Lesson Plan

Today, recycling is one of the most important topics in the environmental conservation agenda. From trash and dysfunctional electronic gadgets to plastic materials, wrappers, and packaging materials, we generate tons of waste every day. This waste increasingly poses a significant threat to the natural environment. For instance, oceans and other natural water bodies are now filled with substantial amounts of plastics, posing a threat to water life. Similarly, when deposited in landfills, our trash emits gases that are harmful to the environment. The gases harm the environment by destroying the ozone layer, consequently creating negative effects such as global warming. The situation is likely to get worse in the future given that the human population is growing at an unprecedented rate. Greater human population will mean more consumption, more creation of waste, and hence more harm to the environment.

Recycling is important if we must save the environment for our future generations. Simply stated, recycling refers to reusing. It means using again or converting waste into something useful. For instance, our spoilt electronic gadgets can be used to make new gadgets. Also, our trash can be used to make fertiliser or energy. When we recycle, we not only reduce waste, but also minimise the depletion of natural resources.

Recycling starts at home. It starts with us. It is time to change how we treat the environment. We must be more responsible. We must be more mindful about what we do and what we buy. By doing something at the individual level, we can make a big difference.

Students will:

• Understand the concept of recycling

• Understand what creates waste

• Understand the impact of waste on the environment

• Understand why recycling is important

• Learn how they can recycle common products

• Understand the three R's -- reduce, reuse, recycle

• Develop collaborative and problem solving skills

Materials

• Recyclable products -- e.g. an old cell phone, a plastic bottle, a newspaper, a cardboard, an aluminium can, etc.

• Scissors

• Film on "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle"

• Computer

• Projector or display board

Step 1: Introduce the topic. What is recycling? What creates waste? What is the impact of waste on the environment? Ask students to name any recyclable products they are aware of, and if they have ever recycled anything. For some students, recycling may be a common practice, but for others it may be an unfamiliar concept. Allow feedback and a brief discussion.

Step 2: Watch the film together with students. Ask students to identify recycling ideas or new ideas they have learned from the video. Allow feedback and a brief discussion.

Step 3: Display the recyclable items for students to see. Ask students whether they are familiar with the items, and how often they use them. Allow feedback and a brief discussion.

Step 4: Group students into groups of four and give each group a recyclable item. Ask students to think of and discuss ways in which the provided item may be recycled. In groups, students will create a new (functional) item from the provided item.

Step 5: Explain the importance of recycling. What can we do? Explain the three R's -- reduce, reuse, recycle. Ask students whether they think recycling would be important for the environment. Allow feedback and a brief discussion.

Step 6: For homework, ask students to make a list of recyclable products in their home. If not sure whether an item is recyclable, students will conduct research on the internet to confirm whether the item can be recycled.

Evaluation

Individually, students will create a functional item from a plastic bottle, a plastic bag, a cardboard, a newspaper, or aluminium can.

Differentiation

As some students may have difficulties working alone, students will be allowed to work with a partner or in a small group.

Justification for Choice of Instructional Techniques

As can be observed, the lesson is centred on the concepts of participative learning and differentiated instruction. Though there is no universally accepted definition, participative learning generally denotes a teaching and learning environment where the student plays an active role (Keengwe & Onchwari, 2016). Traditionally, learning takes the lecture or passive style, where students play little or no role in the learning process. In essence, students are mainly expected to listen to the teacher, with little or no involvement in the learning process. Such a classroom environment has been shown to be detrimental to student learning (Keengwe & Onchwari, 2016). A participative learning environment tends to be more relaxed. The teacher becomes more of a learning facilitator or a coach as opposed to a lecturer. A participative learning environment means that the teacher gives students an opportunity to give their feedback. Also, students participate in learning activities along their peers. Such a learning environment is engaging, stimulating, and interactive. This enhances learning. For students that may have little interest in learning or negative attitudes towards learning, a participative classroom environment can make learning more fascinating.

Participative learning is one of the major foundations of the above lesson. Throughout the lesson, students will participate in discussions aimed at obtaining their feedback and feelings about the topic of recycling. Students will also participate in group activities to identify recyclable items and ways of recycling. Discussions and group activities will not only make the lesson more interesting, but will also make students connect more with the topic.

Educators can create a more engaging classroom environment through not only allowing discussions or group work, but also incorporating technology in the classroom. Indeed, the use of technology in the classroom is increasingly a common practice (Bartos, 2012). Computers, projectors, smartboards, multimedia tools, applications, mobile devices, and the internet are now used by teachers as teaching aids, learning tools, and platforms of communication. For instance, teachers may use PowerPoint presentations or films to provide visual aids relating to a given topic. This improves comprehension as the student is able to visualise the concept being taught. Technology is useful for not only teachers, but also students. For instance, students can use tablets to record lectures or take notes. Students may also use online platforms to access learning materials or download and submit assignments. In essence, modern technologies offer limitless possibilities for teaching and learning. Though contention remains, technology positively influences learning by making the learning environment livelier, enhancing learning participation, stimulating learners' critical thinking and analytical skills, as well as enabling flexible learning (Hew & Brush, 2007; Goeman et al., 2015). These benefits are particularly important given the increasingly sophisticated modern learner.

In this case, technology will be incorporated in two ways. First, a projector or display board will be used to provide students with visual representations of concepts relating to recycling. For instance, the projector will be used to show images of recyclable products and the recycling process. Second, a film will be used to demonstrate how waste is created, the impact of waste on the environment, and how everyday items can be recycled. Using these technological tools will make the topic not only more fascinating, but also more comprehensible. With visual aids and the video, students will be better placed to connect abstract ideas with real-world ideas, hence developing a better understanding of the topic of recycling.

The notion of differentiated instruction simply denotes instruction that accommodates the diverse needs of learners (Bailey & Williams-Black, 2008). In other words, the teacher differentiates or uses different methods of instruction in the same classroom. A typical classroom features students with diverse backgrounds and learning abilities. For instance, one classroom may have students with different cultural backgrounds, different levels of English competence, different learning profiles, different attitudes towards learning, different personalities, different levels of readiness, and so forth. These differences can significantly influence student learning. Accordingly, educators must ensure their instructional strategy caters for the different needs of students. However, it must be noted that differentiated instruction is different from individualised instruction. Dissimilar to differentiated instruction, individualised instruction involves delivering different content to each student (Gregory & Chapman, 2007). Differentiated instruction, on the contrary, entails delivering the same content to all students, but in a manner that resonates with the specific needs of each student. Literature has extensively supported the effectiveness of differentiated instruction in enhancing learning outcomes (Bailey & Williams-Black, 2008; De Jesus, 2012).

Allowing for differentiation in this case will be important given the fact that some students may have difficulties working alone due to, among other factors, poor learning capabilities. For such students, allowing teacher-led or student-led discussions as well as group work can be valuable. On the whole, with differentiated instruction, the teacher not only delivers contents, but also pays attention to the individual needs of learners. This ensures that the specified objectives are achieved by all students -- not some. Most importantly, every learner is empowered and transformed.

Overall, the strength of this lesson plan stems from the fact that it does not only present students with new knowledge, but also improves their collaborative and problem solving skills. Based on the concepts of participative learning and differentiated instruction, the lesson plan recognises the value of creating an active learning environment and catering to the unique needs of students.

References

Bailey, J. P., & Williams-Black, T. H. (2008). Differentiated instruction: Three teacher's perspectives. Yearbook of the College Reading Association, 29, 133 -- 151.

Bartos, J. (2012). What is the role of technology in education? Stanford: Green Haven Press.

De Jesus, O. N. (2012). Differentiated Instruction: Can Differentiated Instruction Provide Success for All Learners? National Teacher Education Journal, 5(3), 5-11.

Goeman, K., Elen, J., Pynoo, B., & Braak, J. (2015). Time for action! ICT integration in formal education: key findings from a region-wide follow-up monitor. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 59(5), 40-50.

Gregory, G., & Chapman, C. (2007). Differentiated instructional strategies: one size doesn't fit all. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

Hew, K., & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology Research and Development, 55(3), 223-252.

Keengwe, J., & Onchwari, G. (2016). Handbook of research on active learning and the flipped classroom model in the digital age. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.