Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this activity children are introduced to the ideas of packaging, waste and recycling. Younger children are asked to investigate different types of food packaging, looking at how it feels and what it is used for and which bin it should go in. Older children are asked to look more deeply at types of packaging and group these waste items according to a range of different options, including size, colour and material. Children aged 3 to 5 years old are asked to pull apart a juice box and look at all the different types of material that are used to make a juice box. Children of all ages are asked to think about how waste materials can be reused before they go into the bin.
This lesson has been developed as part of the Schools Recycle Right Challenge for Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week. Register your lesson or other activities so they can be counted towards the national achievement and to receive other free support materials.
This activity is designed to help connect children to the wonders of the natural world through sensory and play-based learning.
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EYLF Learning Outcome |
Elaborations |
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Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world |
3. Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment |
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Outcome 4: Children are involved and confident learners |
1. Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity 2. Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating 3. Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another 4. Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials |
Equipment needed: A range of waste materials, such as a soft drink can or bottle, an empty tin of beans, a small section of plastic sandwich wrap, chip bag, fruit juice box, paper bag, cardboard box, empty plastic food containers (e.g. ice-cream or margarine or yoghurt), newspaper. Ensure that all items are clean and that sharp edges are covered in masking tape. Reusing waste activities.
Supporting resources:
- Videos – Managing Classroom Waste and The Aluminium Cycle.
Other resources:
- Cool Australia Waste Toolbox
- Waste factsheet
- Cool Australia Waste video (see below)
Cool Australia Presents Waste from Cool Australia on Vimeo.
Cool Australia would like to acknowledge the support of the Seedlings Early Years Education for Sustainability (EYEfS) program.
Background information:
Reusing waste