≠
ENGAGING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THROUGH FILM
GARBAGE
D
R
E
A
M
S
A FILM BY MAI ISKANDER
LESSON 2: Playing the Game
Updated 1/11/11
WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
Photo Credit: Kryollos (12 years old)
© Copyright 2011 Independent Television Service (ITVS)
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM is an innovative education resource providing short documentary film content
and accompanying curricular materials, lesson plans and homework assignments, to high school and
community college instructors and youth-serving community-based organizations. Film modules are drawn
from documentaries scheduled for broadcast on the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens.
Content is grouped into subject specific segments that correspond to lesson plans and educational activities.
All COMMUNITY CLASSROOM materials are designed with key education standards in mind, and available,
along with the film modules, free of charge on a DVD and online.
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM is a product of the Independent Television Service, with support from the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting, and with guidance from the American Association of Community Colleges, KQED Education Network,
National Association for Media Literacy Education, National Council for the Social Studies, National State Teachers of the
Year, and PBS Teachers.
Community Classroom Independent Television Service (ITVS)
Anne Schreiber and David Langendoen (Electric Funstuff)
61 Brannan Street, Suite 410
http://www.electricfunstuff.com/
San Francisco, CA 94107 Designers: Aidan Humrich and Wilson Ling
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.itvs.org/educators/collections
Lead Curriculum Developers:
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
Lesson 2
Playing the Game
Objectives:
Students will play the interactive Garbage Dreams Game and learn about:
•
•
•
The benefits of recycling on the environment
The different types of materials that can be recycled
The different business strategies for recycling including the benefits of hiring workers, acquiring tools (trucks), and recycling in different neighborhoods
Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts, Cultural Studies, Economics, Math, Science
Materials:
• Garbage Dreams Game http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/game.html
• Computer (with Flash 9 installed)
• Worksheet # 2 Game Rules and Worksheet #3 Strategies for Game Play
Time:
The game runs for a maximum of 8 rounds; each round takes approximately 3 minutes to play, for a total
game play of about 24 minutes. Class introduction and discussion will take an additional 20 minutes, for a
total of approximately 45 minutes of class time.
Learning Style:
• Individuals or partners
• Online game play
Grades:
High school; grades 9-12
Procedures:
These procedures are divided into before, during, and after game play. Class discussion should come at
the beginning and end of game play. Students can play in partners or as individuals. You may wish to cycle
students through the computer game while the rest of the class completes the other lesson activities.
Students may also be able to access the game from their home computers, if available to them. This game
is a companion to the film, Garbage Dreams, which is available for purchase or rent through the filmmaker’s
website (http://www.garbagedreams.com/). Though the Garbage Dreams Game can be played on its own,
playing the game after watching the film will result in deeper cultural and content understanding. At the very
least, students should watch the six-minute trailer provided on the game’s website
(http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/classroom.html).
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 1
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
1. Before Playing:
Introduce the interactive Garbage Dreams Game to the students. Explain to them that the stated goal of the
game is to get the total rate of recycling in Cairo as high as they can in 8 months (rounds). Students will
receive bonus points if they recycle above 80%. This number was chosen as a goal because it’s the amount
of garbage that the Zaballeen people are able to recycle. Remind your students that in the United States,
most cities have a rate of about 30 percent recycling efficiency.
Before students play the game, discuss the environmenta benefits of recycling. Ask students to list what they
think are the benefits. Ask them to think about what happens to the garbage that is not recycled. (It goes into
landfills, for which there is limited space.) Talk about the game play. The game has one stated goal — to achieve a high percent of recycling. What
are some other goals that students could achieve? Tell students that they can play the game differently if
they’d like, using other goals such as gaining the most money or employing the most workers. This will not
necessarily result in in higher scores during game play, but will bring out some business strategies and tradeoffs to think about.
Introduce the term, return on investments (ROI) to your students. In the Garbage Dreams
Game, they will make different investments to be able to recycle different materials.
How do those different investments pay off? Ask them to pay attention to their return on
investment as they play the game.
2. During Play:
The Garbage Dreams Game is self-explanatory, but you may want to share these simple game rules either
before or during game play. Student Worksheet #2 Game Rules summarizes the rules of the game
and may be handed out to students before they play. Students can play the game with partners or in small
groups.
1. The stated goal of the game is to get as high a total city-wide percent recycling rate as you can in 8
months (or rounds).
2. Students begin each round by selecting “Recycle” and clicking on the “Sort Garbage” icon.
3. Students begin with one goat (to recycle organic waste), one paper recycling factory, and a small amount
of money that they can use to purchase Upgrades (to buy different recycling factories in order to recycle
additional materials), or to Expand into new neighborhoods. Students can click on Upgrade or Expand before
or after each turn to purchase new investments.
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 2
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
Each new type of equipment costs a different amount to purchase and maintain, and allows the player to
take advantage of the different cash values of the various types of recyclables that they are now capable
of processing. Each neighborhood costs a different amount to contract and maintain, and also provides a
different composition of garbage (which is worth different amounts) – higher income neighborhoods produce
garbage with more valuable recycleables. Trucks provide access to additional neighborhoods. Adding
workers increases the time on the clock, thus allowing more time to get the whole pile recycled.
4. In the first round of the game, sending garbage to the Landfill does not have a cost. After the first round,
however, students will be charged a $1 Disposal fee for any garbage that goes to the Landfill. This fee
represents the real world costs of disposing of garbage. After the second round, any items that are left
unsorted when the player runs out of time will be automatically sent to the Landfill and will cost a $2 Hauling
fee, representing the real world costs of having garbage that is left lying around hauled away. Note that this
fee will apply even to recyclables that have not yet been recycled.
The Zaballeen have a vision for Cairo’s waste
management system that would implement an
at-source segregation scheme, dividing organic and
non-organic waste at the source. In the film Garbage
Dreams, the Zaballeen embark on a community
outreach campaign advocating waste segregation.
Laila and Adham go door to door, asking residents to
sort their trash as they are throwing it away, placing
organic waste such as leftover food in one container
and all non-organic refuse such as cans, papers, and
plastics in another. With no organic waste to spoil the
non-organic waste, recycling rates increase. When
trash is not segregated at the source, 20 percent of
the non-organic waste is not fit for recycling, because
it has been contaminated by the organic waste. This
is especially true in the case of paper. Of all the paper
that gets thrown away by Cairo’s residents, only 1
percent can be used for recycling as the other 99
percent gets contaminated and spoiled by organic
material. However, with an effective community
outreach campaign advocating source segregation,
overall recycling rates increased from 80 percent to
95 percent.
5. Awareness Campaigns, such as source separation, encourage community participation to help make the
garbage easier to recycle. Home waste separation (or source separation) encourages Cairo’s residents to separate their organics (food
waste) from their non-organic recyclables at home, allowing less contamination and more garbage to be
recycled. The Zaballeen have a vision for Cairo’s waste management system that would implement a source
separation scheme, dividing organic and non-organic waste at the source. In the film Garbage Dreams,
the Zaballeen embark on a community outreach campaign advocating home waste segregation. Laila and
Adham go door-to-door, asking residents to sort their trash as they are throwing it away, placing organic
waste such as leftover food in one container and all non-organic refuse such as cans, papers, and plastics
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 3
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
in another. With no organic waste to spoil the non-organic waste, recycling rates increase. When trash is
not segregated at the source, a percentage of the non-organic waste is not fit for recycling, because it has
been spoiled by the organic waste. This is especially true in the case of paper. With an effective community
awareness campaign, one advocating source segregation, more non-organics such as paper are recyclable
and the overall recycling rate can reach as high as 95 percent.
Community awareness reduction campaigns encourage Cairo’s residents to reduce their use of nonrecyclables (or things that are difficult to recycle), such as plastic bags and disposable coffee cups. Reduction campaigns are in progress in many countries, including the United States. By reducing the
amount of non-recyclable items in the garbage, recycling rates increase and landfill use decreases.
6. As students go through the rounds, they can try different strategies to achieve their goals. You may wish
to hand out Worksheet #3 Strategies for Game Play, which encourages students to think about different
game-playing strategies and to write their own game-playing tips.
7. As students try different strategies, circulate around the room and ask students the following questions
about their game play:
• Which recycling factories are best to purchase (even if they are more expensive)?
• How many trucks is the optimal number? Which neighborhood has the biggest pay off?
• Why do the upper income neighborhoods produce more garbage that contains more valuable material to recycle?
• How are awareness campaigns an effective strategy to improve recycling rates, and what might be some of the obstacles in implementing this strategy?
8. Reintroduce the concept of ROI , Return on Investment, (from the section “Before Playing”). In Garbage
Dreams, there are two ways to look at ROI. One is to think about how much additional money an upgrade
or expansion brings in each turn, minus its upkeep cost. The other is to think about how an upgrade or
expansion impacts the percentage of garbage that is recycled.
For example, investing in an aluminum recycling machine/processor costs $170 and has an upkeep cost of
$15/per month. Recycling one ton of aluminum brings in $34 of income (one ton is represented by a single
recycled object in the Garbage Dreams game, which is a sorting mini-game). If a player recycles three tons
of aluminum in a turn, then the ROI for that investment is ($35 * 3) - $15 / $170, or 53%, and it will only
take two turns at that level to recoup the original investment.
Tracking the ROI in terms of recycling percentage — which is the goal of the game — can be a little trickier.
If players play a round, record their recycling percentage, and then make a single investment or expansion,
they can see the difference directly. If they make multiple investments, it will be much harder to assess the
individual impact that each one makes.
Another challenge is figuring out how to think about ROI for a recycling upgrade, which reduces the time
it takes for an item to be fully recycled and ready to receive the next item. When does it make sense to
purchase these kinds of upgrades and how would one assess the results?
9. Students can also experiment with different recycling styles. They may wish to move around their pile first,
exposing all the items in it. Or they may wish to presort all of their materials. They can try different motor
strategies and look for different results. These ideas are captured in Worksheet #3 Strategies for Game
Play.
10. The game ends after students have played 8 rounds. Students will then be given their final recycling
percentage, as well as a composite score number that measures how well they have played. Students may
then post these scores on the Leaderboards to compete with other students playing at other schools.
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 4
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
After Playing:
When all your students have completed the Garbage Dreams Game, have a class discussion. Allow students
to discuss their different strategies for game play. If you have not already done so, hand out Worksheet #3
Strategies for Game Play.
Ask students the following:
• Were there kinesthetic and motor differences in how students navigated the game board? How did students sort the garbage, and how did that affect their game play?
• What were the different types of garbage that could be recycled? What garbage could not be recycled at all (look at the Recycling Backgrounder)? List them (a dirty diaper, DVDs, soiled paper, etc) and talk about why.
• Why do some materials bring in more money than others? What is organic waste, and where could it go if there was no goat or composter?
• Talk to your students about composting – certain (organic) waste can be composted and turned back in to soil, instead of being thrown in a landfill.
• Did your students try to expand? Was it a good idea to expand at every turn?
• Ask students if they purchased trucks or new neighborhood contracts. What did that expansion do for them? How did having workers help or hurt their overall game results?
•
Why are Disposal fees and Hauling fees included in the game? Does it actually cost money to dispose of garbage in a landfill? What about the non-economic costs of garbage disposal (i.e. the cost of the environmental problems caused by littering and pollution)? In real life, who actually pays those costs? Who do students think should pay those costs?
•
Do some upgrades provide more economic return than recycling benefit? (or vice-versa) How should one compare economic return vs. recycling return? What is a five percent increase in recycling worth even if it returns no money to the recycler? Would students want to recycle for the good of the community? •
Did any students try to reach the goal of maximizing their profits (money on hand)? Did others try to meet the stated goal of maximizing their recycling efficiency? Were these goals ever in conflict? Why do the students think that might be true? Did any student use the option of advancing to the next round without spending any money? What did that do to their game play?
Invite students to complete Worksheet #3 Game Playing Strategies, which compares different game
playing strategies. They may work in small groups to maximize discussion.
Additional Questions:
If time remains, ask students what the game taught them about running a recycling business. How can
expanding, by adding more factories, help a business to grow? How can expanding, by gaining more
territories, help? Why do they think having workers added time on the clock?
Have students research what can and can’t be recycled in their own community, then create charts or
artwork based on their findings to bring home and share with their families and neighbors.
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 5
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
Ask students to compare this game to real life. What did they learn about recycling? What do they think
the different materials, once recycled, might be used for? Why do they think the different materials are all
different prices? What benefits are there to recycling? Ask students to share them. Compare this list to your
students’ ideas before playing the game.
Talk to students about the recycling facts included in the game. Did students read these facts? Were they
surprised by them? Did they feel like they learned more from playing the game or from reading the recycling
facts?
What did students think about the game design? What would they have done differently?
For students who have seen the film, ask them what they thought about the Zaballeen as recyclers. How is it
possible for the Zaballeen to be such efficient recyclers?
Extension Activities:
If you have limited access to computers, or want to do this as a whole class activity, you can play this game
offline. Divide students into groups. Offer each group a stack of different colored index cards. Each color
card has a different object, made of different material, drawn on it (tin, glass, plastic, etc), the number of
the group, and the price of the material. Provide different bins for the different materials. Start each group
out with a certain amount of money. Students need to use the money to gain access to a certain bin, or to
purchase additional workers (members of their group who can participate), or to new stacks of index cards
(garbage). Once they have access to a new bin, they can drop their index cards in the proper receptacle.
New workers add time to their clock. Purchasing trucks unlocks new neighborhoods, which means a different
stack of “garbage.” Richer neighborhoods cost more and have “better” (more valuable) garbage. Time the
different groups as they play against each other. A group wins when it has the most overall garbage in
recycling bins.
For students with more advanced understanding, another goal could be to recycle the most high-priced
garbage for the greatest ROI. Assessment:
Students demonstrate successful completion of the lesson by playing the game and then demonstrating an
understanding of the different materials that can be recycled during class discussion.
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 6
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
Worksheet #2 Game Rules
Lesson Two: Playing the Game
Game Rules
1. Click on RECYCLE to start the game. 2. You will start the game with one hungry goat and a paper recycling factory; these give you the ability to
recycle only clean paper and organic (food waste) materials. Click and drag those materials out of the pile of
garbage and onto the matching recycling factories. Each time you use a particular recycling factory (or the
goat), it will take a few seconds for it to process and be ready for the next item.
You may need to move an object out of the way to get your item out. Throw out materials that can’t be
recycled into the garbage can (Landfill). If you clear the pile before time runs out, you will get a small time
bonus.
3. As the game begins, you will be given seed money to start your recycling business. You can choose
to Upgrade or Expand using the money you have on hand, or you can just begin to play the game. It is,
however, highly recommended that you start by spending your seed money.
At the end of each turn, you will again be able to spend money improving your recycling capabilities. The
more you recycle, the more you money you’ll earn, and the more you’ll be able to spend.
In Upgrade, you can invest in new factories (bins) to recycle new materials (tin, glass, plastic, and aluminum),
or you can improve an existing factory by making it more efficient (an improvement will reduce processing
time or allow you to recycle new types of materials).
You can also invest in Workers (which increase the time on the clock during the Recycle phase); Education
(which increases the amount of time that Workers add to the clock); or Awareness Campaigns (which teach
citizens ways that they can help to improve the overall recycling rate).
In Expand, you can buy trucks that let you collect garbage from more neighborhoods. To Expand, first buy
a truck and then choose a new neighborhood. This will increase the amount of garbage you collect, which
increases the size of your garbage pile during the Recycle phase. The more neighborhoods you collect from,
the higher your City-Wide recycling rate can grow by the end of the game.
Remember, if you find yourself running out of time during Recycle, it might be time to invest in Workers!
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 7
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
4. Each investment and expansion comes with a maintenance fee (the Upkeep cost) that must be paid each
turn. If you invest in too much too soon, you may not be able to recycle enough to cover your costs and you’ll
lose the game.
5. Early in the game, sending garbage to the Landfill is free. Later in the game, you will start to be charged
for garbage that goes to the Landfill. Any item of garbage you put in the Landfill yourself will cost a $1
Disposal Fee. Any items that are left unsorted when you run out of time (including recyclables) will be
automatically sent to the Landfill for you… and will cost a $2 Hauling fee.
6. Continue to click “Recycle” and go through the turns (months) until you have reached the end of the
game. At that point, you will see your overall City-Wide recycling percentage and be given a total score that
ranks how well you have played. This score is mostly based on your City-Wide recycling, but also accounts
for your monthly income and cash on hand.
Once you get your score, you may then post it on the Leaderboards to compete with other students or
friends. INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 8
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
Worksheet #3
Lesson Two: Playing the Game
Game Playing Strategies
As you play the Garbage Dreams Game, think about the different strategies you can use to win the game.
What kinds of game playing techniques can you employ to be a more efficient recycler?
Each game area below has two hints or game play ideas. Which one do you think is better? Try each one as
you play the game. Use these ideas to create your own strategies and add them to this sheet.
Game Area: Getting Started
• Invest in community outreach; you will get much more recyclable paper, and the cost is low. You can also afford more goats (the organics upgrade), so that you can clear out organic material efficiently.
• Invest your starting money into plastics recycling, so that you quickly get a higher value recyclable to earn more money (and so you won’t have to throw plastic in the garbage).
Game Area: Sorting
• Pre-sort garbage when possible. For example, if your paper recycling is busy, you can place the next paper right above it, so that it’s easy to drop it in later.
• Focus on the most valuable waste. It is better to find all the aluminum than it is to spend time feeding the goat.
Game Area: Expansion
• If you’re a fast sorter, better technologies make more sense than more workers. If you’re slow with the mouse, then workers are the best way to get more time.
• When you buy a truck, study the neighborhoods and add the richest ones first. They’re more likely to have the most valuable waste. Caution: Richer neighborhoods also have a higher upkeep cost, so make sure you have the ability to recycle many different materials.
Add your own hint in the space below.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 9
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
Additional Resources
Use these links to reviewed websites to learn more about the Zaballeen people, the Garbage Dreams film,
the science of waste management, and recycling. You will also find sites with additional lesson plans on
recycling and on learning about other cultures.
About the Film
The official Garbage Dreams website
http://www.garbagedreams.com
The Independent Lens/PBS companion site
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/.html
This Discussion Guide for the film (PDF):
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/resources/garbagedreams_discussion.pdf
Additional Lesson Plans
Scholastic Teachers: Lesson plan activity on papermaking
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=1329
The National Health Museum: Access Excellence: Waste Management: Activities for reusing and recycling
garbage http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1991/waste.php
The Educator’s Reference Desk: Pollution and Recycling
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Health/Environmental_Health/ENH0002.html
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Eight quality lesson plans on recycling, packaging and waste
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/enved/Rec_lessons/contents.htm
Recycling
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Recycling Games & Activities
http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/activity.htm#Information
University of Oregon: The Recycling Process After Collection
http://www.uoregon.edu/~recycle/after_collection.html
Offers clear details on garbage processing techniques.
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 10
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GARBAGE DREAMS
Environmental Issues
No-Burn.org: The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives
http://www.no-burn.org
Provides facts and calls-to-action in opposition to incineration as a waste management strategy.
UNESCO: Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future
http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/
Vermont Education for Sustainability
http://www.vtefs.org/index.html
Provides information about sustainability curricula and other resources.
Green Learning
http://www.greenlearning.ca/
Comprehensive Canadian site includes a variety of downloadable curricula on sustainability.
The Zaballeen
Coptic Cairo
http://www.coptic-cairo.com
Provides a background on Coptic Christian culture.
The Zaballeen Recycling School Fan Page on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=search&gid=121855759600
Independent Lens Garbage Dreams Discussion Guide
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/garbage-dreams/getinvolved.html
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 11
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
GUIDE CREDITS
CURRICULA DEVELOPERS
Anne Schreiber is a thought leader in new media and
education with over 20 years experience as a multimedia publisher, product designer and educator. She
is currently consulting for various publishing and media
companies as founder of Indigo Media.
David Langendoen is a founding partner of Electric
Funstuff, a company that specializes in applying game
design to experiences with educational outcomes.
ITVS STAFF
Duong-Chi Do
Associate Director of Communications
Annelise Wunderlich
National Community Engagement and Education
Manager
Cathy Fischer
Senior Content Producer
COMMUNITY CLASSROOM NATIONAL
ADVISORS
Carole Lester
American Association of Community Colleges
Maxine Einhorn
KQED Education Network
Kara Clayton
National Association for Media Literacy Education
Wendell Bourne & Michael Yell
National Council for the Social Studies
Joseph Fatheree
National State Teachers of the Year
Donelle Blubaugh & Jenny Bradbury
PBS Teachers
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Mai Iskander
Director of Garbage Dreams
Jeremy Bernstein
Lead Designer/Producer for Garbage Dreams the
Game
Duane Dunfield
Lead Developer for Garbage Dreams the Game
Julie Smith
Editorial review of the lesson plans
INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICE (ITVS)
651 BRANNAN STREET, SUITE 410
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107
GARBAGE DREAMS
About ITVS:
The Independent Television Service (ITVS) funds and
presents award-winning documentaries and dramas
on public television, innovative new media projects
on the Web and the Emmy Award-winning weekly
series Independent Lens on Tuesday nights at 10
PM on PBS. ITVS is a miracle of public policy created
by media activists, citizens and politicians seeking to
foster plurality and diversity in public television. ITVS
was established by a historic mandate of Congress
to champion independently produced programs that
take creative risks, spark public dialogue and serve
underserved audiences. Since its inception in 1991,
ITVS programs have revitalized the relationship between
the public and public television, bringing TV audiences
face-to-face with the lives and concerns of their fellow
Americans. More information about ITVS can be obtained
by visiting itvs.org. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the
American people.
About Independent Lens:
Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award-winning weekly
series airing Tuesday nights at 10 PM on PBS. The
acclaimed anthology series features documentaries and
a limited number of fiction films united by the creative
freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions
of their independent producers. Independent Lens
features unforgettable stories about a unique individual,
community or moment in history. Presented by ITVS, the
series is supported by interactive companion websites,
and national publicity and community engagement
campaigns. Further information about the series is
available at pbs.org/independentlens. Independent
Lens is jointly curated by ITVS and PBS, and is funded
by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a
private corporation funded by the American people, with
additional funding provided by PBS and the National
Endowment for the Arts. The series producer is Lois
Vossen.
About PBS:
PBS is a media enterprise that serves 354 public
noncommercial television stations and reaches almost
90 million people each week through on-air and online
content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and
the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and
dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the
most prestigious award competitions. PBS is a leading
provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers,
and offers a broad array of other educational services.
PBS’ premier kids’ TV programming and Web site, PBS
KIDS Online (pbskids.org), continue to be parents’ and
teachers’ most trusted learning environments for children.
More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one
of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet.
PHONE: 415.356.8383
EMAIL: [email protected]
WEB: WWW.PBS.ORG/INDEPENDENTLENS/CLASSROOM
PAGE 12