Teaching Sequence

Activating Prior Knowledge

Step 1

Introduce the Waste Hierarchy (also available here) and ensure students understand how the hierarchy can be used to guide waste management actions. You can use the examples below to guide your discussion:

You could engage students in a discussion around the Waste Hierarchy using the questions and suggested answers on the factsheet, Waste Hierarchy with Discussion Points.

Step 2.

Now explain to students that they will be thinking about how they can help their local community (either the school community or broader community) to take action to reduce waste. Students could choose to complete either a school or community waste project.

Option 1. A School Project

After completing the activity: Our big picture school waste plan, students choose a project that would help to reduce the waste in the school. The design brief for the project is that it:
- can be completed by the end of the school year.
- can help reduce the amount of waste in the school.
- inspires other students to think about the 4Rs and composting.
- will not cost too much (students will need to have a plan to raise money for the project).
- will not harm other students.
Students choose a possible project and write a proposal, using the table in Cut the waste project: Planners. Encourage students to take on significant projects that will have a real impact on the amount of waste produced by the school or the community. See the list below for some examples of student projects.
Students then write an action plan for the project in a table, as found in Cut the waste project: Planners.

Example of an entry in an action plan

Project: Build a three bay compost bin for garden waste:

Task	Activities	Due date	Person responsible	Comment
1. Research	It is important to do this research so that we can be sure that the bin we design will do the job.	End of June	Matt	It is important to do this research so that we can be sure that the bin we design will do the job.

Class teacher checks the proposal and plans and assists students in completing the project. The teacher takes special notice of any risks and advises students if they have not addressed these adequately. (Note that with projects that involve construction, such as an animal enclosure, schools may need to comply with environmental and /or building regulations.)

Option 2. A Community Project

Students choose a project that would help to reduce waste in their local community. The design brief for the project is that it:
- can be completed by the end of the school year.
- can help reduce the amount of waste in the local community.
- inspire people in the community to think about the 4Rs and composting.
- will not cost too much (students will need to have a plan to raise money for the project).
- will not harm people in the community.
The students then follow the steps described for a school project for their community-based project.

Closing activity

Class reports back to other students, parents and the Principal, explaining:
- what they did.
- how they did it.
- what they achieved
- what worked well.
- what would be improved if the project was repeated.
Celebrate the completion of the projects.

Examples of student projects

1. Communication /campaigns

Design and undertake a campaign or communication package about a particular waste issue at either the school or in the broader community (e.g. using reusable shopping bags or buying local products or composting at home or using food wisely as with the Love Food Hate Waste campaign .
You could:
- Draw a poster.
- Design and distribute a brochure.
- Make signs prompting students and teachers to use the 4Rs+C.
- Draw a banner and display it at the school.
- Paint a mural on a wall of a school building (with permission, of course).
- Write a song, story or poem and perform it for other students.
- Write a play and perform it at school assembly.
- Write an article for the school newsletter or the school website.
- Make a movie to show on the school website.
- Include waste tips in the school newsletter.
- Make badges with 4Rs+C messages.
- Make a presentation (stills or movie) about the 4Rs+C to use when inducting new students or show to visitors.
- Arrange a forum on waste, inviting students from other schools.
- Organise a competition to cut waste or litter.

2. Enterprise

Design and complete a project that will demonstrate the practical application of the 4Rs+C. For a project of this type, you should try to link your project to a worthy cause.
Examples of these projects would be:
- Arrange a Swap Meet at the school for clothing, books, handbags and shoes.
- Organise and promote a collection of unwanted clothing, books, handbags and shoes (some organisations pay for the collected goods e.g. Southern Cross Recycling) and donate the proceeds to a charity of your choice.
- Organise and promote a uniform and text book exchange at the end of the school term / year, asking for a small donation to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds attend a school camp.
- Decide upon and promote a rubbish free lunch day, with the proceeds going to a charity.
- Organise a gardening club to sell vegetables and herbs for the school canteen with the profits going to either a local charity or other school gardening projects.
- Make recycled paper cards and envelopes; sell them to other students and donate the profits to an appropriate charity.

3. Constructions

Design and construct a structure that will help cut waste in the school. This should involve the actual structure, any safety matters, promotion and management. These projects may need approval at the design stage from the school before proceeding. Check with your teacher.
Examples of these projects could be:
- Three bay compost bin
- Vegetable or herb garden
- Garden border using rendered bricks made from recycled paper
- Chicken coop or animal enclosure
- Sculptures or other crafts from litter (using clean and safe items only).

4. Waste systems

Design and set up a system to help cut waste in the school. This would involve the bins and any other structures, the processes for collecting the waste from classrooms and the school grounds, any safety matters, promotion, management and the final pick up from the school. These projects will probably need approval at the design stage from the school before proceeding. Check with your teacher.
Examples of these types of projects could include:
- New recycling system for paper/cardboard or bottles and cans or mobile phones or corks
- Food waste collection and treatment system.

Reflection

Invite students to complete the project reflection and personal reflection (available on the Student Worksheet). Each student should complete both sets of reflection questions independently.

Project reflection

Give a short overview of the action your group took.
Was our project a success? Why or why not?
What parts were the most successful and why?
What were the least successful and why? How could we improve these parts?
How could we extend or continue our project?

Self-reflection

Which of your skills and interests were involved in delivering your social action project?
How did you contribute to your group's success?
What would you do differently next time?
What are you most proud of?

Finally, congratulate your students on their efforts and remind them to be proud of what they achieved, even if they didn’t achieve all they hoped to in the ways they may have initially intended to. Making change is hard. Efforts towards creating change, and learnings gained along the way, should be acknowledged and celebrated.

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?

Clean Up Australia - Cut The Waste Project

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