Online Courses in Sustainability
Supplement your knowledge with online courses in sustainability from GEF Institute. They're fun, engaging, and affordable. Plus, you can earn professional development or academic credit! Learn More!
Curriculum
Take advantage of GEF's grade specific five day lesson sets for your Waste Reduction themed Green Week! To find many more lessons related to Waste Reduction, other GEF sustainability themes, please search the Sustainability Lesson Clearinghouse.
PreK-K
- Day 1: Be a Recycling Superhero
- Day 2: We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers
- Day 3: My Big Green Teacher Recycles
- Day 4: Recycle Every Day!
- Day 5: Recycling Crayons
Grade 1
- Day 1: A Tree is Nice
- Day 2: The Giving Tree and Receiving Tree
- Day 3: Johnny Appleseed
- Day 4: The Great Kapok Tree
- Day 5: Why Protect Nature?
Grade 2
- Day 1: Recognizing Litter
- Day 2: How Trash Becomes Litter
- Day 3: What Happens to Litter?
- Day 4: Where Litter Ends Up
- Day 5: When Litter Becomes Harmful
Grade 3
- Day 1: Math in a Bottle
- Day 2: The Adventures of Plastic Bottles and Aluminum Cans
- Day 3: 3R's and Plastic Bags
- Day 4: Creating a Mini Landfill, the 4th R
- Day 5: Precycle-the First Step
Grade 4
- Day 1: Energy Conservation
- Day 2: Energy Efficiency - Choosing the Best Light Bulb for the Environment
- Day 3: Energy Efficiency - Batteries
- Day 4: What's Next?
- Day 5: Waste to Energy
Grade 5
- Day 1: What Are We Wasting?
- Day 2: Reusing or Recycling
- Day 3: Green Packaging
- Day 4: Is Bigger Always Better?
- Day 5: Swap and Save
Middle School
- Day 1: A Look at a Landfill
- Day 2: What Lands Up in the Landfill?
- Day 3: What Happens to Trash in a Landfill?
- Day 4: The Landfill Debate
- Day 5: Land Fill Gas (LFG) a Source of Energy?
High School
- Day 1: Museum of Solid Waste and Energy
- Day 2: Our School's Trash
- Day 3: How Have Human Impacts Changed Over Time?
- Day 4: What Makes a Home?
- Day 5: A Matter of Accountability