### Lesson Plan: Health Habits for Nursery 2 – Waste Disposal Materials: Recycling
**Grade:** Nursery 2
**Age Group:** 3-4 years old
**Duration:** 30-40 minutes
**Topic:** Waste Disposal Materials: Recycling
#### Learning Objectives:
1. Students will understand the importance of recycling and how it helps our environment.
2. Students will be able to identify basic recyclable materials.
3. Students will learn simple methods for sorting recyclables.
#### Materials Needed:
- Chart paper or a whiteboard
- Markers
- Pictures or real items for sorting (plastic bottles, paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, etc.)
- Recycling bins or labeled containers
- Wipes or hand sanitizer
- Storybook about recycling (e.g., "Michael Recycle" by Ellie Bethel)
- Visual aids or flashcards showing different types of waste
### Lesson Outline
#### Introduction (5-10 minutes):
1. **Greeting and Settling Down:** Welcome the students and gather them in a circle.
2. **Discussion Starter:** Begin by asking the children if they know what 'recycling' means. Use simple language like, “Recycling is when we use old things to make new things!”
3. **Story Time:** Read a story about recycling (“Michael Recycle” by Ellie Bethel). Pause to ask simple questions like, “What did Michael do with the trash?”
#### Activity 1: Sorting Recyclables (10-15 minutes):
1. **Introduction to Sorting:** Show the children pictures of recyclable items (plastic bottle, paper, glass, aluminum can). Explain that these are things we can recycle.
2. **Hands-On Sorting:** Provide bins or containers labeled ‘Plastic,’ ‘Paper,’ ‘Metal,’ and ‘Glass.’ Lay out a mix of items (real or pictures) and guide the children to sort them into the correct bins.
3. **Discussion:** As each child places an item in a bin, ask them to name the item and the material it’s made from.
#### Activity 2: Recycling Song and Movement (5-10 minutes):
1. **Introductory Song:** Teach the children a simple recycling song (to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”):
“Recycle, recycle, we should do,
Saving the earth for me and you.
Paper, plastic, metal, and glass,
Put them in the recycling bin at last.
Recycle, recycle, we should do,
It’s good for me and it’s good for you.”
2. **Movement Activity:** Encourage the kids to dance and act out recycling gestures (e.g., tossing imaginary items into bins) while singing.
#### Conclusion (5-10 minutes):
1. **Recap:** Quickly review what they have learned about recycling and the different types of materials.
2. **Hand Hygiene:** Use this as an opportunity to practice good hand hygiene by having the children clean their hands with wipes or sanitizer.
3. **Closure:** Praise the students for their participation and remind them of the importance of recycling at home. Inform them that they have completed a great task in helping the environment!
#### Extension Activity:
- **Craft Time:** If additional time is available, engage children in a simple craft using recyclable materials (e.g., making a robot or an animal using old boxes and bottles).
### Home Connection:
Send a note home to parents indicating what the children learned about recycling, along with some tips or a small activity suggestion for practicing recycling at home. Example: “This weekend, help your child sort recyclables into your home recycling bin. Talk about the different materials and why recycling is important.”
### Assessment:
- **Observation:** Monitor participation and engagement in discussion and activities.
- **Sorting Activity:** Informally assess understanding by checking if students correctly sort recycling materials during the hands-on activity.
- **Discussion & Q&A:** Gauge comprehension from responses during the story time and recap discussions.
This lesson plan aims to give young children foundational knowledge about recycling in an engaging and interactive way. Enjoy teaching your little recyclers!