Back to Earth - Green Waste Cycle

Back to Earth - Green Waste Cycle

Lesson 3 of 11 in this unit

  • Secondary
  • Year 7 - 8
  • Science
  • Technology
  • Design and Technologies
  • Environmental
  • Recycling
  • Social
  • Social Action
  • ...

Lesson summary

Students investigate the life cycle of green waste, from tree to bin to resource recovery facility to end product (compost). Students are asked to consider the environmental, economic and social benefits of recycling green waste as opposed to sending it to landfill.

Learning intentions:

Students will...

  • understand the environmental risks of sending waste to landfill
  • recognise the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling green waste
  • understand life cycle thinking in relation to green waste.

Lesson guides and printables

Lesson Plan
Student Worksheet

Lesson details

Curriculum mapping

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 7 Science:

  • Some of Earth’s resources are renewable, but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116)
  • Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE121)

Year 8 Science:

  • Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135)

Year 7 & 8 Design and Technologies:

  • Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas (ACTDEP035)

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8.

Syllabus Outcomes: SC4-13ES, SC4-11PW, SC4-12ES, T4.1.1.

Time required: 2 x 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity.

Resources required

  • Internet access
  • Desktop or online animation program (e.g Wideo)
  • OR desktop or online movie making program (e.g Animoto or Pixorial)

Additional info

Following these lessons plans is an ideal way for your students and the community to tune in to what happens to green waste once it is collected in a kerbside bin. The Back to Earth initiative is about connecting people with what happens to green waste once it leaves the garden, how it is processed, what it is used for at the end of this cycle and why its important to put the right things into the bin! 

Join thousands of others who have learnt about the benefits of using their green waste service correctly, for their communities and for the planet. Don’t forget to check out the Back to Earth initiative website: www.backtoearth.vic.gov.au â€“ to learn more.

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