HISD’s Zero-Waste School Program aims to minimize the amount of waste generated on campuses and improve knowledge and awareness among HISD students, staff, and families about the importance of minimizing our waste.

In Part 1 of our 4-part series, the provided resources aimed to help your students define sustainability, and to explore opportunities for improving sustainability in their campus community.



In this 2nd newsletter, the provided resources are intended to help build student understanding of waste issues, exploring what happens to our waste when it leaves campus, and identifying the types of waste generated on campus to inform solutions.

Student Activity: Introduction to Landfills Lesson Plan by Take Care of Texas

Time Required: 45 minutes

Grade Level: 6th–8th

Subject Area: Math, Science

Objective: By engaging in math problems, students will learn about the importance of Texas landfills and understand the role of waste reduction, recycling, and composting in sustainable waste management.

Student Activity: CELF’s Today’s Trash is Tomorrow’s Problem Activity

Time Required: 45 minutes

Grade Level: 4th–12th

Subject Area: Science, Social Studies

Objective: Students will examine items found in their backpacks and classroom to see what they're made of and what happens to them after they're used to understand the environmental impact of waste.

Student Activity: Community Science through Trash Data by SPLASh

Time Required: 60 minutes

Grade Level: 6th–8th, 9th–12th

Subject Area Covered: Math, Science

Objective: This unit is dedicated to exploring marine debris and its impact. Lesson 4 offers a great tool for engaging students in community science and data collection by conducting field surveys to better understand trash pollution around their school grounds.

Student Activity: Recycle With Me Lesson Plan

Time Required: 45 minutes

Grade Level: K–12th

Subject Area Covered: ELAR and Theatre

Objective: Explore various methods of waste management to prevent landfill usage. In Activity Four: The Play, students work together to categorize items and creatively demonstrate the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Student Activity: Eco-Schools US Paper and Cardboard School Recycling Program Action Card from National Wildlife Federation

Time Required: Varies

Grade Level: 3rd–12th

Subject Area Covered: ELAR, Science, Social Studies

Objective: Register free for NWF EcoSchools US to get access to resources for starting a recycling program at your school! Check out the video (linked below) created by teachers and students in Miami, FL, and get inspired to create a similar recycling program at your school.

Student Activity: “Do Nothing” Machine activity

Time Required: 30-60 minutes

Grade Level: Pre-K–12th

Subject Area Covered: Art, Science, Social Studies

Objective: Students will use motor skills and creative thinking to construct their own “Do Nothing” machine. This activity encourages young engineers to express themselves, while the teacher helps to draw connections and awareness about stewardship and repurposing our waste.

Action

How Can We Encourage More/Better Recycling at Our School?

Student Activities: NWF Eco Code Lesson Plan

Time Required: 30-45 minutes

Grade Level: K–12th

Subject Area Covered: Math, ELAR, Science, Social Studies

Objective: Create a campus Eco Code to help motivate the campus community toward sustainability goals.

Did you try the resources in the Defining Sustainability for our School newsletter?

This offer is for teachers participating in the pilot program.

Stay tuned for our next newsletter on February 15th, where we’ll be exploring our school food waste.