Objective:        To give students a better awareness of sustainable resources and                         conservation, and the processes required in manufacturing items using                         natural resources.

Time needed:   Approximately 4 lessons, plus homework time

Materials:         1. Grass seed (enough for about ¼ cup per student)
                         2. Soil/Potting Mix
                         3. Planter containers (ask students to bring in ice cream or margarine
                            containers)
                         4. Jars, preferably with lids
                         5. Bleach
                         6. Stirrers
                         7. Scissors
                         8. Cutting board (or similar hard surface) or a bowl; a small stone
                            (one set for each student, or as many as possible)
                         9. Strainers/mesh or fly wire (ask to borrow these items from your
                            Science department)
                        10. Paper towels
                        11. Ruler (for measuring the grass)

Instructions:

Note: This is a project that takes a minimum of two weeks for optimum results. Can be done over a longer period if desired. More growing time = more grass = more paper.

          1. Introduction: In this lesson, students should be made to understand the               requirements of the assignment, and be given the materials to begin.
                     a. Ask students to bring in their old containers.
                     b. Fill the containers with soil (if you are in an area where soil is easily obtained                          for the students, have them bring in a filled container).
                     c. Distribute the seeds to each student (about ¼ cup per student).
                     d. Discuss the growing requirements of the seeds (water, light, dangers posed                          by pets!).
                     e. Outline written requirements for the students.           
                                i. Students should keep a daily journal of their exercise. Have them                                    record what they did to the grass (food, water, position). Ask them to                                    measure its height.
                               ii. At the end of the growing period, students should graph the growth                                    results (x = days, y = height of grass).
                              iii. After experiment students should write a reflection. Students can also                                    be asked to write up the experiment formally, as a part of the                                    assignment if desired.
          2. Let the grass grow for as much time as possible - minimum ten days. Students               should be completing a journal entry every 1-2 days on the growth of the grass.               Entries need only be two lines long.
          3. Harvest Day! Ask students to all bring in their grass (in containers) on a set day.               Each student should have a pair of scissors, a hard surface, and a stone.
                     a. Students should cut the grass as close to the dirt as possible, without                          getting any dirt in their clippings (as this will make the paper dirty).
                     b. Place the clippings onto the cutting board (or similar hard surface) or into a                          bowl and crush with the stone until the grass is soft and pulpy.
                     c. Tip pulp into jar.
                     d. Pour bleach into jar until grass is covered. Students should stir the mix                          carefully with the stirrers for approximately 10 minutes.
                     e. Seal the jars with their lids and place in a safe area overnight.
          4. Making Paper!
                     a. Check on the pulp in the bleach. The grass pulp should be completely                          bleached before proceeding.
                     b. Add water to bleach jar and stir well with stirrers.
                     c. Strain the mixture through the mesh. Replace pulp in jar and refill with water.                          Stir well and strain again. This is to remove as much of the bleach and the                          beach smell as possible!
                     d. Tip strained pulp onto paper towel. Squeeze well to remove as much                          moisture as possible.
                     e. Flatten pulp well between two fresh pieces of paper towel. Leave to dry.
          5. Voila! Once dried, students have their own piece of paper, grown and made by               themselves. Encourage students to write a reflection on this experience. Have them               consider how much grass is used in relation to the size of paper produced. Ask               them to think about the effort needed to produce paper in relation to how much paper               they consume on a daily/weekly basis.

Note: Students that fail to grow any grass at all, or kill their seeds, can still participate in the making by harvesting some grass from around the school. Make sure they have permission!

Reporting on the project:

Suggestions for written reports:

• Journal entries
• Graphing results
• Writing a reflection on the entire process
• Writing up the project as an experiment
• Writing an instruction sheet for primary school students (including pictures) on 'How to make paper'.