Lesson Plans
Here you will find lesson plans available to download.
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Landfill and HRC Visit
This workshop takes place at Wingmoor Farm Landfill site. Schools are asked to arrange their own transport to and from the site. Children will see the lorries being weighed and unloading their waste, garden waste being composted, wood to be chipped, recovered land and the Household Recycling Centre. Suitable for KS2 & 3.
NC links: Geography KS2 5a, b Citizenship/PSHE KS2 2a.
Marvellous Materials
Delve into the feely bag and describe the materials inside. Learn which materials can be recycled and what happens to those that are not. Act out the journey taken by a glass bottle from recycling box through the recycling process and on to the shop. Finish off by making a green box picture or fridge magnet as a reminder of what can be recycled. Suitable for Foundation Stage & KS1.
NC links: Citizenship/PSHE 2g, Geography 5a, b.
Massive Minibeasts
Get up close and personal with some of the creatures that live in a compost bin. Play a game of ‘bug bingo’, learn some fascinating bug facts and study them under a digital microscope. Find out how a compost bin works and why it’s important to compost. Suitable for KS1 & 2.
NC links: Science Sc2, Citizenship/PSHE 5a, b.
Recycled Materials Workshop
Have fun handling a variety of objects made from recycled materials and guessing
what they have been made from. Learn about the variety of materials that can be
recycled and how the recycling process changes the material. Suitable for KS1 & KS2.
NC links: Science Sc3, Citizenship/PSHE 2, Geography 3 KS2 5.
Compost Cafe
Find out about compost, what it is, how it is made and why making it is good for the environment. Use the session to introduce composting in school or to re-enthuse pupils and staff! Suitable for KS1 and 2.
NC links: Geography 5a, b, Science Sc2 5, Citizenship 2.
Mini Composters
A great science experiment for children to discover the process of compost. Children work in groups or individually to fill a 2 litre bottle with layers of compostable materials. The bottle is studied over several days/weeks to discover what happens to its contents. Suitable for KS1 & 2.
NC links: KS1 Science 1a, b, c & d, Citizenship/PSHE 2g, KS1 & 2 Geography 5a, b, KS2 Citizenship/PSHE 2a, Science 1a, 2d
Lunch Box Detectives
This activity is an opportunity to examine the types of packaging which can be found in a lunchbox. Children decide what will happen to the packaging when it has been finished with and whether there are any more environmentally friendly alternatives available. Suitable for KS1 & 2.
NC links: KS1 Citizenship/PSHE 2g, KS1 & 2 Geography 5a, b, KS2 Citizenship/PSHE 2a.
Recycler, the Recycling Robot
A workshop to introduce pre-school children to waste and recycling. The children will dress up in high visibility jackets, sort materials and use Recycler to transform them into something new.
Waste Pizzas
A practical, hands-on workshop to look at the amount and different types of waste we produce. The class work together to make a fabulous waste pizza (ideal for display, certainly not for eating!) to illustrate the percentages of the different types of waste we throw in the bin. Suitable for KS1 & 2.
NC links: KS1 Science 1a, b, c & d, Citizenship/PSHE 2g, KS1 & 2 Geography 5a, b, KS2 Citizenship/PSHE 2a, Science 1a, 2d.
Is Plastic Fantastic?
Learn about plastic and decide if it is fantastic. Investigate and sort different types of plastic. Find out about the processes of recycling plastic and handle samples of partially recycled plastics. Learn about the problems associated with disposing of plastics. Finish the session by transforming a plastic container into something new. Suitable for KS2.
NC links: Citizenship/PSHE 2g, KS2 Geography 5a, b, KS2 Citizenship/PSHE 2a, Science 1a, 2d.
Worms, worms, worms!
An activity designed to highlight the main features of worms, their lifecycles and the fact that they are one of nature’s top recyclers. Explore the wormery and use magnifying glasses to look closely at the worms and their cocoons. Suitable for KS1 & 2.
NC links: KS1 Citizenship/PSHE 2g, KS1 & 2 Geography 5a, b, KS2 Citizenship/PSHE 2a.
Carrier Bag Monsters
A practical, hands-on workshop to look at waste produced by carrier bag use. The children will make fabulous carrier bag holders, promoting reducing and reusing, to use at home. The workshop lasts about an hour and is suitable for KS1 and 2 (although younger children will need plenty of adult support).
NC links: KS1 Citizenship/PSHE 2g, KS2 Citizenship/PSHE 2a, KS1 & 2 Geography 5a, b.
3Rs House
Children work in small groups to discuss and compare large laminated posters of two homes (one belonging to a family who are good at reducing, reusing and recycling and one who are not). They investigate a range of products such as reusable nappies, ‘bags for life’ and refillable drinks flasks. Using what they have discussed the children select the best rooms to create the ‘ideal’ 3R’s house. This activity lasts about an hour and is suitable for KS2.
NC links: Geography 5a, b, Citizenship/PSHE 2a.
Packaging
Investigate the packaging of a range of household products. What is it used for? What is it made of? What will happen to it next? Learn how to recycle packaging, make an envelope from a magazine page or a wallet from a tetra pack – the possibilities are endless! Workshop lasts about an hour and a half and is suitable for KS2.
NC links: Geography 5a, b, Citizenship/PSHE 2a, Science 1a, 2d.
Get the Rag Rug Bug!
An opportunity to learn about recycling in a practical way and to make a colourful class wall hanging. The lesson links well with history, DT or art topics. Suitable for KS2.
NC links: Geography 5a, b, Citizenship/PSHE 2a, Art 2.
Love Food Hate Waste
An opportunity to learn about the environmental impact of disposing of food waste.
Children will think about ways food waste can be reduced and make a shopping list
note book. Suitable for KS2.
NC links: Citizenship/PSHE 1a, 1c, 2a. Geography 5a/b.
Another Fine Mess!
his workshop uses the story by Tony Bonning. Using the story and photographs children find out what happens to rubbish that is thrown away and discover that reusing and recycling are better environmental options. The session finishes with the children reusing materials to create their own sock puppets. Most suitable for Reception and Year 1 classes.
NC links Science: 1a, b, c & d, Citizenship/PSHE: 2g, Geography: 5a,b. EYFS (KUW) Find out about their environment, and talk about those features they like and dislike
All Sorted!
This workshop looks at familiar household rubbish. Children sort the rubbish by material and learn about other items the materials can be recycled into. They finish the session by making a lift the flap picture. Most suitable for Reception and Year 1 pupils.
NC links Science: 1a, b, c & d, Citizenship/PSHE: 2g, Geography: 5a,b, EYFS (KUW) Investigate objects and materials, Find out about, and identify, some features of objects they observe. Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change.
World War 2
The ‘reduce, reuse, recycle and compost messages’ are certainly not new. During the Second World War some materials were really hard to come by, therefore it was really important that nothing was wasted.