The document describes a project conducted by students at Academia Nacional de Sistemas in Florencia Caquetá, Colombia to teach them about the importance of recycling and the paper recycling process. The project involved students making paper from recycled paper over 4-5 classes. It provided details on the objectives, materials used, steps taken in each class, and conclusions. The overall goal was to cultivate environmental awareness while teaching English language skills.
2. INTRODUCTION
Every day we use something that is made from trees. One of the things we
use most often especially in school is paper. Although paper can be made
from a variety of natural materials including cotton, hemp, grass, tobacco and
even elephant dung in some parts of the world, paper is most often made
from pulp that is produced by grinding up trees.
Did you know it takes about 20,000 trees to make the Saturday edition of a
big city newspaper? That’s more than a million trees a year! Because paper is
so important to us and because we use so much of it, we need to make sure
we don’t waste it. It only takes a second to use a paper napkin or tissue, but
decades for a tree to grow. Fortunately, we can save trees by using less
paper and by recycling paper. Here’s how you can make your own
homemade paper.
3. PROJECT DESCRITION
This project involves a group of students from Academia Nacional de
Sistemas in Florencia Caquetá, whose will learn about the importance of
recycling, how the recycling process is, and focus on how to make new
paper from recycled paper. Students will spend at least four or five
classes to carry out the project in which they will be involved in developing
real world tasks (authentic materials) and using authentic language.
At the end students will be asked explaining all the procedures about
whole project through oral report.
4. MAIN OBJECTIVES
Conserving natural resources and reducing pollution.
To cultivate an environmental awareness among students.
Reduce the trees logging.
WHAT SPECIFIC TARGETS DO WE WANT TO
ACHIEVE?
To make new paper from recycled paper.
To encourage the students to learn English language in a real
context through projects.
Enable students to acquire skills of collaboration, communication
and independent learning.
5. DOMAINS LEARNING OUTCOMES
Knowledge Application Students will be able to make links across different areas
of knowledge. To generate, develop and evaluate ideas
and information so as to apply these skills to the project
task.
Communication Students will be able to communicate effectively and to
present clear viewpoints to specific audience in both the
written and oral forms.
Collaboration Students will be able to work in groups to achieve
common goals.
Independent Learning Students will acquire the ability to be self reflexives on
their learning and take appropriate actions to improve it.
6. LOCATION MATERIALS
a computer-speakers-
Academia Nacional de board-videos-video beam.
Sistemas
different kind of papers
A group of 10 learners. It is
a blender
between 7 guys and 3 girls water
around 16 to 19 years old.
Two buckets
a wooden frame
Time: four hours per a week
a net
a dryer
a measuring cup
tea towels
7. FIRST CLASS
The teachers introduced the class asking questions the students on
OPENING what they knew about the recycling. Then the teacher explained to
them why recycling is important, what its process is and what are their
benefits, and showed the different materials they could recycle such as
paper- glasses - plastics, metals. As a final point, the teachers
explained the recycling process through slides.
the teachers made emphasis about the verbs in which were going to
make overused in the recycling (rip, mix, fill, stir, soak, lift, drain,
DURING dress out, hold, cover). The students were very active in learning new
PROCEDURE vocabulary. Teachers used activities and games . (listening for the gist,
giving orders and instructions (Use the imperative form) take care!
Listen to me carefully!
The students were asked taking different types of paper, one bowl and
CLOSURE practice the verbs worked on class
8.
9. SECOND CLASS
The teachers introduced the class by asking questions such as what
OPENING is recycling? What products can be made from recycled paper?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of recycling paper?
They were made listening the students´ prior knowledge and
pronunciation. Afterward, the professors showed a video clip about
how to make new paper from recycled paper.
learners selected the pieces of paper to be recycled. And then, they ripped
the paper into small bits, placed them into a bucket of water for about 3
DURING hours, later. Hear, this procedure was explained by the teachers while the
PROCEDURE learners had to listen and at the same time performing the tasks given by
the tutors.
teachers gave the students the opportunity to truly practice what had just
been taught, and the professors could see how well the class was
understood. The students were asked bringing to the classroom a blender
CLOSURE or wire whisk, a wooden frame, two buckets, measuring cap, a big spoon.
10.
11.
12. THIRD CLASS
the students were asked collecting all materials named in last class
OPENING in which they fulfilled responsibly. After that, learners learned the
material names and their respective pronunciation.
the teachers asked the students divide the whole class into two groups of
three students to work with the materials that professors had asked for
DURING them last class, and following the steps the recycling process. The main
PROCEDURE teaching goal of the third class stage was to guide the students how to
make new paper from recycled paper step by step.
At the end, each group had to explain to the teachers from the recycling
process until getting the new product. The students could practice what
had just been learned, and the professors could see how well the class was
CLOSURE understood as well as the acquisition of new vocabulary within contents.
Here, we as teachers could see the students´ improvement toward
speaking skill and the capacity to work on teams.
13.
14. Steps
Find recyclable paper.
Tear the paper into small
pieces.
Soak the paper in water.
Put the paper into the blender.
Liquate the paper.
Fill the bucket about half full
with water.
Add the pulp into the bucket
and stir.
Immerse the frame in the
mixture.
Remove the paper from the
screen.
Set the paper out to dry.
Repeat the above steps to
make additional sheets.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21. FOURTH CLASS
The teachers greeted all the students, then we asked them
OPENING arranging the movable desks all lined up in columns. After that we
gave the some instructions about the exam. We explained each
point of the evaluation and answered questions taking into account
the students needs.
the teachers gave students a sheet of paper that contained the exam
activities. As starting point, they had to read a passage about recycling, in
DURING which they had to select the correct answer. Then they had to answer
PROCEDURE some OPEN QUESTIONS, they wrote down with their own ideas giving
their point of view due to everybody thinks different. This part of the
exam lasted like 20 minutes because they are in an elementary course. At
the end of the exam we socialized the answers, and they spoke about the
importance in which is recycling making emphasis in the speaking and
listening skills.
The teachers thanked and appreciated the students´ job, they were asked
speaking about how they felt during the project, during the lessons, how
effective the project use as a learning mode was.
CLOSURE
22. CONCLUSION REFERENCES
Working with project work Greg Barber, Australian
was a big challenge for us. politician, and Greens memb
er of the Victorian Legislative
the use of authentic language
Council.
in the classroom provided the
students´ involvement in http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/f
both the input and output un_n_games/printables/activ
language acquisition. ities/assets/science_nature/p
aper_making.pdf
The use of authentic
materials provided additional
motivation for students´
participation.