Materials: Old newspaper, rotary egg beater, cream of tartar, large bowl, large rectangular cake pan, screen cut to fit inside the pan, dish towels, wax paper, scissors.

Note to the Volunteer: Since this activity takes more time than others and some waiting is necessary, other activities can be done while waiting.

Make your own paper! Tear the newspaper into very tiny pieces and put in the bowl. Fill the bowl half full with water, let the paper soak for a minute or two, then add two tablespoons cream of tartar. Beat the mixture until it is thick and “soupy” and place the screen in the rectangular pan. Pour the soupy mixture on it. Carefully lift the screen, catching the fibers. Stir and repeat until no screen shows through the pulp. Let the extra water drip into the pan. Lay the screen on top of several dish towels and cover it with wax paper. Press down on it to squeeze the moisture out. Put several heavy books on top of the wax paper. After a few minutes, take the books off and peel back the wax paper. You have just made recycled paper! Place in the sun to dry or in front of another heat source (oven, register, hair dryer). When the recycled paper is almost dry, gently peel from the screen. Cut into pieces so everyone can have their own sample of recycled paper!

Note to the Volunteer: Have the children make extra paper to use in the Art Exhibit and Cloverbud Display lessons in the subject area of Community Expressive Arts.

Application: The next time you go to the store, look at greeting cards, paper and stationery.

• Can you tell which are recycled?
• 
  Can you find any that look like the paper you made?

Reprinted from Ohio 4-H Cloverbud Connections – Summer 2010 Edition.

Source: Ohio 4-H Cloverbud Curriculum Series 1, Helping our Environment: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Author: Bobbie Grawemeyer.