WebQuest Template

Recycling
A WebQuest for 2nd Grade
Designed by Rebecca Whitney

Introduction
Hey, students! Have you ever heard of the three Rs? The three Rs are reduce, reuse, and recycle. Do
you recycle in your house? What are some things you recycle? Why do you think we recycle? Start
thinking about these questions before we embark on our recycling WebQuest. Get geared up to learn
all about trash! Doesnt that sound fun? In this lesson, we are going to explore the three Rs- reduce,
reuse, and recycling in an online WebQuest. The big question we will be exploring is What is recycling
and why is it important?

Task
Tasks:

Problem- what is recycling?

Problem or mystery to be solved- what can be recycled?

Problem or mystery to be solved- when is the recycling pick up in your community?

Product to be designed- design your own recycling plan for the school.

Process
To accomplish the task, what steps should the learners go through? Remember that this whole
document is addressed to the student so describe the steps using the second person.
1.

First you'll be handed your designated iPad to complete the WebQuest.

2.

Watch the short video about recycling on YouTube. Click on the link this link and enjoy! The
song is super catchy! Try to remember the words because we might sing it as a class later
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaFpv03hq-4

3.

Explore The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences webpage about recycling.
Write in a word document what each R means. Give me a short one-sentence definition of
what reduce, reuse, and recycle means to you after reading the web page. Print our your word
document and hand it in to me. Make sure your name is on it!
Link: http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/explore/reduce/

WebQuest Template
4.

Play Recycle Round Up and sort the items into their correct bin: Recycling bin, compost bin,
and trash bin. What can be recycled? Play the game once and record your number or correct
items recycled and number of incorrect items. After you record your results, play again and try
to beat your high score!

Link: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/actiongames/recycle-roundup/
5.

Work with your table group and look up what street the recycling and trash is picked up.
Follow the link to the Mt. Lebannon recycling schedule and determine which days trash and
recycling is picked up on your street. Please see teacher for help if neededthe schedule can
be a tad bit confusing! Try your best!
Link: http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2785

6.

Now it is time to design your own recycling program for the school! Work in your pods (table
groups) to develop a way to reduce, reuse, and recycle in your school! This is your opportunity
to be creative. Type out your plan on a GoogleDocs and once you are finished, be prepared to
present it to the class. Make sure you answer the following questions question in your
recycling plan!

7.

What can you do to better the recycling program in your school?

How are you going to recycling in your school? Are you going to put recycling bins in
all the classrooms?
How are you going to communicate the new recycling program to your school? Are you
going to create a video for the morning news? Hold a school meeting? How?
How are you going to monitor the recycling in your school? Are you going to designate
a recycling leader for each classroom? Ask the custodian staff for support? How will
you monitor your new plan?

Once youve finished your GoogleDoc Recycling plan, print it out and hand it in!
Congratulations, youve completed the three Rs WebQuest! Note: We will continue working on
your plans at a later time as a whole class. As a class, we will brainstorm based off of
everyones ideas and create a school wide recycling plan! Get excited!!!!

Evaluation
Describe to the learners how their performance will be evaluated. Specify whether there will be a
common grade for group work vs. individual grades. You may want to have separate rubrics for
individual and group work. Customize the rubric below for your WebQuest.

Beginning

Developing

Accomplishe
d

Exemplary
4

3
The student
The student
wrote a
wrote 2 of the
definition for
three
just one of the
definitions

The student
wrote all three
definition of the
Rs but the

The student
wrote a
correct onesentence

Score

WebQuest Template
Reduce,
Reuse, and
Recycle
definition

three Rs.

required for
the 3 Rs.

definitions were
either incorrect
or were not
explained using
full sentences.

definition of
what each of
the three Rs
mean.

Recycle
Round Up
Game

Student did
not properly
use their time
to play the
recycle round
up activity.

Student only
played the round
up activity once
and recorded
their score.

Student
played the
recycle round
up activity
twice and
recorder their
score both
times.

School
Recycling
Plan

Students
turned in an
Student did
Students turned
incomplete
not use time
in an incomplete
recycling
wisely and
recycling plan.
plan. The plan
never turned
The plan only
only
in a group
answered 3 of
answered 1-2
recycling plan.
the 4 questions.
of the 4
questions.

Student
turned in a
detailed
recycling plan
and answered
all four of the
four questions
appropriately.

Student were
off task.
Student were
disruptive
Student
during the
needed 2 or
WebQuest
more
time and did
reminders to
not work
stay on task
independently.
but still
Student did
completed the
not
assignment.
collaborate
with the
group.

Student
worked
quietly and
independently
during the
Webquest and
collaborated
with their
group for the
entire lesson.
Student
asked
questions
when needed.

Work Time

Student
played game
but did not
record their
scores.

Student needed
one reminder to
stay on task but
still completed
the assignment.

Conclusion
Wow, weve accomplished a lot throughout this WebQuest! Please extend your thinking at home. Here
are some questions you can ask your parents:
Do we recycle? What do we recycle? How many bags of trash do we generate every week? Do you
think we can try to cut X amounts of bags per week in half? What day does the trash go out?
Recycling? Where does the recycling go?
Here is some additional information to explore!

WebQuest Template
Credits & References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaFpv03hq-4
http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2785
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/games/actiongames/recycle-roundup/
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/explore/reduce/

This template has been slightly modified for this course. The original template can be found
at: http://webquest.sdsu.edu/designpatterns/GENERIC/webquest.htm