Closing+the+Loop

Newspaper- ceiling tile, pencil. house insulation Office/writing paper- card, notebook, paper, napkin Cardboard- packaging material Milk Jug- plastic lumber Soda Bottle- carpet, batting material Styrofoam- ruler Tires- carpet pad, crumb ruler for asphalt, shows Oil-recycled oil Steel- can, appliances, tools, car parts Aluminum- aluminum doors, windows, cans Glass- insulation, asphalt tires, reflective paint, sandblasting beads Paper- construction paper, grocery bags, nursery pot, roofing felt Plastic-hoses, toys, boats, flower pots, visors, flower pots Rubber- conveyor belts, retread tires, car hoses, guardrails, doormats Cloth- cleaning rags, mops. felt, padding, fine writing paper Asphalt and Concrete- road fill, concrete aggregate
 * Closing the Loop**
 * Materials** (*I know some of these items will be hard to get but you can use pictures as well):


 * Grade Level**: Middle School

//**Objective:**// After this lesson, student will be able to understand the importance of buying recycled things. Also, they will describe the difference between things that are recycled into similar things and things that take on a new appearance.


 * Background: In order for recycling to continue in the community, there must be a company that takes recyclables and makes them into new things. If people are not buying these recycled things, then these companies eventually will go out of business. If these companies close down, then all recyclables will end up in land fills. **

Activity:** Explain the importance of buying recycled products. Explain to the students that most recyclables turn back into the same container. Steel, aluminum, or glass can be recycled up to 100 times. Paper can be recycled from 5 to 12 times. Most plastics, at this time can only be recycled once.
 * Procedures:

Set up recyclables in one table and set newly recycled products in another table. Have the students observe and guess which product is turned into what product. Have students write down their answer. Have the students get into groups to discuss their observations and their answers. After everyone has shared in their group, discuss each items and it's new product.

Ask students if they can think of anything else that would fit into these 2 categories. Ask the students if they know the difference in cost of something made of recycled material and something that is made from the natural resource directly. Students can then be assigned to do research on a particular assignment and the present it to the class.

This lesson adapted from "Conserving the Future"- Renewable and NonrenewableType in the content of your page here.