ETHNOMATHEMATICS

PAPER TALESBY JOELOUIE GENUS

ELEMENTARY THIRD GRADETIMEFRAME THREE SESSIONS - 35 MIN. EACH

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)• ESS3A. Although some natural resources like trees

are renewable, they can be limited by their rate of growth.

• NGSS 3-5. Engineering Design. Student with explore the problem wasting paper, brain storm ideas to resolve the problem, generate a plan to address the problem, and produce a tangible product addressing the problem.

• ETS1.A Know where paper comes from, how paper is made, and be able to come up with ideas to help conserve it.

Common Core State Standards (CCSS): Language Arts• 3.RI.7 Be able to explain the problem of wasting

paper shown through a video exploration of the topic.

• 3.SL.1 Participate and collaborate in brainstorming ideas to recycle paper.

• 3-LS42. Be able to explain physical change from wet paper to dry paper because of evaporation.

Mathematics: What are the relative weights of wet and dry paper? (Why is there a difference?)Engineering: What is the difference between “recycling” and “reusing”?

Technology: How can we reuse/recycle paper? Science: Where does paper come from?

STANDARD BENCHMARKS AND VALUES

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PAPER TALESBY JOELOUIE GENUS

Mathematics: What are the relative weights of wet and dry paper? (Why is there a difference?)Engineering: What is the difference between “recycling” and “reusing”?

Technology: How can we reuse/recycle paper? Science: Where does paper come from?

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING• We use paper products all the time. • Paper comes from trees, a limited natural resource.• Paper that served a previous purpose can be recycled to create

new paper for a new purpose.

CRITICAL SKILLS AND CONCEPTS• Students will understand that paper comes from trees and that

recycling paper prevents the destruction of additional trees.• Students will participate in one process for recycling (and

repurposing) paper.• Students will learn how to calculate and account for water loss

due to evaporation.

AUTHENTIC PERFORMANCE TASK: Students will create personalized recycled paper.

AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE: Students’ fellow classmates and teacher.

OTHER EVIDENCE: Replicating process at home with family.

LEARNING PLANTEACHER PREPARATION: • WHAT IS PAPER:

http://www.paperonline.org/home/what-is-paper; • THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES:

http://greenpop.org/why-trees/; • HOW PAPER IS MADE:

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Paper.html; • PAPER PRODUCTS:

http://www.paperonline.org/paper-making/paper-uses;• HOW PAPER IS RECYCLED:

http://earth911.com/business-policy/business/paper-recycling-details-basics/;

• HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN RECYCLED PAPER: http://www.make-stuff.com/recycling/paper.html;

• WHAT IS EVAPORATION: http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycleevaporation.html

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MATERIALS• Samples of a variety of different kinds of paper

(that the students can tear)• a food processor or an old blender • pre-made window mesh screen (any size) tapered

and stapled on the edges• newspaper or other paper, torn into 2-inch squares • water• a big sink or tub capable of being filled at least

4 inches deep with water• food coloring, pressed flowers, or other

materials (optional) • cooking scale (or scale that measures grams)

SESSION ONE1. Pose the following questions to students:

a. What is paper? b. How is paper made?

2. After discussing possible answers to the questions as a class, show the students the 2-minute 15-second online video “Educational Video for Kids: How Paper is Made” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IP0Ch1Va44).

3. Continue the class discussion with the following questions: a. What are the uses of paper?b. Once a paper product has been used for its

original purpose, what can be done with it next?c. How is paper recycled?d. How is “recycling” different from “reusing?”

4. Distribute samples of different kinds of paper to the students.

5. Have the students subject the paper to strength tests: which kinds of paper are more difficult to tear? Why might this be?

SESSION TWO1. Distribute pages of old newspapers to students.

Have them tear up the pages into pieces 2-inches wide or smaller.

2. Put the torn up paper (one handful at a time) into the food processor or blender with water, blending the mixture until it forms a pulp (adding more water as necessary).

3. Add all of the paper pulp to the water in the tub, mixing it well with your hands.

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4. With pre-made window mesh screen, scoop the frame to the bottom of the sink, then lift it slowly (counting to 20 seconds). Once the frame is above the water, let the excess water drain for about 1 minute.

5. Have students weigh their pulp and frame with the scale, recording its weight in ounces. Then, have them place their frames in the sun (or leave overnight indoors) to dry.

6. Continue using the same mixture in the tub to make paper until the pulp is all strained (at which point, more pulp can be created and added).

7. Have the students reflect:a. How did the paper feel prior to blending?b. How did the paper feel while mixed with the water?

SESSION THREE1. Have student collect their dried paper. 2. Have them reweigh it (along with the frame). Show them

how to calculate the difference in weight (i.e., initial weight – final weight = change in weight).

3. As a class, have the students discuss their findings, guided by the following questions:

a. What were their initial weights?b. What were their final weights?c. What were their differences in weights? (i.e., how much

water weight was evaporated?)4. Have the students make more paper, following the process

from Session 2 with little or no help from the teacher. Allow them to add additional materials to the pulp in order to personalize their paper.

5. Once the paper is created, have them share with the class how they intend to use their newly recycled paper (e.g. as a greeting card for their parents).

6. Have the students reflect:a. What did they learn from the activity?b. What did they like about the activity?c. If they did the activity at home, how might they change it?d. How might recycling paper be helpful for

the environment?

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REFERENCESEarth911. (2016). Everything you need to know about paper recycling. Retrieved from http://earth911.com/business- policy/business/paper-recycling-details-basics/. European Paper & Packaging Industries. (2016). What is paper? Paper Online. Retrieved from http://www.paperonline.org/ home/what-is-paper.European Paper & Packaging Industries. (2016). Products. Paper Online. Retrieved from http://www.paperonline.org/paper- making/paper-uses. Greenpop. (n.d.). Why trees? Retrieved from http://greenpop.org/ why-trees/.How Products are Made. (n.d.). Paper. Retrieved from http://www. madehow.com/Volume-2/Paper.html.Make-Stuff. (2016). How to make your own recycled paper. Retrieved from http://www.make-stuff.com/recycling/paper. htm. Rose, M. (2013). Educational video for kids: How paper is made. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7IP0Ch1Va44.United Staes Geologic Survey. (2016). The water cycle: Evaporation. Retrieved from http://water.usgs.gov/edu/ watercycleevaporation.html.