Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Reduce your use of plastic. Reuse plastic containers to store food. Refuse plastic as often as possible. Buy locally. Recycle what you can’t reduce or reuse.

Answer: Unless it’s marked “compostable,” plastic is made from petroleum. It can linger in the environment for hundreds of years and never break down completely, polluting the soil and groundwater. When plastics are not disposed of properly, they kill animals who mistake them for food. You can help to prevent this from happening by:   Buying or making reusable bags. Leave a couple in your car/on your bike for shopping. Tuck a small one into your purse for unplanned trips to the grocery store. Asking your local grocery store to replace plastic bags with recycled paper bags or cardboard boxes. Even “biodegradable” plastic bags can end up in landfills, where they don’t break down properly. This makes them just as dangerous as regular plastic. Make sure the resin identification code (the number inside the recycling arrows) is 2 or 5. You can usually find these codes on the bottom of the containers. Plastics with these codes are generally safe to be reused for storing food. Any other number is either unsafe or not durable enough for reuse. If your plastic is not considered to be food-safe, you can recycle it or reuse it for arts and crafts. For example, plastic tubs are great for storing water to rinse paintbrushes with. Take the time to examine product packaging when you go shopping. Avoid goods packaged in plastic (including polystyrene) whenever possible. If your grocery store sells products in bulk, take advantage of it and fill up using your own containers.  If you have a choice between paper or plastic bags, stick with paper. Of course, it would be even better if you brought your own bags. Some restaurants and take-out places will allow you to bring your own food containers. Ask ahead of time if this is possible. Food and other household goods often travel in fossil fuel-powered vehicles over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from their points of origin to store shelves. A great way to accomplish this is by:  Buying food from your local farmer’s market. Join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program.  Growing your own food. Making new containers and paper products uses more fossil fuels than recycling old ones. Check online for the guidelines of your local recycling center. Search for what they will and won’t recycle. Check their sorting requirements, as well.  For example, most recycling plants won’t recycle tissues, wax paper, or polystyrene. Unless they offer single-stream recycling, you’ll likely have to separate paper, plastics, glass, and metals.  In some cities, recycling plants pay money for aluminum cans. Search online to see if your city offers this service. If it does, look for what kinds of aluminum cans are accepted. For example, some centers accept beverage cans but not pet food cans.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Find a spot in your car to collect fibers that match the seat. Shave off enough fibers with your razor blade to cover the burn hole. Reinstall your paneling now if it was removed. Apply a small amount of Gorilla Glue to the bottom of a deep hole. Place a drop of fabric glue inside the burn hole. Apply the matching fibers to the fabric glue.

Answer: Choose an inconspicuous place such as under your seat. You can also get fibers from the carpet that is hidden underneath plastic paneling.  To expose carpet, inspect the paneling first. Check if the weather stripping is covering the area where the panel meets the door. If so, gently pull back the weather stripping in this area only. Try to locate the fastener clips. These are located between the panel and the door, usually near creases where two panels meet. Use your fingers or a panel pop tool to gently pry off the panel at the fastener clips, where the plastic is reinforced. If you can’t find the fastener clips, try wiggling and prying the panel from the bottom. Be careful not to bend the plastic permanently. Angle your razor blade and gently run it along the area. Do not apply too much pressure to avoid the blade cutting into the fabric. The fastener clips should snap easily back into place. If you pulled back your weather stripping, restore it by guiding the strip back into place and applying pressure. It will expand and fill some of the space. Allow it to dry. If the hole is not deep, you may skip this step. Alternatively, you can fill the bottom of the burn hole with a small piece of foam. Cut the piece of foam to fit the hole. Apply fabric glue to the bottom of the hole and insert your foam. Allow it to dry. Do not apply too much or attempt to fill the hole with glue. You can do multiple layers of glue and fibers later. Place some fibers on top of the glue while it is wet and gently pat them into place. Repeat layers of glue and fibers until the surface of the hole is level with the seat. Allow it to dry.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Use washable paints and markers instead of pencils and erasers. Pick fun, familiar subject for kids to draw or paint. Demonstrate the projects yourself. Try some open-ended projects with kids who are 8 and up. Encourage students frequently and give positive feedback.

Answer:
Using broader, messier materials encourages openness and creativity. Pencils and erasers will make the process take much longer and lead the kids to constantly erase their mistakes. Provide a wide variety of children’s paints and markers for kids to choose from. Using paints and markers will also encourage the kids to work faster and create a higher volume of work. A sense of familiarity with the subject will give kids the confidence they need to start a new project. For example, you would choose something that the kids may have seen or drawn before, such as a bouquet of flowers in a vase or a cat. You wouldn’t choose a piece of obscure architecture or a person they’ve never heard of. When kids see the teacher drawing or painting too, they tend to engage with the lesson more fully. Use a large piece of paper, a whiteboard, or a projector to show the kids how you would draw the subject. Practice drawing it beforehand and, if you can, show several different styles. Showing the students your artistic skills will inspire and encourage them.  For example, you could draw an extremely simplified version, a more realistic version, and a cartoonish version. However, always encourage students to make the drawing their own. Your drawing should be a demonstration, not a reference. Challenge the students to create a painting of a memory or draw a scene from their favorite book. This project style will teach students how to combine imagination, memory, and creativity. You’ll also see a more diverse response from the class, which can lead to a fun share-and-respond session.  You could assign projects like “draw what you did over summer vacation,” or “make a portrait out of unconventional materials.” This will also challenge kids to draw from imagination rather than observation. Kids who are 8 or older are likely to engage with this project best. However, if you have younger students that could tackle the project, feel free to try it with them. Focus on improvements and successes, centering your encouragement around hard work rather than talent. If children hear criticism, they’re more likely to give up. Instead of judgment, use positive encouragements and questions to help them notice things about their drawing.  For example, you could give affirmations like “Wow, the shapes you chose look really great together!” or “You’re doing a great job at staying focused.” If you notice that a student has drawn something unusual or out of scale, such as a person with huge feet, you could ask them something like “Can you tell me more about the feet?” Asking them to elaborate can give you a better idea of how they observe and translate observation to paper.