Ready, Set, Recycle Relay!

Plastics are everywhere around us, and they are important for many things. Some plastics we keep, and some we throw away. Some we use for years; some we use only one time. Have you ever thought about what happens to plastics after we use them?

This lesson uses a hands-on approach with an interactive relay race activity to introduce elementary-aged students to different kinds of plastic materials, what kinds of functions they perform and why, and how we can sort common plastics for recycling using recycling codes. 

Lesson Length: Approximately 1 hour

MSCCR Science Standards:

·         P.3.5–Properties and classification of matter

·         E.3.10–Earth’s resources and human impact

·         P.4.5–Structure and properties of matter

·         P.5.5–Structure of matter

·         L.5.3–Interdependence of systems