Activity: Clean Up Australia – Rubbish Free Lunch

Quick summary: Students build their understanding of the effect food choices have on our health and the health of our environment. They inspect the amount of packaging in their lunchbox then plan and undertake a rubbish free lunch to reduce the amount of school yard waste. 

Following this lesson plan is an ideal way for your school to take part in Schools Clean Up Day. You’ll be joining thousands of amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change.

Learning goals:

• Students understand the role and impact 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 (ACSHE217)
• 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 (ACSHE220)
• Use equipment and materials safely, identifying potential risks (ACSIS105)

Year 7 Science

• Some of Earth’s resources are renewable, but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116)
• Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed (ACSIS125)

Year 8 Science

• Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed (ACSIS140)
• Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships, including using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS144)
• Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions (ACSIS145)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST3-4WS, ST3-6PW, SC4-5WS, SC4-6WS, SC4-7WS, SC4-12ES. 

Topic: Solid waste, Clean Up Day.

Time required: 2 – 4 lessons

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.

Schools Clean Up Day