Stage 2 – Recycling ChallengeOct 1st – Nov 30th

Stage 2 – Recycle Challenge has the following activities for your Green Team:

1. National Recycle Bowl competition - collect and weigh your recycling - 2 pts.

2. Recycling “Do Nows” (K-8) OR Alternate HS Activity- 1 pt.

3. Sustainability Patrols - 2 pts.

Innovation Opportunities

1. Host a Recycling Assembly (K-8) – 1 pt. OR Host a Green Team Training (HS)– 1 pt.

2. 3rd Grade Recycling Lesson – 1 pt. 3. Power Down for Thanksgiving (11/25) – 1 pt. 4. Put Your Garden to Bed – 1 pt.

Students weighing and tallying their collections for Recycle Bowl.

Stage 2 - GGC Project - Recycle Bowl Collect & Weigh Your Recycling – 2 pts. OVERVIEWRecycle Bowl is a national K-12 recycling competition that lasts for 4 weeks. The competition is simple. The school that records and recycles the most pounds of recycling per student wins. Participation in the Recycle Bowl is also worth 2 points in the Go Green Challenge. By entering Recycle Bowl you are also in the running for statewide and national prizes – AND – DPS prizes. The DPS Recycling Challenge starts two weeks before the official Recycle Bowl so our students have plenty of time to practice and get the kinks worked out before the national competition officially begins.

PROCEDUREFor education resources as well as competition posters and signs, visit: http://recycle-bowl.org

1) REGISTER – Talk to your Green School Coordinators to make sure you are registered by October 13th.

2) PLAN – Working with your Green Team and Green School Coordinators, develop a plan for advertising the competition.

3) COORDINATE – Work with facilities staff, nutrition staff, and teachers to create a schedule for weighing your recycling.

4) COMPETE – From October 19th – November 15th, weigh and record your recycling in the table provided by your Green School Coordinators

5) REPORT – Turn in completed table to your Green School Coordinators along with documentation of your school’s population

TIMELINE Register: before October 13th at Midnight Competition: October 19th – November 15th Report data: before Tuesday, December 15th Winners Announced: March 2016

RULES1. Schools can only count recyclable material generated by its own internal

operations during the Collection Period. No outside recycling is allowed. 2. Each School participating in the competition shall provide total pounds of

recyclable material collected during the collection period and its current total number of students and teachers. Recycle Bowl determines national and state winners by dividing the pounds of recycling collected by the school’s number of students and teachers.

3. We love that some of you compost at school. Unfortunately, composting cannot be included in your recycling total. For other questions/concerns about acceptable materials, please contact your Green School Coordinators.

NOTE: All DPS schools can participate in this project, even if you do not have a school-wide recycling program. You can still earn a GGC Point by documenting the recycling that you are able to do. Talk to your Green School Coordinators about details.

Weighing Your RecyclingTo weigh your recycling, please hang or place each bag of recycling on a scale and record its weight. Bags are predominantly paper, plastic, or cardboard. Please record your total weight in these three categories as well as your comingled weight. Recycle Bowl only needs your comingled weight but we will be using the broken down information internally.

Bathroom scales are an easy way to weigh your recycling. Consider placing a small box on the scale as a stand for your bags of recycling or ask a student (who feels comfortable doing so) to stand on the scale and hold the bag. If your school does not have a scale, it may be easiest to bring one from home or borrow one from a colleague. If you do not have access to a scale of any kind, please contact your Green School Coordinators to brainstorm a solution.

Record your weights in pounds on this table and turn it in to your Green School Coordinator when complete:

Weight Data TrackerPaper

Classroom BinsPlastic Bottles

CafeteriaCardboard

BoxesTotal

Total Weight

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Total Pounds

Note: We understand that there may be trace amounts of plastic in the classroom paper bins or paper in the cafeteria bins. That is okay! We will still get a good idea of your recycling material breakdown.

The process of weighing your recycling can be done by students, teachers, facilities staff, or a combination. It is important to set up clear communication among everyone so all of your recycling is counted. This is a great opportunity to get your students involved with your facilities staff AND get some hands-on experience with weights and measurements!

Total Number of Students and Teachers

Total Number of Pounds

FINAL SCORE – Pounds/People

Stage 2 - GGC Project - Bee Green’s Do-Now Activities (K-8) – 1pt

OVERVIEWIn this project, we ask you to use the Do-Now power-point slides created by our friends at Green Living Science. (Many of you were introduced to these materials at a recent Professional Development day.) These slides engage with different aspects of recycling to further educate our students about the benefits and intricacies of the recycling process. These activities can be done during or before class, or after school with your green teams. Our goal for this project is to provide you with a tool that is easy to adapt to your needs.

Green Living Science has provided Bee Green’s Do-Now activities that are appropriate for 3rd- 5th, and 6th – 8th. (The 3rd-5th grade activities would be appropriate for younger children as well, but may require more teacher instruction.)

PROCEDURE1) Review Bee Green’s Do-Nows power-point slides: Download the “Do Nows”

PowerPoint slides. Open the document attached that is relevant to your grade level and pick out slides that you feel will engage your team/class.

2) Go through at least 5 slides with your class/team: If you use at least 5 slides in your classroom, you will receive 1 GGC point.

3) Record which ones you did on the form below and submit to DPS Go Green.4) Report any interesting conversations or results: At the end of this document are some

questions about your experiences. Send us a document or email that answers these questions

REPORTING Below you will find a form that asks you about the outcomes of Bee Green’s Do Nows. Think about the questions and send us your responses.

Please submit the completed report and documents to DPS Go Green via: email – dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org or simply give them to your Green School Coordinators

Bee Green’s Do-Now Activities Report – 1pt

School Name: _________________________________________

Teacher: _______________________________________________

Grade: _________________________________________________

Questions for Response. Please answer thoughtfully about your experience.

Which Do Now slides did you choose?

Write a few sentences describing your class/teams discussion of a Do Now activity.

Did your students have a favorite? Why?

Stage 2 - GGC ProjectCarbon Footprint Activity (HS) – 1pt

OVERVIEW and PROCEDUREIf you have a high school green team, visit http://www.myfootprint.org/ with your class and go through the survey. This website is designed to estimate how many resources you are consuming. In the end, the site will be able to tell you how many earths’ worth of resources it would require for everyone to live your lifestyle. If you have access to multiple computers, your students can each do this activity for themselves. If you do not, you can work together to estimate the “carbon footprint” of the average person in the class. This exercise will stretch your students to think about resource management as a global issue.

RESOURCES:

The survey will ask you and your class/team questions about your home, eating habits, traveling, purchasing, etc.

Question 8 of the survey will ask you about how “clean” the energy you use is. The default answer is 8%, which is pretty accurate for Michigan. If you are interested in exploring further, click on this link to look up about how much clean energy your utilities provider uses: (website) 

The following link leads to a website that might help to start the conversation about how a student can decrease their footprint, including thinking about which of these options is not possible for your students’ particular circumstances. (For example, students generally have little control over where they live, what type of toilet is installed in their home, etc.) link

REPORTING On the next page, will find a form that asks you about the outcomes of Carbon Footprint Activity. Students should provide the answers to these questions.

Please submit the completed report and documents to DPS Go Green via: email – dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org or simply give them to your Green School Coordinators

Carbon Footprint Activity Report (HS) - 1pt

School Name: _________________________________________

Teacher: _______________________________________________

Students: ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Grade: _________________________________________________

Questions for Response. Please answer thoughtfully about your experience.

How many earths would we need if everyone consumed as many resources as you do?

What level of responsibility should individuals have for their resource consumption? Explain your reasoning.

What are some ways students can easily change their habits to decrease their footprint?

Stage 2 - Innovation Opportunity:Host a Recycling Assembly (K-8)– 1pt

Assembly OverviewLearning Objectives:Assemblies reach the entire school population to educate teachers and students how to practice the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) at their school and home and to help build enthusiasm for the school recycling program. During the assembly students are provided examples or reuse and are shown the recycling process through fun, educational videos.

Assembly Details:

❖ We will provide assemblies to enhance your school’s recycling program and introduce the curbside recycling program in Detroit!

❖ Each school will get a special guest appearance from our mascot, Bee Green!

❖ Three 30 minute back to back interactive presentations for Pre-K-2nd

grade, 3rd-5th grade, and 6th-8th grade.❖ Each student will receive a flier to take home explaining how to sign

up for curbside recycling at home.

To sign up contact: brittany @ greenlivingscience . org Green Living Science • 1331 Holden St. • Detroit, MI 48202 • 313.871.4000 ext. 3

www . GreenLivingScience . org • www . facebook . com / GLSDetroit • @ GLSDetroit

Stage 2 - Innovation Opportunity:Green Team Training (HS)– 1pt

Green Team Training

OverviewGreen Living Science (GLS) believes an active high school level recycling program requires student engagement and involvement. By developing a Green Team, students become responsible for educating, promoting, and collecting recycling at their school!

Team TrainingHigh school students will receive a two hour training to prepare them to teach others how to recycle in the school and community. Trainings encourage students to better understand their consumption of natural resources through a mathematic breakdown. Doing so allows students to recognize the importance of conservation.

Students will learn and practice leadership skills by developing short presentations focused on the three R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle). Students will also gain insight into the many green careers that are in Detroit and around the world.

Teacher InvolvementTo have a successful Green Team it requires the commitment of one or more teachers who want to be the advisor(s). GLS will assist advisors on how to encourage excitement about recycling among their team.

To schedule a high school recycling team training contact Brittany at

Brittany@GreenLivingScience.org

Green Living Science • 1331 Holden St. • Detroit, MI 48202 • 313.871.4000 ext. 3www.GreenLivingScience.org • www.facebook.com/GLSDetroit • @GLS_Detroit

Stage 2 – Innovation Opportunity:3rd Grade Recycling Lesson (1pt)

3rd Grade Recycling Curriculum OverviewIn- Class Lessons: engage students in activities

and

discussions where they gain an understanding of why recycling is important for the conservation of our planet. Students discover how individual and group behavior changes can decrease human dependence on our environment.

Lesson Overview: GLS has a series of 3 lessons for third graders. Each lesson is an hour long and is taught by a GLS educator. Activities encourage various learning styles to reach all types of learners. Lessons align with Michigan Science Standards!

Students will:

❖ Build upon knowledge about reduce, reuse, recycle and begin to realize how waste impacts our planet.

❖ Construct recycling machines to learn how recycling conserves natural resources and encourage students to see trash in a different way.

❖ Discover easily implemented methods to practice reducing their dependence on the environment.

Assessment: GLS educators administer a pre and post test to analyze student learning. GLS educators will give all students the opportunity think like scientist

and make scientific claims that will be discussed in every lesson to support their understanding of each lesson topic.

Additional Resources: Classroom teachers receiving GLS lessons will have access to the GLS internal website. This website provides teachers with additional lessons integrating other disciplines that reinforce concepts learned along with follow up activities.

To sign up contact: brittany @ greenlivingscience . org

Stage 2 - Innovation Opportunity:Putting Your Garden to Bed – 1pt

OVERVIEWIt is very important to prepare our beautiful school garden beds for winter. This process will ensure that your beds are healthy and rejuvenated for next season! Follow these steps carefully to reduce the possibility of pests and diseases, protect and replenish your soil, AND to earn 1 GGC Innovation point!

PROCEDURE

1. COORDINATE – Talk with all people involved in managing your school’s garden to find a time where students can be part of the process of preparing your beds for winter. Note: If your garden attendants have already completed this process, please take your students out to observe the beds. Walk them through each step so that they can see it has been done. Completing the alternative project is another option.

2. READ – If you are not well-versed in leaf decomposition, it is a good idea to do 5 minutes of reading about the benefits of leaves to our soil so that you can summarize for your students the meaning behind this challenge. Information has been provided to get you started.

3. FOLLOW THE STEPS – Use the checklist to make sure everything is done properly.

4. REPORT – Complete the checklist provided. Then ask students to go a step further and think about the discussion questions provided using scientific explanation. Record their thoughts. Please submit the completed report to DPS Go Green via:

a. email – dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org b. fax - 313.576.0951 c. or simply give them to your Green School Coordinators

5. EXTEND – If your team finishes the project and seems engaged, consider doing one or both of the Project Extension activities. These activities are designed to foster scientific observation skills… AND they are fun!! Please note these activities are not a requirement to receive your GGC point.

TIMELINEThe timeline of this project depends largely on the schedules of those involved. Winter is coming, so it should be done within the next 3 weeks!

Fact SheetWhat is leaf mulching?

Leaf mulching is the practice of piling leaves on garden beds and around shrubs where they act as a protective layer for the winter. In the growing season, mulch prevents weed growth and help conserve water. Leaf mulch decomposes over time, adding important nutrients and structure to the soil.

Why are leaves good for soil?

Leaves are packed with trace minerals that trees draw up from deep in the soil. When added to your garden, leaves feed earthworms and beneficial microbes. They also make excellent mulch in the flower garden. Leaves are a fabulous source of carbon, which is necessary to balance out nitrogen in compost and soil. They also insulate tender plants from cold.

What is leaf mold?

Over time, fungus and bacteria will break down your leaves into leaf mold. This process is called decomposition. As your mulch decomposes over your soil, it will begin to look like rich soil. This is leaf mold. Leaf mold is good for the soil because it is high in calcium and magnesium. It also retains significantly more water than soil alone is able to.

How do leaves support animal life?

Butterflies live in fallen leaves to wait out winter in warmth! Leaf piles also provide food and shelter to a variety of invertebrates that break down the leaves which feeds the soil. Earthworms are a key factor to decomposition and they love leaves!

Sources:http://www.gardeners.com/Put-Fall-Leaves-to-Work/5402,default,pg.htmlhttp://leaveleavesalone.org/Why_Is_This_Important_.htmlhttp://www.ecosystemgardening.com/life-in-the-leaf-litter-dont-throw-a-good-thing-away.html

Putting Your Garden to Bed ReportCHECKLIST

Place a checkmark in each box after the students have verified it has been completed.

All annual vegetable debris has been removed and composted (squash, cucumber vines, tomato plants, etc.)

Garden beds have been weeded All seasonal material such as stakes, twine, cages, etc. have been removed

from beds Beds have been covered with a layer of compost (this step may not be

necessary if the soil in your garden has enough compost in it. Many of our new school gardens are 50% compost and do not need any added to them.)

Beds have been topped with a thick layer of leaves or straw (this may be covered with burlap coffee bags or a wooden pallet to hold down the leaves and allow for some air flow)

Beds have been watered (We want to make sure the beds have gotten plenty of water by November because we do not want to water in December when things freeze)

STUDENT DISCUSSION Ask your students to help answer each question. Do not worry about providing a specific correct answer. Instead, encourage students to think about the bigger concepts such as the relationship between healthy soil and plenty of food or weather and food access. Help your students create scientific explanations to answer each question. State a claim, present some evidence, and then give your reasoning.

1. What are the benefits of applying leaf mulch to your garden when putting your garden to bed?

Claim (Write a sentence that states the benefits of applying leaf mulch to your garden.)

Evidence (Give data to support the claim. This can be observations from the activity, other observations, information from the info sheet, in-class lessons, etc.)

Reasoning (Come up with a sentence that connects your evidence to your claim. Why does the evidence make your claim true?)

2. Did you notice any animals/insects around your plants? Which ones? What effect do you think these animals have on the soil and the plants?

Claim (Write a sentence that states the animals/insects your students saw and their expected effects.)

Evidence (Give data to support the claim. This can be observations from the activity, other observations, information from the info sheet, in-class lessons, etc.)

Reasoning (Come up with a sentence that connects your evidence to your claim)

3. Farmers and gardeners in Michigan are putting most of their fields to bed for the winter now too. Where does our food come from during the winter when only a few crops can be grown in Michigan?

Claim (Write a sentence that states where your students think food comes from in the winter.)

Evidence (Give data to support the claim. This can be observations from the activity, other observations, information from the info sheet, in-class lessons, etc.)

Reasoning (Come up with a sentence that connects your evidence to your claim.)

Gardens to Bed Project Extension (Optional)If you have finished your challenge and your students are enjoying being outdoors, consider passing out the Leaf Litter Scavenger Hunt or the Observation Cards to your students so that they can practice their observation skills. (Note: completing the Project Extension activities are optional and have no point value.)

Leaf Litter Scavenger Hunt

How many plant beds do you see around your

school?

How many shrubs are planted around your

school?

Choose a plant from your school’s grounds. Could it

benefit from being leaf mulched? Why or why not?

Do you see leaf mulch on any plant beds?

How many trees are planted around your

school?

Dig into a leaf pile in search of a butterfly or spider egg

sac.

Lift a leaf pile and describe the moisture of the ground

underneath.

Collect a leaf and draw it from observation in the

space below.

Find at least one tender plant. Create a drawing

from observation.

Dig into a leaf pile in search of an earthworm or other

invertebrate.

Research the leaf you collected to identify it.

Grab a handful of fallen leaves. Write a sentence that describes the smell.

Observation CardsA good scientist records her or his observations methodically. Ask students to practice their skills by picking an object or two outside to record some observations about.

Name:

Object being studied:

Sights

Sounds

Smells

Textures/Sensations