Activity Introduction
Quick summary: In this activity students investigate the meanings of renewable and non-renewable resources, and look at the role of recycling for these resources. As a class students create a survey to find out what ideas for improving the school’s waste management system other students and staff have for your school. Finally students should create a plan for improving the school’s waste management system.
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 intentions:
- Students identify reversible processes of materials and distinguish between renewable, non-renewable and recycling.
- Students understand that different people from the same school have different opinions about our environment and how it should be managed.
- Students take responsibility for deciding on a plan to improve the school’s environment.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Year 6 Geography:
- Locate and collect relevant information and data from primary and secondary sources (ACHASSI123)
- Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI133)
- Reflect on learning to propose personal and/or collective action in response to an issue or challenge, and predict the probable effects (ACHASSI132)
Year 6 English:
- Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
Syllabus Outcomes: GE3-2, GE3-4, EN3-1A.
Topic: National Recycling Week
Time required: 60 mins
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – Once students start brainstorming it is hard for them to stop. Insist that once they have decided on what they want to do not to get side tracked by ideas that are no longer relevant.
Resources required: Internet access, student worksheet.
Keywords: Renewable, non-renewable, resources, sustainable, recycling, manufacturing, invention.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
These Planet Ark resources were developed by Cool Australia with funding from the Alcoa Foundation.
Teacher Preparation