Activity Introduction
Quick summary: Students will plan and participate in Schools Clean Up Day (or a Clean Up on any other day of the year). In groups, they will choose a site within the school or local community and make the necessary arrangements for the Clean Up. Students will collect data on what they find during the Clean Up and from this data they will determine some possible sources and solutions to their schools rubbish problem. Alternatively, you may want to organise Schools Clean Up Day yourself and then get students to complete an analysis of the results.
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 understand the impacts of litter
- Students take responsibility for litter in their school community
- Students will think of new ways to do things.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content description: This lesson can be aligned with a variety of learning areas and year levels.
General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.3, OI.8.
Topic: Clean Up, Waste.
Time required: Start planning two weeks before your Clean Up event.
Resources required:
- Devices with internet access
- Gloves and tongs for collecting waste
- Printed school maps, Schools Clean Up Day Groups
- Student Worksheet.
Keywords: Clean Up Day, food, packaging, waste, litter, recycle, reuse, reduce, rethink.
Safety: Ask students to review the Waste Safety Code for working with litter. Students should wear rubber gloves and/or tongs when collecting and handling litter. For more on safety click here.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.