Learning Plan
Title: Rubbish Relay
Children are divided into 3 teams each with bag of rubbish and in a relay format take turns to pick an
item and put it in the correct place such as recycling bin, compost bin, charity shop or waste bin.
The best team is with the most correct.
Key stage/year: Key Stage 1 & 2
Desired Results
Aims :
Links to National Curriculum:
 Science Sc2: Living things in their environment- care for the environment
Sc3: Materials and their properties- Grouping materials-, recognise and name materials,
highlighting their uses
Sc3: Changing materials- how materials change through processes

Citizenship & PSHE: Preparing to play an active role as citizens what harms the environment
and they ways people can look after it.

Geography KS1 & KS2: Knowledge and understanding of environmental change and
sustainable development
Learning objectives:


Understand which items can go in their kerbside/school recycling bag/bin
Understand what they can compost or send to the charity shop
NB: This is a good activity to do after a recycling talk so participants can practice what they have
learnt.
Learning Plan
Learning Activities:
Equipment required:
Three black bags of rubbish each containing the same number of items (see attached list).
Three of each: kitchen waste caddies, waste bins, recycling bags/bins, spot markers, charity shop
bin.
Time required:
30 minutes
Attitude and behaviour:
Children should not run and take it in turns to take an item out of the rubbish bag and put in
appropriate bin.
Instructions to play:
 Game suitable for a class of maximum 28 – 30 students
 Set up spot marker, recycling bag, compost bin, waste bin and charity shop in a line. Have 3
lines, with 3 different coloured spot markers.
 Split the children into 3 teams and get them to sit behind each of the spot markers (Picture1)
 Give each team one of the black bags of rubbish.





Explain the aim is to take rubbish from the bag to the right bag/bin.
Go through certain items which may cause confusion. E.g. glass with plastic bubble wrap is
actually just glass; imagine pretend fruit is real fruit.
Only one person should be moving at any one time and carry only one item from the black
bag at a time, and you need to keep going until you run out of rubbish.
When the team has finished they have to all sit down on the floor.
Remind children it is not a race but about getting the most items correct.
Equipment
Equipment
Three black bags of rubbish each containing the same number of items:
30 potential points for each team:
Material
Recycled Paper
Cardboard
Glass
Plastic
Metal
Cartons
Textiles
Organic Waste
Non-Recyclables
Items
Envelope
Magazine
Yellow Pages
Box
Box with insert
Bottle/jar
Small Bottle
Large Bottle
Tub
Pot
Drink Can
Food Tin
Aerosol
Small Carton
Large Carton
Clothing
Pair of Shoes
Compostable
Meat/Fish
Paper Towel
Crisp Packet
Carrier Bag
Laminated Paper
Cling Film
Foil
Shredded Paper
Points
1
1
1
1
1+1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Picture 1: Set up of the Rubbish Relay – Charity Shop, waste bin, compost bin, recycling bag, spot
marker with children lined up behind the spot marker.