Activity Introduction
Quick summary: This lesson is designed to help your students dig deep into the new recycling labelling system, the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) scheme, and share this knowledge with others. Student learning from this lesson will be enhanced by having completed the flipped classroom lesson prior to starting this lesson.
In this lesson, students explore solutions to waste problems in their school or home. They begin by exploring their prior knowledge on sustainability (Years 7 & 8) or life cycle thinking (Years 9 & 10), before reviewing learning from the previous lesson. Students are then introduced to the waste hierarchy and analyse several organisations and schemes addressing waste and place them on the waste hierarchy. Students then work collaboratively to identify a waste problem in their school or home and develop a solution to this problem. Students create a pitch to share their ideas with the class.
This lesson has been developed as part of Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week. By participating in National Recycling Week you’ll be joining thousands of amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change. Take part in the Schools Recycling Right Challenge for Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week. Register your lesson or other activities today!
Learning intentions:
- Students understand the Australasian Recycling Label.
- Students understand the waste hierarchy and how it can be used to guide solutions to waste problems.
- Students understand how waste solutions meet sustainability (Years 7 & 8) and life cycle thinking (Years 9 & 10) criteria.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Years 7 & 8 Design and Technology:
- Investigate the ways in which products, services and environments evolve locally, regionally and globally and how competing factors including social, ethical and sustainability considerations are prioritised in the development of technologies and designed solutions for preferred futures (ACTDEK029)
- Analyse ways to produce designed solutions through selecting and combining characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment (ACTDEK034)
- Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas (ACTDEP035)
- Generate, develop, test and communicate design ideas, plans and processes for various audiences using appropriate technical terms and technologies including graphical representation techniques (ACTDEP036)
Years 9 & 10 Design and Technology:
- Critically analyse factors, including social, ethical and sustainability considerations, that impact on designed solutions for global preferred futures and the complex design and production processes involved (ACTDEK040)
- Explain how products, services and environments evolve with consideration of preferred futures and the impact of emerging technologies on design decisions (ACTDEK041)
- Critique needs or opportunities to develop design briefs and investigate and select an increasingly sophisticated range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment to develop design ideas (ACTDEP048)
- Develop, modify and communicate design ideas by applying design thinking, creativity, innovation and enterprise skills of increasing sophistication (ACTDEP049)
Syllabus outcomes: T4.1.1,T4.1.2, T4.1.3, T4.2.1, T4.2.2, T4.4.1, T4.6.2, T4.3.1, T4.3.2, T4.5.2, D&T5.1.1, D&T5.2.1, D&T5.3.1, D&T5.3.2, D&T5.4.1, D&T5.5.1
General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8.
Relevant parts of Year 7 & 8 Design and Technologies achievement standards: Students explain factors that influence the design of products, services and environments to meet present and future needs. Students create designed solutions for each of the prescribed technologies contexts based on an evaluation of needs or opportunities. They develop criteria for success, including sustainability considerations, and use these to judge the suitability of their ideas and designed solutions and processes. They create and adapt design ideas, make considered decisions and communicate to different audiences using appropriate technical terms and a range of technologies and graphical representation techniques.
Relevant parts of Year 9 & 10 Design and Technologies achievement standards: Students explain how people working in design and technologies occupations consider factors that impact on design decisions and the technologies used to produce products, services and environments. Students create designed solutions for one or more of the technologies contexts based on a critical evaluation of needs or opportunities. They establish detailed criteria for success, including sustainability considerations, and use these to evaluate their ideas and designed solutions and processes. Students communicate and document projects, including marketing for a range of audiences.
Topic: Waste, Recycling.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work National Recycling Week 7 & 8.
Time required: 100+ mins.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee class discussions and lead students in activities.
Resources required:
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student
Keywords: Planet Ark, National Recycling Week, Australasian Recycling Label, waste, recycling, labelling, waste hierarchy, school, home.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
