1. Topic-
Making a Recycled Paper Flower Pot
 
2. Content-
Recycled paper is useful and conserves natural resources.

Key Vocabulary: Conserve, Pulp, Decompose, Resources, Fiber, Virgin Materials.
 
3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
1. Students will learn that waste paper can be recycled.
2. Waste paper can be made into recycled paper to conserve trees and space in landfills.
3. Buying recycled products conserves natural resources.
 
4. Objectives-
1. Students will learn how to make recycled paper.
2. Students will identify how buying recycled products conserves natural resources.
3. Students will use recycled paper to create a flower planter.
 
5. Materials and Aids-
Old newspaper, small milk cartons, scissors, gallon buckets, water, hand-mixers, soil, and seeds.
 
6. Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

1. Introduce the concept of decomposition and recycling to the class.
2. Discuss how paper is made from trees or a combination of trees and old paper.
3. Discuss how, when recycled paper is used, less trees need to be cut down.
 

B. Development-

1. Have students cut up two full pages of newspaper into 1/2 to 1 inch squares.
2. Have a few students fill the water buckets 2/3 with water and 1/3 with paper squares.
3. Let mixture sit overnight until paper fibers become soft and ready to pulp.
 

C. Practice-

1. On Day 2, students will use hand-mixers to beat the paper mixture into a mushy pulp.
2. Give each student a small milk carton with the top cut off and instruct them to mold the pulp to the inside of the milk carton.
3. Allow the pulp mold to dry for 2-3 days.
 

D. Independent Practice-

1. After pulp has dried, have students remove the recycled planter from the milk carton.
2. Give the students seeds and soil and instruct them to plant the seed in the recycled planter.
3. Keep the planters in the classroom and direct the students to care for them daily.
 

E. Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)-

1. Discuss how much sunlight and water the plants need to grow.
2. Allow the students to take the planters home after the seeds sprout.
3. Planters may also remain at school as part of a classroom garden.
 

F. Checking for understanding-

1. Ask students where paper comes from.
2. Ask students to explain how recycling paper benefits the environment.
3. Ask students what happens to the planter when it is planted in the ground.
 

G. Closure-

1. Have students diagram all of the steps involved in making recycled paper.
2. Have students discuss what else they can do to reduce the number of trees being cut down to make paper.
 
7. Evaluation-
1. Have students create a journal to record the entire process of this lesson from creating recycled paper to planting their seedling.
2. Students may also give a presentation on recycling.
 

This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com)