Val Hetherington teaches third grade in the San Lorenzo School District. She’s been teaching for 14 years. One of her goals is to incorporate the concept of recycling in everything they do. And, it’s working!

The students are taught that everything can be be reused. They go on field trips to the local landfill so they can see all the garbage we throw away. They chose things that can be reused and take them back to the classroom. Other items are donated by families and businesses.

With a little imagine you can reuse almost anything. What can you do with some old chair legs and X-ray sheets? Make butterflies of course!

Project are incorporated into regular class lessons. Many of the regular subjects can be enhanced with a craft project. Hetherington tries to stimulate their minds as well as their sense of community pride. Each item they reuse is something that won’t sit for a millenium in the landfill.

The third graders are busy preparing for the school auction. They’ve got butterflies to complete. After that, who knows what they’ll be building?

[Photograph credit: Roberto Burgos S., www.sxc.hu]