During the fourth marking period learners studied how to take care of the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling. The class watched the documentary, Plastic Paradise, to learn about the harm that plastic causes in our ocean's ecosystems. Learners were inspired after viewing and discussing numerous artists who make work with recycled plastic and decided to step up and make a change at school and at home. Rather than bring in toys for sharing, learners began digging in the trash to salvage plastic to make works of art.
At lunch time, learners realized instead of throwing away plastic bottles in the garbage, they could recycle the plastic in the hallway recycling bins! Eureka!
The class soon realized that if they could make a difference, so could the whole school! Learners completed a research project to find out just how many plastic bottles students were throwing away at YACS each day during lunch. The project included sending field researches to the YACS Dining Room to collect some data.
Next students wrote persuasive essays to convince students, teachers, and administrators to begin recycling their plastic bottles at lunch.
Finally, to really drive the message home, learners collaborated with film artist Mr. Terence to send out a video message to the whole school. We even learned all lyrics to the Good Garbage song by Tom Chapin.
Enjoy the video and remember to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!!!
Enjoy the video and remember to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!!!
Good Garbage
by John Forster & Tom Chapin
© 1990 Limousine Music Co. & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)
I had a turkey dinner, threw the bones away.
They hauled them to the county dump without delay.
By the following Thanksgiving they had turned to clay.
They're bio-de, bio-de, bio-degradable garbage.
Good Garbage breaks down as it goes.
That's why it smells bad to your nose.
Bad garbage grows and grows and grows.
Garbage is s'posed to decompose.
Now styrofoam is bad, it lasts a thousand years.
A packing peanut's born and never disappears.
So crumple up your comics when you ship your chandeliers
'Cause comics are bio-de, bio-degradable garbage.
Good Garbage breaks down as it goes.
That's why it smells bad to your nose.
Bad garbage grows and grows and grows.
Garbage is s'posed to decompose.
Every time that we buy food we also buy the package.
Bottles, boxes, bags and cans, they end up in the garbage.
Half of all our cash
We're spending on our trash.
For the sake of Mother Earth,
Let's get our money's worth!
Only buy bio-de, bio-degradable
Good Garbage breaks down as it goes.
That's why it smells bad to your nose.
Bad garbage grows and grows and grows.
Garbage, garbage,
Garbage is s'posed to decompose.
by John Forster & Tom Chapin
© 1990 Limousine Music Co. & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)
I had a turkey dinner, threw the bones away.
They hauled them to the county dump without delay.
By the following Thanksgiving they had turned to clay.
They're bio-de, bio-de, bio-degradable garbage.
Good Garbage breaks down as it goes.
That's why it smells bad to your nose.
Bad garbage grows and grows and grows.
Garbage is s'posed to decompose.
Now styrofoam is bad, it lasts a thousand years.
A packing peanut's born and never disappears.
So crumple up your comics when you ship your chandeliers
'Cause comics are bio-de, bio-degradable garbage.
Good Garbage breaks down as it goes.
That's why it smells bad to your nose.
Bad garbage grows and grows and grows.
Garbage is s'posed to decompose.
Every time that we buy food we also buy the package.
Bottles, boxes, bags and cans, they end up in the garbage.
Half of all our cash
We're spending on our trash.
For the sake of Mother Earth,
Let's get our money's worth!
Only buy bio-de, bio-degradable
Good Garbage breaks down as it goes.
That's why it smells bad to your nose.
Bad garbage grows and grows and grows.
Garbage, garbage,
Garbage is s'posed to decompose.