Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2
Teacher Candidate
Date/Time of Scheduled Visit
Name/Address of School
Age/Grade level
Cooperating Teacher
Name of Lesson
Content
area(s)/developmental
domain(s) addressed
Brief description of the lesson
This lesson is:
Rationale
Timeframe
Objective(s) of the activity
Connections to standards
Sarah Wagner
Kindergarten
Classroom Number
Introduction to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Science: Students will learn about landfills and the need to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Art: Students will think creatively while turning what was a piece of trash into art.
English Language Arts: Students will write and reflect on their experience learning about recycling
and how they can help the environment in their daily life.
The teacher will read Kids Save the Earth: Recycle Every Day and discuss how students can be
heroes of the earth. As a class we will go through class trash and sort based on recyclable and
reusable. Each student will then work on taking a piece of trash and making it into something
else or into art to save it from going to the landfill. Lastly, students will write about what they
thought about the lesson and what they can do in the classroom or at home to be heroes to the
environment.
A new concept/activity
This lesson will introduce new vocabulary and a topic relevant to the global community. Students
have the opportunity to learn about, write, and voice how they can be heroes of the environment.
45 minutes
Students will understand why it is important to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Students will write about their experience and how they can continue helping the environment.
Students will understand how their choices can affect the world around them.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6
Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.

Language Objectives
Resources/materials needed:
(Include any worksheets or
sources of evidence for
childrens learning you will use
during the activity)
Technology inclusion (if
applicable)
Procedures (step by step)
Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.K.4
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.6
Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and
responding to texts.
Students will become acquainted with new vocabulary and be able to use reduce, reuse, and recycle
in conversations.
Students will be able to accurately convey their thoughts on items that can be reduced, reused, and
recycled
Kids Save the Earth: Recycle Every Day by Tammy Gagne
Chart paper to make a new vocabulary list
3 days of saved classroom trash items such as plastic bottles, broken crayons, barely used
paper/paper only used on one side etc.
3-5 empty cardboard boxes
Plastic table cloth
Anticipatory Set (Connection/Motivation)
During circle time the teacher will ask students to name their favorite superheroes. The teacher
will follow up and ask what makes them a superhero, and pinpoint ideas such as: they help people,
they save the world. The teacher will write the answers on the board. The teacher will ask the
students if they want to be superheroes and help save the world. Tell them they can all be heroes of
the earth and we will find out how.
Instruction/Mini Lesson
The teacher will do a picture walk through Kids Save the Earth Every Day and ask the students
what they think is happening in the pictures. The teacher will then read the book which explains
about the plethora of trash in the landfills and how everyone can help slow the process. The
teacher will start a short discussion asking what we can do in the class to reduce, reuse, and
recycle.
 Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2

The teacher will lay a plastic table cloth on the floor and pour out the classroom trash from the
previous three days on top. As a class we will decide on the labels for the cardboard boxes such as:
paper recyclables, plastic recyclables, reusable, or landfill, then sort the trash into the correct
boxes.
Independent Practice
Students are encouraged to be heroes of the earth and take an item to make something new out of
it and save it from the landfill. For instance: plastic bottles can be made into piggy banks or noise
makers, or a bird feeder. Cereal boxes can be made into puzzles. Old paper can be saved for papier
mache. Students can work individually or in pairs. After creating their new item students will be
asked to write about what they thought about the experience and write about what they can do in
the classroom or at home to be a hero of the environment.
Closure
The class will come back as a whole group and share what they wrote. The class will also come up
with a list of how their classroom can reduce, reuse, and recycle every day. Such things such as:
both sides of paper need to be used before being recycled, if only one side is used put it in a scrap
paper box for others to use or left over construction paper can be used for arts and crafts project,
or make sure the faucet is off to reduce water waste.

Method of assessing childrens Pre-assessment Assessment of Student Assessment of Childrens

understanding of
lesson/activity/objective(s)
(Be sure to include any tools,
rubrics/checklists and/or
worksheets you will use for
assessment(s)
The teacher will assess the
knowledge students already
have when doing the picture
walk through the book.
Students will be assessed on the
concepts they use, and the
vocabulary they already know.
Learning
The teacher will assess and make
note of the students learning
based on the students ability to
name and sort the trash. The
teacher will also assess using the
students writing on what changes
can be made in the classroom or
at home. Lastly the teacher will
assess based on the ideas students
put forth for conserving within
Language Learning
Students will be assessed
based on words they use
during class discussions,
working with peers and in
their writing. The teacher
will make note of the
students using two of the
three main vocabulary
words of the day- reduce,
reuse, recycle. Along with

Plans for differentiated
instruction/instructional
modifications
Follow up/Extension activities The teacher will send home a note home to parents explaining that we are starting a unit on
Any additional information
that would be helpful for the
observer to know
Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2
the classroom. All assessments any additional vocabulary
will look at the childs they may use such as
understanding of reduce, reuse, landfill, waste, or
and recycle and their ability to conservation.
apply the information to their
surroundings.
Supporting children with Supporting English Language Learners
identified delays or The teacher has prepared and learned key terms in the students
disabilities native language. There will also be a handout with the words
Students who cannot sit still and their definitions both in their native language and English.
during circle time will be An audio recording of the book will be made in the childs native
offered a seat or stool, or language with the help of the community.
sitting right next to the The teacher will offer additional help as needed.
teacher.
Students may write or draw Supporting gifted students
their thoughts and ideas. Students who finish their art and writing early may illustrate
Students may ask for the what they wrote. Students also have the option to write more
teachers help with dictation. about what they learned or how they could be heroes in their
The teacher will offer daily life. Students may also ask their fellow classmates if they
additional support as needed. need help and help scaffold their learning.
reduce, reuse, and recycle. The note will ask the parent to look through their trash with their child
and find one item they can make into something new. The note will have several links on it to
recycling craft ideas for kids such as: http://www.freekidscrafts.com/recycled-crafts/
Additionally the teacher will take home all broken crayon pieces to melt down and remold creating
new crayons for the kids and opening up more avenues to talk about recycling.
 Learning Activity Plan for PreK-Grade 2

Observer feedback on the lesson plan, including commendations and recommendations for improving aspects of the learning
activity