Friday, July 4

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Be Eco Chic

25+ Classroom Materials to Recycle for a New Use
What to Save, How to Store, How to Use It

Recycling and environmentalism are key components of most curriculum in school. In homes, day cares and home www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1349/home.html schools, we talk recycling. Yet so often we don't walk the talk we preach. Schools and learning environments are a great place to begin demonstrating good environmental habits. And it isn't difficult once some basic habits are in place. By recycling, you save loads of money www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1358/money.html on teaching supplies, have a ready stock of materials for classroom use and best of all you show students www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1415/student_central.html  how to live an eco-friendly life.

Here is a complete guide www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1571/guide.html to recycling www.associatedcontent.com/theme/607/recycling.html  in a classroom or home www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1349/home.html school: what to save, how to store items and how to use materials in class. You can use this list in any grade or subject from pre-school to high school. This guide www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1571/guide.html has applications for any math, science, social studies, English/ Language Arts, art, music www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1367/music
_we_love_to_listen_to.html  or physical education www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1399/education.html classes. Check out the links for my articles on ways to use some materials.

egg cartons www.associatedcontent.com/article/358904/10
_science_lessons_using_recycled_egg.html : Use for paint trays, math sorting, fine motor skills, classification, storage, crafts

aluminum pie and pot pie plates: make musical instruments like shakers and drum heads, condensation experiments, science experiments, sorting, holding glue, paint or chemicals, making solutions and mixtures, cooking

cardboard pourable juice cartons: Cut top off. Sort and store different styles and colors www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1543/colors.html of crayons, markers, colored pencils, paint brushes, scissors. Duct tape sides of cartons together to create pigeonholes. Place in the middle of work www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1427/how_to_love_work.html  tables to keep supplies sorted.

aluminum cans (all sizes) Wash and flatten sharp edges.

Make star viewers.
Cover and use to show size graduations.
Make nested cans for stacking and sorting by size.
Make cup and ball tossing games.
Make eye hand coordination practice games.

sprayers and spray bottles (like laundry pre wash or house www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1077/house.html hold cleaners)

Store paint: use for spray on paint techniques
Store chemicals for science.
Use spray mechanisms for science experiments on suction.
Fill with water and make squirting games.

cereal boxes (collapse and store in milk crate)
 
Use for posters.
Use for cutting or painting www.associatedcontent.com/theme/580/painting.html surfaces.
Use instead of tag board for classroom displays, projects and crafts.
Cover and decorate: use as book www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1492/book.html covers for student writing

recloseable boxes of all sizes and shapes (toothpaste, pasta, etc.)

Use to make model buildings or scenes.
Use to teach students www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1415/student_central.html to read do math problems www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1652/problems.html using packaging or nutritional labels.
Use for reading directions.
Use for building blocks.
Cover and use for geometry solids demonstration (rectangular prisms, pyramids, cones, cylinders)
Have students www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1415/student_central.html  cover and make sets

magazines:

Use for posters, dioramas and diagrams.
Make crafts.

paper towel and toilet paper tubes:

Cut and use to teach students www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1415/student_central.html to string beads.
Use for geometry.
Use for crafts.

pill bottles:

sort and store beads
store chemicals
make musical shakers

margarine, cottage cheese or yogurt tubs:

Use for supply storage.
Use for science and chemistry mixtures.
Use for art www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1525/art.html to mix substances.

recloseable pop top containers: www.associatedcontent.com/article/358832/make_math
_materials_from_recycled_plastic.html  from clean-up wipes

baby wipes boxes:

sort and stack science, math, office www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1638/office.html or crafts www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1375/all_about_crafts.html  supplies:
buttons
beads
seeds
pins
rubber bands
markers
bingo www.associatedcontent.com/theme/839/bingo.html chips
dice
pennies
bread tags
milk rings
pom-poms
coins
twist ties for art
twist ties: use for connecting items, like cable ties
bread tags (the plastic ones that hold bread bags closed) Use for counting.
cable ties
decorative foam shapes
magnetic letters
rice

zippered bags from blankets or comforters: Use these to sort, separate and store recycled materials

plastic powdered laundry soap tubs (large size) Place these open on a shelf sideways so the mouth faces outward. They will tilt upwardly in front. You can use these as bins to store all your bulk materials:

Styrofoam shapes
feathers
ribbon
yarn
greeting cards
fabric www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1473/fabric.html scraps
shells
stones
minerals
wood pieces
cardboard scraps
bread bags
plastic bags
odd shaped noodles

plastic coffee: www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1539/coffee.html tubs: Use these to sort and store items like you use the baby www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1359/baby.html wipe containers. I like these for loose or powdered items like salt, sugar, flour, plaster of paris, colored sand, etc.

coffee cans: Great for mixing and melting items; Use like a double boiler on a hot plate or stove.

fabric softener or laundry soap jugs: www.associatedcontent.com/article/307759/8
_beach_sand_toys_or_gardening_crafts.html

odd sized zippered bags: especially the small ones that come attached to garments and hold a spare button
 
Use to store game www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1383/games.html parts.
Use to make individual paint or glue tubes. Fill with paint. Snip a corner. Students can control paint better.

milk jugs: www.associatedcontent.com/article/296044/recycled
_summer_nature_craft_for_all.html

This should give your classroom, whatever the grade or subject a great supply of materials for any project!

Green Tips For Green Living

Maintain the right temperature in your refrigerator and freezer. Refrigerators can use up to 20 percent of the total electricity in your home. The refrigerator should be set between 38ºF (3ºC) and 42ºF (6ºC). The freezer should be set between 0ºF (-31ºC) and 5ºF (-26ºC).
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Wash clothes in cold water. Use cold temperature detergents, and always have a full load. Also, 15 minutes of presoaking and 5 minutes of agitation get clothes cleaner than 15 minutes of agitation.
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Shut computers off at night. A computer or printer can use over 100 watts of power. When replacing computers, purchase new energy-efficient models that use less energy
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Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs in light fixtures used the most. The normal incandescent bulbs we're all used to are not very energy efficient. Compact fluorescent bulbs use about 25 percent of the energy and can last 10 times as long.
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Add energy-efficient showerheads and faucet aerators. These can reduce the amount of water released from a tap by up to 50 percent, which means less hot water needs to be heated. Turn faucets off when not using the water. Running water non-stop during shaving or brushing teeth is wasteful. Turn on the faucet when necessary and save thousands of gallons of water a year plus energy needed to heat it.
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Replace appliances with energy-efficient models. When old models wear out, replace them with appliances that have earned the Energy Star label.
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Wash only full loads in the dishwasher.
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Use a programmable thermostat. No need to run the air conditioner when no one is home. Set timers to have the air conditioning come on 30 minutes before anyone arrives home.
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Dust off light bulbs. Dirty, greasy, smoky light bulbs can reduce light output by as much as 10 percent. Dust bulbs and lenses regularly. (Make sure they are cool before touching them.) You'll avoid the tendency of switching to a higher wattage bulb, which will use more energy.

Fresh Cooking

Fresh Cooking Spring Menu By Victoria Bradley
Photography by David Bachman

Spring is a salute to simplicity. Art King makes the occasional drive from Harvest Valley Farms in Valencia to Pittsburgh's Strip District to visit his friend, Bill Fuller — to see what big Burrito's corporate chef is cooking with the spring produce. The farmer sells to the big Burrito restaurants, and when he visits Eleven, he expects a menu blooming with regal elegance. When Fuller is composing that menu — of the finest, freshest ingredients — he looks to King. The two of them have a delicious kitchen synergy that can only come from people who really know food — and who love where it comes from.

There is a freshness that inhabits restaurant kitchens in the spring. The thick, heady stews of winter are swapped for crisp salads and bright vegetables. Hearty chicken is infused with herbs this season and is sided with April's offering of fresh arugula and drizzles of rhubarb gastrique. The open air calls for fresh fish plated with April's spring beets. And the season's king is asparagus. It serves as the ultimate snack, appetizer, or meal — buttered over, lemon zested, and salted under shavings of Parmesan.

Menu: Local Asparagus with Shaved Parmesan and Lemon
Crispy Striped Bass, Roasted Spring Beets, Asparagus in Butter Pan-Roasted Spring Chicken Breast, Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Arugula, Rhubarb Gastrique
Rhubarb and Strawberry Crisp, Pine Nut Topping

Recipes: Local Asparagus with Shaved Parmesan and Lemon
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds (about 30 spears) asparagus, ends snapped Olive oil, Salt and pepper to taste, 1 lemon, Parmesan cheese
Directions: 1. Pre-heat broiler on low.
2. Lay asparagus in a shallow baking pan in a single layer.
3. Rub a light coating of oil on all the spears.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Place under broiler, and cook until tender.
6. Zest lemon, and sprinkle over asparagus. Cut lemon, and squeeze juice over asparagus.
7. Shave cheese on top. For a light grating, use a microplane grater. For curls, use a peeler.

Crispy Striped Bass, Roasted Spring Beets, Asparagus in Butter
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 pound (about 1 cup) baby red beets 1/2 pound (about 1 cup) baby gold beets 4 striped Bass medallions, skin on (about 4 ounces for a light course, 7 ounces for a full course) Olive oil Whole butter, softened 1 pound (about 16 to 20 spears) asparagus, cut small 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) white wine 2 to 3 sprigs tarragon 4 to 6 ounces butter, softened Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Roast beets, about 30 minutes. Slide skins off beets while still hot.
2. Place beets in two small pans, keeping the colors separate. Season with salt and pepper. Moisten with olive oil and butter, and reserve, warm. 3. Lightly season fish with salt and pepper.
4. Place skillet over medium-high heat. Oil skillet well. Place fish in skillet, skin side down.
5. Allow fish to brown, cooking 2/3 of the way through with the skin side down. When nicely colored, turn and finish second side.
6. When fish is cooked, remove from pan. Turn down heat a little.
7. Add approximately 1 tablespoon butter and the asparagus. Sauté for a minute or two. Add wine and cook for a minute or two. Stir in tarragon, and whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper.
8. To serve, place asparagus on plate with a good portion of the sauce. Place halibut in pool of sauce. Pile red and gold beets on plate.

Pan-Roasted Spring Chicken Breast, Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Arugula,Rhubarb Gastrique
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: Creamy polenta (See below) Rhubarb gastrique (See below) 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin-on (about 4 oz. breasts for a light course, 7 ounces for a full course) 3 tablespoon thyme, freshly picked
Olive oil 1 pound arugula Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Prepare creamy polenta and rhubarb gastrique.
2. Rinse and dry chicken breasts. Shove thyme under skin. Season well on both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Pre-heat oven to approximately 250°.
4. Heat high sided skillet on medium-high heat. Coat the bottom of the pan with oil.
5. Cook chicken skin side down until the skin is brown and the chicken is mostly cooked.
6. Turn and finish cooking. (Completely safe internal temperature is 160°) 7. Remove from pan. Reserve warm.
8. Return pan to heat. Add a touch of olive oil. Sauté arugula until barely cooked, about a minute.
9. To serve, slice chicken breasts in three parts. Place pool of polenta on plate. Top with arugula. Place chicken around, drizzle with sauce.

Creamy Polenta
Ingredients: 6 cups buttermilk, whole milk, or water 1 cup stone-ground polenta 2 tablespoon unsalted butter Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: 1. Heat buttermilk in a large pot to boiling.
2. Add polenta in a stream, whisking constantly until all the polenta is incorporated.
3. Turn the heat to very low, and cook until all of the polenta is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. With stone-ground polenta, the size of the grain will vary, and larger pieces will take longer to cook.
4. Stir in butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Rhubarb Gastrique
Ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 teaspoon coriander, whole 1 pound (4 to 8 stalks) Rhubarb, slice into 1/2-inch chunks Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: 1. Have all ingredients ready and at hand before beginning.
2. Place sugar in a flat-bottomed, non-reactive pot. Moisten lightly with water and cook until a golden caramel forms.
3. Add red pepper flakes and coriander. Wait about 20 seconds, then add rhubarb.
4.Reduce heat, and allow to simmer. Cook until rhubarb is softened. If dry, add a touch of liquid. It should be a sauce consistency.
5. Season with salt and pepper.


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