Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides and Online Environmental Resources for Educators: Waste and Recycling

Educating Youth About Wasted Food
Explore educational resources for teaching school-aged children about the effects of wasted food, for schools that wish to reduce the amount of food waste generated by their school’s cafeteria, for composting with youth, and more.
Grades: K-12
Type of Resource: Website

Basic Information about Waste Management, Recycling, and Pollution Prevention
Find core information on sustainable materials management and pollution prevention at the source.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Website

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Resources for Students and Educators
Find games and classroom resources like Recycle City and the Planet Protector series, including a teachers guide.
Type of Resource: Website

Educating Youth About Wasted Food 
Find resources for use in the classroom, at school, at home or in youth groups to teach children about the effects of wasted food and steps they can take to reduce it.
Type of Resource: Website

Pack a Waste-Free Lunch
Find easy ways to encourage students (and parents) to reduce waste at lunchtime.
Type of Resource: Toolkit

Life of a CD/DVD
Lifecycle of a CD/DVD-Help your students explore the lifecycle of a familiar object, from how it's made to ideas for extending its life in new ways.
Type of Resource: Poster/Flyer

Life of a Soccer Ball
Help your students explore the lifecycle of a familiar object, from how it's made to ideas for extending it's life in new ways.
Type of Resource: Poster/Flyer

Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste
This document describes how people can help solve a growing problem...garbage!
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Website

The Quest for Less: Activities and Resources for Teaching K-8
Use this resource to develop lesson plans, incorporate a range of activities into various subject areas throughout the school year.
Grades: K-8
Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

Science Fair Fun: Designing Environmental Science Projects  (PDF 245K, 16 pp) 
Resource booklet designed to generate ideas for students and teachers interested in solid waste science fair projects
Grades: 6-8
Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

Science Fair Fun: Designing Environmental Science Projects en Español  (PDF 223K, 16 pp)
Resource booklet in Spanish designed to generate ideas for students and teachers interested in solid waste science fair projects.
Grades: 6-8
Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

Superfund Basics
This page provides an overview of the Superfund program, highlights key steps in the Superfund cleanup process, explains how the program is enforced, describes EPA's Superfund offices, and links to other EPA hazardous-waste programs.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Website

Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools
EPA's Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools helps your school and school district reduce the amount of waste you generate. You'll learn how to start a waste reduction program or expand an existing one. The guide will show you how your program can benefit your school, your community, and the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling your waste.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

Where Can I Take My Computer?
Web sites and organizations that can provide information on opportunities for donating and recycling computers and other electronics.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Website

Reducing Food Waste Activity Book
Help Apple and her friends learn how to reduce food waste and help protect the environment.
Grades: 3-5
Type of Resource: Booklet

Be a Food Waste Warrior
K-12 lessons, activities, and resources to teach the planetary impact of what we eat and what we throw away.
Grades: K-12
Type of Resource: Lesson plan