Clean Up Australia - The Life of a Piece of Waste

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 7 English:

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources (ACELY1723)
• Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
• Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to confidently create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts (ACELY1728)

Year 7 Science:

• Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS133)
• 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 (ACSHE120)
• Some of Earth’s resources are renewable, but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116)

Year 8 English:

• Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)
• Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to create, edit and publish texts imaginatively (ACELY1738)

Year 8 Science:

• Science understanding influences the development of practices in areas of human activity such as industry, agriculture and marine and terrestrial resource management (ACSHE136)
• Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS148)

Syllabus outcomes: SC4-11PW, SC4-13ES, SC4-9WS, SC4-12ES, EN4-2A, EN4-4B. 

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.3, OI.8.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – assist students in identifying life cycle processes.

• Devices with internet access
• Pieces of waste (students select their own – safe and clean)

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

• Communication
• Critical thinking

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.