First graders have become quite the recycling experts! After learning about landfills, recycling, and what happens to the things we throw away, students started looking at the recycling bins around our school a little differently.

In fact, our classroom has a communal recycling bin nearby, and students began noticing something that didn’t seem quite right. There were often items in the bin that couldn’t actually be recycled – especially wipes, paper towels, and lunch trash!

Students learned that when non-recyclable materials are mixed in with recyclable materials, they can contaminate the recycling. If a bin or a whole load of recycling becomes too contaminated, it may have to be thrown away instead of recycled. That means that putting just one wrong item in the bin can potentially cause other recyclable materials to end up in the landfill, too! We wanted our fellow Ravens to know the best way to recycle at our school.

So, we made a PSA!

Students worked together to create a Public Service Announcement video to share with other classes at school so that our school can do our part towards recycling! Before filming, students reviewed our recycling rules and practiced identifying the items that belong in the recycling bin. They remembered that recyclable materials need to be clean and dry, too. Students had so much fun putting on their acting hats and getting in front of the camera! Thanks to the first graders, the whole school now has a chance to become recycling experts, too.

Happy recycling!