Activity Background: Now that you have read the stories “Just a Dream” and “Too Much Trash”, you will have an opportunity to study your own garbage. You will be assigned a cooperative group that will study one garbage can full of trash from the school cafeteria. Follow the directions listed below. When you and your group are finished, you will be creating a poster to hang in the lunchroom with suggestions for your classmates on how to decrease food waste.

Materials:disposable gloves for handling food “School Food Waste Data” worksheet “Foods Thrown Away” worksheet Trash containers from the lunchroom ½ gallon and gallon milk containers 1-2 large plastic drop cloths Scales

Activity Instructions: 1. Collect the leftover drinks in the ½ gallon and gallon containers. (RECORD DATA) 2. Empty the trash can on the plastic drop cloth 3. Separate the leftover food from the other trash. (WEAR GLOVES!) 4. Subtract the weight of the empty container from the weight of the full container to determine how many pounds of food were thrown away. (RECORD DATA) 5. Subtract the weight of the empty container from the weight of the full container to determine how many pounds of drinks were thrown away. (RECORD DATA) 6. To determine what foods are thrown away, look at the day’s menu and fill out the data sheet with names of food on the menu. Use extra spaces to record the contents of bag lunches. 7. Sort the food by solid food type and estimate the amounts of food thrown away and record with check marks on the “Foods Thrown Away” worksheet. 8. Create two graphs from the result of both worksheets. 9. Interview classmates to determine why they don’t eat their food. 10. Using your results answer the questions at the end of “School Food Waste Data”. 11. Using your new knowledge about our school’s food waste, design a poster to present information and ideas to the school.

Criteria:1. All data sheets should be completely filled out with accurate information. 2. Both graphs should accurately display facts from worksheets. 3. Graphs should be neat and colorful. 4. Graphs should be labeled correctly. 5. Poster should present information and ideas to the school on how the staff and teachers can help preserve the environment. 6. Poster should have accurate content. 7. Poster should be attractive. 8. Poster should have labels. 9. Poster should have correct mechanics and grammar. 10. Poster should give advice on how students can help preserve their environment.

Criteria / 1 / 5 / SCORE
Data Sheets are completely filled out / Some information is
missing / All information is
present
Graph 1 displays accurate facts / Some facts are wrong
or missing / All facts are correctly displayed
Graph 2 displays
accurate facts / Some facts are wrong
or missing / All facts are
correctly displayed
Graph 1 is neat / Graph is not neat / Graph is neat
Graph 2 is neat / Graph is not neat / Graph is neat
Graph 1 is colorful / Graph is colorful
Graph 2 is colorful / Graph is colorful
Graph 1 is labeled / Graph is missing some labels or labeled
incorrectly / Graph is labeled correctly
Graph 2 is labeled / Graph is missing some
labels or labeled
incorrectly / Graph is labeled
correctly
FINAL SCORE / ___/45
= ____%

Criteria / Need
Improvement
(1) / Satisfactory
(2) / Good
(3) / Excellent
(4)
Content
Accuracy / Less than 3
accurate facts
are displayed
on the poster. / 3-4 accurate factsare displayed on the poster. / 5-6 accurate factsare displayed on
the poster. / At least 7
accurate facts
are displayed
on the poster.
Gives Advice on How to Help the Environment / Poster gives at least 2 ways students can help the environment in the lunchroom. / Poster gives at least 3 ways students can help the environment in the lunchroom. / Poster gives at least 4 ways students can help the environment in the lunchroom. / Poster gives at least 5 ways students can help the environment in the lunchroom.
Attractiveness / The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive. / The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy. / The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness. / The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness.
Labels / Labels are too small to view OR no important items were labeled. / Several items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away. / Almost all items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away. / All items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.
Mechanics / There are more than 2 errors in capitalization or punctuation. / There are 2 errors in capitalization or punctuation. / There is 1 error in capitalization or punctuation. / Capitalization and punctuation are correct throughout the poster.
Grammar / There are more than 2 grammatical mistakes on the poster. / There are 2 grammatical mistakes on the poster. / There is 1 grammatical mistake on the poster. / There are no grammatical mistakes on the poster.

1) Total Pounds of Food Thrown Away

Weight of food trash container AFTER LUNCH = ______pounds

Weight of food trash container BEFORE LUNCH = ______pounds

Total weight of food thrown away =______pounds

2) Total Amount of Milk Thrown Away

Number of ½ gallon cartons filled with milk =______½ gallons

Number of gallon cartons filled with milk =______gallons

Total volume of milk (or other beverages)=______gallons

1) How many pounds of food were thrown away at lunch? ______

2) How many kilograms of food were thrown away at lunch? ______

(1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds)

3) How may half-gallons of milk were thrown away at lunch? ______

4) How many gallons of milk were thrown away at lunch? ______

5) How many half-pints of milk were thrown away at lunch? ______

(1 half-gallons = 2 quarts = 4 pints = 8 half-pints)

6) Figuring on 180 days of school per year, and using your findings as a typical day, how many

pounds of food are thrown away at your school in one year? ______

SCHOOL Lunch Food / Whole
Serving / More than
½ Serving / ½ Serving
or less / Total
BAG Lunch Food / Whole
Serving / More than
½ Serving / ½ Serving
or less / Total