Science 4

Science – Grade 4
Quarter 1 – Module 18: Changes in materials whether useful or harmful to one’s
environment.
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education Division of Pasig City

Development Team of the Self-Learning Module

Writer: Marixie Joy Varquez-Marqueses
Editor: Corazon B. Natividad, Sofia J. Papio EdD
Reviewers: Doreen G. Ty
Illustrator:
Layout Artist: Mark Kihm G. Lara
Management Team: Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin
OIC-Schools Division Superintendent
Aurelio G. Alfonso EdD
OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Victor M. Javeña EdD
Chief, School Governance and Operations Division and
OIC-Chief, Curriculum Implementation Division

Education Program Supervisors

Librada L. Agon EdD (EPP/TLE/TVL/TVE)

Liza A. Alvarez (Science/STEM/SSP)
Bernard R. Balitao (AP/HUMSS)
Joselito E. Calios (English/SPFL/GAS)
Norlyn D. Conde EdD (MAPEH/SPA/SPS/HOPE/A&D/Sports)
Wilma Q. Del Rosario (LRMS/ADM)
Ma. Teresita E. Herrera EdD (Filipino/GAS/Piling Larang)
Perlita M. Ignacio PhD (EsP)
Dulce O. Santos PhD (Kindergarten/MTB-MLE)
Teresita P. Tagulao EdD (Mathematics/ABM)

Printed in the Philippines by Department of Education – Schools Division of

Pasig City
 Science 4
Quarter 1
Self-Learning Module 18
Changes in materials whether useful or
harmful to one’s environment.
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:

Welcome to the Science 4 Self-Learning Module 18 on Changes in materials

whether useful or harmful to one’s environment.

This Self-Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed and

reviewed by educators from the Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its
Officer-in-Charge Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A.
Agustin, in partnership with the City Government of Pasig through its mayor,
Honorable Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K
to 12 Curriculum using the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) in
developing this instructional resource.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners in guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims to help learners
acquire the needed 21st century skills especially the 5 Cs, namely: Communication,
Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Character while taking into
consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their own learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist the
learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
 For the Learner:

Welcome to the Science 4 Self-Learning Module on Changes in materials

whether useful or harmful to one’s environment.

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You
will be enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an active
learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectations - This points to the set of knowledge and skills

that you will learn after completing the module.

Pretest - This measures your prior knowledge about the lesson

at hand.

Recap - This part of the module provides a review of concepts

and skills that you already know about a previous lesson.

Lesson - This section discusses the topic in the module.

Activities - This is a set of activities that you need to perform.

Wrap-Up - This section summarizes the concepts and

application of the lesson.

Valuing - This part integrates a desirable moral value in the

lesson.

Posttest – This measures how much you have learned from the
entire module.
 EXPECTATIONS

The module is about the beneficial effects of changes in

materials and ways of preventing/minimizing the harmful effects
of the changes in materials on the environment.
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. describe the beneficial effects of the changes in the materials;
2. suggest ways of preventing/minimizing the harmful effects of
the changes in the materials to the environment;
3. show support in waste management by making a promise.

PRETEST

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Selling old newspapers to paper mills that can turn them into
usable paper again is one way of minimizing the harmful effects
of the changes in the materials is called______.
A. Recycle C. Reuse
B. Refuse D. Rot
2. If we don’t accept the things that we don’t need it is
called_______.
A. Recycle C. Refuse
B. Reduce D. Reuse
3. The following is an example of reducing:
A. bringing the old newspaper to MRF
B. making 2 sided copies and print
C. bringing cans and plastics to MRF
D. using eco bag when going to market
4. If you let expert technicians repair your old appliances to use
again, you are____
A. recycling C. reusing
B. reducing D. rotting
5. To make use of rotting or decomposition in a beneficial way you
must_____
A. Leave it somewhere else.
B. Give it to the garbage collector
C. Set up a compost pit in your yard or an old pail.
D. Throw your biodegradable materials in the trash bin.

RECAP

In your previous lesson, you learned about the harmful

effects of changes in material to our environment. Check (✓) the
item if the change in material is harmful and cross (x) out if not.
1. Burning of old tires
2. Reusing eco bag when going to the grocery store or market
3. Biking instead of riding in a motorcycle
4. Dumping garbage into the river
5. Cutting down trees

LESSON

During the quarantine days here in Metro Manila, there were

lots of changes in our surroundings, fewer cars, no jeepneys, and
tricycles, including buses. Operations of the MRT, LRT, and PNR
were also suspended. This situation improves the air quality of
Metro Manila. The sky looks clear and clean because smokes or
pollution from vehicles is less.

As a Grade 4 learner, you must be aware of your

responsibility for waste management. Waste management is not
hard to learn and it is simple to adapt if we will open our minds
with the consequences of our simple actions like throwing candy
wrappers that may contribute to changing our environment.

In this lesson, you will learn the beneficial effects of changes

in materials and ways of preventing and minimizing the harmful
effects of changes in materials that will have a beneficial effect on
the environment.

Producing good results or helpful effects of material to the

environment is called beneficial and harmful if it is damaging or
not helpful to us.

When we cut fabric to turn it into PPE’s, face mask, or clothes

it benefits the front liners and other essential workers during this
time of COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019) pandemic. When
we shape used plastics to aerosol boxes and face shields for people
in the hospitals it is beneficial. When we turn empty plastic bottles
into pencil cases or use it as a pot it is beneficial because we reduce
pollutants (something that pollutes). When we walk or use a bike
for transportation, we help to lessen the air contamination from
smoke coming from vehicles. When we avoid burning and think of
other ways on how to dispose of dried leaves and other garbage,
we help our community to have healthy air to breathe in.

Managing our waste is everybody’s concern. Every human

being should play an important role in waste management. Even
you can manage your waste or garbage at your homes.

You can do it by following these 5 R’s of Responsible Waste

Management based on the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR 2018)

1. REFUSE
Refuse means we will not accept or buy things that we don’t need
because these materials have an environmental cost. We should
bear in mind when we buy materials it should not be an instant
waste. For example, when we buy shampoo and conditioners that
are in sachets, it is a waste because it is in single-use plastic.
Refusing helps eliminate a lot of waste from the start.

How can we refuse?

• Say “no” to free stuff that becomes instant waste like catalogs,
free coupons, flyers, and so on.
• Stop using disposable coffee cups, straws, and utensils.
• Always bring your eco bag to refuse from buying a new one.
• Stop buying any goods contained in sachets like shampoo and
coffee.

2. REDUCE
Reducing waste is the most important thing we can do. By
reducing waste, we avoid the unnecessary use of resources such
as materials, energy, and water. It means there is less waste to
manage.

How can we reduce waste?

• Buy in bulk to reduce packaging or Choose products that use
less packaging
• Take a reusable shopping bag with you so you don't have to
use a paper or plastic bag from the shop
• Say ‘no’ to a plastic shopping bag when you only have a couple
of items
• Buy reusable items rather than disposable ones

3. REUSE
The next most important thing we can do is reuse waste material.
That way it doesn't go in the garbage and end up in the landfill. It
also means you don't have to buy a new product. That saves you
money and saves the energy and resources that would have been
used to make the new product.
How can we reuse waste?
• Give unwanted toys and books to hospitals or schools
• Put unwanted clothes in used clothing bins
• Use plastic containers for freezing or storing food items
• Use old jars for storage
• Shop at second-hand stores or use online trading websites to
buy items that are unwanted by others
• Make memo pads out of used paper and Re-use envelopes -
purchase reuse labels.

4. RECYCLE
Recycling involves some form of reprocessing of waste materials to
produce another product. For example, recycling plastic bottles to
make buckets.

What materials can be recycled?

• The main products that can be recycled are paper, cardboard,
glass, aluminum, tin, and plastic containers.

5. ROT
Composting your food scraps not only provides you with nutrient-
rich fertilizer for your garden, but it also helps to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions produced by landfills.
There are a few possibilities to compost your household waste. The
first is an outdoor garden compost, which can take the form of a
pile, a box, or a unit that can be purchased, or built yourself.

How can you do this?

• Make a compost pile in your yard
• Make a worm compost pile to compost all your fruits and
vegetables into plant food
• Utilize animal waste to produce fertilizer.
 ACTIVITIES

Activity 1: Write ways on how we can benefit from using the

following materials at home.

Old Jars
Ex. Use these old jars in putting our condiments

Used paper
bags

Boxes

Unused pages
of notebooks

Bottle
Activity 2: Write in the space provided the beneficial effect of the
following changes in materials to the environment.
1. Turning used plastic straws into a bag.

2. Recycling plastic bottles to make buckets.

3. Refusing to take any additional plastic home by bringing your

reusable plastic containers every time you go to the wet market.

4. Utilizing animal waste to produce fertilizer.

5. Buy in bulk to reduce packaging.

Activity 3: Using what you have learned, tell the ways you will use
to prevent or minimize the effects of the changes in the materials to
the environment. You can write as many as you can as long as you
can explain the beneficial effects of these changes.
Materials 5 R’s of Responsible What will be the
Waste Management beneficial effects
of these changes?
1. Flyers and free
coupon
2. Left over foods
3. Unwanted toys
and books
4. Cardboard
5. Reusable item
 WRAP-UP

Now is the time for us to summarize what you have learned. I want
you to write inside the box the things that you can do to prevent
or minimize the harmful effects of changes in materials to our
environment.
I CAN REFUSE… I CAN REDUCE…

I CAN REUSE…

I CAN RECYCLE… I CAN ROT…

 VALUING

In each finger, write ways on how to prevent or minimize the

harmful effects of the changes in the materials to the environment.
In the palm, write a promise that you can do to help protect our
environment.
 POSTTEST

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.

1.Most recycling focuses on four major categories of

products. Which one of these is NOT one of them?
A. chemicals C. paper
B. glass D. plastics

2. Zoey has started to compost her food scraps and leaves

trimming. When it all breaks down into the soil, she'll use that
for her garden. This is an example of which waste management
strategy?
A. reduces C. reuse
B. refuse D. rot

3. Instead of throwing old clothes and towels, Julia cuts the items
and uses them as cleaning rags. This is an example of which
waste management strategy?
A. recycles C. reuse
B. refuse D. rot

4. Your aunt always reminds you to bring an Eco bag whenever

you shop in the market or grocery. This is an example of which
waste management strategy?
A. reducing and refusing C. reusing and rot
B. refusing and recycling D. rotting

5. Which of the following changes in the materials have a beneficial

effect on the environment?
A. Make a compost pile in your yard
B. Burn plastic bottles to reduce waste
C. Utilize animal waste to produce fertilizer
D. Letters A and C
 KEY TO CORRECTION

D 5. C 5.
vary B 4. C 4. ✓ 5.
Answer may A 3. B 3. ✓ 4.
D 2. C 2. x 3.
VALUING A 1. A 1. x 2.
UP AND ✓ 1.
1,2&3, WRAP TEST TEST
ACTIVITY POST PRE- RECAP

References
https://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/2019/04/turning-point-overcoming-
the-plastic-curse-the-5-rs/. May 30,2020

Johnsons, Bea. n.d. meow meow tweet.

https://meowmeowtweet.com/blogs/blog/the-five-rs-refuse-reduce-reuse-
recycle-rot. May 30,2020

LEARNZ. n.d. LEARNZ Powered by CORE. (http://www.learnz.org.nz). May 30,2020

lives, 1 million women fighting climate change through our everyday. 2020. 1
million women fighting climate change through our everyday lives. January
31. https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/the-5-rs-refuse-reduce-reuse-
repurpose-recycle/. May 30,2020