Field Trips
Learning about reuse in the community may take some research. In larger urban areas, there may be local artists that reuse items or even larger entrepreneurs who reclaim materials and then sell them (this is especially common with building materials). Wherever you are, the following options should fit the bill.
Behind the Secondhand Scenes
Arrange to take your students to a local thrift store for a behind-the-scenes look at how it all works. Where do the items come from? How does the staff prepare them to be sold? How do they price them? What happens if something doesn't sell for a very long time? Wander around the store and see what types of items are there. How are they different from a regular store? Are the prices different? Is the packaging different? Does anyone see something they own? Does anyone see something they would want to buy?
For older students, you can add to the experience by visiting a regular department store first. Write down the prices of some common items you'll likely find at the thrift store, such as blankets, sheets, T-shirts, jeans, books, and plates. You can also ask where the items came from and where they end up if no one buys them. Examine packaging, too. Then go to the thrift store and compare prices, packaging, and the lifecycles of the same products. Ask where items came from, where they go, and how local products fit into the reuse equation.
Whatever you are doing and wherever you go, talk about where things come from and where they go. Embed in your students a habit of thinking of the big picture of stuff by repeating it as much as possible. This goes for activities that involve reducing, reusing, and recycling.
School Scrap Sculptures
Take your students to the local scrap or junkyard where old automobiles go to be picked apart by consumers looking for odd parts. In preparation, you can check out Crashed, Smashed, and Mashed: A Trip to Junkyard Heaven by Joyce Slayton Mitchell and Steven Borns to learn all about why there are junkyards and what happens there. It's appropriate for ages three to ten. After reading the book, have the class prepare some questions they'd like answered at the junkyard and list specific features they'd like to explore.
At the junkyard, have students pick out some random pieces for making a sculpture for the schoolyard. You can ask for monetary donations from parents prior to the trip or request in advance a donation of scraps from the junkyard owner. Select several pieces to bring back to the school. Have the students arrange the materials in different ways to make a sculpture. Use a nontoxic glue or wire to affix the pieces together. You can also ask around to see if someone who knows how to weld can help with the project; welding it will certainly give it the most permanence. Select a site on the school property, perhaps in a newly laid school garden, to permanently place the sculpture. You can dig a small hole, fill it with a little concrete, and place the sculpture in it. To give the process a little extra oomph, have a quick dedication ceremony and ask the principal to say a few words and make a commitment to reuse and protect the environment.
When dealing with any reusable materials — especially metal scraps — be particularly aware of sharp edges. You may want to have your students include a pair of work gloves in their school supplies. Between working with reusable materials and getting dirty with gardening and the other activities in this book, it'll be an investment in safety.
Take a Look at Better Books
One of the best reuse businesses in the world is a library. Make a list of questions about reusing books. Where do the books come from? How many times does one book get used? How do you repair worn books? What happens to the books after they are too worn for the library? Take a walk to your school or community library and ask to visit with the librarian. Go through your list of questions.
