Lead a discussion on what the students would do with the piles of paper if they ran a town. Put the paper scraps back into the bucket and cover with water. This will prepare the paper for the next day's lesson on paper making. The student will have an understanding of why it is important to recycle paper. This web site is a very student friendly, informative one.
Cartoon characters explain the process of paper recycling in easy to understand terms.
There is even a kid's section that has the paper making activity upon which I based the paper making lesson, and related games. The scope of the site goes beyond paper recycling to include other recyclable materials. There they will see waste paper recycling associations, publications, recycling traders, and companies that manufacture related equipment. The advantage of exposing students to the business aspect of environmental concerns is that it helps them make the connection between the science they learn in the classroom and the larger world outside of school. The material covered in class becomes more relevant.