Leah

Goldstein, Matt Grubler, Megan ODonnell, Lubna Attal, Rashidul Bari

SIMS Recycling Center

Why we chose this site:

For our non-formal educational site we visited SIMS Municipal Recycling
Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Technically the site is a materials recovery facility,
they dont do any actual recycling there. The department of sanitation who collects
New Yorkers curbside recycling dump their contents at SIMS for it to be sorted,
bundled and sold to secondary markets. This facility opened in December 2013 and
was built using recycled materials, incorporated green technologies, manages storm
water on-site, has a 600 kW PV installation, and they are building a wind
turbine. Currently the facility processes and markets over 200,000 tons of
recyclable material each year. In addition to their material recovery operations they
have a Recycling Education Center that is open to school groups and visitors and is
free of charge. The education center features museum-like interactive displays with
loads of information, fun facts, and hands on activities. They also provide a short
lecture with films of the sorting process as well as uses for the recyclable materials;
all this is followed by a tour of the facility.

We chose this site for many reasons. First, recycling is something that is
socially responsible, so much so that we would like to impart the importance of it on
rising generations. Secondly, the process of sorting and recycling materials can be
made relevant to any science discipline. Thirdly, the facility has a robust
educational component that is capable of handling school groups. And lastly, DSNY
has created much curriculum around waste management and recycling that could
easily be utilized by teachers. We all had an excellent time at the recycling center
finding ourselves amazed at the process, well informed of the goings on there, and
lead through a dynamic educational program that included self-exploration of the
museum, a lecture, and a guided tour. While the recycling educational center was
created with third through eighth graders in mind this field trip and unit of study
would be appropriate for any aged students. We will be providing lesson ideas for
high school aged students.
Pre and Post Trip Lesson Plans

Our target grade level: 9th grade Living Environment

Pre- Trip Lessons: What is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle?
These Pre-trip lessons are about 20 minutes each. Before traveling to the SIMS
Recycling Center, a class could do one or all of these activities to get the students
accustomed to thinking about how they can recycle in their daily lives.

Introduction Activity
Students will be given an everyday item such as a fork, spoon, cup.etc.
Four students will be called to the front of the room and will participate in the
following game:
They will be given one of these items and will have 1 second to come up with a
creative use for the item
o For example if it was a fork one might say: hairbrush, plaque picker, a
microphone, a backscratcher.
The students will say the first thing that comes to their minds. Once they
hesitate they are out
Point of the game:
o Although this activity is a bit fun and silly, the point is that all the items
we throw out can have many uses. The problem is when we send
recyclables to landfill, we are harming the environment around us. It's
not hard to recycle. We have to want to make an effort to be conscious of
where our garbage is placed.


Mini Lesson 1: Reducing and Reusing
Warm Up: Determine students prior knowledge and understanding of recycling and
how it is only part of the solution.

1. Review the definitions of reduce, reuse and reusable.
Reduce: To use less of, to decrease in extent, amount, number, or other
quantity
Reuse: to extend the life of item by using it more than once, repairing or
modifying it, or by creating new uses for it.
Reusable: Able to be used again, either as it is or by repairing or altering it
2. Discuss these terms and encourage the class to brainstorm strategies in
which they can reduce and reduce items each day.
3. Have the students team up into groups of 3 or 4 and make a list of ideas for
how your particular class can reduce waste and have them present these
ideas to the class. Record some of these ideas on a large piece of paper and
display it in the classroom.



Mini Lesson 2: Aluminum Cans: Full Circle
Warm Up: Determine students prior knowledge of the steps involved in recycling
aluminum cans. Where does aluminum come from? Where does it go after it is
placed in a recycling bin? Have you ever noticed people collecting cans from garbage
and recycling bins? Why do people do this?

1. Distribute The Steps of Recycling Handout (see attached doc) and discuss the
13 steps associated with recycling an aluminum can.

2. Discuss the value of cans. Present a few hypothetical math questions that
explore how many cans someone would have to sell in order to make various
amounts of money.
3. Cut The Steps of Recycling Handout (student copy) into strips. Divide the
students into pairs or small groups and hand each pair one strip.
4. Have each group draw an illustration for one or two steps of the process.
5. Have the class create a narrative illustration using their strips and pictures to
figure out the sequence of recycling aluminum.

Mini Lesson 3: The Physics of Sorting Recyclables
Who can tell me what drinking cans make of?
Yeahyeahits made of metalbut I actually wanted to know what kind of metal.
It made of aluminum. Its not ferromagnetic but its a good conductor. What does that
mean?

That means physics in action: we can induce magnetism and sort the cans in an eddy
current separator.

In class demonstration: Physics behind Eddy Currents
It uses a rotating drum lined with rows of magnets with alternating polarity.
Why would we do that?
We have our machines do that because it creates a magnetic field. Our drinking cans
are made of aluminum When cans come to this magnetic field ---currents are
created in the cans inducing magnetism and repelling the cans off the line.



Mini Lesson 4: Understanding When to Reduce, Reuse or Recycle
Warm Up: Determine students prior knowledge of when to reduce, reuse or recycle.
Ask the class how they know when to recycle something. What ways have they been
able to reduce the amount of waste they produce? Are there waste items that they
reuse?

Materials:
Disposable items: paper plate, paper, napkin
Reuseable items: ceramic plate, cloth napkin, sponge
Recyclable items: plastic jug, aluminum can

1. Display the items and review the vocabulary terms. Refer to the Glossary for
definitions.
2. Ask the class to identify the disposable items. Remind them that one of the
ways to cut down on waste production is to limit the amount of disposable
items that they use.
3. Segway with explaining that reusing items is another way to reduce waste.
Have the students identify the reuseable items.

4. Compare the disposable items to the reuseable items (example paper plate
vs. ceramic plate)
5. Ask the class to identify the recyclable items.
6. Set up recycling bins in class for paper, glass, and metal items. Encourage
students to bring in items from home that they might normally throw away.
Extension: Split the class in half, and the group that recycles the most in a
week and creates the least waste gets a prize!

Mini Lesson 5: What is Composting?
(Please see link for more details)
1. Hand out What is Composting? Worksheet (see attached)
2. In conjunction with the worksheet, a Prezi will help present the information
to the class. The link to this prezi is HERE.
3. Class discussion about composting and how to set up a compost bin in the
classroom.

On the Trip
The Education & Administrative Coordinator at the site will give the students a
guided tour of the Recycling Center. On this tour, they will see where the recyclables
are dropped off and how they are sorted. There is also a museum that the students
can explore that teaches many facts about recycling. They will be given time to
independently explore this room, engage in the multiple hands-on activities, and
take notes on their findings.

Post Trip Assignments/ Assessments:

Propose a Recycling Initiative:
Before going on the trip to the SIMS Recycling Center, split students into groups of 4
or 5. Have each group take pictures and notes during the trip about how the
recycling process works. They will need this information to complete their final
assignment, a proposal for a school-wide recycling initiative.

1. Have students fill out the School Recycling Program Setup Handout.
2. Have students fill out the School Recycling Program Activities Handout.
3. Have each group use these handouts, information from the mini lessons and
pictures and notes from the trip to compile a powerpoint presentation. This
presentation will be presented to the class. (As a better incentive, invite
parents and administration!)

Composting Post- Trip Activity
The class will create their own bin of compost from food scraps that are
disposed of during the school day. This will take a month or so to be complete.


1) The students will be required to grow any kind of
plant in top soil (control) and in a mixture of compost
and topsoil (Independent variable). They will record
data of the plant growth for two weeks (height,
number of seeds germinated, and the number of
leaves). This will be the dependent variable. This
experiment will help students analyze data and
conclude, if compost does indeed help plants grow
better.
2) Students will write up a two page paper of their
results:
a) The paper will include:
i) An introduction to composting
ii) What is composting and how does it benefit
the environment.
iii) The procedure that was set up to grow the
plants
iv) The data they collected (should include graphs)
v) And the conclusions that were drawn from the results.

The Steps of Recycling (Teacher Copy)

Name:__________________________________________________________ Date:______________________

Directions: Please read the thirteen steps of recycling aluminum. With your
group, illustrate 1 or 2 of these steps (we will decide which ones your group
will do as a class).

1. Buy a can of seltzer.
2. Drink it.
3. If possible, return the empty can to the store for a five-cent refund.
4. This can is transported to a can-crushing factory.
5. Collected cans are shredded.
6. The shredded cans are melted.
7. The melted cans are formed into long, coiled sheets of aluminum.
8. Aluminum coils are transported to a can manufacturing plant.
9. Aluminum coils are turned into cans and lids.
10. Aluminum cans and lids are transported to drink companies.
11. Cans are filled with drinks and lids are attached.
12. Filled cans are delivered to the store.
13. Buy a can of seltzer at the store.

The Steps of Recycling (Student Copy)

Name:__________________________________________________________ Date:______________________

Directions: Please read the thirteen steps of recycling aluminum. With your
group, illustrate 1 or 2 of these steps (we will decide which ones your group
will do as a class).

Buy a can of seltzer.
Drink it.
If possible, return the empty can to the store for a five-cent refund.
This can is transported to a can-crushing factory.
Collected cans are shredded.
The shredded cans are melted.
The melted cans are formed into long, coiled sheets of aluminum.
Aluminum coils are transported to a can manufacturing plant.
Aluminum coils are turned into cans and lids.
Aluminum cans and lids are transported to drink companies.
Cans are filled with drinks and lids are attached.
Filled cans are delivered to the store.
Buy a can of seltzer at the store.

What is Composting?

Name:__________________________________________________________ Date:______________________


What is Composting? (continued)

Name:__________________________________________________________ Date:______________________

School Recycling Program Setup

Name:__________________________________________________________ Date:______________________

Please answer the following questions.
1. What is the name of your schools designated Sustainability Coordinator?
2. What is the name of the custodian?
3. Describe the role of the Sustainability Coordinator.
4. Describe the role of the custodian.
5. List examples of items that should be placed in the mixed paper recycling bin.
6. List examples of items that should be placed in the recycling bin for metal,
glass, plastic & cartons.
7. Draw and describe what an ideal recycling area should have.
8. Label the areas in your school that should have recycling bins.
9. Does your school having recycling bins in the areas listed in #8 above? If not,
what areas still need recycling bins?
10. Where is the composting station(s) at your school?
11. What steps can you take to improve recycling in your school?

School Recycling Program Activities

Name:__________________________________________________________ Date:______________________

Did you know your school could be awarded prize money for setting up an
exemplary program? Go to www.nyc.gov/wasteless/goldenapple for more
information.

Select an activity of make up your own to incorporate into your Recycling Program
Proposal.