Using service projects to teach middle school youth about environmental conservation
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency's publication, Service-Learning: Education Beyond the Classroom, describes five environmental conservation projects that schools and community groups have conducted with middle school youth. The source document includes additional projects for elementary and high school youth, as well as a list of partnering national organizations.Issue
Excessive solid waste overwhelms municipal landfills, depletes natural resources, and pollutes the environment. School groups and youth organizations have implemented creative methods of educating their communities on better ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle solid waste material while at the same time, young people develop important academic and life skills.Action
SCHOOL PROJECTS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
Waste Inventions: Students Build Landfill Solutions
A multi-year program began with a weeklong environmental summer camp. At the end of the camp, the students toured the local landfill, were informed of several problems at the site, and were challenged to design and manufacture solutions using only the materials available at the landfill. Students worked on their projects, which were ultimately put to use, during the course of the school year.
Contact: Barry King, Utilities Bureau Chief
Calvert County Bureau of Solid Waste
P.O. Box 1330
Lusby, MD 20657
E-mail: kingbk@co.cal.md.us
Phone: 1-800-560-1004
Real World Recycling
This two-year project helped initiate greater recycling awareness to an uninformed community. Students made presentations to the school board and city council to lobby for waste reduction. They performed waste audits for companies, then presented their findings, with recommendations, to the companies. At the end of the project, students, teachers, and local government entities participated in a town Earth Day event. Many of the students who excelled in this project were not strong academic students.
Contact: Chris McCullough, Manager
Douglas County Waste Reduction and Recycling
1036 South East Douglas, Room 220
Roseburg, OR 97470
E-mail: clmccull@co.douglas.or.us
Phone: (541) 440-4350
Contact: David Welker, Principal
Winston Middle School
330 Thompson Street
Winston, OR 97493
E-mail: welkerd@wdsd.org
Phone: (541) 679-3002
COMMUNITY PROJECTS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
From 4-H to 3 R's
Students in a 4-H after school program teach the "three R's" -- reduce, reuse, and recycle -- through workshops, a display, a video, and a website. They redesigned their own 4-H curriculum to incorporate the "three R's" and promoted it to other 4-H clubs. Their composting display is housed at a nearby environmental education center. A 10-minute video the students wrote and acted in to teach environmental conservation is shown throughout the local school system. Additionally, a website created by the students promotes the "three R's" worldwide.
Contact: Jeffery Ripley, County Extension Director
Travis County AgriLife Extension Program
1600 Smith Road, Unit B
Austin, TX 78722
E-mail: j-ripley@tamu.edu
Phone: (512) 473-9600
Storm Drains and Recycling Games
In conjunction with their school's Science Club and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of St. Paul, students voluntarily work with the young and old in an ongoing project. The students decided to stencil storm drains with warnings to remind residents that dumping hazardous wastes poses a serious threat to wildlife and water quality. After obtaining permits, the students were assisted in the stenciling process by local seniors. In addition, the students created a game to teach younger children about recycling, which they present to elementary schools and daycare centers.
Contact: Dina Bizzaro, Science Teacher
Roseville Area Middle School
15 East County Road B2
Little Canada, MN 55117
E-mail: dina.bizzaro@isd623.org
Phone: (612) 482-5280
Slick Students Tackle Oil Recycling
4-H members volunteered logistical support for the public kickoff event of an expanded county recycling program and distributed bookmarks with recycling information. Select members of the 4-H Honor Club provided local leadership in Project ROSE (Recycled Oil Saves Energy), a national oil recycling education initiative. Supported by local newspapers, and with radio spots recorded by 4-H members, county oil recycling increased from 1,200 gallons to 25,000 gallons per year over five years.
Contact: Glenn K. Turner, Extension Agent
4-H Youth Development
University of Tennessee, Sevier County Extension
125 Court Avenue, Room 102
Sevierville, TN 37862
E-mail: gturner2@tennessee.edu
Phone: (423) 453-3695
Citation
Environmental Protection Agency. Service-Learning: Education Beyond the Classroom. Office of Solid Waste, Washington, D.C. 1997.Outcome
The effects of these projects are multi-faceted, benefitting both the individual students and their communities. Students gain hands-on conservation knowledge, as well as academic and professional skills reinforcement, while becoming involved with community civic processes. Communities receive much-needed environmental service, enhancing their public image and self-esteem.Posted On
July 22, 2002For More Information
Source Documents
Related Practices
Related sites
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Curriculum & Activities
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Teaching Center