Wee Cyclo-Saur-Us

Wee Cyclo-Saur-Us

Skills

To use the processes of science and develop scientific thinking skills.

To investigate how recycled materials can be used to make another product.

To consider your relationship to the environment.

Materials

(per group)

one large cardboard box

styrofoam or packing peanuts or materials enough to fill the box 3/4 full

recycled items: for example newspapers, cups, clean cans/bottles, pop containers, rubber bands, straws, food boxes and wrappers, worn out clothes, etc.

masking tape

large poster of Guided Story Outline (attached)

Doing the Activity

To prepare for the activity -

Collect as many clean trash items as possible. Be sure to use clean trash and watch for sharp edges. Place a layer of packing materials in the bottom of the box. Add a few recycled items. Add another layer of packing, then a few more items. Contin ue until the box is full. Use a poster or newsprint sheet to print the guided story for the youth to complete.

Introduce the activity by asking the following questions: Have you ever heard of dinosaurs? What were they? What did they look like? Have you ever seen one? What is an archeologist? What do they do? How might an archeologist be similar to a det ective?

Explain to the group that today they are going to be explorers and are going to take on the role of an archeologist and dig to find the remains of one of the "SAURUS" family, that is buried in this box. You will work together to put the pieces toget her to make the "SAURUS."

Ask each participant to come forward and dig for one piece of the recyclo-saur-us.

Lay out all the pieces you have discovered and work together to determine what part of the SAURUS each piece will become.

Sort and assemble your pieces into the SAURUS. You may put him together laying on the floor or use masking tape to make him more three dimensional.

Talking it over

Complete the Guided Story Activity by inserting the word/name provided by the group into the story.

Have you ever taken something that was thrown away by someone to build something else?

Do you recycle at home/school? How much trash do you think that you throw away each day? at home? at school?

When you throw things away where do they go?

What type of things are recyclable?

What's Happening

We are becoming increasingly aware that we are slowly being buried by the trash we throw away. Lands fills are reaching their capacity, wastes are polluting our waters, and even our roadways are littered by things we've "thrown away." We need to und erstand that we can help by recycling and reusing things that we normally "throw away."

More Challenges

Study the trash that your family produces for a day. Sort the trash and decide what can be recycled and what can be reused. Start a recycling and reusing program for your family.

Activity Source

Y.E.S. Project, Regents of the University of California, Draft January 1996.

GUIDED STORY FOR RECYCLO-SAUR-US

We have made a scientific discovery. We dug for recycled objects, in our large container and we combined all of our finds to create our RECYCLO-SAUR-US named _________. It is __________ feet tall and probably weighs about ___________. It lives in ________. Some of the items that it eats are _____________________________________________. It eats _____ times per day, and about __________ pounds of food each day. For entertainment, it likes to ___________________. Some other important information about it is __________________________________________.

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
University Extension

Site contact
E-SET ISU Extension Extension Sites Search

NNST CYFERNet

	Wee Cyclo-Saur-Us
	Skills To use the processes of science and develop scientific thinking skills. To investigate how recycled materials can be used to make another product. To consider your relationship to the environment.
	Materials (per group) one large cardboard box styrofoam or packing peanuts or materials enough to fill the box 3/4 full recycled items: for example newspapers, cups, clean cans/bottles, pop containers, rubber bands, straws, food boxes and wrappers, worn out clothes, etc. masking tape large poster of Guided Story Outline (attached)
	Doing the Activity To prepare for the activity - Collect as many clean trash items as possible. Be sure to use clean trash and watch for sharp edges. Place a layer of packing materials in the bottom of the box. Add a few recycled items. Add another layer of packing, then a few more items. Contin ue until the box is full. Use a poster or newsprint sheet to print the guided story for the youth to complete.
	Introduce the activity by asking the following questions: Have you ever heard of dinosaurs? What were they? What did they look like? Have you ever seen one? What is an archeologist? What do they do? How might an archeologist be similar to a det ective? Explain to the group that today they are going to be explorers and are going to take on the role of an archeologist and dig to find the remains of one of the "SAURUS" family, that is buried in this box. You will work together to put the pieces toget her to make the "SAURUS."
	Ask each participant to come forward and dig for one piece of the recyclo-saur-us. Lay out all the pieces you have discovered and work together to determine what part of the SAURUS each piece will become. Sort and assemble your pieces into the SAURUS. You may put him together laying on the floor or use masking tape to make him more three dimensional.
	Talking it over Complete the Guided Story Activity by inserting the word/name provided by the group into the story. Have you ever taken something that was thrown away by someone to build something else? Do you recycle at home/school? How much trash do you think that you throw away each day? at home? at school? When you throw things away where do they go? What type of things are recyclable?
	What's Happening We are becoming increasingly aware that we are slowly being buried by the trash we throw away. Lands fills are reaching their capacity, wastes are polluting our waters, and even our roadways are littered by things we've "thrown away." We need to und erstand that we can help by recycling and reusing things that we normally "throw away."
	More Challenges Study the trash that your family produces for a day. Sort the trash and decide what can be recycled and what can be reused. Start a recycling and reusing program for your family.
	Activity Source Y.E.S. Project, Regents of the University of California, Draft January 1996.
	GUIDED STORY FOR RECYCLO-SAUR-US We have made a scientific discovery. We dug for recycled objects, in our large container and we combined all of our finds to create our RECYCLO-SAUR-US named _________. It is __________ feet tall and probably weighs about ___________. It lives in ________. Some of the items that it eats are _____________________________________________. It eats _____ times per day, and about __________ pounds of food each day. For entertainment, it likes to ___________________. Some other important information about it is __________________________________________.