Sixth Grade Continues Trash Unit

Arriving to Social Studies class last week, sixth graders found their desks and chairs covered in recycling and trash items. This prompted a discussion about trash in the environment and ways to reduce it by recycling or reusing materials. As the sixth grade interdisciplinary unit on trash continues, social studies lessons are focusing on trash in the environment and its impact on individuals and groups.

Sixth graders are delving deeper into the topic of trash in their other classes as well, examining the social, environmental and personal impact of trash. This applies fictional settings as well, as students continue to read and discuss the novel "Trash" by Andy Mulligan. Ultimately, students are laying the foundation for their final project, in which they will create a prototype of a product or service that helps reduce waste in the community. Students are researching specific types of waste and identifying problems that their products can solve, allowing them to gather topical knowledge as well as practice identifying and citing credible sources.

This interdisciplinary unit offers a comprehensive experience across multiple classes. Students have the opportunity to examine the topic of trash and its impact thoroughly. By taking this knowledge a step further and designing potential solutions, they are able to exercise problem solving and critical thinking skills that they can continue to utilize both in and outside of the classroom.