2015 Keep Loup Basin Beautiful
Environmental Education Programs

New for 2015!  We are offering a full line-up of environmental education programs for all ages.  Each of our classroom programs support Nebraska state academic standards in science, math, language arts, and social studies.  Our programs for adults provide an opportunity for lifetime learning in our rural area.  

We provide these programs free of charge to teachers, after-school programs, service groups, and clubs in our 13 county coverage area, thanks to a grant from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.  All of the programs we offer are based on our mission statement which is “to promote and provide environmental education and projects that will lead to litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, and beautification in Central and North Central Nebraska.”

Our programs are available year round.  All of our programs are interactive, and designed to be given indoors for groups of up to 30 people.  We can also do outdoor presentations and large groups, such as festivals and school assemblies.  Just let us know!  Programs that require special equipment are noted.  To schedule one of these programs for your class or group, or for more information, please contact our Affiliate Director, Anita Olson.    

Contact Information
Phone:  308 346.3393 office
Email:  [email protected]
Address:  PO Box 400, Burwell NE 68823

Preschool-Kindergarten

Webster Cleans the Pond                                                                                      30 minutes

Oh no!  Someone has left a mess in Webster’s pond!  Young students will have fun helping Webster and his friends clean up the “pond” while getting a lesson in responsibility.   They will also learn about keeping their own environment clean, picking up after themselves, and putting trash where it belongs, in the trash can!

The Little Green Monster                                                                                       30 minutes

Max is a monster who likes to litter and never, ever recycles.  Then one day, something happens that makes him realize how beautiful the Earth is, and that it needs our help to stay that way.  Your students, along with Max, will learn different ways they can help take care of the Earth.  They will also get to make their own little green monster to take home with them.  Based on the book I Can Save the Earth by Alison Inches.

The 3 “R’s”: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle                                                             30 minutes

Students get to practice using the letter ‘R’ while learning some new vocabulary words.  Students will help sort the trash by different materials: paper, plastic, and aluminum.  They will also learn about reducing water and electricity use, reusing toys and clothes by sharing them with others, and recycling by taking something old and making it into something new!

Elementary

I Want to Be Recycled                                                                         30 minutes, PowerPoint

Your plastic bottle doesn’t want to end up as a piece of trash, it wants to be made into something new!  By putting recyclables in the recycling bin, you can give garbage a new life.  Aluminum cans, water bottles, and cereal boxes can become many different things.  Your students will find out how this amazing transformation happens, and what kinds of things they get turned into! 

Don’t Be a Litterbug                                                                                                 30 minutes

This program encourages students to consider how our good and bad habits affect the earth.  We will talk about litterbugs, people who have made a habit of throwing trash on the ground.  Students will portray different types of litterbugs in a fun game of charades.  They will come up with ways to change littering habits and start turning some of these actions into good habits of their own. 

How Nature Recycles                                                                                               30 minutes

Students will get their hands dirty by getting up close and personal with some of nature’s recyclers: worms!  We will talk about decomposition, microorganisms, nutrient cycling, and how nothing in nature goes to waste.  Students will be encouraged to think about what happens to the stuff they throw away, which things nature can and can’t recycle, and what we should do about it.  Teachers, we can also help you set up a compost pile or vermicomposting bin for your school!  Hand washing is needed before and after the program.

Jr. High/High School

Landfills:  The Layered Look                                                             30 minutes, PowerPoint

Americans throw away over 250 million tons of trash every year and the vast majority of that ends up in a landfill!  In this hands-on lesson, students get to construct a mini sanitary landfill.  They will also learn what materials we throw away the most, and why certain materials are banned from landfills.  We will discuss the pros and cons of various waste management strategies, and students will create an action plan to help their own community make less waste. 

Recycling: The Rest of the Story                                                     30 minutes, PowerPoint

What happens to your garbage when you recycle it?  In this program, students will learn what it takes to get an item from the recycle bin back on the store shelf.  We will discuss what happens when you throw something away, and how it doesn’t really go “away.”  Students will learn about what materials are recyclable in this area, and the products they are made into.  We will specifically focus on recycled products made right here in Nebraska!

Natural Resources: Reuse, Recycle, Renew!                         30-45 minutes, PowerPoint

In this program, we will take a closer look at the materials that make up some of the items we use every day.  We’ll find out where those materials came from, where they will end up, and what kinds of energy they use along the way.  Students take a look at global production cycles and discuss the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources.  We will look at businesses from around the world that turn wastes into resources for making products, and give students a chance to come up with their own recycling business model.

Adult Continuing Education

Intro to Recycling                                                                                                  30-45 minutes

We’ll take a look at the history of recycling in the US, the origins of Keep America Beautiful, and the partnerships that support Keep Loup Basin Beautiful as a community improvement organization.  We’ll give you the knowledge needed to start recycling at home.  We’ll answer questions about recycling in the Loup Basin including what can be recycled, and what happens to that material after it goes in the recycling bin.

Composting 101                                                                                  45 minutes, PowerPoint

Learn the basics of composting kitchen scraps and yard waste.  Composting is a great way to both reduce the amount of waste going to landfills, and enhance the fertility of your garden soil naturally.  We will talk about what materials can be composted and different styles and methods of composting.  Attendees will leave this program with the basic knowledge to get started composting in their own backyards! 

Recycled Art: Papermaking                                                                                45-60 minutes

Try your hand at do-it-yourself recycling and learn a new art form with this paper-making workshop!  We will discuss the many products that are made from recycled material and then get our hands dirty making our own paper from recycled materials.  This program requires water and an electrical outlet, other materials are provided.  Attendees will get to take their creation home with them.  Best for groups of 5 to 20 people.