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Grade 1 Science · Standard 1.1.8.P · 30–45 Minutes

Small Choices, Big Help: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

A cheerful, hands-on picture-card lesson that helps first graders notice what everyday objects are made of and choose ways to create less waste.

Into–Through–Beyond lesson sequence · Picture cards only · Informal assessment included

Our learning target: “I can tell whether an item can be reduced, reused, or recycled—and explain my thinking.”

Lesson at a Glance

Standard

1.1.8.P: Identify materials that can be reduced, reused, or recycled.

Success looks like

Students correctly sort at least three picture cards and explain one choice.

Big idea

We can make less trash when we use less, use things again, and recycle accepted materials.

ReduceUse less so we make less waste.
ReuseUse something again or in a new way.
RecycleTurn an accepted material into something new.

Materials

Teacher materials

  • Three category signs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
  • One enlarged set of the 20 picture cards below
  • Board, chart paper, or interactive display
  • Markers and tape, magnets, or reusable adhesive
  • One picture-card set and one three-column sorting mat per pair or group
  • One exit-ticket picture card per student
  • Optional speakers and display for the song

Student materials

  • One shared set of picture cards per pair or group
  • Sorting mat labeled Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
  • One exit-ticket picture card
  • Pencil or crayon

No physical waste items are handled in this lesson.

Music Moment: Sing the Three R’s

Jack Johnson: “The 3 R’s”

Use this upbeat song as a two- to three-minute movement break or as the transition into picture-card sorting. Invite students to show the motions for reduce, reuse, and recycle when they hear each word.

Watch on YouTube

Teacher preview: Preview external media before class and follow district rules for advertising, filtering, captions, and approved classroom media. The linked video is hosted by YouTube and may display recommendations or advertisements.

Into–Through–Beyond Sequence

Into · 7–10 minutes

Notice and Wonder

  1. Show a picture of an overflowing trash can.
  2. Ask: “What do you notice?” and “What could we do instead of throwing everything away?”
  3. Teach the three words with motions: hands closer for reduce, a circle for reuse, and a triangle or circle for recycle.
  4. Model one familiar example for each word.
Quick check: Show a card. Students respond with the matching motion and tell a partner why.
Through · 18–25 minutes

Model, Sort, and Explain

  1. Think aloud with one card: name the object, its material, and a possible choice.
  2. Sort several class cards together.
  3. In pairs, students take turns selecting, naming, placing, and explaining cards.
  4. Pause midway. Display a new card and have students point to a category on their mats.

Accept more than one category when the student gives sound reasoning—for example, a glass jar could be reused for storage before it is recycled.

Beyond · 5–10 minutes

Choose and Reflect

  1. Make a class list: one thing to use less, one thing to use again, and one material to recycle.
  2. Give each student an exit-ticket card.
  3. Students circle or point to a category, then draw, dictate, or say what should happen to the item.
Success check: The student names a reasonable category and gives a simple explanation.

Student Talk Supports

“We can reduce waste by _____.”

“We can reuse this _____ by _____.”

“The _____ can be recycled because it is made of _____.”

“I placed this card under _____ because _____.”

Printable Picture Cards

Print, cut, and mix these 20 cards. The material label supports beginning readers and helps students connect an object with what it is made from.

Newspaper

Paper

Worksheet

Paper

Cardboard Box

Paper

Paper Bag

Paper

Glass Jar

Glass

Glass Bottle

Glass

Drinking Glass

Glass

Glass Vase

Glass

Water Bottle

Plastic

Food Tub

Plastic

Milk Jug

Plastic

Shopping Bag

Plastic

Drink Can

Aluminum

Clean Foil

Aluminum

Food Can

Metal

Clean Tray

Aluminum

Banana Peel

Organic

Apple Core

Organic

Fallen Leaves

Organic

Food Scraps

Organic

Sorting note: Local recycling and composting rules vary. Confirm what your school accepts before teaching a card as recyclable. Organic cards can prompt discussion about reducing food waste; composting may be introduced as an optional local extension rather than treated as recycling.

Informal Assessment

During partner sorting, listen and look for whether each student can:

  • distinguish among reduce, reuse, and recycle;
  • sort at least three picture cards reasonably;
  • identify paper, glass, plastic, metal or aluminum, or organic material; and
  • explain at least one choice using words, pointing, drawing, gestures, eye gaze, or an AAC response.
Teacher prompt: “What is it? What is it made of? What could we do with it? Why is that a helpful choice?”

Access and Participation Supports

Multilingual learners

  • Pair words with pictures, gestures, and repeated oral practice.
  • Preview names for materials and add home-language labels when useful.
  • Let students rehearse with a partner before sharing.
  • Offer the sentence frames above.
  • Accept pointing, matching, acting, drawing, or a brief verbal response.

Students with disabilities

  • Use enlarged, high-contrast cards and reduce the number of choices as needed.
  • Add colors and symbols to category headings.
  • Give one direction at a time, repeat models, and allow extra processing time.
  • Offer partner support, movement breaks, and seated sorting.
  • Accept pointing, eye gaze, switch selection, or an AAC response.