Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

Filling Our Land With Landfills

Solid Waste Disposal

K20 Center, Tiamber Derrick | Published: July 19th, 2022 by K20 Center

  • Grade Level Grade Level 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
  • Subject Subject Science
  • Course Course Environmental Science
  • Time Frame Time Frame 250 minutes
  • Duration More 4-5 class periods

Summary

This lesson is intended for AP environmental science, and the workload reflects that. For non-advanced courses, there are modifications to make the lesson suited for your classroom. Students will learn about the purpose of a landfill. Students will also learn about the features of a well-designed landfill and possible problems that can occur if the landfill is improperly constructed or has a structural breakdown. Finally, students will research alternatives to landfills and present an argument for landfills or one of the alternative solutions for waste disposal.

Essential Question(s)

What is the best solution for waste disposal?

Snapshot

Engage

Students view a picture of a landfill and discuss its purpose as a class. Next, students watch a video of the landfill process. Finally, students label and discuss the parts of a landfill.

Explore

Students design and construct working models of three different landfills (i.e., open dumping, an improperly designed landfill, and a properly designed landfill) and make observations about the effectiveness of these models.

Explain

As a class, students discuss the three different landfill models using questions from a study guide.

Extend

Students read an article about landfills and think about why landfills may not be the solution in the future. Students then research alternative solutions (i.e., waste-to-energy incineration, anaerobic digestion, reduce-reuse-recycle, composting, and pyrolysis) and present that information to the class.

Evaluate

Students write a letter explaining why we should put more tax dollars into landfills or one of the alternatives and why.

Materials

  • Computer (for research)

  • Pens and highlighters

  • Red food coloring (enough for all group sponges)

  • Newspaper or paper towels (enough for all groups)

  • 1 clear, wide-mouthed glass jar (per group)

  • 1 measuring cup (per group)

  • Soil (per group)

  • 1 cup of gravel or pebbles (per group)

  • 1 sponge cut into 9-12 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch sponge pieces (to represent garbage), previously soaked in red food coloring with excess squeezed out with paper towels (per group)

  • Plastic wrap (per group)

  • Water (per group)

  • 2 rubber bands (per group)

  • 1 cheesecloth (per group)

  • 1 heavy-duty plastic sandwich bag (per group)

  • Landfill Slides (attached)

  • Leaky Landfill Lab (attached)

  • Leaky Landfill Procedures Handout: p. 14 of Purdue University Discovery Park Environmental Science Unit (one for each student)

  • Leaky Landfill Lab Data Sheets: p. 15 of Purdue University Discovery Park Environmental Science Unit (one for each student)

  • Leaky Landfill Study Guide: pp. 16 and 17 of Purdue University Discovery Park Environmental Science Unit (one for each student)

Engage

Using slide 3 from the attached Landfill Slides, have students view landfill pictures and ask them what they notice.

Next, have students watch this "Landfill Process" video. Have them document what components they see in the pictures that are talked about in the video.

Explore

Have students work in groups of three or four. Pass out a copy of the attached Leaky Landfill Lab handout to each student.

Each group will construct three different landfill models to determine the elements of good landfill design (see the three model design instructions on the lab handout).

Then, distribute the materials for the landfill model and assist groups as needed as they make their landfills. Finally, instruct groups to label their containers and let the landfill models sit undisturbed overnight.

At this point, assign students to read two articles, Department of Environmental Protection FAQs and Landfill Caps and Enhancements, as homework.

The next day, students will examine their models and record changes in the appearance (e.g., color and clarity) of the groundwater in each model under the first question of Day 2 in their Leaky Landfill Lab packet. Each group should discuss their results and complete the post-lab questions that will help facilitate the discussion.

Explain

Go over the post-lab questions as a whole group. Clear up any misconceptions as they arise, and let students edit their responses as needed.

Also, ask students if they have any questions for the articles assigned for reading. Have a discussion about how they felt about the articles and what information they gained that they wished they had known before the experiment.

Extend

Have students imagine that Oklahoma's governor is looking to shift her focus to waste disposal and would like to understand if landfills in OKC are the solution of the future. Continue by stating that the governor is doing research on alternative solutions to landfills so she can decide where tax dollars can be used most effectively.

Explain to students that their role is to conduct research for Oklahoma's governor and present a compelling written argument about which solution they think will be better for the environment.

Students will begin by reading two articles entitled The Problem With Landfill and Trash, Garbage and Waste Removal Solutions That Don't Involve a Landfill to think about why landfills may not be the solution in the future.

Using the lab groups from earlier, assign each group an alternative solution (waste-to-energy incineration, anaerobic digestion, reduce-reuse-recycle, composting, and pyrolysis) to using landfills listed in the articles.

The groups will research the alternative solution using Chromebooks or other devices with internet access and construct a slide presentation illustrating their solution and why it is beneficial. The slide presentation should include the following:

  1. Name of the alternative solution

  2. Brief description of the alternative solution

  3. Image that is related to the alternative solution

  4. Pros of using the alternative

  5. Cons of using the alternative solution.

  6. At least two pieces of important information, charts or statistics

  7. Describe if the group is pro or con the alternative solution versus landfills and why

  8. References page

The groups will then present their slides to the class.

After listening to all of the presentations and considering the information learned about landfills, have students write their own letters to Oklahoma's governor explaining why we should either (1) put more money into landfills and their improvement or (2) shift our focus to one of the alternative solutions and why. The letter should be typed using the correct professional format. The letter should be compelling and state which alternative solution is better and why.*

Evaluate

Pass out one free response question to each student (from question 2 from the 2008 AP free response questions). Allow 20 minutes for students to answer all parts of the question, so that students can get used to pacing for the AP exam.

Then, share the rubric (which starts on page 8) so students can grade their own answers and see models of what the College Board is expecting.

Resources