Education Programs
KACCB in the Schools
Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful doesn’t just work to get litter picked up, we also actively work to educate citizens and to beautify our community to discourage littering behavior. Educating students so they can participate as citizens and learn through positive action makes for a successful partnership between KACCB and the school district. We provide programs for schools about litter, visits by our mascot Bee Bee Clean, composting help and programs, tree plantings and programs, service opportunities, outdoor classroom support, and gardening lessons.
School gardens are a major part of our beautification mission. We act as the coordinator for the School Garden Network because making sure that outdoor classroom areas are available and maintained for classroom use is such an important part of connecting students to their environment and creating an awareness of the need for us to care for our natural world. These programs fit nicely into the curriculum that students are required to cover and have the added benefit of getting students outside, active, and learning through direct experience.
Activities and Presentations Litter Literature
Grades: PreK - 2nd 30 minutes; Single class or a Grade Level
Educate your students about how litter can hurt all of us and our community with a book from the KACCB lending library. Titles available for loan to your classroom include The Day the Trash Came Out to Play (2004) by David Beadle, What If Everybody Did? (2003) by Trina Johns, and The Wartville Wizard (1987) by Don Madden. For an extra special treat, the KACCB mascot Bee-Bee Clean is also available to visit your classroom.
Tree Activity
Grades: K -12th 45 minutes; Class Size: 30 students
KACCB offers presentations to teach students about trees and the many benefits they provide to us and our world. Lesson plans include hands-on activities for different grade levels. Materials, including tools, curriculum, and trees, can be provided for no charge to Athens-Clarke County schools.
Watershed Enviroscape
Grades: 3rd -12th 45 minutes; Class Size: 30 students
An Enviroscape is a miniature model of a watershed. This one is complete with roads, rivers, farms, neighborhoods, forests, and animals. Learn how pollutants (including litter) move through a watershed in surface water and find out about the steps we can take to protect our environment and our drinking water.
Pick Up a New Attitude
Grades: 2nd -12th 45 minutes; Class Size: 30 students
Students learn about litter sources and the attitudes that lead to littering, and learn the importance of prevention. Students look at KACCB’s fun and award-winning litter prevention campaigns and then create their own campaigns to stop littering.
Walk the Talk
Grades: 3rd -12th 45 minutes; Class Size: 30 students
Students participate in a staff-led litter pick-up walk and mapping exercise in order to identify patterns of littering and possible causes. They will learn about the sources of litter and litter dynamics within their community. This is a great opening or follow up activity to creating an anti-litter campaign (Pick Up a New Attitude) or volunteer service.
It’s in the Bag
Grades: K -12th 45 minutes; Class Size: 30 students
REUSE. RECYCLE. RETHINK. Students take a look at commonly discarded everyday items and evaluate each item’s impact on our environment. This is a hands on exercise that tests student’s knowledge of what they throw, where it goes, and waste disposal options. A litter evaluation can help students think through the concept of choices and consequences for our community and our environment.
Composting Presentations
Grades: K -12th 45 minutes; Class Size: 30 students
KACCB can visit your classroom to discuss the hows and whys of composting.
Clean up that Habitat
Grades: PreK -3rd 45 minutes; Class Size: 30 students Learn the components of a habitat. Explore the path of trash when not disposed of properly. Evaluate the effects of litter on wildlife.
Service Projects
Schoolyard Gardens
Grades: ALL
Provide a hands-on learning experience for your students with a schoolyard gardening project. KACCB is able to provide support for schoolyard beautification projects. Find out more by visiting our school garden webpage, joining our school garden listserve, or by contacting us to find out more about tool loans, resources, and garden materials.
Service Learning
Grades: ALL
Students can benefit socially and academically from involvement in service learning. Take an issue you’ve covered in class and implement a problem solving project. KACCB offers classrooms the free tools and support to make the project happen. Community beautification is a great way to help students understand how important their civic participation is in a fun, rewarding way and show them that what they are learning about in class is relevant to their lives and future careers.
Volunteer Events
Grades: ALL 1 - 2 hours
KACCB offers many opportunities for students to earn volunteer hours while giving back to their community by participating in community beautification and anti-litter projects. KACCB is a proud sponsor of Rivers Alive (October), Bring One for the Chipper Christmas Tree Recycling and MLK Jr. Day of Service (both in January), GreenFest, Global Youth Service Day, and Earth Day (April), as well as individually scheduled Down & Dirty Events throughout the year.
Adopt Athens
Grades: 3 -12 Minimum of 4 cleanups per year
Students are invited to become involved in one of the Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful Adopt Athens programs by adopting a road, their schoolyard, or a spot in Athens. This is a great way to help students learn civic responsibility and experience volunteerism. One time cleanup opportunities are also available through our Down & Dirty Program.
Buster’s Litter Blasting Activity Book (1st to 5th Grade) Buster the Brown Thrasher helps kids to learn how to clean-up and prevent litter. The booklet includes games, puzzles, coloring sheets, and activities.
Community Tool Shed KACCB has a variety of tools for free loan for school and community projects. Tools range from construction to gardening and are available on a first come first serve basis. Visit our website to see a list of available tools and submit a reservation today.
Compost Bins KACCB sells Earth Machine compost bins to support cleanup and beautification projects. Bins are available for $50 and a limited number of “scratch and dent” bins are available to schools for free when they are available.
Litter Magnets (1st grade to 99 years) A set of 56 word magnets to compose poems and slogans on any filing cabinet or refrigerator. A great way to help kids think about the ways they can beautify their surroundings and encourage those around them to do the same.
“I Dig a Clean Athens” Worm Tattoos (1st grade to 99 years) Temporary tattoos that say “I Dig a Clean Athens” and sport a picture of a friendly earthworm are available for classroom use.
“I Dig A Clean Athens” Buckets (K to 4th Grades) Small plastic buckets perfect for playground and planting use or for small volume litter pickup are available for classrooms.
Seed Packets (All Ages) Call to request packets of seeds for planting on school grounds. Marigolds, Sunflowers, Zinnias, Peas, Radishes, Cucumbers, and Pumpkins. A limited selection of other vegetable seeds are also available.
Trees (All Ages) KACCB has a limited number of trees of various varieties for schoolyard and community project plantings. Call to find out which varieties are available and request trees for your planting project.
Worm Bin (All Ages) Borrow KACCB’s worm bin and let your class see worms at work right inside your classroom. Just give them shredded newspaper, classroom snack scraps (fruit and veggies), and keep them moist and they will show you how they turn your garbage into garden gold.
School Garden Network KACCB is the chair of the Community Garden Network’s school garden committee and has a range of resources to help you find the resources and support you need to start and maintain your school garden. Go to: School Gardens to join the school garden listserve, access our resource listings, or connect to the Hands On NE Georgia volunteer database.
Trash Talk NOAA Marine Debris Program, presents Regional Emmy® Award-winning TRASH TALK, a 15-minute special feature on marine debris for World Ocean Day.