War on Waste - Teaching Secondary Maths with Waste Audits

Course summary

War on Waste: Teaching Secondary Maths with Waste Audits is a practical course that combines mathematics with real-world environmental issues. Designed for Years 7 to 10, this course helps teachers engage students with the vital topic of waste while developing their mathematical skills through real-life learning experiences.

You’ll learn how to integrate waste audits into the Year 7 to 9 Mathematics curriculum, using data collection methods and mathematical analysis to inspire action around waste. This course also provides strategies for teaching student-led waste audits, extending students’ learning, and using course resources to share and collaborate with others. Perfect for educators looking to combine sustainability with meaningful math instruction.

https://vimeo.com/170278885/b60633bbdc?share=copy

You will learn:

• About the different types of waste and litter at your school.
• How waste audits connect to the Year 7 to 9 Mathematics curriculum.
• About different methods for collecting waste data.
• How to use Mathematics to inspire students to Take Action around waste.
• The ways you can extend your students’ learning.
• How to teach student-led waste audits in Mathematics lessons.
• How to use course teaching resources and share learning with others.
• About the ABC series, War On Waste.

Course time:

This course will take you 2 hours to complete. Enjoy it in one session or spread it out over a few weeks. You will have ongoing access via your personal dashboard.

Accreditation:

This course is mapped to the Professional Standards for Teachers. It is accredited for teacher professional development hours:

Proficient Teacher – all states and territories:

• 2.5.2 Apply knowledge and understanding of effective teaching strategies to support students’ literacy and numeracy achievement.
• 3.3.2 Plan and implement well-structured learning and teaching programs or lesson sequences that engage students and promote learning
• 3.4.2 Select and/or create and use a range of resources, including ICT, to engage students in their learning.

This course is accredited by TQI for 2 hours of professional development for teachers in the ACT for 2025.

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Course Content

Getting Started

01.

Introduction

02.

Set some learning goals

Landfill and Recycling Waste

03.

Mathematics education

04.

Using War On Waste to explore mathematics

05.

About landill waste

06.

About recycling waste

07.

Analysing waste bills

08.

Measuring bins and skips

09.

Graphing your findings

Litter

10.

Litter in the harbour

11.

Your school's litter

12.

Measuring and collecting litter data

Take Action

13.

Taking learning further

14.

Sustainability at Merici College

15.

Audits in action

16.

Involving others

Your Teaching

17.

Cool lesson plans - landfill and recycling

18.

Cool lesson plans - litter

Reflection

19.

Reflection

20.

Taxonomy of learning

21.

Suggestions for collaboration

22.

Congratulations

Course instructor

Helen started as a primary school teacher in Brisbane, but her education career has led her overseas, underground, through forests and along beaches. Helen has taught in a wide range of classrooms, from bush-kinders to university lecture halls, virtual classrooms, penguin-filled beaches, snowy mountain tops, the decks of boats, 300m underground while hanging from a rope, and the scariest place of all, the standard Australian year 9 classroom.

Currently, Helen is applying her 22 years of educational experience as Education Manager at Cool.org. Here, she gets to do what she loves best - bringing the real world into the classroom. By working with sustainability industry organisations, she creates teaching resources that share the enthusiasm, passion, and knowledge of experts with schools. Students get to apply knowledge and skills to real-world situations, teachers get ready-made, easy-to-use resources, and everyone gets to work together towards a brighter, more sustainable future. Win-win!

Frequently asked questions

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.