Super Saver Investigators: an Elementary, Interdisciplinary, Environmental Studies Activity Guidebook About Solid Waste and Natural Resources
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DOCUMENTRESUME ED 317 383 SE 051 286 AUTHOR Landis, David; And Others TITLE Super Saver Investigators: An Elementary, Interdisciplinary, Environmental Studies Activity Guidebook about Solid Waste and Natural Resources. INSTITUTION Ohio State Dept. of Natural Resources, Columbus. PUB DATE 90 NOTE 392p. AVAILABLE FROMOhio Dept. of Natural Resources, DLPR, Fountain Square, Building F-2, Columbus, OH 43224 ($25.00, contact for quantity prices). PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Guides (For Teachers) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Elementary Education; *Elementary School Science; *Environmental Education; Interdisciplinary Approach; *Natural Resources; Professional, Development; Science Activities; *Science and Society; Science Curriculum; *Science Materials; *Solid Wastes; Wastes IDENTIFIERS *Ohio ABSTRACT This is an elementary, interdisciplinary, environmental studies activity guidebook about solid waste and natural resources. "Super Saver Investigators" what solid waste is, where it is generated, how we raanage it and could manage it better, and the consequence of mismanagement. It contains many hands-on, skill enhancing activities for elementary students. Reference indexes and a glossary are provided. Chapters included are: (1) "The Matter of Wastes"; (2) "People and Wastes";(3) "Nature's Way with Wastes" (4) "Technology and Waste"; (5) "Recycling and Saving Resources"; (5) "Waste Out of Place"; (7) "Unnatural Hazards in Nature"; (8) "Hazards in the Built Environment";(9) "Waste Age Choices"; (10) "U,ste and Wasteful Habits"; (11) "Getting Out the Message"; (12) "Reuse Enterprises"; (13) "Work, Waste, and Money"; (14) "Machines to the Rescue"; and (15) "Citizens to the Rescue." (YP) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** C13 GO SUPER SAVER INVESTIGATORS 11=1 An elementary, interdisciplinary, environmental studies activity guidebook about solid waste and natural resources i=11 DEPARTM ENTCIF EDUCATION Mc* M teurahenal Rinaran-,hand Impiownnfnl EDUCATIONALRE ENSOURCES INF CRMATION C TRio This document has Menrep, 44 U4", Pl/as Ys or of Ornrafion P,Ved traM thePO/den onginaling it ' Minot changes hare peenmode to 41111,C)WP frOdUC.1,011 MAIO opintens stated m this O0Co pOini Vie* represent ott,r,a1 (Pant do not neCaSigOny OF RI POStIonofpolIcy Ohio Department of Natural Resources REPRODUCE THIS "PERMISSION TO ONLY Division of Litter Prevertion & Recycling MATERIAL INMICROFICHE (RANTED BY HAS BEEN Richard F. Celeste, Governor Joseph J. Sommer, Director RESOURCES TO 1HEEDUCATIONAL CENTER (ERICI INFORMATION Copyright1988 by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. All rights reserved. Third printing. 1990 Recycled Paper BESTCOPYAVAILABLE Super Saver Investigators is endorsed by the Ohio Departmentof Education as providing opportunities to ful- fill the "Energy and Resource Conservation" mandate.Super Saver Investigators is made available to schools and teachers in Ohio on an inservice basis. Interested parties shouldcontact the Division of Litter Prevention & Recycling: Education Specialist Division of Litter Prevention & Recycling Ohio Department of Natural Resources Fountain Square, Building F-2 Columbus, Ohio 43224 (614) 265-6333 ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people participated in the development of this curriculum. Most ofthe ideas for activities were gener- aced, and tested in classrooms, by elementary teachers in Ohio. They are liated below, followed by the name of their school district. Kathleen E. Adams Bruce Averell Genie Barr Ashland City Cuyahoga Falls City Southwestern City Roger Brown Linda Campbell Paul Carpenter Switzerland of Ohio Columbus Miami Trace Cheryl Cunningham Sharon Dawson Jayne Geewax Columbus Bexley South Range Local Celeste F. Geise Brenda J. Green Kathy Jaffee Ottoville Local Licking Heights Oberlin Regina James Marilee King Ed Kramer Painesville City Trotwood-Madison Centerville City Jeanne Kuty John R. Larabee Martha Leuzinger Poland Local Lancaster City Three Rivers Local Marcia Long Kathryn Lox ley Barb Matheny Hillsdale Jackson City Findlay City Schools John Memmott Betty Myers Karen Nickoli Oberlin Tri Valley Local Keystone Local Deborah J. O'Dell Jo Parkey Carla Paulin Washington Local Venda lia-Butler City South-Western City Mary Jo Powell Carolyn Sacks Ernest Scherzer Franklin City Warren City Strongsville Janet Slattery Rosalie Spencer Elaine Struck Athens City East Liverpool City New Carlisle-Bethel Lebby Little Vantine Marilyn Weiler Ohio Valley Local Highland Della Ewalt, Jim Petuch and Diana Rogers were local litter prevention and recyclingprogram Education Spe- cialists who provided additional activity ideas for the guide. It would not have been possible to prepare this guidebook without the commitment and continuing patient support of Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Joseph Summer, Assistant Director Chuck Mauger, and Deputy Directors Ibm Sherman and Anne Wickham. David Landis of the Division of Litter Prevention & Recycling (DLPR) was primarily responsible for the de- sign, construction and text preparation. Mitorial reviews and valuable insightswere provided by George Peters of the DLPR and by John Hug of the Ohio Department of Education. The Division appreciates the initial support and encouragement given by John Bartley of Springfield City Schools, Lynn Elfner of the Ohio Academy of Science, and Robert Roth of the Ohio State University School of Natural Resources. The Division thanks Jeff DeVito of Milliron Recycling for his contribution to the June 1986 Teachers Work- shop. Additional editorial reviews and research assistance were provided by the following DLPR staff: Andrea Ceisler, Lisa Curran, Mary Douglas-Lacy, Anne Filbert, Betsy Sopko, and Carol Simpson. Word processingwas done by Cathy Stamm. Illustrations are by Tim McCauley of Diphrent Strokes (Columbus, OH). ill PREFACE Ohio today faces a solid waste crisis. We generate ever increasing amounts of solid waste whileour waste dis- posal capacity constantly diminishes. When these two developments converge we will experiencea crisis. Not least among the consequences will be reversal of Ohio's recent success in preventing litter. Ohioans have long e.tjoyed convenient and inexpensive solid waste disposal and have not given the matter much thought. In- formed public opinion, intelligent public decision making and public actionare called for now to forestall and ease the crisis. The Ohioans who follow us will have to contend with their waste and with the waste they inherit fromus. From us they will inherit waste management methods and habits, and they will devise theirown methods, all of which will have practical limitations. They will face the same potential convergence of waste and disposal capacity, and the same need to forestall and ease the crisis. We owe them the least waste and the best methods and habits possible. We owe them something more. The next generation of Ohioans should be adequately in- formed about our waste and prepared with the skills to make intelligent decisions about what to do with it. They should have the opportunity to think about waste before tilty must contend with itas a public crisis. Super Saver Investigators is about solid waste, what it is and where it is generated, howwe manage it and could manage it better, the consequences of mismanagement and the drainon our natural resources our waste represents for the environment. Super Saver Investigators contains many hands-on, skill enhancing activities for elementary students. The ideas for these activities were generated at a week long workshop by a select group of Ohio elementary teach- ers actively involved in environmental studies education. The fruits of their labor are recommended to teach. ers and school districts and also to public agencies and parents who wish to teach children about an important load, state, national and international environmental issue. Super Saver Investigators is produced as part of a comprehensive effort by the Ohio Division of Litter Preven- tion & Recycling to foster responsible waste management practices. The goal Super Saver Investigators is in- tended to serve through public education is to change for the better Ohioans' attitudes and behaviors toward their wastes. Mary L. Wiard, Chief Division of Litter Prevention & Recycling Ohio Department of Natural Resources TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS p. iii PREFACE p. v TABLE OF CONTENTS p. vii INTRODUCTION The Solid Waste Cvisis In Ohio p. A-1 How To Use The Guidebook p. A-3 Outline Of Background Information And Waste Concepts Introduced p. A-4 Activity Descriptions p. A -6 REFERENCE INDEXES Science and Social Studies Index p. B-2 Learning Skills Index p. B-7 Special Subject Index p. B-11 GLOSSARY/SSI VOCABULARY p. C-1 ANSWER KEYS p. D-1 INTRODUCING THE SUPER SAVER INVESTIGATORS TO STUDENTS p. E-1 CHAPTER ONE: The Matter of Waste p. 1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION p. USEFUL WASTE p. */ NATURAL RESOURCES AND WASTE MATERIALS p. LITTER DICTIONARY COMPETITION p. 15 DECOMPOSITION CONDITIONS p. 19 THE ALIEN LITTER p. 25 CHAPTER TWO: People and Waste p. 31 BACKGROUND INFORMATION p. 33 IT ALL BEGINS AT HOME p. 37 WASTE IN THE WORKPLACE p. 41 MAP OUT LITTER p. 45 LITTER BY COMMUNITY p. 51 AT THE SOURCE p. 55 TIME TO CELEBRATE! BUT WAIT! p. 59 CHAPTER THREE: Nature's Way With Waste p. 61 BACKGROUND INFORMATION p. 63 NATURAL RECYCLING