Background information:

Recycling is one of the easiest ways of being green. All it takes is putting the right thing in the right bin. But why do it? Well, there are a number of reasons, and they're all very important.

All the raw materials required to make any of the goods that we use come from resources that are finite, meaning that once they run out you won’t be able to get them back. Recycling means we can use these items over and over again.
Getting the raw materials uses more energy than recycling. In the case of aluminium cans for example, making a can from recycled materials rather than from raw materials saves 95% of the energy that is used when making the can from scratch. What about paper? Sure, we can always grow more trees to make more paper, but growing more trees requires water and energy, and if trees are grown just for paper there is less water and energy for the natural environment.
Recycling reduces the amount of waste going to landfill. Less waste in landfill means less waste in our environment, which is better for everyone.

However, there are certain rules about what can be recycled and what can’t. If you’re uncertain of the rules in your area, check with your local council about what they accept for recycling. Generally speaking paper, cardboard, milk cartons, glass, and plastic water and soft drink bottles are fine. Plastics recycling can be more tricky: plastic packaging will typically have a recycling symbol with a number - your council will be able to tell you which numbers are recycled in your area.

Definitions:

Recycle - Recycling is a process to change (waste) materials into new products to prevent waste of useful materials.
Resource - A resource is a source or supply from which benefit is produced. Natural resources are those which can be found naturally, such as wood or minerals.
Finite - Finite resources are also known as non-renewable resources, meaning that they will one day run out.

New words for kids to learn:

Recycling
Rubbish
Plastic
Aluminium

Activity: Waste and packaging

Ages - 0 to 2

What to do

Preparation: Collect a range of waste materials, such as a soft drink can or bottle, an empty tin of beans, a small section of plastic sandwich wrap, chip bag, fruit juice box, paper bag, cardboard box, empty plastic food containers (e.g. ice-cream or margarine or yoghurt), or newspaper. Ensure that all items are clean and that sharp edges are covered in masking tape.

With all the waste materials displayed for children to see, ask children to look more closely at the items of waste and to touch and feel the waste:

What do they feel like? Are they hard or soft? Are they shiny or colourful?
What was inside them? Can you put new things inside them now?

Explain to children that some of the items are rubbish and should go in the rubbish bin. Place these items in the bin. Explain that the other items can be put into the recycling bin to be made into new things, but that you can use them before they go into the recycling bin.

Ask your children to demonstrate new ways to use the waste materials. For example:

Place some gum nuts, seeds or dry rice inside a small tub, put the lid on and seal well, and use as a shaker.
Store craft materials inside tubs or paper bags.
Turn the empty tin of beans into a pot plant by filling with soil and planting some grass or peas into the soil.
Use the cardboard box for all sorts of things!

Download the Reusing waste activities sheet for more ideas.

Provocations

I wonder what the different types of rubbish look like?
I wonder what the different types of rubbish sound like?
I wonder what the different types of rubbish feel like?
I wonder what was inside the different types of rubbish?
I wonder if they can be used for something new? I wonder what they could be used for?

Possible lines of development

Rubbish safety - never touch rubbish on the ground and never play with rubbish bins. Always wash your hands after playing with rubbish.
Different types of waste disposal: rubbish, recycling, compost, worm, chooks etc. What do you use at your centre?

Ages - 2 to 3

What to do

Preparation: Collect a range of waste materials, such as a soft drink can or bottle, an empty tin of beans, a small section of plastic sandwich wrap, chip bag, fruit juice box, paper bag, cardboard box, empty plastic food containers (e.g. ice-cream or margarine or yoghurt), or newspaper. Ensure that all items are clean and that sharp edges are covered in masking tape.

With all the waste materials displayed for children to see, ask children to look more closely at the items of waste and to touch and feel the waste:

What do they feel like? Are they hard or soft? Are they shiny or colourful?
What are they made of (are they paper, plastic or metal)?
What was inside them?

Working with your children, group the waste materials according to one or all of the following:

Colour;
Feel;
Sound;
Size;
Material; and/or
Whether or not you could use them for something new.

Explain to children that some of the items are rubbish and should go in the rubbish bin. Place these items in the bin. Explain that the other items can be put into the recycling bin to be made into new things, but that you can use them before they go into the recycling bin.

Ask your children to demonstrate new ways to use the waste materials. For example:

Place some gum nuts, seeds or dry rice inside a small tub, put the lid on and seal well, and use as a shaker.
Store craft materials inside tubs or paper bags.
Turn the empty tin of beans into a pot plant by filling with soil and planting some grass or peas into the soil.
Make a mosaic out of newspapers.
Use the cardboard box for all sorts of things!

Download the Reusing waste activities sheet for more ideas.

Provocations

I wonder what the different types of rubbish look like?
I wonder what the different types of rubbish feel like?
I wonder what the different types of rubbish are made from?
I wonder what was inside the different types of rubbish?
I wonder if the different types of rubbish go into the rubbish bin or could be recycled?
I wonder if they can be used for something new? I wonder what they could be used for?

Possible lines of development

Rubbish safety - never touch rubbish on the ground and never play with rubbish bins. Always wash your hands after playing with rubbish.
Different types of waste disposal: rubbish, recycling, compost, worm, chooks etc. What do you use at your centre?

Ages - 3 to 5

What to do

Preparation: Collect one empty juice box still with the straw and the little plastic straw wrapper. You will be pulling apart this box with your children. Alternatively, children could work in groups on this activity , in which case you will need several empty juice boxes. In addition, collect a range of the following waste materials, such as a soft drink can or bottle, an empty tin of beans, a small section of plastic sandwich wrap, chip bag, paper bag, cardboard box, empty plastic food containers (e.g. ice-cream or margarine or yoghurt), newspaper, or a glass jar with lid. Ensure that all items are clean and that sharp edges are covered in masking tape.

With all the waste materials displayed for children to see, ask children to look more closely at the items of waste. Talk about:

What the items were used for;
What the items are made from.

Explain to children that some things can be recycled, meaning they will be melted down and turned into something new. Other items can’t be used again should be put into the rubbish bin. Can your children decide which of these items should be recycled and which should be put into the rubbish bin?

Once complete, explain to children that you will now pull apart a juice box to see how many different types of material are used in one item. Begin with the plastic straw and the straw wrapper. Looking at the outside of the box you will see that it is made from cardboard, that there is glue to fix the straw to the box, and a little foil lid where the straw goes into the box. When you break open the box you will see that the inside of the box is made from silver paper lined with plastic. Separate these materials as best you can, or ask children to do it.

How many different materials did you find? What were they? Why do you think there needs to be so many different materials? If the juice box was just made of cardboard then the juice will leak out as cardboard isn’t waterproof.

Provocations

I wonder what the waste items were used for?
I wonder what the waste items are made from?
I wonder how if they should be recycled or put into the rubbish bin?
I wonder how many types of material you can find in the juice box?
I wonder what these materials will be?
I wonder what happens to waste after it has been put into the rubbish bin?

Possible lines of development

Test the waterproofness of materials, including the items of waste. Test to see what happens when you pour water onto paper or cardboard.
Pull apart other items of waste, such as a milk carton or a foil lined crisp bag.
Rubbish safety - never touch rubbish on the ground and never play with rubbish bins. Always wash your hands after playing with rubbish.
Different types of waste disposal at your centre: rubbish, recycling, compost, worms, chooks etc.
Where waste goes - investigate waste disposal systems in your area (this video shows how primary school students reduce waste in their classroom and this video looks at aluminium recycling).
Turn waste into something new: Reusing waste activities

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenge and persisting when difficulty arises
Well-being	Being involved

Embedding into daily practice

Set up a separate 3-bin system: one for food scraps and compostable material (for worm farms, compost bins or sent home for chooks), another for recycling, and a third for landfill - ie the material that cannot be used again.
Start a worm farm and/or compost bin and use the castings to fertilise your garden.
Review your purchasing habits and buy products with recycled content - e.g. toilet paper and paper towel.
Reuse envelopes and paper for art or for note pads.
Hold a children’s book/clothing/toys or baby equipment exchange.

National Recycling Week - Waste and Packaging

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Summary

Activity guides and printables

Activity Details

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

Additional Info

In this activity