Lesson 1: Why Recycle Paper?
Students study "Recycling Fast Facts " to learn how much landfill space is saved by a ton of recovered paper.
OBJECTIVE
Mathematics: Students understand how to compute volume and display information as a line graph.
MATERIALS
Tape measure, graph paper
DIRECTIONS
Time required: One class period
1. Begin by sharing “Recycling Fast Facts”. Review the fact that every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.
2. Introduce the formula for volume as: length x width x height. Ask students to choose a classroom object they think is close in size to 3.3 cubic yards, such as a desk or chair. Measure the object and calculate its volume to check students’ estimates. Is 3.3 cubic yards bigger or smaller than what students thought? What does this fact say about recycling?
3. Share the following figures*:
| Year
| Paper Recovered | Paper in Landfills |
| 2006 | 53.3 | 36.7 |
| 2007 | 54.3 | 32.7 |
| 2008 | 51.8 | 28.7 |
*Statistics from paperrecycles.org. Look under “Quick Links” for more statistics and graphs.
4. Ask students: Between 2006 and 2008, did the amount of paper recovered increase or decrease? What about landfill space taken up by paper? Challenge students to draw two line graphs that display this information. On the vertical axis, track millions of tons. On the horizontal axis, track years.
ARTICLE
UNIT PLAN
ONLINE ACTIVITY
