Caring for Our Earth: Use Less, Reuse, Recycle

Nature gives us water, trees, land and air. The things people do can make them dirty or use them up. Let’s find out how we can use less, reuse and recycle to take care of our Earth.

This lesson takes about 15 minutes. You can take a break after each part.

Before you start

Caring for Our Earth: Use Less, Reuse, Recycle

Learning objectives

  • I can name things that nature gives us.
  • I can tell how trash and waste can hurt the land, water, air and animals.
  • I can use less and reuse things.
  • I can sort trash and share an idea to help the Earth.

What nature gives us

Gifts from nature

We use things that come from nature: water to drink, trees for wood and paper, land to grow food, and air to breathe.

We all need them

People, animals and plants all need clean water, clean air and good land. The fish needs a clean river. The bird needs its tree.

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When people change nature

Trash in the wrong place

Trash thrown on the ground makes the land dirty. Trash in a river or the sea makes the water dirty, and animals can eat it and get sick. Trash does not go away by itself.

Using too much

When people cut down many trees, birds and squirrels lose their homes. Smoke from cars and factories makes the air dirty. When we waste things, we take more from nature.

Five numbered pictures: 1, a bulldozer and tree stumps where a forest was cut down; 2, a truck dumps a big pile of trash; 3, factory chimneys send out smoke and pipes pour dirty water into a river; 4, a tap left running and lamps left on; 5, a big city with many cars on the roads.
Cutting trees, throwing trash, smoke and dirty water, wasting water and light, many cars: each one changes the land, the water or the air.

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Use less and reuse

Use less

Turn off the light when you leave an empty room. Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth. Draw on both sides of the paper.

Reuse

Reusing means using a thing again. A jam jar can become a pencil cup. A water bottle can be filled again and again. Old toys and clothes can go to another child.

Six pictures of children: turning off a light, turning off the tap, putting a bottle in a recycling bin, filling a reusable bottle, putting food scraps in a compost bin, and riding a bike.
Turn off, reuse, recycle, compost, ride a bike: small actions help our Earth.

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Recycle and share your ideas

Sort and recycle

We sort our trash into the right bins. Recycling turns old bottles, cans and paper into new things. Food scraps can go in a compost bin and turn into rich soil for the garden.

Share your ideas

Even young children can help the Earth. You can draw a poster or tell your family an idea, like “Turn off the tap!” When many people help, the Earth stays cleaner.

Left: an empty glass jar becomes a pencil holder. Right: a boy puts plastic bottles in a recycling truck, the plastic is turned into boards, and the boards make a park bench.
Reuse: the jar gets a new job. Recycle: old bottles become a new bench.

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Review game

Final assessment

To master the lesson, you need at least 60% correct answers.

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Summary

  • Nature gives us water, trees, land and air; people, animals and plants all need them.
  • Trash in the wrong place and waste make the land, water and air dirty and can hurt living things.
  • Use less: turn off lights and taps, use both sides of the paper.
  • Reuse things, sort and recycle trash, and compost food scraps.
  • Share your ideas with a poster or with your family: everyone can help.

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