I

Recycling, it starts with you!

I Want You To Recycle!

Alexis Marinaccio & Kathleen Richmond

Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School

Grades 4 and 5

Ø Introduction: “Please take out the garbage!

You’re breaking the law! Do you walk around your school wondering where all the garbage goes? Do you even care? You toss away paper, milk cartons and food on a daily basis with no thought to where it all goes. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each year, Americans produce more than 236 million tons of garbage. That’s about 4.5 pounds of waste per person per day. That’s a whole lot of trash! In 1992, Westchester County passed a mandatory recycling law. It requires residents, small businesses and schools to recycle paper, plastic and other recyclables. That means you are required by law to recycle. There are no if, ands or buts about it kids! Your school needs you. You have been asked by your principal to analyze the social problem of pollution in our school. You will have the responsibility of creating a public policy for all students to keep your school pollution free and comply with the new laws. GOOD LUCK!

Ø The Task:

You have been asked by your principal to help implement a School Recycling Program. By analyzing the current Westchester County Recycling Law and designing display boards, you will assist the school community in enforcing the law. Your group of four will complete the six steps in the Public Policy Analyst Model (PPA) to decide on the best public policy solution that will result in a cleaner and safer environment at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School. After completing the six steps in the worksheets, your group will design display boards which will be displayed throughout the building. These display boards should include the six steps of the PPA Model along with graphs, charts or tables, pictures, and informational text... Be creative! Your goal is to grab your audience’s attention and make them WANT to get involved. Hook them! Your display boards will encourage the Martin Luther King School Community to reduce, reuse and recycle. Your display boards will list the necessary steps to follow to successfully implement the new School Recycling Program.

Ø

The Process

To complete the “TASK” students will be divided into groups of four to work cooperatively to complete the required assignments. Each group will follow the structure stated below. The group will be responsible for completing the SIX-STEP Public Policy Analyst worksheets (included below), which will then be used to create a recycling display board.

Need help? Check out the link below to learn all about the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) Model which you will be required to read in order to complete the task.

Learn about the LPPA: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/ppae5a.html

Go to each of these websites to fill in the PPA worksheets. Each worksheet contains one of the six steps of the PPA Model. All six steps must be present on your recycling display boards from defining the social problem to selecting a public policy to enact. Be detectives and investigate the links featured in the Resource section of the Web quest to complete the PPA worksheets. Click on the links below to access the PPA worksheets. Use the resource section web sites to complete all information required on the worksheets. These worksheets will be used as resource material for completing your task product.

Step 1: Define the Problem (worksheet #1)

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/ws1.doc

Step 2: Gather the Evidence (worksheet #2)

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/ws2.doc

Step 3: Determine the Causes (worksheet #3)

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/ws3.doc

Step 4: Examine the Existing Policy (worksheet #4)

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/ws4.doc

Step 5: Develop (3) Policy Solutions (worksheet #5)

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/ws5.doc

Step 6: Select the Best Solution/Policy (worksheet #6)

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/ws6.doc

Ø

Resources

General Search Engines:

ü https://www.google.com/

ü http://www.yahoo.com/

ü http://kids.yahoo.com/

Book Sources:

ü Recycle: A Handbook for Kids by Gail Gibbons

ü Ecoart!: Earth-Friendly Art and Craft Experiences for 3 to 9 year-olds by Laurie Carlson

ü Where Does the Garbage Go? by Paul Showers

Specific Websites:

ü http://www.westchestergov.com/news_recyclingeffort.htm (mandatory reading)

ü http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/

ü http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/kidspage/

ü http://www.bottlesandcans.com/assets/8steps_school_v2.pdf

ü http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/justforkids/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=464803

Activities:

ü http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/recycle/notgarbage.htm

ü http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/kids/games/crossword/index.htm

Do you have more questions?:

ü Recycling HelpLine at (914) 813-5420

Ø

Evaluation:

The PPA Model Rubric

Teachers: Alexis Marinaccio & Kathleen Richmond

(4 points)

(3 points)

(2 points)

(1 point)

Worksheets

àHanded-In

àCompleted

àOn-Time

àProblem identified and is very well researched.

àAll six steps of the PPA are addressed.

àProblem identified and reasonably well researched.

àAll six steps of the PPA are addressed.

àProblem identified with limited research.

àAll steps of the PPA are addressed.

àProblem identified but research is lacking.

àIncomplete work.

Group cooperation

àGroup establishes and maintains an equal distribution of labor among all participants.

àDifferences are dealt with maturely and students exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills.

àGroup makes attempts to maintain an equal distribution of labor among all participants.

àAlmost all differences are dealt with maturely and students exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills.

àGroups make unsuccessful attempts to maintain an equal distribution of labor among all participants.

àOnly some differences are dealt with maturely as students attempt to exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills.

àGroup is unable to equally distribute work.

àDifferences are not dealt with maturely.

Making A Poster: Poster rubric

Teachers: Alexis Marinaccio & Kathleen Richmond

Student Name ___________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Required Elements	The poster includes all required elements as well as additional information.	All required elements are included on the poster.	All but 1 of the required elements are included on the poster.	Several required elements were missing.
Labels	All items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Almost all items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Many items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Labels are too small to view OR no important items were labeled.
Graphics - Relevance	All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand. Some borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics relate to the topic. One or two borrowed graphics have a source citation.	Graphics do not relate to the topic OR several borrowed graphics do not have a source citation.
Attractiveness	The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness.	The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness.	The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy.	The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive.
Grammar	There are no grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are 1-2 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are 3-4 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are more than 4 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.

Ø Conclusion:

On completion of the poster, you

Should be able to:

· Search the web for information

· Access Internet search engines and learn how to use technology to learn.

· Develop critical thinking and writing skills

· You will read, demonstrate comprehension and write public policy agencies for information on recycling programs in schools.

You will be able to explain the advantages of implementing a school-wide recycling program:

· reduce the solid waste stream

· instill a sense of leadership and responsibility in young people

· learn the behaviors they will adopt for their lifetimes

· extend the life of local landfill

You also have learned the importance of a public policy analyst. These political scientists search out social problems and find public policy solutions. They help millions of citizens. Let’s hope you keep making a difference!

Thanks for being leaders and making a difference in our school/community.

Ø

Standards Addressed:

ü The Arts Standards

· Standard 2: Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in arts in various roles

ü English Language Arts Standards

· Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding.

· Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

· Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen and speak for social interaction.

ü Social Studies Standards

· Standard 5: Students will: use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the U.S. and other nations; the U.S. Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation

ü Math, Science and Technology Standards

· Standard 1: Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.

· Standard 5: Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs