materials for the arts
Reused Plastic Bags – “My Waste” Bar Graphs
Jamie Manley
Math/Science Lesson/ “My Waste” :45 Minutes
Description:
In third grade the students need to be exposed to representing and interpreting data as a math
standard. I am going to have the students carry around a plastic bag all day and dispose of any, I
mean any, trash (waste) they come across that they would have thrown out during the day and
put it into the bag. I would start in the morning during breakfast time and have them carry it up
until about 2:00, math workshop time. I will then have them use a chart worksheet to tally up
their amount of waste, reusable material, and recyclable materials in their plastic bags. Then, I
will have them make a bar graph using their data and make sure they have labeled all parts
correctly. They will also use a self evaluating checklist for the bar graph to check to make sure
they labeled it correctly. The last and most important part is interpreting this data and thinking
of ways to reduce their waste daily. This lesson will enhance students understanding of waste in
sustainability by showing them how much waste they make as a student in my class and what
they can do to change that. It will also open their eyes to thinking of other alternatives to make
less waste. I think this is giving students a hands-on approach to sustainability, holding them
accountable, and incorporating some important math standards as well.
Finally, I will have the students fill out the rest of the “My Waste” worksheet and then think of
one way they can reduce their amount of waste for the previous day. They will hand these in
and these will be graded. This is their assessment.
Objective: Students will be able to apply what they learned about waste, reducing, reusing, and
recycling in a hands-on activity and identify what they need to do as students to start creating
less waste
Students will collect and organize data in a bar graph.
Students will also interpret data. They will use their “My Waste” bar graphs to interpret the
data they collected throughout the day and answers questions that follow
Standards: Common Core Math Standards: Measurement and Data
3.MD. Represent and interpret data.
3. Draw a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and twostep “how many more” and “how many less” problems using information presented in scaled
bar graphs.
materials for the arts
Reused Plastic Bags – “My Waste” Bar Graphs
Teacher Competencies: Domain 3:Instruction: 3c-Engage students in learning
I will engage students in learning by having them do their own learning and take ownership of
what they waste each day. By having the students be responsible for their own waste all day it
will spread out the pacing of my lesson and will be structured to different activities which will
also keep them engaged. I think this is a very hands-on approach to sustainability.
Materials: Plastic bags, “My Waste” worksheets, bar graph paper, Big Bar Graph Chart Paper,
the ELMO projector, Chart of Components of a Bar Graph up in room, area on desks to put
garbage
Connection:
“Last week we talked about was waste, recycling, reducing, and reusing are in class. We were
able to see how easy it is to recycle, reuse, and reduce waste. Today we are going to see how
much each of us waste during the school day. We also learned about bar graphs in math last
week and the components of one. Today we are combing those two ideas and tallying up our
waste throughout the day making a bar graph out of it. I think this is an interesting way to see
how much we waste and hopefully make us more consciences of our decisions.
Brainstorming prior-knowledge
“Who can tell me what kinds of things we will be throwing out today? What do you normally
throw in Miss Manley’s black bin throughout the day? (pencil shavings, tissues, old paper, notes,
little pieces of paper, gum wrappers, juice boxes, small pencils). I will jot down some answers
on the board. I will make sure to emphasize that not all of these items should be thrown out
but that is ok. I want them to be realistic in what they put in their plastic bags today so that we
can really get true data. I will also tell them no one will judge them and to make sure our data is
accurate they need to throw everything they would throw into the regular garbage in their own
plastic bag.
Teach
“I am going to give each of you a plastic bag, not ones that I have bought but that I have reused
because they were in my home from my own groceries. (I want to explain that I am reusing
these as well.) I will explain that they must carry them around all day and keep them organized
in the cafeteria as well. I want to make sure that when they come up from lunch they each have
their own bag.
materials for the arts
Reused Plastic Bags – “My Waste” Bar Graphs
After Reading time around 2:00 I will say, “Ok, it is time for math, please grab your plastic
bags!” I am going to make sure they have their “My Waste” worksheets on their desks. I will
model using my own plastic bag with a few items in it. I will have my huge Chart Bar Graph
Paper taped to the board as well as my own “My Waste” worksheet displayed on the ELMO. I
will pull 5 different items out of my bag and explain how I would tally them up on my
worksheet. I want to also make sure they remember to make a bundle when they get to the
number 5 and also remind them to not count anything twice because that will ruin the data. I
will have them turn and talk to their shoulder partner about what items need to be on a bar
graph before graphing my own. I will then slowly start to graph my data on the chart paper
showing them where the x and y axes titles need to be, where to put the zero, how to figure
out the scale, what to name the categories, making sure to have a title for their graph, making
sure data is displayed correctly, and making sure that the bars do not touch. After going over all
of these steps I will explain how researchers, environmentalists, and scientists use bar graphs
not only to display data but to interpret and use it for important findings.
Active Engagement
“Now I want to see what kind of waste you have collected in your own individual baggy. In the
middle of your groups there is the “My Waste” worksheet and graph paper. First, I want to see
everyone tallying up their data and then moving on to the bar graph. As you are filling out your
data I want you to use your checklist to make sure you have everything labeled on your bar
graph. I want to hear a lot of discussion in your groups about deciding which items go in which
group. This might be tricky and that is ok. Try your hardest and ask group members for their
input. As you are working on your bar graph I want you to use the Bar Graph “Must Haves”
Chart up in the room to make sure you have all of the important components of your graph.
When you are completely done with your tally chart and your bar graph you may move on to
your questions. Remember to answer all questions and write how you think you can change
your daily waste on the back. This will be collected and graded.”
Link
“I think you are now ready to get started. “Are there any questions? Can someone tell me what
we are doing in our seats at our groups today?”
I will make sure to circulate and answer any questions while students are working. I will be
listening in carefully on the students explanation for putting their specific items in that category.
I will also explain that if they are done early they can go back and think of how they are going
to be able to reuse the materials they said they could reuse.
materials for the arts
Reused Plastic Bags – “My Waste” Bar Graphs
Group Share/Conclusion
After about 20 minutes of working I will stop the students by doing my clapping transition to
get all the students attention. I will praise all of the students for working well in their groups. I
will pick one number to discuss their major findings of their bar graphs from all group
members. There is usually four kids to a group so I will pick let’s say number 2 and number 2
will tell the class what they noticed about their data as a whole. I will chart what the least and
greatest items from the bar graphs of each group were and we will discuss ways that we can all
reduce our waste for the following day.
Assessment
Student’s verbal responses during the whole group portion of the lesson / Teacher’s direct
observation throughout the lesson, collecting and grading their worksheets, making sure their
checklists are filled out
Art
The students can then take all of their reusable and recyclable material and try to create
something out of it. I will show them the “Word Game” I made in this class. I will also show
them the hat that I made for the character, Miss Eula for the book Chicken Sunday in this class.
I will also remind them of the talking wand and the Egyptian necklace I made as well. I will pull
out the Anansi the Spider mask I made for our folktale lesson and explain the reusable materials
I used on that as well. I think taking this lesson and then creating different art projects from it is
a great integration of both subjects, especially with the Common Core.
Literary Resource: “Earth Friendly Crafts” This book has many creative ways to reuse
everyday items. It is a picture book that the kids would love as well. I would read it to them
after this lesson to give them ideas before getting started on their art projects
Technology resource:
http://recgflash.bwprronline.org/
I would have the kids play this game during their technology block before we did this lesson.
This would give them a better idea of what can be recycled and where it goes. The kids have to
place different items in the correct bin and then are told whether they are correct of not with a
happy check and smiley face or a “x” and no. I could also pull it up on the ENO board and we
could play as a whole class.
materials for the arts
Reused Plastic Bags – “My Waste” Bar Graphs
Cultural Connection to NYC:
I would bring my kids to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. This is a beautiful park and the tour
guides are really helpful about teaching the kids about the environment. Since my students are
from a poverty stricken area they never get a chance to go into places like these. Last year we
were able to plant trees there and my students loved it! They talk about how littering can hurt
the animals and plants in an environment and how important it is to not waste. They would be
able to make a connection to the lesson that they did.
materials for the arts
Reused Plastic Bags – “My Waste” Bar Graphs
Name:____________________
Date:_________
Checklist for Bar Graph
1)
I made sure to have a title for my
x-axis
2) I made sure to have a title for my
y- axis
3) I made an accurate scale
4) I put the zero where it belongs
5) I filled in all of my categories
6) My scale starts at zero
7) I have a title for my Bar Graph
8) I made sure none of my bars are
touching
9)
I graphed all of my data
10) My data is graphed correctly
materials for the arts
Reused Plastic Bags – “My Waste” Bar Graphs
“My Waste”
Name:_________________________
Date:____________
Please tally the amount of garbage you collected in your bag for the day.
Item
Tally
Recyclable
Reusable
Waste
Directions: When you are done making your bar graph then you can
answer these questions that follow.
1) How many more waste materials were there than reusable
materials?
_________________
2) How many less recyclable materials were there than waste
materials?
_________________
3) What can you infer about the amount of waste an average student
in this school throws out
daily?______________________________
________________________________________________
_________
________________________________________________
_________
4) On the back of this paper write a brief description of what you
are going to do to try to reduce the amount of waste you create
daily.