Three R's and more

Summary: Primarily a language lesson that focuses on the three R's concept (reduce, reuse, recycle). Through brainstorming and sentence practice, students come up with ways they can actively help the environment in their daily lives.

Level: ***

Grammar: Prefix "re", Sentence Structure: Re( )__________ instead of ______________.

Materials: scrap paper, some examples how to follow the three R's (cloth bag, plastic mug, etc)

Procedure:

1. Introduce the lesson with a quick explanation of the three R's concept to students on the blackboard. Draw the triangular arrow symbol and write out the three R's in this order - reduce, reuse, recycle.
2. Ask students if they know what the prefix "re" means. If they don't know, it means "to do something again".
3. Word Game - In pairs or small groups, give students five minutes to write down as many words beginning with "re" as they can think of that will help the environment, for example: rebuild, redesign, recreate, refill, renew, repair, refix, retell, reform, recover, regain, relive (one class I taught was able to come up with 67 words). Allow students to use dictionaries.
4. The group with the most words wins the game. Ask them to read out their words to the rest of the class and jot them down on the blackboard (hold onto these words and use them as possible poster ideas for Earth Day or another event).
5. "RE" Sentences - In the same groups, students write 2-3 sentences with their "re" words on how we can all protect the environment using this sentence model:

Ask your JTE for help explaining this sentence structure. Ask some students to read their sentences to the rest of the class.

Review: If you use anything in your daily life to reduce, reuse or recycle, bring these different objects to class and do a short "show and tell". For example, reusable chopsticks in a case, portable coffee mug, bento box or reusable lunch bag, recycle box, reused bottle for water/juice, cloth shopping bag. Nothing is better than learning by example, and students get a kick out of seeing all the weird things their ALT does!

Contributed by: Samantha Berman, Kagoshima-ken ALT, 1999.

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