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3c
Research
Preparation time: 15 min
Teaching time: 60 min

Repair, recycle and reduce waste

Students will learn about different approaches to managing waste and see which applies to the retail, industry and school examples looked at so far. Students will visit a local plastic-free shop to learn about some of the challenges they face putting the concept into action. Students will explore whether any of their methods could be replicated in school (i.e. school canteen) and discuss ideas with the shop’s customers for feedback to inform activities undertaken in Learning Unit 5.

Format

  • Discussion
  • Field trip
  • Group work
  • Presentation
  • Survey

Age

  • 13-14

What

The possible connections with your curriculum

  • Design
  • Earth & Space Sciences
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Life Sciences

Who

The people who take up the teacher role

  • Community member
  • Teacher

Where

The locations where learning takes place

  • Business areas

With

The community stakeholders to collaborate with

  • Local businesses

Ready for action?

Resources

Tangible Resources

pen, note paper

Human Resources

extra adults to facilitate field trip

Preparation

Organise visit to local plastic-free shop, prepare paperwork for off-site visits if necessary.

Goals, messages & concepts

Specific goals

  • To explore the 6Rs: Rethink, reuse, recycle, repair, reduce and refuse.
  • To learn about how to run a plastic free shop, and the challenges such shops face.

Specific messages

  • Shops and other businesses can become plastic free by using the 6Rs.
  • The 6Rs can help reduce the amount of waste produced in school as well as the local community.

Main terms

  • 6Rs
  • rethink
  • reuse
  • recycle
  • repair
  • reduce
  • refuse

Practices & skills

STEM practices

  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions
  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
  • Asking questions and defining problems

Soft skills

  • Teamwork and collaboration

Management skills

  • Planning
  • Use of resources

Course of activity

step 1

Introduce students to the 6Rs in class, and discuss which ‘R’s apply to the retail, industrial and school examples of waste management looked at so far.

step 2

Students will visit a local plastic-free shop called Plantifulshop, and learn about how they keep it plastic-free, how they work differently with their customers and suppliers, and the challenges they face.

step 3

In groups, students will discuss whether any of the shop’s plastic-free methods could be replicated in school (i.e. school canteen).

step 4

Students will then discuss ideas with the shop's customers and get feedback to inform Learning Unit 5 later.