Teaching Elementary School Students About Recycling Cardboard

It is a fact of life that just about anything we buy at a grocery store, convenience store, hardware store and department store is wrapped in cardboard of one kind or another. The cardboard of today has many advantages especially if it can be recycled. It is never too early to start elementary school children down the path of learning about how fragile our planet is. It is also not to early to guide them in learning simple recycling strategies they can do to help protect the planet from products that cannot be recycled.

Young elementary school children are aware of cardboard and have many types of it in their homes. Teaching them about "good for the earth cardboard" and cardboard that is not earth friendly fits nicely into a science unit on how to keep the planet healthy by recycling. A science unit on recycling cardboard could include sharing information on corrugated cardboard, wax cardboard and boxboard or chipboard. The unit could focus on the pros and cons of each type of cardboard related to recycling and provide hands-on activities.

Teaching Elementary School Students about Recycling Corrugated Cardboard

Moving boxers and strong, heavy duty, sturdy boxes are typically made from what is called corrugated cardboard. Corrugated cardboard has a layer on the inside of the box that is wavy. This wavy layer gives corrugated cardboard box it's strength and durability. Corrugated cardboard is found almost everywhere and is earth friendly because it can be recycled.

Have elementary school students research recycling corrugated cardboard to answer these questions.

1. What requirements do recycling mills have for processing corrugated cardboard?

2. What kinds of recycling equipment can be found at a cardboard recycling mill?

3. How many times can corrugated cardboard be recycled before the fiber degrades to nothing better than sludge waste?

Teaching Elementary School Students about Recycling Waxed Cardboard

Waxed cardboard is made for use with products that need to be refrigerated or when the cardboard is going to spend time exposed to the elements. Vegetables and meats are typically packaged in waxed cardboard boxes to be stored and/or shipped to grocery stores. Wax cardboard packaging is also used for foods that are frozen. A very common use of waxed cardboard is seen in the packaging of milk and juice.

Have elementary school students research the topic of recycling waxed cardboard to answer these questions.

1. What do most people do with waxed cardboard?

2. Is waxed cardboard good for recycling?

3. Is waxed cardboard earth friendly?

4. How is waxed cardboard different than corrugated cardboard?

5. What can people do to be earth friendly about waxed cardboard?

Teaching Elementary School Students about Recycling Boxboard or Chipboard

Boxboard or chipboard is maybe the most common form of cardboard. It is used to package and hold most everything that is brought home from a store in a box. Boxboard or chipboard is perfect to use for holding things that don't require corrugated cardboard with it's strength and durability or need to be in wax cardboard for refrigeration. Some common items that are packaged in boxboard or chipboard are: cereal, packaged foods, labels and packaging for common household items, shoes and small shipping envelopes.

Have elementary school students research the topic of recycling boxboard or chipboard to answer these questions.

1. Is recycling possible with boxboard or chipboard?

2. What types of boxboard or chipboard are good for recycling?

3. Is some boxboard or chipboard waxed as well?

4. How is boxboard or chipboard different from corrugated cardboard?

5. How is boxboard or chipboard different from wax cardboard?

6. How is boxboard or chipboard the same and different from wax cardboard?

Teaching Elementary School Students about Recycling Cardboard

One was to conclude a science unit on recycling and cardboard might be to have the students put together an exhibit of different kinds of cardboard and write a brief summary about each type and why it is, or isn't, earth friendly.

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