What rubbish?
Year level
Lower Primary to Upper Primary with extension activities listed at end of lesson plan.
Lesson description
Students collect every piece of rubbish they generate through the course of a school day
and at the end of the day assemble all this rubbish together in one large clear bag. This
display is then used in a presentation to the rest of the school to demonstrate how much
waste is generated by the school community every single day.
In this lesson students will:
 become aware of the amount of waste each person at school on a daily basis
 gain an understanding of why we need to reduce our waste
 discuss different ways of managing ur waste more sustainably
Curriculum links
Foundation
The reasons why some places are special to people, and how they can be looked after
(Geography - ACHGK004)
Year 3
Work in groups to identify issues, possible solutions and a plan for action (Civics & Citizenship ACHCS008)
Years 3 and 4
Describe strategies to make the classroom and playground healthy, safe and active spaces
(Health & Physical Education - ACPPS040)
Year 4
The importance of environments to animals and people, and different views on how they can
be protected (Geography - ACHGK022)
Materials
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Plastic bag for every student
Piece of string or belt to attach bag around waist of each student
Large clear plastic bag (to hold all the rubbish)
Posters: ‘What goes in your recycling bin?’ and ‘What goes in a compost bin?’ as
available through Brisbane City Council education officers
Brisbane City Council
Rethink Your Rubbish Lesson Plan: What Rubbish?
Procedure
1. Students attach a plastic bag to belt or string around their waste when they first arrive
at school. For the remainder of the school day, every piece of rubbish that they
generate is placed in the bag, whether or not that bit of rubbish could have been
recycled, composted or would have gone in the general waste bin.
2. At the end of the day each student counts how many pieces of rubbish are in their
bag and how many of these could be recycled or composted. They then record this
information.
3. All of the rubbish is then emptied into the one large clear plastic bag and a
photograph taken of all the rubbish generated.
4. Data is collated from all students to determine:
a. how many pieces of rubbish were generated by the combined number of
students;
b. how much of this could be recycled and how much could be composted;
(you may wish to use posters ‘What goes in your recycling bin?’ and ‘What
goes in a compost bin?’ to assist students to come up with answers.)
c. were there any items that could be reused?
d. on the basis of the data collected, how much waste would be generated in a
week and in a year by students.
5. Discuss ways in which the rubbish could be reduced, reused, recycled or composted.
Extension activities
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Create a display using the large bag of rubbish and the data collected.
Come up with some strategies such as a nude food day once a week or setting up a
compost bin or classroom recycling to reduce the amount of waste being generated
within the school.
Give a presentation at parade about the amount of waste being generated by the
school and new strategies being introduced to reduce this waste.
Brisbane City Council
Rethink Your Rubbish Lesson Plan: What Rubbish?