Watch this video to see the impact recycling has with our environment.
Do you know what is recycling? And what can be recycled?
Recycling is the process of re-using a given product (beyond its intended use), or producing a new product from a recyclable material.
Most of us are pretty familiar with the concept of recycling our paper and plastic materials. But what about their hybrid counterpart: the carton? Despite the second-life value, many cartons do not get recycled. In 2009, at least half a million tons of carton waste ended up in landfills. Landfills are filling up, ten years from now half of our landfills will be closed! In 1978 there were 14,000 landfills in the U.S. Today there are less than 6,000.
Milk containers are
made from paperboard coated with a waterproof plastic, generally polyethylene.
The wood pulp that is used to make paperboard for milk cartons is a blend of
softwood and hardwood. Softwood is usually a type of pine, though the actual trees
used vary depending on the location of the paper mill. Softwood produces long
wood fibers that provide strength to the paperboard. Hardwood comes from
deciduous trees such as oaks. Hardwood has shorter fibers that make for a
better printing surface. Pulp for milk carton board is usually 60% hardwood and
40% soft.
Recycling your cartons is a great way to keep unnecessary waste out of landfills, but your green contribution doesn’t stop there. The paper in cartons comes from a renewable resource that is responsibly replenished – trees! This means you are conserving energy by choosing a sustainable product package in the first place.
The
purpose of this project is to contribute to make a positive impact on our
planet by researching and finding innovative ways in which you can reuse or
recycle milk cartons.
*image courtesy of popuppoems.com
For more information on recycling mystery on milk cartons CLICK HERE!
Watch these next videos that explain about the process of recycling milk cartons.
2. List your personal understanding, ideas or hunches.
Now that you are familiar with earth contamination and the recycling process you will write everything you know about the impact of recycling carton in reducing contamination. Describe your thoughts or ideas about how to solve the problem. There are not incorrect answers in this step, just feel free to brainstorm your ideas.
It is very important that you think also on how contamination affects the . . .
- LAND - LITHOSPHERE
- AIR - ATMOSPHERE
- WATER - HYDROSPHERE
- LIVING THINGS - BIOSPHERE
After this task you will be assigned to work in teams of 4 in order to finish this project.
Each team member will be assigned with a role:
Member 1- The record keeper: The one who writes down everything discussed in your team meetings.
Member 2- The tech-designer: The one who will be designing the Powerpoint or Glogster for presentation.
Member 3- The artist: The one who will be making a craft of a sample in recycling milk cartons.
Member 4- The speaker: The main speaker when presenting.
3. List what is known.
With your team use all the information available in the scenario to list everything that you know about recycling milk cartons. You do not have to conduct any research yet. Just use the information given and write the facts that you already know about ways to recycling milk cartons.
4. List what is unknown.
With your team make a list about what you do not know and will like to learn. List all the questions you will need to answer to solve the problem.
1.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. List what needs to be done.
"What should we do?" List actions to be taken, e.g., question an expert, get on-line data, visit library. List possible actions.
"What should we do?" List actions to be taken, e.g., question an expert, get on-line data, visit library. List possible actions.
6. Develop a problem statement.
You will be responsible for thinking and choosing one of the questions to solve the problem.A problem statement should come from your
analysis of what you know. In one or two sentences you
should be able to describe what it is that your group is
trying to solve, produce, respond to, or find out. The
problem statement may have to be revised as new
information is discovered and brought to bear on the
situation.
7. Gather information
Use all the resources available (Internet, library, etc) to research about the problem/topic and find a solution.
8. Present Findings
- You will create a power point presentation or a glogster to present your findings.
- You will also recycle a milk carton by making a craft to demonstrate a possible suggested solution in re-using a milk carton.
- For ideas in making the craft, please look at the following links or research on your own:
- http://edutask.com/crafts-for-kids/crafts-from-milk-cartons.shtml
- http://www.squidoo.com/recycledmilkcartons
- http://www.make-stuff.com/recycling/milkcartons.html
- http://familycrafts.about.com/od/milkcartoncrafts/Milk_Carton_Crafts.htm
- http://www.craftbits.com/project/milk-carton-craft-ideas
- http://www.easy-child-crafts.com/milk-carton-crafts.html
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At the end of the project a field trip will be organized to go and visit the City of McAllen Recycling Center in order to learn about the benefits of recycling and composting.
After completing the project and presenting your findings, each member in your team will complete the following Teamwork Rubric Questions.
In order to complete the Rubric you need to==> CLICK HERE
and submit them when finished.
Teamwork RUBRIC Questions
In order to complete the Rubric you need to==> CLICK HERE
and submit them when finished.
Teamwork RUBRIC Questions
| Questions | ||||||
| 4 Rating: Are all your questions related to the scenario? | 3 Rating: Each participating member listed at least two questions related to the scenario. | 2 Rating: Question list contains a variety of questions. | 1 Rating: Questions are listed but may not be related to the scenario. | 0 Rating: Not present |
Rationale
Explain your rating and explain how each member helped:
| |
| Multiple perspectives on each question | ||||||
| 4 Rating: You consider all group member ideas and give feedback. | 3 Rating: Some ideas are considered and you give some feedback. | 2 Rating: There is more than one idea and you begin to answer some team questions. | 1 Rating: Ideas remain separate since individual members answer only their own questions. | 0 Rating: Not present |
Rationale
Explain your rating with specific references to your work as evidence:
| |
| Support for answers | ||||||
| 4 Rating: Answers are partially supported and the kind of evidence needed to support them is described. | 3 Rating: Answers are partially supported with evidence from prior knowledge. | 2 Rating: Answers are supportable. | 1 Rating: Only answers are given, without reasons. | 0 Rating: Not present | Rationale Explain your rating with specific references to your work as evidence: | |
| List what needs to be done | ||||||
| 4 Rating: A thorough investigation is planned and described with individual roles, types of resources and expected outcomes. | 3 Rating: An investigation that builds on itself with ways for team members to share as they do research, not just at the end. | 2 Rating: A list of tasks with roles and expectations is given. | 1 Rating: The questions are divided up to be answered by different group members. | 0 Rating: Not present | Rationale Explain your rating with specific references to your work as evidence: | |
| Creation of problem statement | ||||||
| 4 Rating: A problem is described with an explanation about why it is important to the scenario. | 3 Rating: A problem is discussed in terms of how it addresses the scenario. | 2 Rating: A problem is accepted and an explanation is given for choosing this statement over others. | 1 Rating: A problem is suggested and accepted without considering other options. | 0 Rating: Not present | Rationale Explain your rating with specific references to your work as evidence: | |
RESOURCES:
- http://fli.hws.edu/myplace/SchoolRecyclingPresentationGuide.pdf
- http://www.whytorecycle.com/why-recycle/
- http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Milk-Carton.html
