Trash Conflicts: An Integrated Science and Social Studies Curriculum on the Ethics of Disposal

Trash Conflicts promotes deeper understanding of the impact of waste production and disposal. It goes beyond awareness and increasing students' appreciation of natural resources to initiating critical thinking, decision making, responsibility, and empowerment. The curriculum starts where children are and moves them through a careful analysis of a complex series of interrelated issues, which include technology, economics, power, race, and class. Through science-based experiments, research and analysis, role-plays, and discussions, students learn about the nature of garbage, disposal methods, consumer behavior, toxic waste, and the political process surrounding trash disposal. This comprehensive teacher's guide for grades 6-12 incorporates a variety of activities, student handouts, and readings that help teachers integrate environmental education across subject areas, including science, English, and social studies. As a self-contained or team-taught unit, it can be used in a variety of educational settings ranging from schools to community centers.