Provided by: Kent County Department of Public Works |Published on: February 25, 2026
Lesson Plans
2345
Synopsis
In this lesson from Kent County Department of Public Works, students will bring in their favorite object and learn what natural resources were used to create the object and whether the object can be recycled.
Students will learn that only objects made of a single material can be recycled; other objects can be upcycled at the end of their life. Students will also learn about the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources.
By having students look at their favorite objects, students will already have buy-in to this lesson.
The many extensions included in the resource make it easy to turn students’ interest in the topic into a larger project.
Prerequisites
Teachers may want to have recyclable materials on hand to show to students.
Young students will need reminders, potentially both written and verbal, to remember to bring their items to class on the day of the lesson.
Differentiation & Implementation
If students participate in the extension activity to make a new object from something that can’t be recycled, teachers can have students create advertisements for their new creations. Teachers can have students write or construct brief persuasive pieces encouraging others to use this object in this way.
Teachers can use this resource for inspiration for upcycling projects.
Teachers can use this lesson to build students' awareness that creating goods requires extracting materials and processing them, which has impacts on the environment and climate change.
This lesson can also be used to make connections to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
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Resource Type and Format
Related Teaching Resources
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
