Education Components:
The bags act as a canvas for students to paint, draw and represent their learning, thoughts,
ideas and feeling on current state of our natural environment, their plans for helping to promote
change or any other images relating to recycling, reducing and re-using. Before the bags are
illustrated, teachers would also do a series of four-six lessons on the impact of waste (garbage)
and carbon based product production on our environment and other environmental related topics
(around topics of reducing, re-using and recycling.) The lessons are designed by grade level.
Teachers are also free to supplement these lessons and/or use lessons of their own. (We just
ask that a summary of the lessons/activities used be submitted to us.)Target grades: 4,5 6-8,
9-12.
Curriculum focus: Science-Environmental studies, conservation, natural resources, reusing,
reducing and recycling.
Skill areas: Critical thinking, problem solving, hypothesis generation, scientific method, creativity.
Curriculum sub-areas: ELA, math, social studies, art, and social emotional skills like empathy,
sharing, sacrifice and service.
Process: Students would be issued a blank piece of paper the size of the space on the bag that
they will be using to layout and plan their responses. Once the teacher has review this document,
the students would transfer the concepts to the canvas bags, first using a pencil to outline their
design, then using special fabric paints and brushes to produce the final
product.Motivation/Recognition/Empowerment:There would be a space for students to sign their
names, record their grade level, and school name. A digital photograph can be taken of each
product to be placed in the student's portfolio as evidence of their meeting a particular learning
standard.
Incentives: Award incentives would be provided at the school level and citywide level. Schools
would judge bag designs and design content based on a scoring rubric. The top three designs in
each grade would receive an award. The winning designs would then go on to compete against
those in other schools within the borough and then at a citywide competition. The same sets of
scoring criteria would be utilized and additional awards could be won. The overall citywide winner
would receive a substantial award prize and other recognitions. Awards could include certificates
or recognition, gift certificates from participating vendors and/or t-shirts and caps. (Design
competitions such as this would depend on the parameters of each project in individual school
districts and communities.
The bags act as a canvas for students to paint, draw and represent their learning, thoughts,
ideas and feeling on current state of our natural environment, their plans for helping to promote
change or any other images relating to recycling, reducing and re-using. Before the bags are
illustrated, teachers would also do a series of four-six lessons on the impact of waste (garbage)
and carbon based product production on our environment and other environmental related topics
(around topics of reducing, re-using and recycling.) The lessons are designed by grade level.
Teachers are also free to supplement these lessons and/or use lessons of their own. (We just
ask that a summary of the lessons/activities used be submitted to us.)Target grades: 4,5 6-8,
9-12.
Curriculum focus: Science-Environmental studies, conservation, natural resources, reusing,
reducing and recycling.
Skill areas: Critical thinking, problem solving, hypothesis generation, scientific method, creativity.
Curriculum sub-areas: ELA, math, social studies, art, and social emotional skills like empathy,
sharing, sacrifice and service.
Process: Students would be issued a blank piece of paper the size of the space on the bag that
they will be using to layout and plan their responses. Once the teacher has review this document,
the students would transfer the concepts to the canvas bags, first using a pencil to outline their
design, then using special fabric paints and brushes to produce the final
product.Motivation/Recognition/Empowerment:There would be a space for students to sign their
names, record their grade level, and school name. A digital photograph can be taken of each
product to be placed in the student's portfolio as evidence of their meeting a particular learning
standard.
Incentives: Award incentives would be provided at the school level and citywide level. Schools
would judge bag designs and design content based on a scoring rubric. The top three designs in
each grade would receive an award. The winning designs would then go on to compete against
those in other schools within the borough and then at a citywide competition. The same sets of
scoring criteria would be utilized and additional awards could be won. The overall citywide winner
would receive a substantial award prize and other recognitions. Awards could include certificates
or recognition, gift certificates from participating vendors and/or t-shirts and caps. (Design
competitions such as this would depend on the parameters of each project in individual school
districts and communities.
Project Details
Bag creation/distribution logistics:
Canvas and/or nylon/synthetic shopping bags would be purchased/donated in large quantities. (Purchase
from companies doing business with factories that employ fair labor and environmentally sound practices.)
Bags would be higher capacity (the volume of 2.5 average grocery store t-shirt type bags) Bags would
receive an imprint of the template that students would use (soy based ink.) Printing service would be
purchased or donated. Specialized fabric paint, fabric pens and brushes would be purchased/donated in
sets to be distributed to participating schools. Each school would receive 4-5 sets and rotate them among
classes. Tracking sheets would be issued to each class for students/teacher and a web-based data system
would be available to record production quantities and track sales. Students would first do a mock-up of their
project on paper. These mock-ups papers could then be saved in the student's assessment porfolios, were
appropriate. (Digital photographs could also be taken of each student’s work to be placed in their
assessment portfolio (if appropriate.)
Upon completion of bags issued to a school, they would be made available for sale through local retail
outlets and the school’s PA/PTA (price to be determined.) PA/PTA would track sales and rely information to
individual classes. All funds earned from the sale of the shopping bags would be earmarked for the
purchase of science related curriculum, supplies, training and field trips. An online bag sale tracking system
is also slated for students to follow the sale of their bags and apply real-world math and critical thinking skills
to.
LOGISTICS
Shipping bags and supplies via UPS and/or the USPS would be utilized for the project. All shipping cost are
covered by the project. Extra (un-illustrated bags) and fabric paints will be returned to BagSpeak to use with
other participating schools.
MARKETING AND PROMOTION:
Advertising and marketing of this program will be a crucial component of its success. The marketing and
advertising will not only address what the program is all about (the basic concept and process) but will also
begin to promote a change in mindset among residents of NYC address. The marketing and promotion may
include the following concepts: 1) It is important and increasingly necessary to make the effort to carry a re-
usable shopping bag with you whenever possible so that we can help our environment and help reduce
global warming and it’s clear and present devastating effects. 2) Support New York City education and
especially science education, where the USA ranks 16th in industrialized nations on our student’s knowledge
and understanding of basic and advanced scientific concepts and theories. 3) Don’t just carry one bag with
you, carry several. Keep one in your backpack, messenger bag, purse, gym bag, car, etc…) Participating
organizations would have the opportunity to have their logo and marketing images printed on one side of the
bag.
FOLLOW-UP/NEXT STEPS:
• Comprehensive program evaluation and assessment.
• Program continuation plans.
• Feasibility of program replication/expansion into other cities.
Canvas and/or nylon/synthetic shopping bags would be purchased/donated in large quantities. (Purchase
from companies doing business with factories that employ fair labor and environmentally sound practices.)
Bags would be higher capacity (the volume of 2.5 average grocery store t-shirt type bags) Bags would
receive an imprint of the template that students would use (soy based ink.) Printing service would be
purchased or donated. Specialized fabric paint, fabric pens and brushes would be purchased/donated in
sets to be distributed to participating schools. Each school would receive 4-5 sets and rotate them among
classes. Tracking sheets would be issued to each class for students/teacher and a web-based data system
would be available to record production quantities and track sales. Students would first do a mock-up of their
project on paper. These mock-ups papers could then be saved in the student's assessment porfolios, were
appropriate. (Digital photographs could also be taken of each student’s work to be placed in their
assessment portfolio (if appropriate.)
Upon completion of bags issued to a school, they would be made available for sale through local retail
outlets and the school’s PA/PTA (price to be determined.) PA/PTA would track sales and rely information to
individual classes. All funds earned from the sale of the shopping bags would be earmarked for the
purchase of science related curriculum, supplies, training and field trips. An online bag sale tracking system
is also slated for students to follow the sale of their bags and apply real-world math and critical thinking skills
to.
LOGISTICS
Shipping bags and supplies via UPS and/or the USPS would be utilized for the project. All shipping cost are
covered by the project. Extra (un-illustrated bags) and fabric paints will be returned to BagSpeak to use with
other participating schools.
MARKETING AND PROMOTION:
Advertising and marketing of this program will be a crucial component of its success. The marketing and
advertising will not only address what the program is all about (the basic concept and process) but will also
begin to promote a change in mindset among residents of NYC address. The marketing and promotion may
include the following concepts: 1) It is important and increasingly necessary to make the effort to carry a re-
usable shopping bag with you whenever possible so that we can help our environment and help reduce
global warming and it’s clear and present devastating effects. 2) Support New York City education and
especially science education, where the USA ranks 16th in industrialized nations on our student’s knowledge
and understanding of basic and advanced scientific concepts and theories. 3) Don’t just carry one bag with
you, carry several. Keep one in your backpack, messenger bag, purse, gym bag, car, etc…) Participating
organizations would have the opportunity to have their logo and marketing images printed on one side of the
bag.
FOLLOW-UP/NEXT STEPS:
• Comprehensive program evaluation and assessment.
• Program continuation plans.
• Feasibility of program replication/expansion into other cities.
| Project Summary: In an effort to both provide consumers with re-usable shopping bags and raise awareness of the need to change our ways, and at the same time to educate future generations of consumers about environmental issues and ways that they can help to re-duce, re-use and recycle we have created BagSpeak. Our model is a self-sustaining program, that relies on local retailers and/or school PTAs and Associated Student Bodies to sell the bags with 75% of the profits going directly back to each school for further environmental and science education. The remaining funds go towards the next round of participating schools and the operational costs of the project. Teachers sign-up for the project via this website (click here) and are then emailed a set of instructions and a series of targeted environmental education lessons. (Teachers are also free to choose there own lessons/activies related to reducing, re-using and recycling or other aspects of environmental education.) Once the lessons have been taught and teachers sign-off on their completion, bags, special fabric paint and detailed bag illustration instructions are sent to the school. Teachers then have students create a design on paper and then transfer the illustration to the bags, before they are sent back to BagSpeak for distribution and sales in local retail outlets as well as the school's PTA and/or ASB. Please read below for more detailed explanations of various components of the project. Please read below for more detailed explanations of various components of the project. Any quesitons, please feel free to contact us! To learn about our pilot project in New York City, click here. |
Copyright (c) BagSpeak 2008
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