Students bury various pieces of trash in a plotted area of land outside. After two to three months, they uncover the trash to investigate what types of materials biodegrade in soil.
Students explore the concept of biodegradability by building and observing model landfills to test the decomposition of samples of everyday garbage items. They collect and record experiment observations over five days, seeing for themselves what happens to trash when it is thrown "away" in a landfill environment. This shows them the difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable and serves to introduce them to the idea of composting. Students also learn about the role of engineering in solid waste management.
Students design and build model landfills using materials similar to those used by engineers for full-scale landfills. Their completed small-size landfills are "rained" on and subjected to other erosion processes. The goal is to create landfills that hold the most garbage, minimize the cost to build and keep trash and contaminated water inside the landfill to prevent it from causing environmental damage. Teams create designs within given budgets, test the landfills' performance, and graph and compare designs for capacity, cost and performance.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) is an intriguing and publicized environmental problem. This swirling soup of trash up to 10 meters deep and just below the water surface is composed mainly of non-degradable plastics. These plastic materials trap aquatic life and poison them by physical blockage or as carriers of toxic pollutants. The problem relates to materials science and the advent of plastics in modern life, an example of the unintended consequences of technology. Through exploring this complex issue, students gain insight into aspects of chemistry, oceanography, fluids, environmental science, life science and even international policy. As part of the GIS unit, the topic is a source of content for students to create interesting maps communicating something that they will likely begin to care about as they learn more.
This is a lesson plan guide on how to teach students the effects of garbage and how they can reduce garbage in their own school.
This problem based learning (PBL) activity allows students to become educated on how excess waste can harm the environment. This activity then has the students form a plan on how their school can limit trash output in their cafeteria, and then sending a letter to their principle describing their plan.
Students explore the concept of "reducing" solid waste and how it relates to product packaging and engineering advancements in packaging materials. They read about and evaluate the highly publicized packaging decisions of two major U.S. corporations. Then they evaluate different ways to package items in order to minimize the environmental impact, while considering issues such as cost, availability, product attractiveness, etc. In addition, students explore "hydropulping" and consider its use as a recycling process.
Waste disposal has been an ongoing problem since medieval times. Environmental engineers are employed to develop technologies to dispose of the enormous amount of trash produced in the United States. In this lesson, students will learn about the three methods of waste disposal in use by modern communities. They will also investigate how engineers design sanitary landfills to prevent leachate from polluting the underlining groundwater.
This lesson will introduce students to plastics and microplastics, allowing them to identify various categories of microplastics and how they can reduce the amount of plastic that is used. Students will learn how the consumption of plastics impacts the environment.
A group of Scripps graduate researchers recently returned from a 20-day expedition to the ŇGreat Pacific Garbage Patch,Ó a little-studied remote ocean region where plastic debris accumulates. Join Miriam Goldstein, chief scientist on the cruise, and colleagues Pete Davison and Chelsea Rochman, as they discuss the garbage patch, why itŐs there, and how they are exploring and analyzing the problem of plastic in the North Pacific Ocean. (50 minutes)
In this lesson, students explore solid waste and its effects on the environment. They will collect classroom trash for analysis and build model landfills in order to understand the process and impact of solid waste management. Students will understand the role of engineers in solid waste management.
What kinds of garbage break down the fastest, the most and the easiest? When you throw something "away", does it really go away? Find out the answers with this experiment!
In this activity, students work as engineers to build and observe a model landfill. They will understand the process and pitfalls of the use of landfills as a method for the waste disposal.
Students collect, categorize, weigh and analyze classroom solid waste. The class collects waste for a week and then student groups spend a day sorting and analyzing the garbage with respect to recyclable and non-recyclable items. They discuss ways that engineers have helped to reduce the accumulation of solid waste.
· Goals: To develop understanding of value of garbage· Task Analysis:o Content analysis: zero garbage campaign, types of garbage, segregation of garbage, degeneration of garbage.o Task Analysis:(Basic skills required): computer operating skills, running video filesAnalysis of the learner: 9th std students, age 15 years, maturity level moderate, Basic knowledge of environmental issues like garbage explosion. They have the knowledge of the garbage management
In this activity, students will have the opportunity to learn about how trash is separated in Japan. Students will also separate trash into different categories.