, a plastic alternative that can be used for making eating utensils, suitcases, and protective caps. It is made from 50-75% field grass that surrounds the manufacturing facilities of Biowert, AgriPlast’s maker, and 25-50% polyethylene, polystyrene, or polypropylene. Fin Spring/Summer 2010 Collection Fin uses organic bamboo and wool, recycled polyester, and wild silk in its clothing designs.
These spoons are made from the biodegradable plasic alternative, Agriplast.
Alpaca Velvet, Ditto, Gather 006, and Horsehair Striae 003 Textiles - Horsehair Striae 003, Alpaca Velvet, Gather 006, and Ditto are textiles designed and produced by Maharam which exemplify the company’s ongoing desire to live by the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) while creating beautiful and high-performing textiles. Ditto for instance uses primarily post-consumer recycled polyester, mainly from plastic bottles, to create a performance textile used primarily by the health sector.
Step Four: Design Lab (Edit and Develop) (30 minutes)
Now that each team has some ideas ready, ask a team leader to select one design to work with. Challenge each team to come up with a 3D model or design from these materials. Use materials like tape, string, glue and flexible wire to assist students in creating their body ornaments.
Step Five: Storytelling (Share, Evaluate and Finalize)
After designing a prototype for their new designs, each team will now develop a story or explanation for their creations. Ask each member of the team to tell a story about how the design is used, what materials it saves from the trash and how this may positively impact the environment.
Share stories from each team and discuss as a class some favorite designs and ideas.
Step Six: Reflect (Articulate)
To close your lesson, reflect on some of the major concepts covered. Remind students about the importance of recycling, conservation of materials and the pivotal role of the designer to eliminate wastes and come up with new and functional designs that can be used in the real world.