Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students review the waste management system in the school, develop a plan to cut the amount of solid waste in the school and suggest ideas to cut the amount of paper used by the school.

Learning goals:

  • Students learn that everyone in the schools produces solid waste and the school is already taking steps to reduce this waste.
  • Students recognise that there are steps that the school community can all take to cut this waste even further. 

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 5 English:

  • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703)

Year 5 Science:

  • Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE083)
  • Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, includingmulti-modal texts (ACSIS093)

Year 6 English:

  • Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)

Year 6 Science:

  • Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE100)
  • Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinion (ACELY1709)
  • Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST3-6PW, ST3-4WS, EN3-1A, EN3-3A.

Topic: Solid Waste

Time required: several 48 mins sessions.

Level of teacher scaffolding: High – direct activity.

Resources required: Art materials, computer with internet access.

Digital learning opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: This activity includes opportunities for extension.

Keywords: School, waste, 4Rs, reduce, reuse, refuse, recycle.

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:

Overarching learning goal: This activity is in two parts. In the first part of this activity students will review the waste management system in the school and make recommendations for its improvement. In the second part of the activity, students develop a plan to cut the amount of paper used by the school.

Teacher content information:

  • Refuse – means to not do something in order to cut the waste you will produce. A simple example of this is to not accept a plastic shopping bag from the shop assistant when you have bought only one small item. Another example is to not use aluminium foil to roast potatoes in their jackets in the oven.
  • Reduce – buying and using things more carefully so that you produce less waste overall. For example, if you buy one large box of cereal instead of two small ones, that means you will have less cardboard packaging overall. Packing the right amount of food for your school lunch means that you will have less uneaten food to throw a
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Student Worksheet

Some useful information to help you with these activities.

Suggestions for writing persuasive letters:

  • Be respectful.
  • State the problem(s).
  • Describe briefly how you identified the problem.
  • Give a solution to the problem – your five recommendations for each waste stream.
  • Explain how this will help solve the problem(s) – and help the school.
  • Finish the letter with what you would like the Principal to do (e.g.. take the ideas to School Council for further discussion or forma committee of teachers and students to plan a way forward).

 

A bit more information about the 4Rs.

  • Refuse – means to not do something in order to cut the waste you will produce. A simple example of this is to not accept a plastic shopping bag from the shop assistant when you have bought only one small item.
  • Reduce – buying and using things more carefully so that you produce less waste overall. For example, if you buy one large box of cereal instead of two small ones, that means you will have l
...
 
- or - to view worksheets

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