The Rotten Stinking Truth
About Garbage:
AWebQuest Adventure

by

Delores A. Mister
James Wadsworth Elementary School

Web Institute for Teachers 2001

Introduction	The Process
The Task	The Evaluation
The Background	The Conclusion

 

Did you ever wonder where garbage goes after you dump it
in your garbage can and it's picked up by a garbage truck?
What do you think would happen if we ran out of places to
put our garbage?  Can you think of an alternate place to put
garbage?  In this Web Quest we will explore the
controversial topic of waste management/recycling and
what we can do if we run out of places to put our garbage.
 
 

Pretend you live in the city of Stinkyville.  Your garbage/sanitation department has went on strike, the landfills in your town are full and their is no place to store garbage.  Rats, roaches, and other parasitic vermin are beginning to take over your town and even your home.  Your City Council has called a town meeting to discuss alternative suggestions to the garbage problem.  The alternative suggestions include burying garbage in your backyard, burning it, shipping it to outer space via rockets, or shipping it to a neighboring city who has room to store it.  Your task is to pick and research a suggestion to the problem of where to store this garbage and decide why its the best idea for your city .  Be ready to report your findings to the class.  Your research paper should be 50-100 words in length.

Materials:

• Large plastic bin with a vented lid
• Worms
• Soil
• Tiny bits of unwanted food scraps
• Water spray bottle

See how much and what kind of trash our class consumes.  Lay a large shower curtain on the floor of the classroom.  Empty the class' garbage can onto the shower curtain.  Using plastic gloves carefully sift the garbage and sort it according to its kind (paper, plastic, food, aluminum, other).  Use the chart below to record your findings.
 

Name of garbage item	Category (plastic, paper, food, aluminum, other)	Number of items

You are to write a letter to the Mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley to voice your opinion for or against the idea of building a landfill in your backyard.  Be sure to follow the directions for writing a letter as well as adressing an envelope.
 
 

This activity is sure to tickle your tastebuds!  You will do this activity with a group of three other children.  Your group will need the following ingredients to build this tasty treat:

Ingredients:

• graham cracker pie crusts
• vanilla and choclate pudding
• peanuts
• chocolate chips
• black licorice whips
• green food coloring
• coconut
• eating utensils (plastic forks and knives), plates, napkins
• graham cracker crumbs

First, wash your hands.  Secondly, have one person in the group line the bottom of the pie crust with the licorice whips.  The pie crust represents the hole that is dug in the ground for the landfill.  The licorice whips represent the pipes that allow water to flow underground.  Next have another student place vanilla pudding with chocolate chips into the pie crust.  This represents a layer of garbage in the landfill.  Have another student layer graham cracker crumbs on top of the pudding mixture.  This represents the layers of sand that are put in a landfill.  Next, have another student put chocolate pudding and peanuts into the pie crust and layer it with graham cracker crumbs.  This represents another layer of garbage.  Next, have another student put green coconut on top of the piecrust.  This represents the layer of grass that is grown on top of a landfill.  When you are done have your teacher cut the pie into fourths.  Eat and enjoy!
 
 

This page includes a list of websites and resource books which maybe helpful to you as you search for a solution to the garbage problem.

Websites:

• http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/index.html(Recycle City Website for Kids)
• http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/library_events(Stories and recycling craft ideas for children)
• http://www.colorado.edu/ealld/atj/prodeve_news/elementary (Introduces vocabulary and phrases related to recycling for kids)
• http://www.recycleroom.org/html/launch.html (Recycling website for kids)
• http://www.greenvalley.com/coloring/colorme1.html (coloring pages about recycling)
• http://www.metrokc.gov/dnr/kidsweb (Recycling website for children)
• http://www.earth2kids.org/Games/ (Recycling games for kids)
• http://www.planetpals.com/earthdayideas.html (Kids site with recycling information)

• Mr. Rumples Recycles by Barbara Anne Coltharpe
• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
• Sarah Silvia Cynthia Stout by Shel Silverstein

Glossary:

• decompose:  to rot or decay
• landfill:  a deep pit in which garbage and soil are layered
• litter:  garbage or trash that is carelessly left on the land
• recycle:  to make ready for use again
• recycling center:  a place where garbage such as paper, plastics, and glass are taken for recycling
• reduce:  to make something smaller
• reuse:  to use something again
• vermi-composting:  the recycling process of using worms to eat leftover food scraps.

Student Name_______________________
Date___________________

Directions:  All of the reasons for doing the things suggested below are true.  Some are more important than others.  Please underline the reason you think is most important.

1.    A lot of packaging on items at the store is a problem because:
        a.      it makes them look bigger than they are.
        b.      it makes them cost more.
        c.        it is wasteful.
        d.        it increases the amount of garbage we have to dispose of.

2.    It is wrong to throw away good clothes or toys because:
        a.    somebody else can use them.
        b.    you can sell them for money.
        c.    you can save them forever.
        d.    you can trade them.

3.    Collecting things for recycling is a good idea because:
        a.    my teacher says so.
        b.    it saves energy and other things we need to make new things.
        c.    it is an easy way to make money.
        d.    it helps keep things clean.

4.    It is good to reuse things because:
        a.    it is a good habit.
        b.    it reduces waste.
        c.    it saves time.
        d.    it saves energy.

5.    When I take the garbage cans out to be picked up by the garbage truck,
        I should make sure that the lids are on tight because:
        a.    the man on the truck might get mad if I don't.
        b.    the trash could get loose and blow away.
        c.    my Dad told me to put the lids on tight.
        d.    dogs could get into the cans, eat the garbage and get sick.

6.    It is a good idea to buy things made from recycled materials because:
        a.    recycling saves energy.
        b.    they cost more
        c.    recycling reduces waste.
        d.    they cost less.

7.    We should have litter bags in our car because:
        a.    it saves money for the highway department when you do
               not throw things out of the car.
        b.    it helps keep the car clean.
        c.    litter pollutes the environment.
        d.    the police might give you a ticket for throwing stuff out the
                window.

8.    It is wrong to throw trash and junk in vacant lots because:
        a.    it makes a mess.
        b.    it spoils the beauty of the neighborhood.
        c.    it brings rats and roaches.
        d.    it makes people angry.

9.    We should turn off the water while brushing our teeth because:
        a.    you do not want to get splashed.
        b.    it saves water.
        c.    it saves energy.
        d.    it is quieter.

10.    We should keep our school clean because:
           a.    the trash might blow into someone's yard.
           b.    the principal likes things clean and neat.
           c.    we are good school citizens.
           d.    it is a good habit.

Student Name___________________________
Date__________________

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Research Information
Word Processing
Oral Presentation
Punctuality

Student Name_________________________
Date__________________________
 
 

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Focused 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Punctuality
Spelling/Grammar Conventions
Business Letter Format

 

Student Name_______________________
Date___________________

Directions:  All of the reasons for doing the things suggested below are true.  Some are more important than others.  Please underline the reason you think is most important.

1.    A lot of packaging on items at the store is a problem because:
        a.      it makes them look bigger than they are.
        b.      it makes them cost more.
        c.        it is wasteful.
        d.        it increases the amount of garbage we have to dispose of.

2.    It is wrong to throw away good clothes or toys because:
        a.    somebody else can use them.
        b.    you can sell them for money.
        c.    you can save them forever.
        d.    you can trade them.

3.    Collecting things for recycling is a good idea because:
        a.    my teacher says so.
        b.    it saves energy and other things we need to make new things.
        c.    it is an easy way to make money.
        d.    it helps keep things clean.

4.    It is good to reuse things because:
        a.    it is a good habit.
        b.    it reduces waste.
        c.    it saves time.
        d.    it saves energy.

5.    When I take the garbaghe cans out to be picked up by the garbage truck,
        I should make sure that the lids are on tight because:
        a.    the man on the truck might get mad if I don't.
        b.    the trash could get loose and blow away.
        c.    my Dad told me to put the lids on tight.
        d.    dogs could get into the cans, eat the garbage and get sick.

6.    It is a good idea to buy things made from recycled materials because:
        a.    recycling saves energy.
        b.    they cost more
        c.    recycling reduces waste.
        d.    they cost less.

7.    We should have litter bags in our car because:
        a.    it saves money for the highway department when you do
               not throw things out of the car.
        b.    it helps keep the car clean.
        c.    litter pollutes the environment.
        d.    the police might give you a ticket for throwing stuff out the
                window.

8.    It is wrong to throw trash and junk in vacant lots because:
        a.    it makes a mess.
        b.    it spoils the beauty of the neighborhood.
        c.    it brings rats and roaches.
        d.    it makes people angry.

9.    We should turn off the water while brushing our teeth because:
        a.    you do not want to get splashed.
        b.    it saves water.
        c.    it saves energy.
        d.    it is quieter.

10.    We should keep our school clean because:
           a.    the trash might blow into someone's yard.
           b.    the principal likes things clean and neat.
           c.    we are good school citizens.
           d.    it is a good habit.
 
 

I hope the activities, websites, and related books have made you more aware of the fact that we are running out of space to put our garbage and the need for us to be more careful about what we throw away.  Many things that we throw in the garbage can be used again.  I hope that you will tell your friends and family about what you have learned and encourage them to start recycling if they don't do so already.  Land pollution is just one type of pollution that unfortunately is ruining our planet Earth.  It's not too late for You to do something about it!