Background information

Waste comes from most things we do. The food and drinks we consume, the transport we use, the stuff we buy – everything has waste as a part of it’s production. Waste is the left over bits that are not a part of the final product we buy or use. Waste is not counted in the final cost, which means that things that create a lot of waste in their production are much cheaper than they should be when they get to us. Waste also comes in excessive packaging and presentation of goods. In nature there is no waste, everything is used and reused by something else.

Recycling is one of the easiest ways of being green. All it takes is putting the right thing in the right bin. But why do it? Well, there are a number of reasons and they're all very important.

All the raw materials required to make any of the goods that we use come from resources that are finite, meaning that once they run out you won’t be able to get them back. Recycling means we can use these items over and over again.
Getting the raw materials uses more energy than recycling. In the case of aluminium cans for example, making a can from recycled materials rather than from raw materials saves 95% of the energy that is used when making the can from scratch. What about paper? Sure we can always grow more trees to make more paper but growing more trees requires water and energy, and if trees are grown just for paper this means less water and energy for the natural environment.
Recycling reduces the amount of waste going to landfill. The less waste in landfill is less waste in our environment which is better for everyone.

However, there are certain ‘rules’ about what can be recycled and what can’t be recycled. If you’re uncertain what works where you are check with your local council about what they accept for recycling. Generally speaking paper, cardboard, milk cartons, glass, and plastic water and soft drink bottles are fine. Plastics recycling can be more tricky: plastic packaging will typically have a recycling symbol with a number - your council will be able to tell you which numbers are recycled in your area.

Definitions:

Recycle - Recycling is a process to change (waste) materials into new products to prevent waste of useful materials.
Resource - A resource is a source or supply from which benefit is produced. Natural resources are those which can be found naturally, such as wood or minerals.
Finite - Finite resources are also known as non-renewable resources, meaning that they will one day run out.

New words for kids to learn:

Recycling, Rubbish, Waste

Activity: Sorting waste

Ages 0 - 2

What to do

Preparation: Collect a range of different waste items. Try to ensure that these items have differences in colour, weight, shape and texture. For example, you could use a tin can, a soft drink bottle, bottle lids, plastic tubs, paper, newspaper, magazines, corks, boxes, milk cartons etc. Make sure all waste is clean and sharp edges have been covered with masking tape.

Lay all the items out onto a sensory table. Ask children to inspect the items and to talk about what the items are. Can the items be sorted into the following categories:

Weight;
Texture;
Colour;
Shape.

Help children to sort the items, talking to them about what the items are and the categories they can be sorted into as you go. Explain to children that the different types of rubbish will need to go into different bins. Some of the items are rubbish and should go in the rubbish bin. Place these items in the bin. Explain to children the other items can be put into the recycling bin. Help children to put these items into the recycling bin.

Do you have any other bins (e.g. food waste)? Talk to children about what items go into these bins.

Provocations

I wonder what these things are?
I wonder if we can sort them according to colour, weight, texture and shape?
I wonder which bins we should put these waste items into?
I wonder if we have any other types of bin at our centre?
I wonder what goes into these bins?

Possible lines of development

Sorting other items at your centre according to colour, shape, texture, weight, sound and smell.
Rubbish safety - never touch rubbish on the ground and never play with rubbish bins. Always wash your hands after playing with rubbish.
Reusing waste in new activities: Reusing waste activities

Ages - 2 to 3

What to do

Preparation:

Lay all the items out onto a sensory table. Ask children to inspect the items and to talk about what the items are. Ask children to describe the waste materials according to their weight, shape, texture and colour.

Ask children to think about what bin these items should go into. Which bins should the items go in? Using the bins you have made ask children to sort the rubbish items into the correct bins.

Provocations

I wonder what these things are?
I wonder what the different types of rubbish are made from?
I wonder which bins we should put these waste items into?
I wonder if we have any other types of bin at our centre?
I wonder what goes into these bins?
I wonder if the different types of rubbish go into the rubbish bin or could be recycled?

Possible lines of development

Sorting other items at your centre according to colour, shape, texture, weight, sound and smell.
Rubbish safety - never touch rubbish on the ground and never play with rubbish bins. Always wash your hands after playing with rubbish.
Turn waste into something new: Reusin g waste activities

Ages - 3 to 5

What to do

Preparation: Print out two copies of the types of rubbish and cut into two separate piles - Types of w aste. Create as many different types of bins as you have in your central (e.g. rubbish, recycling, food waste/compost/chooks). You can create the bins out of cardboard boxes or simply stick images of the different types of bins onto boxes or tubs (using your own pictures or the ones provided - Types of bins).

Distribute the pictures of the different types of waste to children, ensuring that each child has at least one type of waste. Keep a copy of the different types of waste for yourself.

Play ‘waste snap’! Place one image of waste in front of the children and hold it there for 3 seconds, during which time the child with the corresponding waste image should say ‘snap’. If no child responds within 3 seconds, move onto the next image. If a child says ‘snap’ then that child should share what they know about that type of waste and what bin they think it should go in. Ask the child to put the waste in the bin. Repeat until all items of waste have been put in the bins.

Provocations

I wonder what these different types of waste are
I wonder what bins these types of waste go in?
I wonder if we have any of these types of bins in our centre?
I wonder why it's important to put the right rubbish in the right bin?
I wonder what happens to waste once it has been put in the bin?

Possible lines of development

Pull apart items of waste, such as a milk carton, juice box or a foil-lined crisp bag.
Rubbish safety - never touch rubbish on the ground and never play with rubbish bins. Always wash your hands after playing with rubbish.
Where waste goes - investigate waste disposal systems in your area (this video shows how primary school students reduce waste in their classroom and this video looks at aluminium recycling).
Turn waste into something new: Reusing waste activities

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenge and persisting when difficulty arises
Well being	Being involved

Embedding into daily practice

Set up a separate 3 bin system one for food scraps and compostable material (for worm farms, compost bins or sent home for chooks), another for recycling, and a third for landfill ie the material that cannot be used again.
Start a worm farm and/or compost bin and use the castings to fertilise your garden.
Review your purchasing habits and buy products with recycled content e.g. toilet paper and paper towel.
Reuse envelopes and paper for art or for note pads.
Hold a children’s book/clothing/toys or baby equipment exchange.

National Recycling Week - Rubbish Sorting Activity

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Summary

Activity Guides and Printables

Activity Details

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

Additional Info

In this activity