Activity Introduction

Quick summary: In this activity students will collect and inspect the amount of litter found on the school grounds after lunchtime. They will analyse this waste and think of ways these resources can be reused.

Learning goals:

  • Students understand the role and impacts of food packaging.
  • Students begin to take responsibility for unwanted food packaging.
  • Students will rethink the concept of waste and brainstorm ways to ‘close the loop’.

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 5 Science:

  • Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE081)
  • Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE083)
  • Use equipment and materials safely, identifying potential risks (ACSIS088)

Year 6 Science:

  • Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE098)
  • Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE100)
  • Use equipment and materials safely, identifying potential risks (ACSIS105)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST3-4WS, ST3-6PW. 

Topic: Solid waste

Time required: 60 mins

Resources required: Gloves and tongs for collecting waste, internet access, printed worksheets (or create your own).

Digital learning opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Get the students to research companies that reuse waste.

Keywords: Food, packaging, waste, litter.

Safety: Ask students to review the Class Safety Code for working with litter. Students should wear rubber gloves and/or tongs when collecting and handling litter.

 

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: In the first part of this lesson students will head out into the schoolyard after lunchtime to collect whatever rubbish they can find. They will then sort the rubbish into piles and brainstorm ways to reuse the resources.

Hot tips: Ask students to review the Class Safety Code for working with litter. Students should wear rubber gloves and/or tongs when collecting and handling litter.

Teacher content information:

Cool Australia Presents Waste (https://vimeo.com/77933477)

See what other schools are doing by exploring a case study here.

Student and classroom organisation:

Step 1. Begin this activity by discussing with your students the notion that as humans we are creating more and more waste and that much of this waste comes from packaging. Use the following questions to guide discussion:

  • Why do we need things to be packaged? (Suggested answers: safety, contamination, avoid damage, keep fresh, etc.)
  • What is packaging made f
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Student Worksheet

What to do about lunchtime litter?

Your job is to discuss various ways in which waste can be:

  • Reused - means to use something again that you would normally throw away (eg. glass jar for food or plastic bags for bin liners).
  • Recycled - means the product goes through a mechanical process to change its form. This is only recommended when reducing and reusing are not possible.
  • Reduced - to limit the amount of waste you create in the first place. This includes buying products with less packaging.
  • Recover - is to convert waste into resources (such as electricity, heat, compost and fuel) through thermal & biological means.

How can waste be...

Reused

Recycled

Reduced

Recovered

 

Why is it important that we think about waste differently?

What is the link between resources and waste?

 

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