A guide for using our resources

Children will meet a sanitation worker and sequence what happens to trash.

Vocabulary: sanitation worker, loader, hopper, landfill

Social Studies Focus: Earth Day

CCSS (and states that have similar standards): RI.1.1 ask and answer questions; RI.1.4 determine meaning of words; RI.1.10 read informational texts; RF.1.1 capitalization; W.1.8 gather information; SL.1.1 participate in collaborative conversations

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

• This book is a fun, quick, read-aloud that will have students reading the repetitive lines along with you as you follow the sanitation worker's route through Trashy Town!

• Review the bonus Interview with Erin: New York City Sanitation Worker sheet. Project the page where students can read it while you read aloud, or have volunteers act out the Q and A.
• Pause to discuss Erin's responses. Are students surprised to learn about the rats Erin sees? Do any students want to have Erin's job one day? What did they learn about Erin's job?

Skills: social awareness

Materials: Thank an Earth Helper! skill sheet, pencils, markers, scissors, construction paper, glue

• Students will think of someone who helps Earth and make a card for them.
• Have a class discussion on people in the school and community who help Earth. Write down ideas that student share. It could be classmates who help put materials away, custodial staff who keep the school clean, a teacher who likes to plants flowers, or someone else!
• Pass out the Thank an Earth Helper! skill sheet. Have students fi ll out the blanks on the card to write a special note to an Earth helper.
• Students can cut out the two parts of the card. Give students a sheet of construction paper to fold in half. Have them glue the cover of the card on the front and their note on the inside.
• Let students decorate their cards with additional colors and drawings. Encourage them to give their card to the special Earth helper they chose.