Recycling

(Урок в 11-м классе)

Цель урока: совершенствование коммуникативных компетенций в говорении. Обучение познавательной деятельности с использованием иностранного языка.

Задачи урока: развивать знание по поставленной проблеме и практиковать учащихся в устной речи; повышать познавательный интерес к английскому языку в процессе формирования языковой компетенции; воспитание чуткого и ответственного отношения к окружающей среде.

Учебные пособия: плакаты, слоганы, учебно-позна-вательный текст, письменно-речевые упражнения.

Ход урока

I. Начало урока

Teacher: Hello, students! I’m glad to see you! How are you getting on?

Students: Hello, teacher! We’re glad to see you, too. We’re fine, thanks. And how are you?

Teacher: I’m fine, thank you.

II. Оргмомент

Teacher: Dear students, today is a wonderful day and the weather is perfect. We certainly like enjoying the smell of fresh air, and the smell of hope and joy of life. But there’re many problems which threaten it. I mean that people have always polluted their surroundings but until now pollution wasn’t such a serious problem. With the development of crowded industrial cities which concentrate huge amounts of waste into small areas, the problem has become more critical.

Air, water, and soil are necessary for existence of all living things. Polluted air can cause illnesses, and even death. On polluted soil, food cannot be grown. In addition, environmental pollution spoils the natural beauty of our planet. Luckily, pollution can be reduced gradually. Individuals and groups of people, I mean all of us, can work together to recycle waste and make factories stop pouring chemicals into our lakes and rivers and skies. And today, as you can guess, the subject of our lesson is: “Recycling”.

III. Введение нового материала

Teacher: Think of as many words as possible related to this theme (“Recycling”. For example, recycled paper, bottle banks, recycling plants, recycled water, aluminium cans, recycled rubbish). How can each of us recycle objects?

Students: We can recycle things by collecting tin cans for recycling, taking old newspapers to the collection point or re-using plastic bags and other materials.

Teacher: Look, please, at the pictures. What are the children doing? Is it important? Why? Why is rubbish on the beach or in the streets a complicated problem?

Students: The children are collecting rubbish from a beach and this is extremely important as we should all be environmentally aware and try to protect our surroundings. Rubbish is very harmful for the atmosphere so we should not leave it anywhere we want.

Teacher: Well, now, you are going to read an article about recycling. First of all, skim through the text, underlining any reference to “Recycling”.

Students: Recycled materials, waste, useless materials, textile scraps, rubber from tyres, plastic bags, environmental problems, recycling schemes, aluminium cans, dustbin lorries, used paper, scrap metal, landfill sites, disposal of waste, water supplies, rubbish, recycling firms, kitchen waste, packaged goods, plastic wrapping, environmental disasters.

Teacher: Find, please, the main ideas in each paragraph.

Students: 1) Julie knows that she cannot solve the world’s environmental problems single-handed, but nonetheless she feels she is doing good at a local level.

2) Recycling has become extremely popular in the US.

3) Recycling is already big business.

4) Rubbish can be sorted into different categories.

5) Economic arguments against recycling.

6) To solve the problem at the production stage.

7) The importance of reminding people about recycling.

Text

Julie Lewis from Oregon, in the United States, is wearing an expensive-looking pair of boots. They are durable yet fashionable. To look at them you would never know that they were made entirely of recycled materials. Julie owns her own shoemaking company and has achieved a long-term ambition to turn waste into something useful. The shoes are made from all sorts of otherwise useless materials, including textile scraps, rubber from tyres, and plastic bags. Julie knows that she cannot solve the world’s environmental problems single-handedly, but nonetheless she feels she is doing good at a local level.

Recycling has become extremely popular in the US, particularly in recent years when the number of recycling schemes has increased by 500 percent. 65 percent of aluminium cans are recycled plus a quarter of paper and 20 percent of glass. The enthusiasm for re-using materials has come from realisation that Americans produce far more waste per person than most Europeans, a total of 200 million tons a year. This is twice as much per capita as Germany, for example, and it would be enough to fill a line of dustbin lorries stretching eight times around the world.

America even exports its waste. Taiwan buys used paper to make more paper and Japan uses American scrap metal and makes it into new cars, which it then sells back to the US. Two thirds of the remaining waste is buried in landfill sites. Disposal of waste poses a major problem. Landfill sites can cause pollution of water supplies. And as sites fill up, new ones need to be found. Some rubbish is burnt but this pollutes the atmosphere. The obvious answer, then, is to recycle more. Recycling is already big business – Julie Lewis being a perfect example. Her company has already attracted millions of dollars worth of investment. Recycled products are no longer seen as poor quality goods but as desirable alternatives.

A hugely successful scheme has been operating in Palm Beach County since 1988. Rubbish is sorted into different categories. Paper, glass and plastic are sold to recycling firms. Kitchen waste is used to power a generator which supplies electricity to 30,000 houses. Other materials are used to make soil, which is then used for growing fruit and vegetables.

There are of course economic arguments against recycling. It can be expensive to run the schemes. And as Lynn Scarlett, a government adviser from Los Angeles argues, it does not make economic or environmental sense to transport materials for recycling from areas which still have plenty of landfill space.

Manufacturers in Germany are trying to solve the problem at the production stage, mainly by looking at how their goods are packaged. Soap powders are now more concentrated and packed in small containers, toothpaste tubes are sold without boxes and plastic wrapping has been reduced.

In a time when newspapers and TV news bulletins are filled with depressing stories of environmental disasters, it is important to remind people, especially children, that they can make a difference. After all, they can recycle their waste every day of their lives.

1. Match the words in bold and their definitions.

1. durable	a. act of getting rid of sth.
2. material	b. sth. to be thrown away
3. ambition	c. other methods of doing sth.; options
4. textile	d. sb. who gives official advice concerning business, law, etc.
5. single-handed	e. long lasting, hard-wearing
6. scheme	f. solid substance used to make sth.
7. waste	g. strong desire
8. scrap metal	h. material, fabric
9. landfill sites	i. on one’s own, without anyone’s help
10. disposal	j. plan which is meant to solve a problem
11. rubbish	k. unwanted materials or substances that are left after sth. has been used or produced
12. alternatives	l. metal that has been discarded
13. adviser	m. places where things are disposed of by being buried under the ground

2. Complete the following ideas.

1. Julie knows that she cannot solve the world’s environmental problems single-handedly, but…

2. The number of recycling schemes in the US has increased by 500 per cent because…

3. Japan uses American scrap metal and makes it into…

4. Disposal of waste poses a major problem because…

5. Recycling is already big business because recycled products are…

6. Rubbish is sorted into different categories, for example…

7. There are of course economic arguments against recycling as it…

8. Manufacturers in Germany are trying to solve the problem at the…

9. People must recycle their waste every day of their lives especially in a time when newspapers and…

IV. Совершенствование навыков диалогической речи

There are some answers and questions. You should match them to each other and suggest ways to save the environment. Each correct sentence gets one point.

Answers

1. It is a good idea to force big companies to stop making and using products which are bad for the environment.

2. I think that the most important step we can take towards saving the environment is to inform people about the dangers of environmental pollution.

3. I suppose that the authorities can help to reduce litter by putting bins on every street corner. If they did this, people wouldn’t drop litter in the streets.

4. In my opinion, governments are also responsible for this situation, because if there had been tighter laws on pollution, factories would have realized they shouldn’t release such harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.

5. Everyone can help to recycle waste by taking their recyclable rubbish, like bottles, cans, and old paper to recycled centres. That way, your recycled waste can be made into new products.

6. We should take a few moments to sort our rubbish which can be used for making recycled products.

7. Yes, of course. The more people recycle, the more recycling centres will be encouraged to keep their good work going.

8. It’s good that the authorities have already taken actions towards cleaning up litter and pollution in some big cities but it needs to be done in towns, as well, and in smaller villages.

9. It would be great if recycling centres paid people for the rubbish they brought in.

10. I believe that our cities need more trees and green areas. If the authorities planted more trees and created more green areas, people would have more oxygen.

11. If everyone made a small effort to improve their local environment, the global situation would soon improve.

12. I’m sure that if we want to find a solution to the world’s waste disposal problems we should exchange our experiences.

13. Unfortunately, our planet’s resources are being used up at an incredible speed at the moment, and we are destroying the environment with rubbish and pollution produced by not recycling.

14. Recycled products are often the same price as normal ones, but are a lot kinder to the environment.

Questions

1. What should we do to find a solution to the world’s waste disposal problems?

2. Recycling is an interesting and profitable business to get into and it’s good for the environment, isn’t it?

3. What’s the price of recycled products?

4. How could we improve the global situation?

5. People can force big companies to take measures to help the environment. Is it a good idea?

6. What can the authorities do to reduce litter in the streets?

7. What’s the situation with our planet’s resources?

8. Can you name the most important step towards saving our environment?

9. Newspapers, cardboard boxes, glass jars, plastic bottles and cans mustn’t be thrown away. What should we do with our rubbish to use it again as recycled products?

10. Who is also responsible for this situation?

11. The authorities have already taken measures for reducing pollution in big cities. Is it enough?

12. How can everyone help to recycle waste?

13. Why do our cities need more trees and green areas?

14. How could people earn much money if they started recycling?

V. Совершенствование навыков монологической речи

Teacher: Dear students! Now, I’d like to listen to your opinions regarding the suggested topic for discussion: “Recycling is an important issue nowadays”. You may look at the table and discuss the solutions, adding any ideas of your own. Use, please, words like: I think, I believe, I agree, also, as well as, in addition, moreover, besides, etc.

For example:

Student 1: I think we should give financial support to the recycling centers because the great number of packaged food waste dropped in the streets can cause many diseases.

Student 2: I agree. In addition to this we should recycle more and more, as the disposal of waste is a big problem. Landfill sites can cause pollution of water supplies. And, as sites fill up, new ones need to be found…

Problems	Solutions
Polluted atmosphere	• to recycle waste • to dispose rubbish more carefully • to encourage industries to use cleaner methods of production
Landfill sites	• to recycle more • to give financial support to recycling centers • to raise public awareness about recycling as an interesting and profitable business.
The most successful scheme	• to separate rubbish into similar types • to sell it to recycling firms • to buy recycled products
Educational moment	• to educate children about the importance of recycling • to show them that they can do something useful • to remind them that they can make a difference

VI. Подведение итогов

Teacher: So, now we know that it is very important nowadays to try to be as environmentally aware as possible, which means that we should recycle our waste instead of disposing of it in the usual way. Recycled waste can be made into new products and we can save a lot of natural resources. Remember that our planet is full of beauty and life and only we have the power to save it!

I’d like to add some words about your work. It’s good that you can speak clearly. I believe that the information you had helped you to concentrate more and make full use of your imagination and creativity. I am very grateful to you. Thank you for your work.

Now, I want you to write a short article for an environmental magazine about recycling. It will be your homework. Write, please, 120–80 words, following the outline below:

Para 1: State the situation and its importance.

Para 2: Give your first suggestion with supporting statements (e.g. economical).

Para 3: Give your second suggestion with supporting statements (e.g. environmentally friendly).

Para 4: Give your third suggestion with supporting statements. (e.g. profitable business).

Para 5: Conclude by summarising your opinion.

Teacher: The lesson is over. Bye-bye!