15 Ideas Big and Small to Bring Recycling Into the Classroom
15 Ideas Big and Small to Bring Recycling Into the Classroom
Help your students take recycling to a whole new level in your classroom with these inspiration ideas and projects.
Take the motto “Reduce, reuse and recycle” to a whole new level in your classroom with these fun and easy ideas. Your students will become recycling gurus before the year is over!
1. Hold a recycling contest.
Who can recycle the most in a day, week or even a month? This is an easy challenge to execute—just get multiple recycling bins and start collecting. How you run the contest is up to you, but here are a few ideas: Divide up your class to form two to four different teams, challenge another classroom in the school, or even have a teachers-vs.-students contest. You can use the printable signs for cans and bottles from Recycle Rally.
2. Up-cycle plastic containers.
You can find oodles of plastic containers around the house that make handy-dandy organizers. Challenge your students to look around their houses or in their recycling bins to find something that can be up-cycled, or reused. For instance, a yogurt container can be used as a crayon holder, a plastic bottle can transform into a quick vase, and baby wipe containers can hold just about any classroom odds and ends. We love this gardening project from Doodle Craft blog.
3. Create a prize bag of recycled items.
Get your students’ parents involved by asking for recycled items for the classroom prize bag. Give them suggestions—toys from kid meals, little freebies from conferences, and other odds and ends—and you’ll be surprised at the items you can collect. Students will love picking a prize from the recycle bag when they hit different recycling milestones and goals.
4. Decorate your recycling bins.
The more that students get to be involved in the recycling process, the more excited they’ll be about it. So pull out those glitter pens, markers and trinkets and let them decorate the recycling bins.
Here are a couple of inspirational bins to get you started with ideas. Also another one from Hello Splendid.
5. Designate a container for scrap paper.
Establish a rule in your classroom that you must always use both sides of a piece of paper. If students have a piece of paper that hasn’t been used on the back, have them put it in a container. The back side is great for notes, art and the like.
6. Monitor your water usage.
Challenge your students to track their family’s water usage at home for one week. Give them a chart that includes the estimated water use for common daily activities such as brushing teeth and doing the dishes. Here’s an example. Then have them do the math! As you recycle, you’re also helping to conserve water. In turn, this leads to a more sustainable and better environment overall. Take a look at Pepsi Co's Recycle for Nature program to learn more.
7. Challenge students to a recycling art challenge.
Fill an area of your classroom with recycled objects—plastic containers, old beads, even outdoor objects like sticks or peppers. Here’s one of our favorites (below) with a recycled bottle from Crafts by Amanda. Then have your students create art out of them. Encourage students to be creative and bring in their own items as well.
8. Make your own sculpting dough.
You’re never too old to play with some dough. We Love Being Moms put several recipes to the test in this blog post. Don’t forget to store your creations in recycled containers. The small containers that hold lunch meat are perfect!
9. Create signs to hang around the school.
Have your students make signs that encourage others to be thrifty in their water and paper towel or napkin use. You can use the school mascot or slogan to personalize it even more. Even simple signs like “Less Is More—Save a Tree” can go a long way in encouraging Eco-friendly habits around school.
10. Get some fresh air.
You might think this one is a bit of a stretch for recycling, but it’s really not. After all, we need the trees and plants to breathe! It’s time for a science lesson—use this as an excuse to talk about carbon dioxide and oxygen. Yes, this completely counts as recycling. We need plants, and the plants need us. Plus, it’s always good to get students outside.
11. Beautify your school or neighborhood.
Hold a garbage pickup or cleanup afternoon around your school or neighborhood. With garbage bags and gloves, you can really collect a lot. After you collect everything, try to recycle as much as you can instead of putting it straight into the garbage. This is a good way to have kids take pride in their surroundings and really notice all the little things around the area.
12. Make a PSA about recycling.
A PSA—public service announcement—is a fun way to get kids to further research recycling. Then they can turn their newfound knowledge into a video. Encourage students to research PSA and really work on their overall messaging until it’s perfect. You can assign different roles, like director, writer, producer and on-screen talent. Once it’s ready, film it, edit it and then share it with parents and the public. The Pepsi Co Recycling Facebook page would love to share it as well, so upload it there.
13. Plant a garden or a tree.
In general, gardening is an excellent hobby to implement in schools as it gives back for years and years to come. Plus, you can even turn it into a recycling project. Go outside with your students and collect seeds, pods and even nuts. They can recycle the seeds by taking them home to plant in their own backyard or neighborhood. Check out this great Nature Works Everywhere lesson plan on how urban trees benefit humans and the environment to take the learning further.
14. Hold a coat or clothing drive.
This is a fantastic way for kids to recycle their own items, and in turn, it helps someone in need. One Warm Coat is a good organization to start with if you want to hold your own drive. You can also just donate clothing items to a local organization in need.
20. Welcome worms into your classroom!
Worms?! Overcompensating is the method of composting using red wiggler worms. Long story short, the worms eat garbage and turn it into gorgeous, nutrient-rich compost. You can get started with this fascinating hobby in a relatively small space, and the kids will love it!
15. Partner with a community group or center.
Check with your local assisted-living center or another community organization to see if they want to partner with you on your recycling efforts. Now you’ve just made a community connection, and they can help you reach your recycling goals faster.
Join Recycle Rally and you and your students can win great prizes for increasing recycling at your school. Plus, you’ll find lesson plans, downloadable posters and more!
Help your students take recycling to a whole new level in your classroom with these inspiration ideas and projects.
Take the motto “Reduce, reuse and recycle” to a whole new level in your classroom with these fun and easy ideas. Your students will become recycling gurus before the year is over!
1. Hold a recycling contest.
Who can recycle the most in a day, week or even a month? This is an easy challenge to execute—just get multiple recycling bins and start collecting. How you run the contest is up to you, but here are a few ideas: Divide up your class to form two to four different teams, challenge another classroom in the school, or even have a teachers-vs.-students contest. You can use the printable signs for cans and bottles from Recycle Rally.
2. Up-cycle plastic containers.
You can find oodles of plastic containers around the house that make handy-dandy organizers. Challenge your students to look around their houses or in their recycling bins to find something that can be up-cycled, or reused. For instance, a yogurt container can be used as a crayon holder, a plastic bottle can transform into a quick vase, and baby wipe containers can hold just about any classroom odds and ends. We love this gardening project from Doodle Craft blog.
3. Create a prize bag of recycled items.
Get your students’ parents involved by asking for recycled items for the classroom prize bag. Give them suggestions—toys from kid meals, little freebies from conferences, and other odds and ends—and you’ll be surprised at the items you can collect. Students will love picking a prize from the recycle bag when they hit different recycling milestones and goals.
4. Decorate your recycling bins.
The more that students get to be involved in the recycling process, the more excited they’ll be about it. So pull out those glitter pens, markers and trinkets and let them decorate the recycling bins.
Here are a couple of inspirational bins to get you started with ideas. Also another one from Hello Splendid.
5. Designate a container for scrap paper.
Establish a rule in your classroom that you must always use both sides of a piece of paper. If students have a piece of paper that hasn’t been used on the back, have them put it in a container. The back side is great for notes, art and the like.
6. Monitor your water usage.
Challenge your students to track their family’s water usage at home for one week. Give them a chart that includes the estimated water use for common daily activities such as brushing teeth and doing the dishes. Here’s an example. Then have them do the math! As you recycle, you’re also helping to conserve water. In turn, this leads to a more sustainable and better environment overall. Take a look at Pepsi Co's Recycle for Nature program to learn more.
7. Challenge students to a recycling art challenge.
Fill an area of your classroom with recycled objects—plastic containers, old beads, even outdoor objects like sticks or peppers. Here’s one of our favorites (below) with a recycled bottle from Crafts by Amanda. Then have your students create art out of them. Encourage students to be creative and bring in their own items as well.
8. Make your own sculpting dough.
You’re never too old to play with some dough. We Love Being Moms put several recipes to the test in this blog post. Don’t forget to store your creations in recycled containers. The small containers that hold lunch meat are perfect!
9. Create signs to hang around the school.
Have your students make signs that encourage others to be thrifty in their water and paper towel or napkin use. You can use the school mascot or slogan to personalize it even more. Even simple signs like “Less Is More—Save a Tree” can go a long way in encouraging Eco-friendly habits around school.
10. Get some fresh air.
You might think this one is a bit of a stretch for recycling, but it’s really not. After all, we need the trees and plants to breathe! It’s time for a science lesson—use this as an excuse to talk about carbon dioxide and oxygen. Yes, this completely counts as recycling. We need plants, and the plants need us. Plus, it’s always good to get students outside.
11. Beautify your school or neighborhood.
Hold a garbage pickup or cleanup afternoon around your school or neighborhood. With garbage bags and gloves, you can really collect a lot. After you collect everything, try to recycle as much as you can instead of putting it straight into the garbage. This is a good way to have kids take pride in their surroundings and really notice all the little things around the area.
12. Make a PSA about recycling.
A PSA—public service announcement—is a fun way to get kids to further research recycling. Then they can turn their newfound knowledge into a video. Encourage students to research PSA and really work on their overall messaging until it’s perfect. You can assign different roles, like director, writer, producer and on-screen talent. Once it’s ready, film it, edit it and then share it with parents and the public. The Pepsi Co Recycling Facebook page would love to share it as well, so upload it there.
13. Plant a garden or a tree.
In general, gardening is an excellent hobby to implement in schools as it gives back for years and years to come. Plus, you can even turn it into a recycling project. Go outside with your students and collect seeds, pods and even nuts. They can recycle the seeds by taking them home to plant in their own backyard or neighborhood. Check out this great Nature Works Everywhere lesson plan on how urban trees benefit humans and the environment to take the learning further.
14. Hold a coat or clothing drive.
This is a fantastic way for kids to recycle their own items, and in turn, it helps someone in need. One Warm Coat is a good organization to start with if you want to hold your own drive. You can also just donate clothing items to a local organization in need.
20. Welcome worms into your classroom!
Worms?! Overcompensating is the method of composting using red wiggler worms. Long story short, the worms eat garbage and turn it into gorgeous, nutrient-rich compost. You can get started with this fascinating hobby in a relatively small space, and the kids will love it!
15. Partner with a community group or center.
Check with your local assisted-living center or another community organization to see if they want to partner with you on your recycling efforts. Now you’ve just made a community connection, and they can help you reach your recycling goals faster.
Join Recycle Rally and you and your students can win great prizes for increasing recycling at your school. Plus, you’ll find lesson plans, downloadable posters and more!
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