Activity: National Recycling Week: Recycle Rescue App – Primary

Quick summary: In this lesson students will learn about the environmental benefits of recycling mobile phones and printer cartridges. Playing the Recycle Rescue game they will see how fast they can rescue the old mobiles and printer cartridges from going to waste by recycling them in the correct collection bin. Students will research key questions about recycling and the impact electronic waste has on the environment.

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.

 Learning goals:

• Students understand the role and impact of resource use;
• Students begin to take responsibility for unwanted resources;
• Students research the concept of product stewardship.
  

General Capabilities: Literacy, Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capabilities.

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 4 Geography

• The use and management of natural resources and waste, and the different views on how to do this sustainably (ACHASSK090)

Year 4 Science

• Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062)

Year 5 Science

• Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE217)

Year 6 Science

• Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE220)

Year 5 & 6 Design and Technology

• Investigate characteristics and properties of a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment and evaluate the impact of their use (ACTDEK023)

Syllabus Outcomes: GE2-3, ST2-11LW, ST3-6PW.

Topic: Consumption, National Recycling Week, Cartridges, Resource Recovery

Time required: 1 lesson

Resources required: Recycle Rescue. This can be downloaded as an app in the Google Play or Apple Store.

Additional resources:  

• MobileMuster Factsheet: What’s is a mobile
• MobileMuster Website: The Recycling Process
• PlanetArk Factsheet: What Happens To The Printer Cartridges?

Digital learning opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities

Keywords: Waste, litter, e-waste, mobile phones, printer cartridges, consumption, MobileMuster.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.