DSWA - Teacher Resources

educational resources

Teachers' Educational Resources

Trash Can Dan and the Clean Up Kids (Elementary Level)

Download the Clean Up Kids Club registration card and parent letter!
Registration card/letter (PDF 480 KB)

Students can join the "Trash Can Dan & the Clean Up Kids Club" and receive their very own storybook from Trash Can Dan. As a member of the club, each child will receive educational materials, information on how they can make a difference in their home and community and much more. Visit our kids page to see more information about the club.

Trash Can Dan and the Clean Up Kids have a poster contest every year to allow children grades K-5 to express their thoughts about the environment. The theme for the calendar places emphasis on a current environmental topic and this year’s theme is “What are you doing to be Green?” The poster contest starts August 10, 2009 and all entries must be postmarked by October 20, 2009. Teachers are able to incorporate the theme and poster contest into a lesson that teaches their students about the environment. Trash Can Dan and the Delaware Solid Waste Authority would like to invite Delaware students grades K-5 to participate in this year’s contest.

Additionally, the following PDF files are offered for teachers looking for activities for younger students. Where appropriate, Content Standards are shown at the beginning of each activity.

Elementary School Activities (Grades 1 to 5)

Composting Vocabulary (PDF 12 KB)
Exploring Facts (PDF 20 KB)
GARBAGE DELIGHT (PDF 11 KB)
What Happens to Garbage? (PDF 20 KB)
Home Trash (PDF 23 KB)
The Magic of Magnets (PDF 26 KB)
Doing Magic Using Static Electricity (PDF 23 KB)
Mystery Trash Bags (PDF 15 KB)
Recycling Rangers (PDF 99 KB)
Recycling (PDF 34 KB)
Repackaging (PDF 19 KB)
School Trash Mystery Bags (PDF 22 KB)
WASTE GENERATION VOCABULARY (PDF 13 KB)
Waste Wheels (PDF 18 KB)
What Happens to Garbage? (PDF 20 KB)
Cafeteria Trash (PDF 25 KB)
Worm Vocabulary (PDF 34 KB)

(click here, it's free!)
Most of the files available on this page will require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Middle School Activities (Grades 6-8)

Curriculum for sixth through eighth grade students that teaches science, math, language arts and social studies. This curriculum was designed to meet five main objectives:

Promote responsible behavior by Delaware residents in the area of waste generation;
Emphasize the importance of consumer action and decision-making based knowledge;
Increase awareness and understanding of solid waste management practices;
Promote interest in the solid waste management field as a career choice;
Familiarize teachers and students with DSWA while encouraging communication.

Teachers can download individual activities and lesson plans below. This curriculum identifies the content standard set forth by the Delaware Department of Education and has won an Excellence in Education Award by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA).

Teachers with slow Internet connections can now request these files on CD by sending us an email or by calling our Citizens' Response Line at 1-800-404-7080.