Education and Outreach

 

The Defiance County Environmental & Administrative Services partnered with Soil and Water Conservation to present to more classrooms, students, teachers and organizations to reach and teach about: litter prevention, reduce, reuse, recycle, soils conservation, water conservation, composting and environmental issues, problems, and possible resolutions.

The presentations are geared to the age group. Kindergarten presentations are normally conducted in March and April of each year. We give a short discussion on litter and recycling using a recycled book bag filled with recyclables. The presenter assists the students to make an earth bracelet. The bracelet consists of an elastic string and six different colored beads. Each bead represents something in our environment such as brown for dirt, green for the earth, etc. After the bracelets are made everyone talks about the colors and what they represent. In addition to the bracelet, goodies such as coloring books, recycling stickers, notepads, litter bags, pens, rulers, etc. are handed out to each student and teacher.

The presentations for the 2nd grade classes include an activity called 'Fishing for Litter Habits'. The students join in by fishing for labeled fish with litter habits and deciding as group if the habit is a good litter habit or a bad litter habit. This presentation also includes a lively discussion about litter and recycling.

The 4th graders participate in a hands-on activity called 'Mining for Natural Resources'. This is an activity in which the students are given a chocolate chip cookie and must mine using a toothpick (our form of a pick-ax) for chocolate chips (natural resources) without creating more waste. The less waste that is created through mining, saves the earth from land and air pollution. There is also a stimulating discussion on how mining uses the earth's natural resources and how recycling saves the earth from additional mining.

Presentations can be adapted for pre-schools in the County and presentations for organizations, businesses, colleges, are also available. If you would like more information regarding a presentation, please contact the Defiance County Environmental and Administrative Services office at (419) 782-5442.