Educational Resources

Not only is the Recycle-Bowl competition fun, it is also educational. Download different activities to conduct during Recycle-Bowl and/or as part of your school’s America Recycles Day event.

Downloadable activities: Recycling

1. Logos and Slogans PDF

   Students will be able to: 1) define logo (symbol) and slogan; 2) recognize logos used in recycling; 3) identify products made from materials that can be recycled; and 4) create a logo and slogan to use in promoting a school recycling program.

2. MRF in Action PDF

   Students will be able to: 1) identify ways materials can be separated and sorted at material recovery facilities (MRF) such as a) conveyor belts and trommel screens, b) blowers, c) flotation, d) magnetism and e) manual pickers.

3. Plastics by the Numbers PDF and Anatomy of a Plastic Bottle
   

   Students will be able to: 1) recognize the role of plastics in our society; 2) describe the plastics identification code; 3) demonstrate the separation of plastics for collection and recycling and 4) explain the recyclable nature of different types of plastic. Watch a YouTube video summarizing how to conduct the “Anatomy of a Plastic Bottle” activity.

4. A Little R&R PDF

   Students will be able to: 1) understand the difference between the words and symbols for “recycled” and “recyclable”; 2) discuss the various raw materials used to create different products and 3) identify types of recycled content products.

Downloadable mini-activities: Waste Management Options

1. Source Reduction PDF

   Students will explore the need for packaging and the economics of managing packaging material.

2. Recycling PDF

   Students will identify recyclable materials available for collection in their community.

3. Composting PDF

   Students will increase their understanding of proper composting.

4. Waste-To-Energy PDF

   Students will understand that some waste material can be burned to generate electricity, by observing a demonstration of how a turbine is turned by steam.

5. Landfills PDF

   Students will identify the parts of a landfill and explain their function.

Technology Activities

1. Recycling Jeopardy

   Play this fun and interactive game with your students or after school group. Answers will be within the following 6 categories – waste reduction, recycling, composting, disposal, household hazardous waste and natural resources.

2. Video about how commingled recyclables are separated at a material recovery facility

   A common recycling myth is that commingled recyclables are not separated but instead disposed. Check out this cool virtual MRF from Recommunity to better understand a single-stream MRF.

educator toolkit material

1. Milk and Juice Carton Recycling
   Activities and How-To

2. Aerosol Can Recycling

3. MRF Poster

Background Information

1. Recycling Stats and Facts It has been shown that stats and facts interest people! Feel free to use these Recycling Facts in order to raise excitement in your community!
2. Solid Waste and Recycling Trivia Questions
   Students will learn about and/or take what they have learned about recycling and play fun and interactive games with these Recycling Trivia cards