Clean Up Australia - Cool Questions About Waste And Recycling: Year 3 & 4

Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Through class discussion, students will be encouraged to think about some of the major issues associated with solid waste and waste disposal. This includes looking at the waste hierarchy. Students will then be asked to consider three different types of waste and how these relate to the waste hierarchy.

Following this lesson plan is an ideal way for your school to take part in Schools Clean Up Day or a Clean Up on any day of the year. You’ll be joining thousands of amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change.

Learning intentions:

Students recognise that we all have a responsibility to reduce the amount of solid waste we produce
Students understand the waste hierarchy and how it can be used to help us reduce the amount of waste we create
Students understand that there are different ways to reduce the amount of waste that we produce.

21st century skills:

Communicating Critical Thinking

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content description:

Year 3 English

Listen to and contribute to conversations and discussions to share information and ideas and negotiate in collaborative situations (ACELY1676)

Year 3 Science

Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE051)

Year 4 English

Interpret ideas and information in spoken texts and listen for key points in order to carry out tasks and use information to share and extend ideas and information (ACELY1687)

Year 4 Science

Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062)

Year 4 Geography

The use and management of natural resources and waste, and the different views on how to do this sustainably (ACHASSK090)

Syllabus outcomes: GE2-3, ST2-11LW, EN2-1A, EN2-6B.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.3, OI.8.

Topic: Clean Up, Waste.

Duration of activity: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – lead a discussion on waste and recycling.

Resources required:

Art materials
Device with internet access
Waste Hierarchy with Discussion Points

Keywords: Rubbish, waste, landfill, refuse, reuse, reduce, recycling.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Teacher Preparation

Learning intentions: Students will...

... recognise that we all have a responsibility to reduce the amount of solid waste we produce
... understand the waste hierarchy and how it can be used to help us reduce the amount of waste we create
... understand that there are different ways to reduce the amount of waste that we produce.

Success criteria: Students can...

... explain how the waste hierarchy can be used to manage waste
... conduct research to find answers to a series of question
... communicate messages around reducing waste.

Teacher content information: In this activity students will be exploring waste and how to reduce the impact of waste on our environment. A useful tool to help you understand the actions you can take around waste could be the following waste hierarchy image (also available here):

Avoid - This means not doing something in order to cut the waste you will produce.
Reduce - This means buying and using things m

...

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Student Worksheet

Thought starter: How can you use the waste hierarchy at home?

Look at the following items of waste and think about how they can be:

Refused - what can I use instead?
Reduced - how can I use less of this item?
Reused - how can this item be reused before you get rid of it?
Repair - how could this be repaired?
Recycled - can this item be recycled?

Refuse

Reduce

Reuse

Repair

Recycle

Refuse

Reduce

Reuse

Repair

Recycle

Refuse

Reduce

Reuse

Repair

Recycle

...

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Activity: Clean Up Australia – Cool Questions About Waste And Recycling: Year 3 & 4