Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes	Part B: Exploring Plastics
35 minutes	Part C: Plastic As Waste
5 minutes	Reflection

Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge

Preparation:

Collect a range of objects made from different materials including at least one object made of plastic. Objects could include a plastic marker pen, plastic bag, wooden pencil, fabric made from cotton or wool, paper, glass jar, ceramic cup, and a metal tin or tub.

Step 1.

Begin this lesson by displaying the objects you have collected on the floor or a table and invite students to form a discussion circle around the objects. Without touching any of the objects, ask students to identify what the objects are and what they are made from. Consider working with students to add a small label to each item.

Step 2.

Once each item has been described, you could then invite students to handle each object (carefully) and observe each object through touch, smell and sound. Students can discuss these observations to support or challenge their initial explanations.

Step 3.

Finally, take some time to clarify any uncertainties with the objects and their composition before focusing students' attention on the items made of plastic. Explain that in this lesson they will be focusing on plastic.

Part B: Exploring Plastics

Step 1.

Explain to students the following about plastics: plastics are materials made by people through a chemical process (unlike wood, cotton or clay which come from nature). Plastics can be formed into almost any colour and shape and can be soft or hard (plastic bag versus plastic tub). Plastics are very strong and can last a long time, and don't get damaged by heat, water, electricity or chemicals. We use plastics every day in many different ways.

Invite students to look around the classroom and identify the things they think are plastic. Look for things like:

Furniture
Storage (including plastic tubs and containers)
Stationery
Books (many books are coated in a plastic film)
Devices
School bags
Drink bottles and lunch boxes (and things inside lunch boxes)
Clothes and shoes (polyester, nylon and synthetic materials including synthetic rubber are all forms of plastic)
Light fittings and switches
Carpet (most carpet contains plastic)
Heaters, air conditioners and fans.

Where possible, allow students to touch the different types of plastic. The aim here is for students to understand that plastic comes in many different shapes and textures, has many different uses, and is an important part of our daily lives.

Part C: Plastic As Waste

Step 1.

Explain to students that they are now going to explore a problem with plastic. Invite students to gather around your class rubbish bin and to look inside. Chances are you will see some plastic. Explain to students that the big problem with plastic is when it becomes waste.

Pose the following questions to students (suggested answers included):

I wonder what waste is?
Suggested answer: Waste is any stuff that we no longer want or can use that we throw away into the bin.
I wonder what plastic waste is?
Suggested answer: Plastic waste is any plastic stuff that we no longer want or can use that we throw away into the bin.
I wonder if you can think of any examples of plastic waste?
Suggested answers: Food packaging and wrappers, plastic bottles, plastic bags, straws.

Invite students to suggest what types of plastic waste they saw in the class bin.

Step 2.

Students will now watch a clip from War On Waste and participate in a guided discussion around this clip. Explain to students that this clip talks about plastic waste and why it is a problem.

Watch the War On Waste episode using the links below:

Episode 1, The Battle Continues - 3:13 to 7:46

To conduct the guided discussion, stop the clip at the points listed below and use the related questions to stimulate discussion (some suggested answers, discussion points and questions also provided):

3:46 - I wonder what recycling means? I wonder what incinerating means? I wonder what landfill/environment means?
Suggested answers: Recycling means to turn a waste item into something new that you can use. Incinerating means to burn something in order to get rid of it. Putting something in landfill means to dig a hole in the ground and fill it with waste (see Landfill lmage). This section of the clip also talks about 'environment'; this refers to waste that is left in our environment as litter.
3:59 - I wonder what is happening here?
Suggested answer: This is an image of a turtle with a plastic straw up its nose. The straw was litter that blew into the sea and was inhaled by the turtle. Luckily for this turtle the straw was removed and it was fine.
4:23 - I wonder what a ‘plastic footprint’ might be?
Suggested answer: When we talk about something having a ‘footprint’, we are talking about the impact that it has on the environment around it. In this case, we are talking about the impact that plastic waste has on our environment.
Year 3 Differentiation - Scientists can study the way plastic interacts with our environment and make predictions about how large amounts of waste will impact our environment. This can help all of us to understand the impacts of waste on our environment and to take action to prevent it.
4:32 - I wonder what single-use plastics are?
Suggested answer: Single-use plastics are those that we only use once, like plastic bags, straws or fizzy drink bottles.
4:53 - I wonder what soft plastics are?
Suggested answer: Soft plastics are any plastic waste items that you can scrunch in your hand (known as the scrunch test!), such as food packaging and bags. Hard plastics are those that you can’t scrunch up in your hand.

Step 3.

Once complete, explain to students that they will create their own plastic footprint. This could be done with each student drawing an outline of their own foot and then:

Writing or drawing some of the types of plastic that they use inside the foot
Sticking pieces of plastic waste that they collect to the foot

You could also make a class foot on a large piece of paper, where each student contributes to the work by adding or drawing items of plastic waste to the foot.

Differentiation: Year 3 students could also conduct research into some of the impacts of plastic waste on our environment and include these in their work.

Step 4.

Consider displaying your work where other members of the school community can view your students’ work.

Reflection

Invite students to reflect on what they looked at in this lesson by participating in a class discussion or working independently (depending on age or ability) to respond in writing to the following:

I used to think…
Now I think...

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?

War On Waste - Tuning Into Plastic Waste

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