Lesson 13: Can the crew cut waste before it reaches the bin? Printable pages
Print the student pages or the educator pages for this lesson. Start with your grade band. The educator pages show every student page with sample answers and notes beside it.
Grades 6–8
Task: Make a materials sheet for the next Common Room screening and pick one change to try.
Students make: Materials sheet plus 3–4 sentences.
One class period: 45 minutes. Full chapter: 73 minutes.
Educator pages
Open on screen Print this lesson Download PDF, 493 KBStudent pages
Open on screen Print this lesson Download fillable PDF, 463 KBGrades 9–10
Task: Write a proposal to the event organizers for one purchasing change, with a measurement plan.
Students make: Proposal, 250–350 words.
One class period: 50 minutes. Full chapter: 83 minutes.
Educator pages
Open on screen Print this lesson Download PDF, 453 KBStudent pages
Open on screen Print this lesson Download fillable PDF, 328 KBGrades 11–12
Task: Investigate a real school event’s waste with a defined boundary and recommend changes to student government.
Students make: Report, 500–600 words with a data table.
One class period: 90 minutes. Full chapter: 116 minutes.
Educator pages
Open on screen Print this lesson Download PDF, 427 KBStudent pages
Open on screen Print this lesson Download fillable PDF, 484 KBCollege and community
Task: Write a memo to a student government events committee proposing one purchasing change for campus or club events. Use the Common Room supply list as the model, and include a measurement plan that states its boundary.
Students make: Memo, 300–400 words, with a materials table.
One class period: 75 minutes. Full chapter: 94 minutes.
Student pages
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- AP United States Government and Politics Open on screen Print this lesson
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- IB Diploma Programme: Global politics Open on screen Print this lesson
Family page
One page to send home: a short summary of the lesson and three questions to talk about. Nobody needs to share personal stories to use it.
Family page Lesson 13: Can the crew cut waste before it reaches the bin?
In this case, a group of friends learns that the cups from their movie night can’t be recycled in their city. Your student planned one change to cut waste before the next event and a way to count whether it worked.
Questions to talk about
- How could someone find out what their city or town recycles?
- What is one item people often throw away after a party or event?
- Why might a rule to cut waste need an exception for some people?
Read the lesson together: noperowhy.pages.dev/cases/waste-before-bin