Teaching Sequence

Preparation: If students are unfamiliar with the 4Rs you could begin this lesson by sharing the following clip and asking them to respond to the questions below:

The 4 R's of the Environment | SCI CODE (https://youtu.be/jkDdJVkJl6c)

Once complete, work with students to answer the following questions:

What did you see in this clip? What was this clip about?
What does this clip make you think about?
What does this clip make you wonder? What questions does it leave you with?

Step 1.

Begin this lesson by asking students to explain what each of the 4Rs mean and to give you an example. Suggested answers include:

Refuse - To say 'no' to something like a plastic bag or a straw, or to choose a product that has less packaging or whose packaging is made from material that is biodegradable or can be recycled.
Reduce - To use less of something, like buying fewer individually packaged products, or buying less stuff wrapped in plastic, or buying fewer clothes.
Reuse - To reuse things instead of throwing them away, like reusing bags when you go shopping, or reusing jam and sauce jars for other purposes, or reusing wrapping paper or envelopes/parcel bags.
Recycle - To choose products that can be recycled and then make sure these products go into the recycling bin.

Step 2.

Now explain to your students that they will be brainstorming further examples of each of the 4Rs. Place a sheet of butchers’ paper at each of the four corners of the room labelling each sheet with one of the four terms: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Divide the class into four, equal sized teams and give each team a felt marker.

Step 3.

Instructions for teams:

Each team goes to a different sheet of butchers’ paper.
Each team writes on the sheet examples of actions that would apply to the heading on the sheet (allow 5 minutes for this).
After 5 minutes, move in a clockwise direction to a different sheet of paper. Read all the examples on the sheet from the previous team. Write down as many new examples as you can (allow 2 minutes for this).
Repeat this process until all teams have visited each sheet.
Return to your first sheet and read all the comments. Cross out any duplicates. Underline all the actions on your sheet that students would be able to do at school or at home.
Each team reports to the class all the actions for their sheet that they believe students would be able to do at home or at school.

Reflection

Step 1.

Invite students to reflect on what they looked at in this lesson by filling out the Student Worksheet.

Step 2.

Once students have completed the student worksheet, hold a class discussion around their responses. Also consider the following questions:

What things can students do at school or at home for each of the 4Rs to reduce waste?
What things are outside of the control of most students?
What questions do they have about waste and the 4Rs?

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Examples of the 4Rs

Refuse

Don’t accept shopping bags in supermarkets or stores (take your own bags)
Avoid using plastic wrap or aluminium foil to cover food in the fridge (use a reusable container)
Use laminated worksheets and wipe them clean after use
Don’t buy food or drink in disposable packaging (take your own mug to shops)
Buy drinks at a cafe in a glass, instead of in a bottle (even if it can be recycled)

Reduce

Buy only what you need (e.g. clothes and food)
Cook only what you can eat and store any leftovers in containers in the fridge for eating later
Fix things that are broken (e.g. appliances and bicycles)
Buy things that last (e.g. clothes and appliances)
Make your own things (e.g. jam, food, clothes, games, toys)
Grow your own food (e.g. vegetables and eggs)
Buy large sizes of grocery items where possible instead of small items (e.g. boxes of cereal)
Hire or borrow things that you don’t use very often (e.g. concrete mixer)
Always print work on both sides of a sheet of paper

Reuse

Give unwanted clothing, toys and household goods to charity
Use cloth or woven plastic bags when shopping
Use plastic shopping bags for another purpose (e.g. for bin liners or for storing clothes)
Use a lunchbox
Use a refillable drink bottles
Borrow books, games and movies from the library
Use paper printed on one side for rough work

Recycle

Buy packages that have some recycled content (e.g. photocopy paper)
Place recyclables into the correct bins so that the contents are not contaminated
Buy things with packaging that can be recycled (e.g. drink containers that are made from glass, aluminium or plastic that can be recycled) or cardboard boxes

4Rs Reflection

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Summary

Learning intentions:

Students will...

Success criteria:

Students can...

Lesson Guides and Printables

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Curriculum Mapping

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