Materials
4 recycle bins (rectangular, approximately 2' by 3')
various materials for recycling, including cardboard, plastic, glass, newspaper, paper, aluminum,
metal, and so on
Instructions
* Purchase a plastic sleeve for each child. The best sleeves to use are those used
for collecting baseball cards (heavy, plastic 3" by 4" sleeves with one of the
four sides open).
* Send home the plastic sleeves with a note for parents. For example:
Dear parents and family members,
Please help your child find a nature item (leaf, stalk of grass, flower, and so on)
and put it in this sleeve to make a "slide." Have your child bring it back to
school. I will put these items in our science center for the children to examine
and explore.
Thank you,
* When the children return with the "slides," write each child's name on the
slide. Use tape to secure the open end closed so the children cannot remove
the item.
What to Do
1. Ask the children to tell the class about their slides. Encourage them to talk
about where and how they collected their items.
2. Put different slides in the science center throughout the year. Encourage the
children to explore the items with a magnifying glass. They get especially
excited because they each have contributed to this collection.
Assessment
Consider the following:
* Do the children have a particular interest in specific slides?
* What does each child bring in? What do they say about the items?
