TCNJ Unit Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan 3: Garbage Collectors

Student Name​: Cindy Napolitano School Name​: Hopewell Elementary School

Grade Level​: Kindergarten ​Host Teacher’s Name​: Ms. Delloiacono

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

What does a garbage collector do and how do they contribute to the community?

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge:

Students will have experienced two lessons within this unit prior to this lesson. The prior lessons
will provide the students with a solid framework of what a community is, and how community
helpers work together to help the people within Hopewell. In addition to the information from
this unit, students have all had a chance to be a “garbage helper” as their classroom job which
will serve as background knowledge and experience in which I will refer to while teaching this
content. Lastly, the majority of students have encountered garbage, recycling, garbage trucks,
and garbage collectors in their everyday lives. Some misconceptions may be that all garbage
collectors are male, garbage collectors are different than recycling collectors, and students may
not be aware of what happens to waste after it is collected.

Standards:

6.1.P.B.2: Identify, discuss, and role-play the duties of a range of community workers.

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessment

Students will be able to identify a garbage
collector and their role within the community.
During the read aloud, teacher will ask
comprehension questions about the book and
assess for accuracy. Teacher will also listen
for accuracy as students “turn and talk” after
the story.

Students will be able to distinguish between At Center 1, students will sort household
recycling and garbage. items into two piles, based on if they are
recyclable or not. Teacher will assess for
accuracy.
 Students will be able to identify a garbage
truck and its role in the job of a garbage
collector.
At Center 2, students will participate in an art
activity in which they will create a garbage
truck and paste garbage into it. During this,
teacher will lead a discussion about the role of
the garbage truck and will assess for accuracy
in student responses.

Materials/Resources:​ (List materials, include any online or book references and resources)

Introduction:
● Anchor chart paper
● Markers
● Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman
● Picture of garbage collector
Center 1:
● Household trash and recycling objects
● “Recyclable” sign
● “Garbage” sign
Center 2:
● Pre-cut garbage truck pieces
● Construction paper
● Crayons
● Glue
● Scissors

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Introduction​: Clues will be pre-written prior to the start of the lesson. Picture of garbage
collector for “reveal” will be pasted on the chart paper prior to the start of the lesson.
Center 1​: Household trash and recycling objects will be brought in and placed in a large bucket,
all mixed together. Recycling and garbage signs will be used to designate two piles for students
to sort the materials into.
Center 2: ​Pieces of the garbage truck will be pre-cut. Crayons, glue, and scissors can be found
in the community bins located at each center.

Step by Step plan:

Introduction
1. After the completion of morning meeting, I will call students by color tables to meet on the
rug in rows. When all students arrive, I will tell them that I will be giving them clues to guess
the community helper that we will be studying today.
2. I will then reveal the first clue. While keeping the next two clues covered, I will read aloud
and uncover clue #1, which will read, “You can see me outside of your house 2-3 times a week.”
3. After giving the students some time to think, I will ask if anyone has any ideas of what it could
be. I will then reveal clue #2 which will read “I use a very big truck to do my job.”
4. Once again, I will ask for a few guesses, and then I will reveal clue #3, which will read “I help
to keep our town clean.”
5. After I have revealed all of the clues, I will ask for a few more guesses and then I will reveal
the picture of the garbage collector.
6. I will then explain to the class that today we will be studying garbage collectors. I will tell
them that garbage collectors use trucks to collect garbage and recycling from our homes, in order
to keep our town clean.
7. I will then share with them that we are going to read the story Trashy Town, which tells the
story of Mr. Gilly, who is a garbage collector.
8. As I read the story, I will periodically ask comprehension and thought extension questions.
9. When the story is over, I will have students turn and talk with an assigned partner about what
they think a garbage collector does. I will then have 2-3 pairs of students share their responses.
10. After confirming their responses, I will explain to them that we will be moving to morning
centers, and that two of our centers will include activities that will help us learn more about
garbage collectors.
Center 1:
1. When students arrive to center 1, I will explain to them that at this center we will be
exploring the difference between garbage and recycling. I will explain that this is
important because we must sort our trash into these two categories in order to help
garbage collectors do their jobs.
2. I will then assess students prior knowledge on the topic by asking them if they can name
some items that are recycled and some that are thrown in the trash. After they provide
some responses, I will explain the major differences between recycling and garbage
(plastic, paper, vs styrofoam, food waste, etc).
3. After this discussion, I will explain to students that we will be sorting items that I brought
in into two piles, garbage and recycling. We will then work together as a group to do so.
As students sort, I will ask them why they decide to put certain items in each pile.
4. If students finish before time is up, I will ask each student to go around the room and find
one thing to add to the recycling pile and one item that can be added to the garbage pile.
5. Lastly, I will assess the piles for accuracy, and use any incorrectly placed items as a basis
for discussion.
6. When time is up, students will stand and point to their next center before rotating.
Center 2:
1. As students arrive to center 2, Caroline will explain to them that they will be making their
own garbage trucks today. She will then lead a discussion about what garbage collectors
use garbage trucks for, and ask questions such as “Has anyone ever seen a garbage truck
before? Where?”
2. After the discussion, Caroline will distribute materials for students to construct their
garbage trucks. First, they will glue all of the pieces onto a larger piece of construction
paper.
3. After all parts are glued down, students will use crayons to color and decorate their
garbage trucks.
 4. After it is colored, Caroline will have students glue tissue paper coming out of the back
of the truck to represent garbage and recycling in the truck.
5. If students finish before time is up, they can choose a book about garbage collectors and
read on the rug.
Closure
1. I will call students to the rug by centers and instruct them to sit in rows.
2. Once students arrive and are seated in rows, I will have students turn and talk with their
partners about what garbage collectors do, and how they do it.
3. I will then have each partner share their ideas.
4. After this discussion, students will return to their seats in order to prepare for lunch.

Key Questions​:

Have you ever seen a garbage collector?

Where have you seen him/her?
How do you know which things to recycle?
How do you know which things to put in the garbage?
Have you ever seen a garbage truck?
Where have you seen it?
Do you know what they do?

Logistics​:

Timing:

● Lesson beginning: 10 minutes

● Center 1: 30 minutes
● Center 2: 30 minutes
● Closing: 5 minutes

Transitions:

Students begin seated in rows on the rug for the introduction. Students will then be broken into
their math groups and assigned a center to report to. In between centers, students will be asked
to stand and point to their next center prior to rotating. After centers, students will return back to
the rug and sit in rows.

Classroom Management:

Typically, classroom management is not a main concern in this classroom during centers.
However, on the rug, Caroline will assist with any behaviors that may arise. For turn and talk
activities, I will assign partners as to reduce any issues.

Differentiation:
Early finishers will be encouraged to read books about garbage collectors from the community
helper book bin. Since we are working in centers, any students who appear to be struggling with
any concepts can be easily addressed by Caroline or myself. At center one, struggling students
may use their group mates as resources. If the entire group struggles, I will use modeling,
prompting, and additional clues to guide students.