25+ Classroom Materials to Recycle for a New Use

Recycling and environmentalism are key components of most curriculum in school. In homes, day cares and home schools, we talk recycling. Yet so often we don't walk the talk we preach. Schools and learning environments are a great place to begin demonstrating good environmental habits. And it isn't difficult once some basic habits are in place. By recycling, you save loads of money on teaching supplies, have a ready stock of materials for classroom use and best of all you show students how to live an eco-friendly life.

Here is a complete guide to recycling in a classroom or home school: what to save, how to store items and how to use materials in class. You can use this list in any grade or subject from pre-school to high school. This guide has applications for any math, science, social studies, English/ Language Arts, art, music or physical education classes. Check out the links for my articles on ways to use some materials.

egg cartons: Use for paint trays, math sorting, fine motor skills, classification, storage, crafts

aluminum pie and pot pie plates: make musical instruments like shakers and drum heads, condensation experiments, science experiments, sorting, holding glue, paint or chemicals, making solutions and mixtures, cooking

cardboard pourable juice cartons: Cut top off. Sort and store different styles and colors of crayons, markers, colored pencils, paint brushes, scissors. Duct tape sides of cartons together to create pigeonholes. Place in the middle of work tables to keep supplies sorted.

aluminum cans (all sizes) Wash and flatten sharp edges.

Make star viewers.
Cover and use to show size graduations.
Make nested cans for stacking and sorting by size.
Make cup and ball tossing games.
Make eye hand coordination practice games.

sprayers and spray bottles (like laundry pre wash or house hold cleaners)

Store paint; use for spray on paint techniques
Store chemicals for science.
Use spray mechanisms for science experiments on suction.
Fill with water and make squirting games.

cereal boxes (collapse and store in milk crate)