Family Night Summary - Waste Management Northwest

Waste Management and Snohomish County WRR Schools Program Family Outreach Approach and Summary Project Goal From the 2014 Waste Reduction and Recycling (WRR) Assembly, Workshops and Technical Assistance for Waste Management ‐ Snohomish County Schools scope of work, the goal of “Task 4: Family Outreach” is to: Increase connections between what students are learning about waste reduction and recycling at school and what they are sharing with their families at home. We will accomplish this by working with schools to incorporate recycling education and activities into existing family nights and other school outreach events. This is an opportunity for schools to share what families can be doing at home to support what students are learning at school. Thus, family nights are an avenue to encourage families to practice waste reduction and recycling at home. Staff will be available to help schools prepare for and attend events. Activities for the family night include games where families practice sorting and use their knowledge of how to and why using the 4 R’s (rethink, reduce, reuse and recycle) in their everyday lives is important. When possible, student leadership teams will assist at the table to demonstrate the home to school connection of waste reduction and recycling. Summary of 2014 Approach In spring and fall of 2014 the team reached out to all schools eligible for the technical assistance/Green Team program components (i.e. those schools with Waste Management as their current recycling hauler). We sent promotional materials and information about our availability to attend appropriate school‐sponsored family events (e.g. Curriculum Night, Family Learning Nights, Environmental Fairs, etc.). Prior to the event we worked with student Green Teams whenever possible, to coordinate roles and responsibilities. At these events, we worked with the Green Team students to promote their leadership roles and increase their confidence to teach their families about recycling. Whenever possible, students themselves were the primary vehicles for family learning, yet Triangle staff acted as “expert” resources for families and worked closely with the Green Team students to facilitate the activities. Our program staff also used these events as opportunities to learn what questions families still have about recycling. Throughout each event, our staff actively reached out to families to ask questions about what they found most confusing about recycling. We recorded each response and then were able to look for common themes and find ways to better address them throughout each component of the school programs. © 2015 WM Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C.
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In 2014 Triangle Associates developed the following games and activities for meeting Family Outreach goals: Deliverable: Triangle developed a Family Night “kit” that is brought to events and contains materials to engage families in multiple ways: Games: 1) Sorting Activity – This game gives families hands‐on practice about what goes where and how to properly sort waste and decrease contamination in the recycling bins. The game consists of three bins labelled; garbage/landfill, recyclable and compost/yard waste. Families are given a sorting bag of common items that are often thrown away in homes and schools. Families work together to pull out items from the sorting bag and physically place the items into the correct bin. When families have sorted five or more items, they are given a Waste Management “what goes where” guide sheet that they can use to check and correct their work. Green Team students and our staff facilitate this activity and answer questions that families may have about sorting at home. Our team also takes this opportunity to address any incorrect items. 2) Buzzer Box Quiz Show ‐ This “Family Feud” inspired game is designed to have families compete against each other or other families using their knowledge of waste reduction and recycling to answer scenario questions that focus on choices people make about using or consuming products at home or school. Each family or person stands behind a buzzer or a bell while a Green Team student or staff member asks a scenario question followed by a list of three potential options that are written on the cards. After the question has been read through completely, the first team to “buzz” in by hitting their buzzer or bell answers the question. The bells make a great alternative to the loud buzzer box at indoor events. 3) Recycling Twister Game – The intention of this game is to have participants think about how to apply the 4 R’s to their everyday actions. Students can either roll the dice or spin the twister wheel that assigns which colored dot they will place their hand or foot on. Each dot is labelled with one of the 4 R’s. When participants land on a dot, the Green Team student or staff member asks a question that applies to the dot the participant landed on. For example, if the participant lands on “reuse” the question could be, “what is one reusable item you can bring from home to use at school lunch?”. After each person playing the game gets a chance to answer the question, the dice or spinner wheel is spun again and questions can be asked as applicable. © 2015 WM Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C.
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4) 4 R’s Velcro Board – This quick game for a family on the run has participants place the 4 R’s in order on the 4 R’s Velcro Board, thinking specifically about why an order exists and how to sequentially implement the 4 R’s into their daily lives. 5) 4 R’s Flip Book – This simple and quick flip book asks questions that help participants think about the 4 R’s. With questions on one side and the answers on the back, this is a great game that families can play independently in an effort to engage as many people at the table as possible, especially if staff or Green Team students are assisting other people. Handouts and Giveaways: •
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Prizes: o Waste Management “Closing the Loop” Bracelets made from recycled silicone. o Waste Management Pencils made from recycled newspapers. o Waste Management BPA free Water Bottles made from recycled materials to be handed out to all Green Team helpers who assisted at the table. Post Home Surveys – for families to take home to assess and discuss their current recycling methods and areas for improvement. Snohomish County Residential Recycling Guides – An informative take‐home item that families can use as a reference for sorting out recyclables at home. Project Idea Sheets – A reference guide that lists specific ideas that students and families can do to implement waste reduction and recycling in their homes, schools, classrooms and lunchrooms. 4 R’s Coloring Pages and Activity Booklet – An interactive booklet for primary grade aged children to work on at the table or take home. Crayons are provided at the table if children want to color or do the activities at the event. School Success Display – This display sign is tailor made to each school and indicates the recycling rate of the school before they started the recycling program and how much their recycling rate increased after implementing the recycling program in their school. This sign is an important component of the Family Night “kit”, in that it shares the specific successes of a school and is a source of pride for the Green Team members. Table Display Sign – This collapsible sign says “Our School Recycles” so people can understand the purpose of the table at the event and help promote the message of recycling throughout the school. © 2015 WM Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C.
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Specific Events Attended in 2015: •
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Discovery Elementary – Family Learning Night Hazelwood Elementary – Family Open House Edmonds Elementary – School Science Expo Maplewood K‐8 – School Fair Zion Lutheran – Fall Festival Mukilteo Elementary – Holiday Store (vendors display items for sale at low cost for low income families to have opportunities to buy holiday presents) © 2015 WM Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C.
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