“There’s No Such Place as Away”
Bus Tour of Ann Arbor’s Resource Recovery Center
7th Grade Field Trip
A partnership between
the AAPS Environmental Education Program and the Ecology Center
Purpose
Where does our stuff go? What happens when we are done with it?
In this 2-hour field trip, you will tour Ann Arbor’s Resource Recovery Center to discover what happens to the materials that we throw out.
You will study how the City of Ann Arbor manages trash, compost, and recycling, and consider the impacts of these processes on the climate and our local natural resources (air, soil, water).
Students will be challenged to consider what we can do to not only prevent waste, but to rethink a future where we find better ways to design and use materials as individuals and as a community.
Overview
You will attend this field trip with your science teacher and class. A teacher from the AAPS Environmental Education Program or the Ecology Center will travel with you to lead the tour.
You will be asked to listen attentively during the bus lesson, share ideas out loud, and write and draw on some activity pages.
You will be getting off of the bus in 2 places, while other areas of the Resource Recovery Center will be viewed from the bus.
Introductory Video
You will see the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) during the field trip, but we will not be able to go inside the building to see the recycling sorting processes up close. Watch this video to learn about how these materials are sorted into categories to be recycled.
Possible discussion prompts:
*What do you notice about the sorting process?
*What challenges do you recognize in this sorting process?
Morning Field Trip Schedule
9:20 - Gather with your class and prepare to depart. Use the bathroom before you leave school.
9:30 - Load the bus and depart school. Participate in the bus lesson on the way to the Resource Recovery Center.
9:45-10:15 - Visit a capped landfill and learn about trash management at the Transfer Station.
10:15-10:45 - View the Material Recovery Facility and participate in a “Human MRF” activity to better understand how recyclables are sorted.
10:45-11:15 - Visit the Compost Center to learn about the management of organic waste.
11:15-11:30 - Wrap-up discussion on the way back to school
Afternoon Field Trip Schedule
11:50 - Gather with your class and prepare to depart. Use the bathroom before you leave school.
12:00 - Load the bus and depart school. Participate in the bus lesson on the way to the Resource Recovery Center.
12:15-12:45 - Visit a capped landfill and learn about trash management at the Transfer Station.
12:45-1:15 - View the Material Recovery Facility and participate in a “Human MRF” activity to better understand how recyclables are sorted.
1:15-1:45 - Visit the Compost Center to learn about the management of organic waste.
1:45-2:00 - Wrap-up discussion on the way back to school
What to wear and Bring
With your class, you should check the weather forecast the day before your trip to help you dress appropriately. We will be outside for ~25 minutes at a time. The trip will likely run even in light rain.
Closed-toed shoes are required, and boots or shoes that can get muddy are best. A coat or sweatshirt, long pants, gloves and a hat are recommended for chilly days. Long pants and sleeves also provide protection from ticks and mosquitoes that we could come across in the field.
A writing utensil, clipboard, and student activity pages will be provided for you during the trip, so there isn’t anything else that you’ll need to bring.
Bus & Trip Expectations
We hope that you will have fun on the trip, and we want you to know that this is an academic field trip with the same behavior and learning expectations as you have in class.
Please come ready to participate and learn!
On the bus, you will sit two per seat near the front so you can see and hear better. Please stay seated when the bus is moving, with your legs facing forward and your hands and feet within your seat.
Phones, computers, and materials from other classes should be kept put away or left at school during the field trip.
Planning for your Trip
You will need to have a parent/guardian sign a permission slip and return it to you teacher.
Please make a plan with your teacher about where and when to meet for the field trip. We will be taking attendance and promptly departing at 9:30 am (morning trips) or 12:00 pm (afternoon trips).
You also may need to communicate with other teachers if the field trip time impacts other classes on the day of the trip.
We are looking forward to learning with you!