Solid Waste Reduction
Single Stream Recycling
Bodkin (over 600 students and staff members) participate in Single-Stream recycling where all paper products, cardboard, and all cans, glass and plastic bottles can be placed in one container. In addition, the polystyrene trays used in the cafeteria when a student purchases a school lunch will continue to be collected for recycling.
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QR Codes
This year, our fourth grade classes (approximately 104 students), are using QR codes in our classrooms. The use of these codes not only touches the 21st Century learning objectives but also enhance our Green School Initiative. The students can use devices to scan the QR codes and it allows the students to view anything web based including math reviews, games to enhance instruction, songs that further learning, and a variety of other applications. This also means that less paper needs to be used in the classroom because we are able to use digital resources.
Paper Recycling
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Parent volunteers provide weekly removal of recyclable waste from each classroom. Recyclables are separated by students in all grade levels (567 students) into "paper" and "other" recyclables. Paper recyclables are placed in the "Abitibi Paper Retriever" located next to the dumpsters. All other recyclables are placed in a "single stream" recycle dumpster in the same location.
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Waste-Free Wednesday
"Waste-Free Wednesday" has been in effect since 2014. The students track the number of trash cans they fill. On a typical day, students fill 10 trash cans throughout the six lunch shifts. On "Waste-Free Wednesday" they make a conscious effort to pack their lunches in reusable containers. If they are buying school lunch they are encouraged to only take the food they will eat and all students are reminded to "talk less and eat more" in order to reduce waste. Currently on Wednesdays we have decreased our solid waste to only needing four trashcans.
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CompostingOur 3rd Grade students have been composting as part of their unit study since 2011. In addition to "Waste-Free Wednesdays", the students in third, fourth, and fifth grades began composting during all lunch shifts (312 students). Student Ambassadors walk the composting buckets to the container on the playground. The composted material is used by the first graders in the Monarch Butterfly Garden Habitat.
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Paperless Learning Days
Students (567) in all grade levels engage in “Paperless Learning Days”. Students use a variety of technological resources: Blackboard, Google Classroom, Google Docs, Online Databases, etc. to respond to reading, complete writing assignments, research, and practice math facts. Students complete all their work without using ANY paper!
In addition to this, if you were to walk through our school, you would see many teachers using dry erase boards, pitch cards, and reusable plastic sleeves for students to show what they know instead of using paper/pencil responses. |
Recycled Crafts
“America Recycles Day” (November 15th) is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. This is a perfect day to help motivate our students to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year. Each year, since 2012, in honor of “America Recycles Day”, we challenge our students to create a project/craft using recycled items. Students are encouraged to be resourceful and creative.
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Reusable Water Bottles
As part of our yearly school supply list, students use reusable water bottles each day. Students create water bottle labels for their assigned water bottle. At the end of the day students take their water bottles home to be washed and ready for the next school day.
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