The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle unit is designed to be culturally responsive by connecting to the everyday experiences and practices of the children and their families. Many of my students come from diverse cultural backgrounds where reducing waste and reusing items is already a part of daily life. For example, some families reuse containers to store food, save plastic bags, or repurpose clothing. These practices reflect funds of knowledge that deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated in the classroom. During group discussions, children are encouraged to share stories about what they do at home to help the Earth, which gives them a sense of pride and helps their peers learn about different ways families care for the environment.

To build bridges between home, school, and the community, we include a take-home project called “Trash or Treasure?”where families are invited to create something new out of recyclable materials. Children return to class excited to share what they made and how they made it, helping to develop oral language and strengthen home-school connections. Visual instructions and family letters are provided in both English and Spanish to make the activity accessible to all. We also include read-alouds like “One Plastic Bag” and “Michael Recycle” to offer mirrors and windows—mirrors so children see practices similar to their own, and windows to explore how recycling is done in different places around the world.

Community involvement enhances this unit by making the learning feel more real and relevant. We plan to invite a local sanitation worker or recycling center staff member to speak with the class about their role and why recycling is important. This gives children a chance to ask questions and see how their actions connect to the larger community. If possible, a walking trip to a nearby garden or recycling station could give students firsthand experience with what happens to the items we recycle. These activities help children see that they are part of something bigger, and that even at a young age, they can make a difference.