Recycling Service Learning Activity
Initial Publication Date: February 17, 2010
Summary
Increase recycling on campus and in the community
Context
Audience
Introductory Environmental Geology for non-majors and Survey of Geology for non-majors
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
Understanding of resources and waste
How the activity is situated in the course
The project is semester long.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
Understanding of resources, waste
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
Other skills goals for this activity
searching the web, working on groups, formulating arguments, oral presentation,
Description of the activity/assignment
The recycling project begins with students learning about waste and resources. They complete background assignments about the energy and materials required to manufacture paper, aluminum, etc. They study landfills and the issues related to space, pollution, etc. They look at what is different if these things are recycled. The students work in groups of two or three and adopt and academic building on campus. They educate the staff and faculty about recycling - what can be recycled and where. They arrange to pick-up paper from each office. My hope is that the college faculty, staff and students will eventually recycle paper at common bins and that our project will progress to adding other recyclables to our project.
Determining whether students have met the goals
Students will have two initial assignments. The first one will be a discussion followed by a paper about the benefits of recycling. The second one is a brief "talking points" poster they will use to educate the campus community. The third part of the project is actually recycling. The students will be graded by peer reviews and completing pick-ups in their assigned areas. The students must also participate in one aluminum pick-up per semester and volunteer at the community recycling center once per semester (if functional)
More information about assessment tools and techniques.Teaching materials and tips
Other Materials
- 8-block for Recycling (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 12kB Feb7 10)