Clean Up Australia - Getting Involved with Your Community

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• community engagement
• communication
• creativity
• problem solving

Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content description: Year 7 - 10 Geography 

Year 7 & 8

• Identify a strategy for action in relation to environmental, economic, social or other factors, and explain potential impacts (AC9HG7S05/AC9HG8S05)

Year 9 & 10

• Develop and evaluate strategies using environmental, economic or social criteria; recommend a strategy and explain the predicted impacts (AC9HG9S05/AC9HG10S05)

Relevant parts of Year 7 - 10 achievement standards: 

Year 7 & 8: Students can draw reasoned conclusions about the impact of the geographical phenomenon or challenge, decide on appropriate strategies for action and explain potential impacts.

Year 9 & 10: Students can draw evidence-based conclusions, based on relevant data and information, about the impact of a geographical phenomenon or challenge. They develop and evaluate strategies using criteria, recommend a strategy and explain the predicted impacts. 

NSW Syllabus outcomes: ACHGS054, ACHGS062, ACHGS071, ACHGS080

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability 

Level of teacher scaffolding: High - Supporting students to run their own Schools Clean Up Day.

UN SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

• Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

• Devices with internet access
• Gloves and tongs for collecting waste
• Printed school maps, Schools Clean Up Day Groups
• Student Worksheet
• Optional - Schools Clean Up Kit (Order through Clean Up Australia here)

This lesson was created in partnership with Clean Up Australia and its Education Partner, Unilever Australia – maker of household staples including Dove, Rexona, TRESemmé, Omo, Continental, Hellmann’s and Streets ice creams. Unilever and Clean Up Australia joined forces in 2020 to help inspire and empower Australians to clean up, fix up and conserve our environment. To learn more about the action Unilever is taking to improve the health of the planet, visit Sustainability - Planet & Society | Unilever.  

Following this lesson plan is an ideal way for your school to take part in Schools Clean Up Day or a Clean Up on any day of the year. You’ll be joining thousands of amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change.