Grades 1–3
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Match the three Rs to what they mean, then draw something you could reuse.
Science worksheet · Taking care of Earth
Recycle, Compost or Trash?
Sort twelve things into the recycling bin, the compost pile or the trash.
- Grade level
- Grades 1–3
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Topic
- Taking care of Earth
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Caring for Earth, Recycling, Renewable energy
What kids do
Printed on the sheet:
- Recycle paper, cardboard, cans and glass so they can be made into new things. Compost food scraps and plants so they rot into soil. Everything else is trash.
- Write each thing in the right bin.
- Which bin at your house fills up fastest?
Words on this sheet
egg shellsgrass clippingscandy wrapperbanana peelsoda canglass jarbroken crayonapple corecardboard boxchip bagused tissueRecycleCompostTrash
Teacher tip
Use your school’s real bin signs so the sort matches what kids will do.
How to use it
- Bring in clean examples of recycling, compost and trash and sort them together.
- Look at your school’s own bins and rules.
- Let partners compare answers and settle any differences with a book or a video.
Watch for
Recycling rules change from town to town. Check your own.
Talk about it
- Why does it matter where trash goes?
- What did you notice that surprised you?
Take it further
Run a one-week class recycling challenge and weigh the results.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More taking care of earth worksheets
Grades 2–3
Litter Survey
Tally the litter you find on a walk by kind, then think about what could stop it.
Grades 2–3
Energy from the Sun, Wind and Water
Sort six energy sources into renewable and not renewable, then mark four facts true or false.
Free for teachers
Get the free Classroom Drawing Kit
12 printable pages: six step-by-step lessons, a grid activity, draw-and-write sheets and teacher notes, sent with your welcome email. After that, new classroom printables by email.