Brenda

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ECOLOGY Communications II
Brenda
Rone
, Susan Gentry, and Bridgett
Niedringhaus
Hazelwood
School District
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Teacher Page

• Second Grade, Show Me Standard CA 1, 2, and 3
• The elements of Ecology and communication skills
  are integrated in the activities.
• We suggest that students keep a journal.
• It is critical for students to use writing skills
  to explain answers. When you see this symbol
  students should use their
  journals.
• Please take time to discuss possible answers.

Click for each new screen.
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Non-fiction Activity
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Where Does Your Garbage Go?
Most of the trash that people
throw away ends up in landfills or
dumps. The process starts when we put our
household trash by the curb to be picked up.
Garbage trucks go into neighborhoods to pick up
the trash. Then they bring it to the landfill
where the trucks dump out all the trash. Next,
machines push the trash into big piles. Finally,
the piles are covered with dirt so more trash can
go on the top.
Landfills- areas where trash is taken
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Trash decomposes at different rates. Some
trash takes a long time to decompose, causing
the piles to get too big. We are running out of
room for new trash.
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less than a year
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Questions
1. What three things happen to trash as soon as
it reaches the landfills? (Hint Write your
answer using commas in a series.)
2. Which would decompose faster, a paper bag or a
plastic bag? Explain your answer in a complete
sentence.
3. Give two examples of types of trash that take
years to decompose.
4. What do you think will happen when our
landfills get too full?
Sample answers next
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Answers
1. After trash reaches the landfill garbage
trucks dump it, machines push it into piles, and
soil is placed on top.
2. A paper bag would decompose quicker because it
is made from trees. Trees are a natural resource
which decompose faster. Plastics are man-made
and decompose slowly.
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3. Trash that would take years to decompose
include
4. If landfills become too full, we would lose
land that could be used for places such as
homes, playgrounds, and schools. The Earth would
become more polluted and eventually we would run
out of space. What other ideas did you come up
with?
End of activity