The Arts

This resource provides ideas for using the concept of paper recycling in lesson plans in several different subject areas, including Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Mathematics, and Visual Arts. Some sample activity ideas include analyzing different fiber lengths in various paper types (including recycled) and studying the economic costs involved in paper recycling.

Students explore the challenges of saving the prairie-chicken in its American habitat, and study the habits of prairie-chickens. They explore what is being done to save them, and conserve the areas in which they live.  This lesson is best suited for grades 3-5, and adheres to National Geography Standards.

Students track the amount of junk mail received at their homes in one week and use the collected data to estimate how much junk mail would accumulate in a year. Then they explore ways to solve the junk mail problem. This lesson is best suited for grades 3-12 and adheres to National Fine Arts, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Sciences Standards.

Students learn how long trash lasts in landfills in a cooperative activity. They work together in groups to formulate their best estimates of how long some trash items might last in a landfill and learn about the environmental consequences of not recycling. This lesson is best suited for grades 3-8 and adheres to National Fine Arts, Language Arts, Mathematics, and Technology Standards.

Students observe, classify, measure, compare, and describe forest resources and forest products. Students then construct different projects by reusing and recycling products made from natural resources. This lesson is best suited for grades K-4, and adheres to Virginia State Technology, Writing, and Science Standards of Learning.