Summary Students will investigate various types of litter and invent ways to 'pick it up' as they design and construct simple machine to collect specimens. Objectives Students will understand that litter is made of different materials and be able to identify whether the material is magnetic or non-magnetic. They will be able to explain characteristics of a physically constructed model and make judgements about design effectiveness. Students will also be able to analyze the data collected and come to the conclusion that prevention is easier than clean up. Background Some types of metals, like gold, silver, brass and copper are so valuable you would never dream of throwing them away.
Steel is the most recycled material in America.
Steel is made from iron ore which is magnetic. Steel cans are magnetic so magnetic belts can be used to separate cans from other garbage. Some communities team up with other localities and send there garbage to a materials recycling facility for processing. These plants, MRFs, sort the trash into glass, metal, and other recyclable products. Magnets, sieves, and blowers are used to help separate the trash into separate recycling categories.