Bye-Bye, Bottle! Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will follow a plastic bottle as it goes from a recycling bin to the recycling center, and then on to become something new.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Earth Day

 

CCSS:

SL.1.2 Discuss a video; L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases; RI.1.1 Key details; RF.1.3g Irregularly spelled words; RI.1.4 Vocabulary; RI.1.10 Read and discuss first-grade texts; W.1.1 Opinion writing

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  • Take kids on a virtual field trip to a recycling center with our video "Follow That Bottle!"
  • Before watching, ask children what they think might happen at a recycling center. After watching, invite them to describe one step. (SKILL: SL.1.2 Discuss a video)
  • Play the vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are recycling center, front loader, conveyor belt, recycle, and factories. (SKILL: L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases)
  • Read the issue together. 
  • Then project and discuss the reading checkpoint skill sheet. Later, children can fill in their own copies. (SKILL: RI.1.1 Key details)

Kids practice irregular plurals in this fun game. (SKILL: RF.1.3g Irregularly spelled words)

  • Reinforce the issue’s vocabulary with this skill sheet. (SKILL: RI.1.4 Vocabulary)
  • Kids write their own acrostic poem with this skill sheet. (SKILL: W.1.1 Opinion writing)
Recycled bottles transformed into objects with new uses

Objective: Children will recycle plastic bottles to make something new.

Materials: one 2-liter soda bottle or several small plastic bottles; decorations such as construction paper, decorative tape (washi, painter’s, and/or duct), stickers; glue; scissors

  • Plastic bottles can be reused in many ways! Here are two ideas to try.
  • Make bowling pins. Cut bands of colored construction paper to wrap around each bottle. Then decorate the strips. Kids can write numbers, add stickers, and so on. Glue the bands around the bottles and let dry. (SKILL: Recycling)
  • Make a planter. Cut the 2-liter bottle in half, below the neck. To make a face, glue on googly eyes and use the bottle cap for a nose! (Or decorate with decorative tape.) Pierce drainage holes in the bottom with a pen. Fill the bottle with soil. Then plant seeds.