What do your students think about waste?
This series lets you bring the topic of waste management to a multitude of subjects, engaging students in the curriculum through topical content. Lessons have been developed for the following levels:
In Australia, we began addressing the issue of waste in the 1960s and ’70s with litter campaigns like Keep Australia Beautiful and Tidy Town Awards. With such a long history of waste reduction campaigns, you would think we had got on top of the waste issue; however, as the recent recycling crisis shows, we’re still trying to solve the issue of waste in Australia.
Confusion about what to do with waste and how to avoid it, combined with increasingly distressing news stories about the impact of waste on our environment, can lead to a sense of despair. Digging deeply into this topic and finding out about real-world examples of what you can do is crucial to empowering people and addressing this despair.
Cool Australia’s War On Waste lessons have been developed in partnership with Lune Media and with support from the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network.
Professional Development Courses
War on Waste – Use Primary Maths to Measure Waste
This course will help you provide real-life learning experiences that develop students’ maths skills and understandings.
You will learn:
- How to use student-led waste audits as part of Year 4 to Year 6
maths lessons. - How to identify about the different types of waste and litter at your school.
- Different methods for collecting and representing waste data.
- How to differentiate your teaching and extend students’ learning.
Course Length: 2 hours
War on Waste – Use Secondary Maths to Measure Waste
This course will help you provide real-life learning experiences that develop students’ maths skills and understandings.
You will learn:
- How to use student-led waste audits as part of Year 7 to 9 maths lessons.
- How to identify about the different types of waste and litter at your school.
- Different methods for collecting and representing waste data.
- How to differentiate your teaching and extend students’ learning.
Course Length: 2 hours
Foundation, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3
Visit the War On Waste website. Watch War On Waste using the links below:
View the full unit here.
Tuning into Plastic Waste
– Foundation to Year 3
Students are introduced to the topics of plastic and plastic waste. They begin by identifying the composition of a range of different everyday objects before focusing on plastic
Plastic Waste in our Ocean
– Foundation to Year 3
Students explore the problem of plastic waste in our oceans. They begin by identifying their prior knowledge by creating a mind-map around the term ‘plastic waste’.
Finding out about Single-Use Plastics – Foundation to Year 3
Students explore the issue of single-use plastics and their impact on our environment. They begin by defining the term and exploring examples of single-use plastics.
Solving School Waste Problems
– Foundation to Year 3
Students identify waste problems at their school, why they have occurred and what actions they could take to address these problems.
Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Visit the War On Waste website. Watch War On Waste using the links below:
View the full unit here.
Tuning into Numbers around Plastic Waste – Years 4 to 6
Students explore some of the numbers around waste, particularly plastic waste, in Australia and how this information is communicated.
The Trouble with E-Waste
– Years 4 to 6
Students explore the topic of e-waste. They begin by thinking about our current household recycling schemes and how e-waste might fit into this system.
The Impacts of Single Use Plastics – Years 4 to 6
Students explore single-use plastics. They begin by defining the term ‘single-use plastics’ and suggesting examples of single-use plastics.
Plastic Straws and our Environment – Years 4 to 6
Students explore the impact of plastic straws on marine animals. They begin by sharing what they already know about single-use plastics, straws and our environment.
Plastic Waste in the News
– Years 4 to 6
Students explore plastic waste articles in the news. They begin by discussing what they already know about single-use plastics before reading and analysing two news articles about plastic waste.
Start a Waste Warrior Team
– Years 4 to 6
This resource has been designed to support you in starting a student action team around waste to tackle waste issues at your school and in your community.
Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10
Visit the War On Waste website. Watch War On Waste using the links below:
View the full unit here.
Understanding Plastic Waste
– Years 7 to 10
Explore the issue of plastic waste and its impact on our environment. Begin by participating in a silent gallery activity – viewing and responding to a range of images relating to plastic waste.
Exploring Microplastics
– Years 7 to 10
Students explore the topic of e-waste. They begin by thinking about our current household recycling schemes and how e-waste might fit into this system.
The News about Plastic Waste
– Years 7 to 10
Explore a current news story about waste and participate in a debate around the content of this news story. Students begin by refreshing their knowledge of the topic of plastic waste.
The Art of E-Waste
– Years 7 to 10
Students explore the topic of e-waste. They begin by looking at the social and environmental impacts of e-waste, before examining two artists who work with e-waste.
A Circular Economy for Waste – Years 7 to 10
Students review their understanding of waste and think about who is responsible for dealing with waste: governments, producers or consumers?
Make a War On Waste Episode
– Years 7 to 10
Students consolidate their learning and reflections on the War On Waste unit to create a mini War On Waste episode. They begin by analysing the War On Waste Impact Report and using the findings to develop ideas for their own episode.
With Thanks to Our Partners
Cool Australia’s War On Waste lessons have been developed in partnership with Lune Media and with support from the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network.
©2022 Lune Media and Cool Australia.