National Recycling Week - Introducing Australia's New Recycling Labels

Australian Curriculum Content descriptions: 

Years 7 & 8 Design and Technology:

• Investigate the ways in which products, services and environments evolve locally, regionally and globally and how competing factors including social, ethical and sustainability considerations are prioritised in the development of technologies and designed solutions for preferred futures (ACTDEK029)

Years 7 & 8 Design and Technology:

• Critically analyse factors, including social, ethical and sustainability considerations, that impact on designed solutions for global preferred futures and the complex design and production processes involved (ACTDEK040)

Syllabus outcomes: T4.1.2, T4.1.3, T4.4.1, T4.6.2, D&T5.3, D&T5.3.2

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8

Relevant parts of Year 7 & 8 Design and Technologies achievement standards: Students explain factors that influence the design of product packaging, services and environments to meet present and future needs

Relevant parts of Year 7 & 8 Design and Technologies achievement standards: Students explain how people working in design and technologies occupations consider factors that impact on design decisions and the technologies used to produce products, services and environments

This lesson is part of the wider unit of work National Recycling Week 7 & 8

Time required: 30 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low – this lesson should be completed in students’ own time

• Student Worksheets – one copy per student

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

• adaptability
• critical thinking
• problem solving

Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week started in 1996 to bring a national focus to the environmental benefits of recycling. This highly regarded annual campaign continues to educate and stimulate behaviour change by promoting kerbside, industrial and community recycling initiative. It also gives people the tools to minimise waste and manage material resources responsibly at home, work and school. In partnership with Planet Ark, we have developed lessons from early learning through to year 10 to help educators bring these important topics into the classroom.

National Recycling Week is held in the second week of November each year but you can recycle all year-round with these lessons which were designed to be used at any time. Click here to find out more about National Recycling Week and the Schools Recycle Right Challenge.