RECYCLE ME, PLEASE!

You know all those cardboard food boxes you throw away? Well, here's a great opportunity to give them a second life, teach your children to recycle, and make some cool materials for your classroom. Send a note asking families to save their cardboard food boxes for a week and then let the fun begin!

Cardboard Castle 

Let children use masking tape to create a castle or other play sculpture.

What's for Breakfast? Book 

Each child chooses the front of their favorite cereal box. They can write original sentences or fill in the blank "(Child's name) likes (cereal)."



Puzzles 

Cut box fronts into puzzle shapes. Store in zip bags. For younger children use two like boxes. Cut one up and let them place the pieces on the second box.

Fronts and Backs 

Cut front and back panels off of boxes. Mix them up and then ask the children to match up the ones that go together.


*Play a memory game where you place the fronts and backs face down on the floor. Children try to match up pairs.

Stencils and Templates 

Cut geometric shapes out of box fronts. Children can trace these with colored pencils, crayons, or markers.
*Cut seasonal shapes or objects that relate to a unit of study for the children to trace.

Sewing Cards 

Punch holes around the sides of boxes. Children can sew these with yarn, string, or old shoelaces.



Weaving

Cut notches around the sides of boxes and let children weave through these with yarn.

Fractions

Give each child the front panel off a box. Can you cut it in half? Fourths? Eights?



Math – Have children sort the boxes by product, size, etc. Graph favorite cereals, cookies, crackers, etc.
How about a free song download and flip book about recycling?

http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2015/04_Apr_css/index.html

What Will I Be When They Recycle Me?
(Tune: “Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?”)
What will I be when they recycle me? (Roll hands in a circle.)
What will I be when they recycle me?
What will I be when they recycle me?
I’ll come back to life—you will see! (Clap your hands and then point your finger.)

I am an empty soda can (Pretend to hold a soda can in front of you.)
Made of precious aluminum.
I can save lots of energy
If you will recycle me. (Roll hands in a circle.)

I’m an old bottle of plastic (Pretend to hold a plastic bottle.)
But I could be fantastic!
Toys, pipes, car bumpers, and much more—
That’s what my plastic is for. (Roll hands in a circle.)

A pile of used boxes and papers we (Make an invisible square in the air.)
Come from the precious wood of trees.
Recycled we’ll be as good as new (Roll hands in a circle.)
And save some other trees, too.

I am a fine jar made of glass— (Cup hands to make a bowl.)
Please don’t treat me like plain old trash! (Shake head “no.”)
I’ll make new jars again and again
Recycle me—yes you can! (Roll hands in a circle.)

Though we may look like old used stuff, (Open palms.)
Stop, wait! Please don’t give up on us! (Make sign language for “stop.”)
Think of the great possibilities— (Put index finger on your head and tap.)
Recycle us, set us free! (Roll hands in a circle and then throw up hands in the air.)

CANDY WRAPPERS RECYCLED

TRICK OR TREAT

SMELL MY FEET

GIVE ME SOMETHING

GOOD TO EAT

WHEN MY CANDY

IS ALL DONE

SAVE THE WRAPPERS

FOR LEARNING FUN

ASK YOUR STUDENTS TO SAVE ALL THEIR CANDY WRAPPERS AND BRING THEM
TO SCHOOL. HERE ARE SOME YUMMY LEARNING ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO!

Counting
Count the wrappers. Tally how many in the whole class.

Sets
Make sets with the wrappers.

Sorting
Sort the wrappers. What’s the sorting rule? Can they regroup them?

Graphing
Use the wrappers to graph their favorite candy bar.

Nutrition
Look at the food value on each wrapper. How many calories? How much sugar? Rank the candies by calories.

Vocabulary
Find descriptive words on the wrappers. Make a list of the words and use them in sentences.

Writing
Fold 2 sheets of paper in half and staple to make a book. Children write “I like…” at the top of each page and glue a candy wrapper underneath. This is a book every child in your room can read! Older children could write descriptive sentences about each candy.

Alphabet Letters
Use the wrappers to make a class book called “The Sweet ABC’s.” Write alphabet letters on 26 sheets of paper. Children glue their wrappers to the appropriate letter. Bind pages together to make a book.
Hint! If you don’t have a wrapper for each letter, let children suggest “sweet” words for the page.




Money
Glue candy wrappers to a file folder. Write a coin value by each wrapper. Children count out the appropriate amount and place it on the wrapper.
Hint! For young children, price the candies from 1 cent to 10 cents and give them pennies. Make the amounts higher for older students.

Art
Let children use wrappers to make a collage.

*Finally, take advantage of this “teachable moment” by discussing why sugar is not good for their bodies. What happens if you eat too much sugar? Make a list of healthy snacks that would be better food choices.

GREEN TEAM AND EARTH DAY

Have you signed up to get my daily blog?

Back in January of 2012, I launched my blog with hopes of giving you great ideas to make teaching and learning more FUN for you and your students!  I wanted to keep all the songs, stories, finger plays, games, and activities that I had collected over my many decades as an educator ALIVE.  The world keeps changing, but children are the same!  They want to be loved, they want to play and have fun with their friends, and they want to feel competent and capable.  

At that time, my blogging software included a method for anyone to subscribe and receive notifications about new materials every day. However, this past winter, I received notice that the subscription service would be discontinued. What to do? Well, after some research and study, I found a service called Follow.It. I was able to download all of the subscriber info from the old service and then have it uploaded into the new service. (Well, truth is ya'll know I'm a dinosaur when it comes to technology.  Alex May, my genius webmaster handled all of it.)

Follow.It Tech Support actually did most of the work for us. I have all of the previous subscribers enrolled in the new service, and I have a new “widget” on my blog where interested folks can submit an email address and begin receiving notices about each newly published issue of the blog.

Some of you may have missed an issue or maybe more than one issue during the change over. All should be good now, though.

The new subscriber service has features we were unable to offer previously. Most people won’t want to make any changes, but the feature to do so is part of this new follow.it software.

If you wish, you may visit your account and configure it to receive your emails at a different time or to change the format of those emails.

You can update your user name, your email address and your password.

You may also encounter mention of plans and fees. That section does not apply to people who are just following Dr. Jean’s blog and reading it. There is no charge for being part of Dr. Jean’s community. Those plans and fees are for someone who wants to host a blog. If you are interested in having your own blog, then that section might be for you.

View Link - FollowIt Logo

https://www.mediafire.com/view/2yx1fny7rmetyro/colored-logo-%2528290x49%2529.png/file 

The Green Team (Tune: “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”)

We are on the Green Team. (March in place as you swing your arms.)
Hoorah! Hoorah! (Fist in air as if cheering.)
We can recycle every day. (March in place as you roll your arms around.)
Hoorah! Hoorah! (Fist in air as if cheering.)
Aluminum, glass, tin, (March in place.)
Put paper and cans in recycle bins. (March in place.)
Join the Green Team, (March in place.)
Defend the earth and keep it clean. (Put both fists in the air like a hero.)

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can reduce what we use. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Turn off water and the lights.
Walk, take a bus, or ride your bike.
Join the Green Team.
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can reuse many things. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Share old toys and old clothes, too.
Give away what you don't use.
Join the Green Team,
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can keep our planet clean. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Pick up all the trash you see.
Protect wildlife and plant new trees.
Join the Green Team.
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

Who wouldn't want to be a super hero on the green team? How about some membership cards?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljUFdXTkFpR2ZOUE0/view?usp=sharing


Earth Day
Earth Day, Earth Day! Let’s all come together. (Clap hands.)
Earth Day, Earth Day! To make this world much better.
‘Cause we love our planet Earth, beautiful and blue. (Make a circle with arms.)
We want to take care of it with everything we do.

We can recycle – tell your friends and neighbors! (Pretend to pick up paper.)
Glass, aluminum, plastic and paper.
‘Cause we love our planet Earth, beautiful and blue. (Make a circle with arms.)
We want to take care of it with everything we do.

We can plant a tree or two, to create green spaces;(Pretend to dig.)
Walk or ride our bikes to go different places. (Pretend to ride a bike.)
‘Cause we love our planet Earth, beautiful and blue. (Make a circle with arms.)
We want to take care of it with everything we do.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaWNQqqiIRs

Recycled Products
Have children to look around your house and make a list of recycled materials. Have them practice identifying the “recycle logo” so they can help conserve materials.


                                 


Brainstorm
Have children brainstorm all the ways they can reduce, reuse, and recycle
materials.

GOING GREEN

 

I KNOW A SCIENTIST and all your students will be those scientists with these songs.

 

1.  Feeling Fine
2.  The Green Team
3.  Turn It Off
4.  What Will I Be When They Recycle Me?
5.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,
6.  Litter Patrol
7.  Eat Green
8.  Endangered Species A-Z
9.  Earth Day
10. I Know a Scientist
11. Water Cycle
12. Basic Needs
13. Habitat Homes
14. Eight Great Planets
15. Continents Together
16. Oceans Clean and Blue
17. My Aunt Came Back
18. The Presidents
19. This Land Is Your Land
20. Arms Are For Hugging
21. Arms Are For Hugging (Music Only)

 

Click for several links that will help you share these songs with your students.

 

JOIN THE GREEN TEAM

Who wouldn't want to be a super hero on the green team? How about some membership cards?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljUFdXTkFpR2ZOUE0/view?usp=sharing

The Green Team (Tune: “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”)
We are on the Green Team. (March in place as you swing your arms.)
Hoorah! Hoorah! (Fist in air as if cheering.)
We can recycle every day. (March in place as you roll your arms around.)
Hoorah! Hoorah! (Fist in air as if cheering.)
Aluminum, glass, tin, (March in place.)
Put paper and cans in recycle bins. (March in place.)
Join the Green Team, (March in place.)
Defend the earth and keep it clean. (Put both fists in the air like a hero.)

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can reduce what we use. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Turn off water and the lights.
Walk, take a bus, or ride your bike.
Join the Green Team.
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can reuse many things. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Share old toys and old clothes, too.
Give away what you don't use.
Join the Green Team,
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

We are on the Green Team. Hoorah! Hoorah!
We can keep our planet clean. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Pick up all the trash you see.
Protect wildlife and plant new trees.
Join the Green Team.
Defend the earth and keep it clean.

*Ask children what it means to be on the "green team." How can they keep the earth green and healthy?

Naturalist Kit
Make a naturalist kit by recycling a cardboard box. Make binoculars by cutting a cardboard paper towel roll in half. Tape the halves together and hole punch at the top. Tie on a piece of string so children can easily take the binoculars on and off their heads. Add a magnifying glass, field guide, paper, pencil, etc. Talk about what naturalists do. Can you be a naturalist?

                

Nature’s Colors
1. Give children assorted pony beads and a piece of string or yarn 20-24” long.
2. Explain that they can select a bead to represent the different things in nature that they appreciate. For example, a blue bead might remind them of the ocean, or a red bead might remind them of a cardinal. (Hint! Limit one bead per color. To make it easier to string wrap a small piece of tape around the end of the yarn.)
3. Tie the ends of the string together to make a necklace.
*Older students could write sentences about each color.
4. Ask children to describe their necklaces and explain what each color represents.

                                               

Eat Green!
Will you eat green, oh my children dear, (Pretend to strum a guitar.)
Will you eat green my children?
Oh, we’ll eat green (Make sign language for green by a
Spinach, broccoli, and beans making “G” and circling it around.)
Chorus
Veggie-weggie, fruity-tooty (Make fists with hands and thump together.)
Fresh foody, colors of the rainbow. (Wiggle fingers in a arch.)
Let’s all eat green.

Will you eat orange, oh my children dear,
Will you eat orange my children?
Oh, we’ll eat orange things (Sign language for “O” and circle.)
Carrots, peaches, tangerines
Chorus
Will you eat yellow, my children dear, (Make a “Y” and circle.)
Will you eat yellow my children?
Oh, we’ll eat yellow corn,
Squash, pineapples, and more
Chorus
Will you eat red, oh my children dear, (Make an “R” and circle.)
Will you eat red my children?
Oh, red we’ll eat
Apples, strawberries, and beets
Chorus
Will you eat blue and purple, my children dear, (Make a “P” and circle.)
Will you eat blue and purple?
Oh, we’ll eat purple, blue
Grapes, plums, and berries too.
Chorus
Oh what will you eat, my children dear, (Pretend to strum a guitar.)
Oh what will you eat, my children?
Oh, we’ll eat fresh foods
Good for us and for earth, too,Chorus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S1iWcU7V0Y&t=70s

https://bit.ly/drjeanEatGreen

*Brainstorm different parts of plants that you can eat.
Leaves – lettuce, spinach, cabbage
Stems – celery, asparagus, rhubarb
Roots – sweet potatoes, carrots, onions
Flowers – cauliflower, broccoli
Seeds – sunflower, pumpkin, walnuts

RECYCLE ME, PLEASE!

You know all those cardboard food boxes you throw away? Well, here's a great opportunity to give them a second life, teach your children to recycle, and make some cool materials for your classroom. Send a note asking families to save their cardboard food boxes for a week and then let the fun begin!

http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2015/04_Apr_css/index.html

Cardboard Castle 

Let children use masking tape to create a castle or other play sculpture.

                                     

What's for Breakfast? 

Each child chooses the front of their favorite cereal box. They can write original sentences or fill in the blank "(Child's name) likes (cereal)."

Puzzles 

Cut box fronts into puzzle shapes. Store in zip bags. For younger children use two like boxes. Cut one up and let them place the pieces on the second box.

                                         

Fronts and Backs 

Cut front and back panels off of boxes. Mix them up and then ask the children to match up the ones that go together.

                                                               

*Play a memory game where you place the fronts and backs face down on the floor. Children try to match up pairs.

Stencils and Templates 

Cut geometric shapes out of box fronts. Children can trace these with colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

*Cut seasonal shapes or objects that relate to a unit of study for the children to trace.

                       

Sewing Cards 

Punch holes around the sides of boxes. Children can sew these with yarn, string, or old shoelaces.

                                                   

Weaving – Cut notches around the sides of boxes and let children weave through these with yarn.

Fractions 

Give each child the front panel off a box. Can you cut it in half? Fourths? Eights?

                                                                             
Math – Have children sort the boxes by product, size, etc. Graph favorite cereals, cookies, crackers, etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL PRINT

Here are some tried and true activities that you can adapt online, in class, or in one of the thousand other ways school districts are operating!!

Environmental print is one way young children “read pictures” and develop visual literacy. Using environmental print at the beginning of the school year is a great way to help children make print connections, develop visual memory skills, and motivate them to read. 

Note!  Some of these activities would be great to share with your parents so they could encourage their children to "read" around the house.

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard

Glue wrappers from snack foods, cereals, etc. that children would be familiar with to sheets of paper and write this rhyme at the top of each page:
 "Old Mother Hubbard
  went to her cupboard
 to get her poor dog a bone.
 But when she got there, the cupboard was bare, and so the poor dog had...(Children read food logo.)"

What’s for Breakfast?

Ask children to bring their favorite cereal box to class.  Let them take turns holding up their box and challenge their friends to "read" what they like to eat.

Clothes 

Read sayings on T-shirts, sports jerseys, shoes, and other clothing the children wear.



Read at Home Book

This is a project that children can do at home with their parents.  

Directions:  Cut five 9” x 12” sheets of construction paper in half. Write “I Can Read” on the front and let the children decorate with their name and picture. Encourage parents to help their child cut out words they can read from boxes, magazines, and advertisements. 

I Like

Invite children to save labels from foods.  Write the words “I” and “like” on index cards. Model how to place the cards "I" and "like" on their desk or table.  Choose a label to put after the index cards.  Encourage the children to read, "I like (logo)."  Comment, “Look at you reading!!!!”



Block Engineers
Cut store logos from Sunday advertisements. Tape to wooden blocks and make your own mall in the block center.


Out the Door
Last January when I was in Pleasanton, TX, Nadine Barrow shared this idea. She posts words and environmental print on the inside of her door. Students have to read two of the words before exiting the classroom.

LITTLE LESSONS FOR ONLINE LEARNING PART 4

Since this is Earth Week I wanted to share some great "tools" and "toys" that parents (and teachers) can do with their children. You'll be modeling how to recycle and reuse materials, your children will have some new learning activities, and you'll have fun creating these together. I bet you'll even be "inventors" and come up with some new uses for recycling cardboard food boxes.

Hint!  Suggest families get a grocery sack and save all their cardboard boxes for one week.

Treasure Boxes
Cut the top off the box.  Let children decorate the box with pictures, stickers, drawings, etc.  Punch holes near the top on the short sides of the box.  Tie on a string for a handle.  Let children use these for a nature walk or to store toys or other "treasures."

*These are also great for sight words, letters, numbers, math facts, or other skills children are working on.

Cardboard Castle – Fill food boxes with crushed newspaper and tape shut. Let children use these inside our outdoors like giant building blocks.

Puzzles – Cut box fronts into puzzle shapes. Store in zip bags. For younger children use two like boxes. Cut one up and let them place the pieces on the second box.



Fronts and Backs – Cut front and back panels off of boxes. Mix them up and then ask the children to match up the ones that go together.

More? Play a memory game where you place the fronts and backs face down on the floor. Children try to match up pairs.

Books - Use food boxes to make covers for books.

   

Stencils and Templates – Cut geometric shapes out of box fronts. Children can trace these with colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

Sewing Cards – Punch holes around the sides of boxes. Children can sew these with yarn, string, or old shoelaces.

Weaving – Cut notches around the sides of boxes and let children weave through these with yarn.

Fractions – Give each child the front panel off a box. Can you cut it in half? Fourths? Eights?

Note! This activity is for older children.


Math – Have children sort the boxes by product, size, etc.

Nutrition – Cut the side panels with nutritional information from cereal boxes. Have children rank them according to sugar content, food value, etc.

WHAT WILL I BE WHEN THEY RECYCLE ME?

Here's another free song download:

Download free song

What Will I Be When They Recycle Me?
(Tune: “Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?”)
What will I be when they recycle me? (Roll hands in a circle.)
What will I be when they recycle me?
What will I be when they recycle me?
I’ll come back to life—you will see! (Clap your hands and then point your finger.)

I am an empty soda can (Pretend to hold a soda can in front of you.)
Made of precious aluminum.
I can save lots of energy
If you will recycle me. (Roll hands in a circle.)

I’m an old bottle of plastic (Pretend to hold a plastic bottle.)
But I could be fantastic!
Toys, pipes, car bumpers, and much more—
That’s what my plastic is for. (Roll hands in a circle.)

A pile of used boxes and papers we (Make an invisible square in the air.)
Come from the precious wood of trees.
Recycled we’ll be as good as new (Roll hands in a circle.)
And save some other trees, too.

I am a fine jar made of glass— (Cup hands to make a bowl.)
Please don’t treat me like plain old trash! (Shake head “no.”)
I’ll make new jars again and again
Recycle me—yes you can! (Roll hands in a circle.)

Though we may look like old used stuff, (Open palms.)
Stop, wait! Please don’t give up on us! (Make sign language for “stop.”)
Think of the great possibilities— (Put index finger on your head and tap.)
Recycle us, set us free! (Roll hands in a circle and then throw up hands in the air.)


WATER BOTTLES
DO YOU HATE TO THROW AWAY WATER BOTTLES LIKE I DO? HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE, FUN PROJECTS YOU CAN DO AT HOME. FIRST, REMOVE LABEL AND THEN FILL WITH SOME OF THE MATERIALS SUGGESTED BELOW.

NOTE! GLUE THE LIDS ON WITH E6000 OR ANOTHER CRAFT GLUE.

Bubbles – Fill ½ full with water. Add a drop of dish detergent and a few drops of food coloring and shake.



Mud – Put ½ cup dirt in a bottle. Fill with water. Shake and observe as the dirt settles.

                        

Wave – Fill 2/3 full with water. Add a drop of food coloring. Fill to the top with vegetable oil or baby oil. Slowly rotate the bottle on its side to make waves.

                                                  

Can you find? - Fill a bottle half way with salt or sand. Add small toys and shake. Children try to identify the objects. (You can probably find lots of small objects in a "junk" drawer in your kitchen!)

                

Glitter – Fill a bottle with water. Add food coloring and glitter.

                                               

Finger fun – Put cotton balls, clothespins, pom poms, or other small objects in a bottle. Challenge the children to remove them and then put them back in.

                                                                     

Air tanks – Take two liter bottles and fill half way with water. Tape bottles together. Add shoulder straps so children can be super heroes, astronauts, scuba divers - whatever their imaginations want!