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RECYCLED THEME

CRAFTS

BIRDHOUSE
A lovely one-season birdhouse made from recycled household materials. 
What you'll need: Milk carton , Stapler and staples, Masking tape, A soft cloth, rag or chamois , Brown shoe polish , Scissors or a knife, Twine 
How to make it: 1. Clean and dry the milk carton thoroughly. 
2. Staple the top of the carton shut. 
3. Tear off small pieces of masking tape and cover the entire carton with the pieces of tape. 
4. Using a soft cloth, rub brown shoe polish all over the tape. This will give the carton a rough, bark-like finish. 
5. Cut a hole (WITH ADULT ASSISTANCE) about 4" above the bottom of the carton. The hole should be approximately 1" to 1 1/2" in diameter. This hole is for the birds to get in and out of the house. 
6. Poke a few drainage holes in the bottom of the carton and two ventilation holes in the top of the carton. 
7. Poke a hole through the top of the feeder, string a piece of twine through the hole and hang your feeder on a tree. 

MAKE YOUR OWN PAPER
Age: 5+ 
What you'll need: egg cartons, detergent, water , pot , screens, newspaper , construction paper, any odd wool sparkles,etc. to add to paper , food coloring (optional) 
How to make it: 1. Encourage children to tear up egg cartons. 
2. Put the pieces in pot with detergent, cook on low for 2-3 hours. 
3. Put in food processor, until smooth consistency. 
4. Add water to mixture before and after cooking. 
5. You can add a touch of food coloring or other items to enhance your paper (string, confetti dots, etc.) 
6. Strain through screen until desired thickness--flip over onto newspaper, put more newspaper and towels on top. 
Cover with heavy books, etc for 24 hours. Peel off paper and let dry for 24 more hours--can also make bowls and other fun stuff--put flat paper works the best. You can also use old newspaper and other scrap paper.
A neat way to make your own screen - metal coat hanger bent into a "square" shape & a panty hose stretched around it (stuff the hanger into the leg) tie both ends - you now have a neat little screen!

Recycled Crayons
Have broken crayons? Great way to make use of them!
What you'll need: Broken crayons, Heavy paper cups, Candy molds, Microwave oven 
How to make it: Remove all paper on the crayons. 

GAMES & ACTIVITIES

A Solution to Pollution
Search for signs of pollution outside.  Can the kids see smog, dirty smokestacks, burning, or vehicle exhausts?  What happens to dirty air on a windy day?  I still day?  Walk a long pass or sidewalks.  Is there broken glass, cans, it wrappers, or plastic?  Look in puddles.  Do the kids see oil rainbows or junk?  Walk along shore or stream.  It is the water clear, or is there detergent foam or color?  Explain the animals, plants and stones are just as affected by pollution as people are.  Can tabs and plastic gets in bird speaks.  Fish need clean water to breathe.  Junk materials can harm animals.  Bad air corrodes rock, statues and buildings.  Plants can't live with bad air or water.  How can the kids help keep the environment clean?

Backyard Compost Box
Here's a group project that's perfect for your whole group. Perhaps a leader or parent will let you build it in a backyard. Plan the compost box carefully so your Children can have considerable input. The project comes from Ecology, A Practical Introduction With Projects and Activities, by Usborne Publishing. This is a good book.
Materials: You'll need four wooden posts (10 cm x 10 cm), eight planks of equal length, nails, and a piece of old carpeting or plastic sheeting. Decide on your compost box's dimensions, and cut the lumber accordingly. 
What to do: Plant the corner posts firmly in the ground and nail on the planks, leaving gaps for ventilation. Put in a bottom layer of twigs and sticks. Add alternating layers of organic waste (e.g. garden waste, vegetable waste from the kitchen, tea leaves, coffee grinds, egg shells, and fruit peelings), compost activators (purchased from a garden supply store), and soil. Water the compost heap well and cover with a blanket or plastic sheeting. Keep adding waste to the heap, but make sure you turn it over regularly and keep it moist. Within six months, you'll be able to dig out compost — perfect to enrich your garden soil. From time to time, bring your Children back to the compost box so they can see how it's working. Never put meat waste or other foods containing fats or oils in a compost box. These will just smell and attract unwanted creatures. Be creative about outdoor activities that will teach your Children respect for nature. Ask them what they would like to do, then plan your spring outings around these ideas.

Compost Soup
Equipment: none
How to play: Stand your kids along one wall. Leaders should make stirring motions with arms and hands (stirring the soup). Children ask: "What are you making?" Leaders reply: "Compost soup.
"Children ask: "What are you putting in it?" Leaders reply: "Lettuce leaves.
"If this is something that really should go into a compost pile, the children should yell, "Yes!" If it isn't, they should yell, "No!" (Fats, meat, plastic and milk products don't go into a compost heap.)Continue with the children asking, "What else is in your soup?" Leaders reply in turn, "Carrots, potatoes, peelings, leaves, broccoli, etc." For each right or wrong answer, the Children yell "Yes!" or "No!", respectively.
When leaders answer the question with "Children!" (or "Cubs!"), each child must run to the opposite wall without being caught by a leader. Anyone caught must stay in the centre and help stir the compost heap.
Continue until everyone is caught. (Make sure you have a good list of composted items before you start.)

SONGS

Recycling In My Home
(tune: wheels on the bus)
Recycling in my home goes round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
Recycling in my home goes round and round,
All through the day.
Tie up the papers and take them back,
Take them back, take them back.
Tie up the papers and take them back,
All through the day.
Crush the cans and take them back.....
Rinse the milk bottles and take them back....
Save the glass and take it back......
 
 

FOOD IDEAS
 

TIPS