At a time when issues of environmental sustainability are critical, Loop Scoops, a Teachers’ Domain collection of short, fun videos and lesson plans,  helps students think more deeply and creatively about the stuff in their lives and the impact their choices have on the environment.

Just one example is the Garbage video and one of its accompanying lessons,  Biodegradation.  In this lesson, students review the concept that materials in everyday products come from many different renewable and nonrenewable sources.  They watch an animated video about the materials in a juice box, then discuss the biotic and abiotic materials found in a common object. Students then create a biodegradation timeline on the floor, gaining a deeper understanding of how long different materials last. Finally, watching an animated video about garbage leads students to discuss how changes in their own behavior can reduce waste and pollution.  Check out a preview of the video here:

Here’s a sampling of what elementary school teachers said about their classroom experiences with the Garbage video:

“The children really connected to the garbage video because they were able to think about stuff in their own room that may have been thrown away but now they have some options to consider.”

“The students didn’t realize that their actions really mattered. The content was easy for students to relate to.”