LessonName:RecyclingandNaturalResources:TheHumanityImpact

SubjectArea:LifeandEarthSciences

GradeLevel:HighSchooltoAdultLearners

Createdby:LisaOBrienandLoisBuggShadrick

StateCurriculumStandardsAddressed:
Resource=http://www.nextgenscience.org/
ESS3.A:NaturalResources
Resourceavailabilityhasguidedthe
developmentofhumansociety.(HSESS31)
Allformsofenergyproductionandotherresource
extractionhaveassociatedeconomic,social,
environmental,andgeopoliticalcostsandrisksaswell
asbenefits.Newtechnologiesandsocialregulationscan
changethebalanceofthesefactors.(HSESS32)
ESS3.C:HumanImpactsonEarthSystems
Thesustainabilityofhumansocietiesandthebiodiversitythatsupportsthemrequiresresponsible
managementofnaturalresources.(HSESS33)
Scientistsandengineerscanmakemajorcontributionsbydevelopingtechnologiesthatproduce
lesspollutionandwasteandthatprecludeecosystemdegradation.(HSESS34)
LS4.D:BiodiversityandHumans
Biodiversityisincreasedbytheformationofnewspecies(speciation)anddecreasedbythelossof
species(extinction).(secondarytoHSLS27)
Humansdependonthelivingworldfortheresourcesandotherbenefitsprovidedbybiodiversity.
Buthumanactivityisalsohavingadverseimpactsonbiodiversitythroughoverpopulation,
overexploitation,habitatdestruction,pollution,introductionofinvasivespecies,andclimatechange.
Thussustainingbiodiversitysothatecosystemfunctioningandproductivityaremaintainedis
essentialtosupportingandenhancinglifeonEarth.Sustainingbiodiversityalsoaidshumanityby
preservinglandscapesofrecreationalorinspirationalvalue.(secondarytoHSLS27),(HSLS46.)

CourseDeliveryModeOnlineAsynchronous

TimeAllocation:Twoweeks.Firstweektoreviewmaterialsandcompletefirstreflections/discussion.
Secondweektocreateprojectandfinalreflection/discussion.

NumberofStudents:20students(duetogroupsandgrading)

AbilityLevel:Basicphysical,lifeandearthscienceconcepts

LearningObjectives:
1. Studentswillbeabletoidentifyrenewableandnonrenewableresourcesandrelatetotheneedfor
recycling
2. Studentswillbeabletodescribehowtheprocessofrecyclingoccurs(householdtonext
manufactuer)
3. Studentswillbeabletodiscusstheprosandconsofrecycling
4. Studentswillbeabletodiscusstheprosandconsofusing/creatingproductsfromrecycledversus
virginmaterials

StepbyStepProcedure:
1. (Dueday3offirstweek)Firstposttoyourblogthefollowing:
a. Viewthepictureswhichdoyoumostalignwithandwhy?

2. Viewthevideo.Respondinthediscussionboard/circleaboutyourthoughtsonwhatwas
presentedandanyquestionsitraised.Discusspossibleanswers/solutionswithyour
classmates:http://youtu.be/dAL9Xvrg3hI(GreatPacificGarbagePatch)
3. Whatarerenewableandnonrenewableresources?Viewvideo,takingnotes,where
needed,toreferbacktoinsupportforfurtherdiscussionsandyourproject.Natural
Resources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxHdUd_Q12Y
4. Whatisrecycledandaretherebenefits?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MToVO552s
5. Recyclingisnotnecessaryandactuallycanharmtheenvironment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGdtLxE9nek
6. Whatdoesittaketominesomeoftheresourcesweuse?Viewthevideo,takingnotes,
whereneeded,toreferbacktoinsupportforfurtherdiscussionsandyourproject.Open
PitMining:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WbaONJEbREUndergroundMining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_tDoTvQ6A
7. Whathappenstotheitemsyouputintherecyclebin?Watchthevideo,takingnotes,
whereneeded,toreferbacktoinsupportforfurtherdiscussionsandyourproject.
WastteManagementRecylingprocessatplant:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv2WayKeUs
8. Howarenewproductscreatedfromold?Watchthevideo,takingnotes,whereneeded,
toreferbacktoinsupportforfurtherdiscussionsandyourproject.Recyclingprocess
andnewproducts:Aluminumrecycling:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOpGhAdQFEY
9. Readthearticleregardingtheeconomicsofrecycling.
http://www.catounbound.org/2013/06/03/michaelcmunger/recyclingcanitbewrongw
henitfeelssoright
10. Readthearticleonrecycledversusvirginpaperproducts.
http://smalbusinesses.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/differencesbetweenvirginandrecycl
edpaper/

11. Reviewtheprojectrubric,meetwithyourgroupmembers(asassignedorcreatedbased
ontopic)todeterminewhattopicyouwillbecreatingyourprojecton,decidingonthe
detailsandwhoisresponsibleandtheformatinwhichyouwillbepresentingyour
project.Poolyourideasandsupportforthoseideasasyoustartgatheringinformation
anddecidingonwhoyoucanbepersuasiveinsellingyourapproach.Duebyendof
secondweek.
12. Postonthediscussionboardyourviewsonyourroleasastewardoftheland.Support
allyourviewswithdatapertainingtothepros/consofrecycling,materialuseandharvest,
whetheritisrenewableornotandtheeconomicorotheraspectsthatsupportyourview.
13. Posttoyourblogareflectiononhowyourpositionmayormaynothavechangedon
recycling.Supportyourviewsanddiscussanyinformationthatmaybeastumbling
blockforyou.

ResourcesandAdaptationsforSpecialLearners:
Resourcesarelistedaboveinstepbystepinstructions
DiverseLearners:
Videoshaveclosedcaption
Emailorblogwithprofessionalsinvideos/resourcestogainmoreinformation
Blogs/DiscussionscanbeVlogs
Increasedtimecanbeallottedbasedonneed
Articlescanbeaccessedthatareaudiosofthematerial(teacherwouldneedtoread,recordand
providethelinkviaascreencastorvideo)
Teacherwillhaveaconferencewithspeciallearnertodiscusstheirpossiblerolesingroupwork
andhelpnavigatethedecisiontodiscloseandhowmuchwithothergroupmembers.

LearnerProducts:
Studentswillchooseoneofthefollowingoptionsorcreatetheirownandproduceamultimedia
presentationintheirsmallgroup(36people)tobepresentedtotheclassviaGoogleDrive.Possible
projectsinclude:
a. promotebetter/greaterrecyclingintheschool/businessenvironment
b. promptbusinessestoadaptproceduresthatusemorerecycledproducts/lessnatural
resources
c. educatethepubliconwhyrecyclingisimportantandhowtoshopsmart
d. CreateaPSApromotingrecycling,reducingand/orreusingresources.
e. Createamusicvideo,raporspokenwordpieceaboutatopiccoveredthisunit.

StudentAssessment:
1. BlogPostWeekOne:Studentswillviewthetwopicturesprovidedanddescribetheirthoughts.
Dotheyagreewiththepictures?Ifso,whichonedoyoumostalignwithandwhy?Thiswill
begintheprocessofidentifyingwhattheirstandsareonrecycling.Inlaterreflections,students
willreflectagainontheirstanceandusedata(fromtheobjectives)tosupporttheirviews.
2. DiscussionBoardWeekOne:Studentswillreflectonthefirstvideo(GarbagePatchand
MidwayIsland)inthediscussionboard/circlefortheclass.Theywillgeneratequestionstobe
answered,suchashowdiditthegarbagegetthere,coulditberecycled,whydoesntanyone
removeit,whatcanI/wedotodecreasethegarbagethatendsuphere?Theresearchtoanswer
thesequestionsmayalsobecomethebasisfortheirprojects.
3. BlogPostWeekTwo:Finalreflectionwillbetoreflectonhowtheirattitudesmayhave
changedorstayedthesame.Theymustsupporttheirviewsbasedondatarelevanttothetypeof
resources,therecycleprocessandthecost/impactofrecyclingornottotheenvironment/public.
4. DiscussionBoardWeekTwo:clearlyarticulateyourroleinEarthstewardshiporstateyour
positionanddefenditonrecyclingand/orstewardshipofplanetEarth.Includeinyourdiscussion
thetypesofresourcesbeingused/recycled,economic/environmentalimpactandsocietalissues
thatmayplayarole.

GroupWorkAssessment
PeerCollaborationEvaluationRubric
ProjectAssessment
GroupProjectProductRubric

PictureSources:
EarthinLeaf:Source:http://www.wmu.com/index.php?q=wmu/about/onlinecopyrightnotice
DontRecyclepicture:
http://howcanihelpsandiego.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/06/NoRecycleNoCry.png
RecycleFuturepicture:http://ccjhs.shcsc.k12.in.us/RecyclingPage0910/RecyclingPage0910.htm