Education and Awareness education is at the centre of driving a change of attitude towards valuing waste as a resource. Linking the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle messages within lessons and practically within your schools grounds is important for encouraging young people to think differently about the waste we create. Perth and Kinross Council s Waste Services Team can help to support the delivery of waste awareness education, which links in with the Curriculum for Excellence, the Scottish Government s Sustainable Development Education and Eco-Schools Scotland. Activities have been developed that focus on the areas of resource efficiency, the circular economy, sustainable development, responsible citizenship, and the environmental impact of litter and waste. A Waste Awareness Coordinator will work with you to schedule a time for the delivery of an age appropriate activity. Where Waste Awareness Coordinators attend with pupil groups it is important that teachers are also present to provide supervision and support to ensure learning objectives are met. Some activities can be adapted for groups with learning support needs. To make a place a booking request please contact our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476, or e-mail WasteAwareness@pkc.gov.uk. Activities: Recycling Relays The story of King Wastealot s Picnic (litter & recycling) The story of King Wastealot and the Mountain of Rubbish (waste & recycling) Snakes and Ladders Recycling Floor Game Who Wants to be Waste Aware Game Fishing for Litter Floor Game Michael Recycle, by Ellie Bethel Litterbug Doug : A Michael Recycle Adventure, by Ellie Bethel Waste and Recycling (Monopoly style) floor game All school assembly or class talks (litter, waste & recycling, or food waste) Zero Waste Packed Lunch Activity Managing Environmental Resources (MER) class talk Additional activities 1
Recycling Relays Waste Awareness Education Description: This activity is suitable for a single class or up to a whole school assembly (floor space required) where up to 5 x 7 groups of children participate in an energetic recycling relay. Participants race to put on a hi-viz jacket, a hard hat, and pick up a litter stick, before moving on to a pile of mixed recycling where a single item is deposited into a recycling bin. Participants return equipment to where they picked it up, and tag the next member in the line, until all items are recycled. Message: What types of materials can be easily recycled in a blue-lidded bin across Perth and Kinross. Age suitability: P1 P7 No. of participants: A minimum of 12 to a maximum of 30. Classes can take turns while the audience cheer them on. Activity duration: Dependent on the number of participants and groups. recycling relay cycle takes approximately 15 minutes. One Room requirements: Sports hall Materials required: 5 x litter picks, 5 x hard hats, 5 x children s size hi-viz vests, 5 x recycling bins, a mix of mixed recycling (all supplied). King Wastealot s Picnic (a story on litter & recycling) Description: The story of King Wastealot s Picnic and the Problems with Litter is available for Nurseries to borrow to read to young children, with supporting picture slides which can be provided on request. Message: King Wastealot lives in a castle on the top of a hill and loves to have picnics outdoors. One year the King invites the whole kingdom to a picnic by the river, and without thinking they leave behind a lot of litter. When the party returns a year later they discover that the rubbish they left hasn t gone away, and the damage this causes to wildlife and the environment. The King works with the village to clean up, and learns a valuable lesson. Age suitability: Nursery aged 3-5 and P1-P2. No. of participants: 5-25 children Activity duration: The reading of the story with some audience participation and question/answers takes on average 20-30 minutes. Room requirements: A room with space to set up a projector and screen, and to seat all of the children. Materials required: Projector, projector screen, laptop (let us know if you already have these facilities), PowerPoint presentation, King s robe and crown, picnic bag and story book. 2
King Wastealot and the Mountain of Rubbish (a story on waste & recycling) Description: The story of King Wastealot and the Mountain of Rubbish is available for Nurseries to borrow to read to young children, with supporting picture slides which can be provided on request. Message: King Wastealot lives in a castle on the top of a hill and loves to have big parties where there is lots of food to eat. When his parties are finished there is a lot of rubbish left over. They did not have bin lorries to take away the rubbish in the King s kingdom, so he threw all the rubbish out of the back door of the castle until it covered the village below. When no-one in the village came to his next part the King went to find out why. The King saw all the rubbish he had made and learned how long it takes for rubbish to rot away. The King works with the village to clean up and Reduce, Reuse and Recycle all the rubbish, and learns a valuable lesson. Age suitability: P1-P3. No. of participants: 5-25 children Activity duration: The reading of the story with some audience participation and question/answers takes on average 20-30 minutes. Room requirements: A room with space to set up a projector and screen, and to seat all of the children. Materials required: Projector, projector screen, laptop (let us know if you already have these facilities), PowerPoint presentation, King s robe and crown, 5 x children s hi-viz jackets, broom and story book. Snakes and Ladders Recycling Floor Game Description: The snakes and ladders floor game is suitable to be played by half a class at a time, usually in combination with another activity/event. The group is split into 4 small teams and are given a place marker, taking turns at rolling the large foam dice. Groups that land on the base of a ladder have the opportunity to go up, or down when landing on a snakes head. Teams that land on a waste aware square are asked a question on recycling, and if answered correctly move ahead one square. This activity works best after a talk or presentation. This game is available to borrow on a week loan. Message: This floor game invites team working to discuss answers to questions on waste and recycling. Age suitability: P1-P7 No. of participants: A half class at a time, or as one activity among others during an Eco-Day. Activity duration: Approximately 20-30 minutes. Room requirements: Floor space to allow for a large vinyl game mat (3m x 3m). This activity could be played in the school yard on a clear day. 3
Materials required: Vinyl floor game, list of Q&A s, 2 x large foam dice, 4 x place markers for the board. Who Wants to be Waste Aware! Description: This is an energetic and interactive game that is usually played at a whole school assembly with an audience. Participants are nominated by teachers beforehand (preferably up to 8 x P5-P7 participants), who are called down to play closest figure first. A bale of squashed cans is presented, and participants write their guess about the number of cans on their individual marker board. The participant with the closest guess is invited to play Who Wants to be Waste Aware, with a PowerPoint presentation running in the background where questions are asked and answers are locked in. Between each series of questions, information on waste and recycling is read out. Opportunities are also given to phone a friend/teacher or ask the audience. Message: The aim of this activity is to share information on waste and recycling services and the Reduce Reuse Recycle message. The environmental impacts of landfilling waste are also covered. Age suitability: Participants should be P5-P7, with names provided to the ahead of time. This activity works best as part of a whole school assembly (P3+) where everyone has a chance to cheer participants on and answer audience questions. No. of participants: From one class to a whole school assembly. requires 8 chosen participants, with names provided ahead of time. This game Activity duration: This activity takes approximately 40 minutes. Room requirements: Dependent on the size of the group this game requires a class room or sports hall with the ability to project to a screen. Materials required: Bale of cans and gloves, 8 x marker boards and pens, 8 x recycled gifts, projector, laptop and screen (let us know if you already have these facilities), PowerPoint presentation, information script, participation certificate. Fishing for Litter Floor Game Description: The fishing for litter floor game is suitable to be played by a single class at a time, usually in combination with another activity/event. Each member of the group will have a chance to fish for litter from the river to help clean up the area. Message: This floor game encourages team work and some skill to fish for litter from the river. It is good to relate this activity to places pupils may have seen litter in parks or on walks. The impact of litter on the environment and wildlife, as well as the cost and difficulties in cleaning up litter are covered. Age suitability: Nursery (age 3+) to P7 No. of participants: Up to a whole class, or as one activity among others during an Eco-Day. 4
Activity duration: Approximately 15 minutes. Room requirements: Floor space to allow for a vinyl floor game (3m x 3m). This activity could alternatively be held in the school yard on a clear day. Materials required: Vinyl floor game, fishing rods, hooked litter. The story of Michael Recycle, by Ellie Bethel Description: Nurseries or schools are welcome to borrow the book and slideshow on a week loan (n.b: not delivered by Waste Awareness Coordinators). The story of Michael Recycle is a children s book written by Ellie Bethel, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo, and published in 2008. Message: I'm Michael Recycle for all that I'm worth I'm green and I'm keen to save planet Earth! A small town is in desperate need of salvation...from drowning in rubbish at the hands of its lazy and wasteful inhabitants! The story is of Michael Recycle, the green-caped crusader, as he rescues the town and proves that recycling can actually be quite good fun! Age suitability: Nursery (age 3+) to P2 No. of participants: Class or group activity Activity duration: 20 minutes Room requirements: Room with the ability to project images. Materials required: Illustrated book, projector and screen, and PowerPoint slides. The story of Litterbug Doug: A Michael Recycle Adventure, by Ellie Bethel Description: Nurseries or schools are welcome to borrow the book and slideshow on a week loan (n.b: not delivered by Waste Awareness Coordinators).The story of Litterbug Doug is a children s book written by Ellie Bethel, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo, and published in 2009. Message: Litterbug Doug is lazy, wasteful and messy!...but most of all he hates recycling! Only Michael Recycle, Planet Earth's Super Green Hero, can save the day and change Doug's wasteful littering ways. So watch out, don t litter or drop one small piece Doug s there in a flash he s the Litter Police! Age suitability: Nursery (3+) to P2 No. of participants: Class or group activity Activity duration: 20 minutes Room requirements: Room with the ability to project images. Materials required: Illustrated book, projector and screen, and PowerPoint slides. 5
Waste and Recycling (Monopoly style) floor game Description: Schools are welcome to borrow this game on a week loan (n.b: not delivered by Waste Awareness Coordinators). A knowledge based game which tests understanding of the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle messages. The aim of this game is for the 4 participating groups to collect as many green points as possible by answering questions and turning rubbish cards to recycled cards. Question difficulty ranges from basic, to tricky and challenging. The team with the most points at the end is the winner. Message: This floor game activity encourages team working where pupils can demonstrate their waste awareness, and share recycling tips. Age suitability: P4-P7 No. of participants: 16-20, or as one activity among others during an Eco-Day. Activity duration: Approximately 1 hour Room requirements: Floor space to allow for a vinyl game board (3m x 3m). This activity must be played indoors. Materials required: Vinyl floor game, 4 counters, 1 large dice, green point s cards, future cards, 6 rubbish/recycled cards per team. All school assembly or class talks (litter, waste and recycling, or food waste) Description: A class or whole school assembly talk provides an opportunity to improve waste awareness, and tackle issues of food waste and litter. Talks are created to be engaging and interactive, utilising projected images and audience participation. Message: A class or school assembly talk can focus on the problems with landfill, where our natural resources come from, the recycling journey, and how to Reduce Reuse and Recycle more of our waste A litter talk will focus on the environmental impact of litter in Scotland and abroad, the clean-up and cost implications, and the importance of responsible citizenship. A talk on food waste covers the environmental impacts of food waste from farm and factory to landfill sites, also where food waste typically arises, and how we can Reduce, Reuse and Recycle unavoidable food waste. Age suitability: P3-P7 and Senior Schools S1-S6 (adjusted to age) No. of participants: From a single class to a whole school assembly Activity duration: Between 30-50 minutes Room requirements: Dependent on the size of the group this game requires a class room or sports hall with the ability to project. 6
Materials required: Smart board or projector, laptop and screen (let us know if you already have these facilities), PowerPoint presentation, props where available. Zero Waste Packed Lunch Description: This activity involves pupils who bring in a packed lunch to primary school, and works well to communicate messages about the impacts of avoidable food waste and the problems associated with excess packaging. A Waste Awareness Coordinator gives an assembly talk before lunch to discuss food waste and explain how the Zero Waste Lunch activity will work. The Coordinators will stay in the packed lunch room during the break to oversee the collection of 3 waste types: food waste, recyclable packaging and non-recyclable packaging. At the end of lunch the 3 sacks are weighed and the results are recorded. Packed lunch pupils are given a leaflet to take home which explains the Zero Waste Lunch concept and lists hints and tips. Coordinators return within a week/fortnight to re-measure the results to measure if waste arisings and composition has changed. Message: The environmental and cost benefits of reducing avoidable food waste and the value of food waste recycling and home composting. Schools may want to run this activity alongside work around healthy eating. Age suitability: Whole school P1- P7. No. of participants: This is a whole primary school activity that works best when there are a good proportion of pupils who bring a packed lunch. Activity duration: Assembly talk is 20-30 minutes, plus 2 lunch periods with a break in-between. Room requirements: Hall with the ability to project a presentation to the whole school, and access to the packed lunch room and bins. Materials required: PowerPoint presentation, Smart Board or projector, laptop and screen (let us know if you already have these facilities), clear plastic sacks, digital handheld scale. Managing Environmental Resources - class talk Description: A talk available for groups undertaking MER coursework studies at a senior school or college. Message: The Scottish Government s Zero Waste Vision and the associated Regulations are having a direct impact on local authorities and businesses, and the way waste is collected and treated. MER covers in detail the sustainable development timeline, resource efficiency concepts, key legislation and policy developments, and the variety of waste treatment options. Issues around population pressures are also examined and the circular economy, and legislated waste and recycling targets. Age suitability: S5-S6 MER pupils or Perth College MER students No. of participants: Class talk 7
Activity duration: Approximately 1 hour Room requirements: A room with the ability to project. Materials required: Smart board or projector, laptop and screen (let us know if you already have these facilities), PowerPoint presentation. Additional Activities: School litter picks: For information on how to conduct a litter survey (LEAMS for schools), draft a Litter Action Plan for your school, or if you would simple like to undertake a school litter pick, please visit our Litter Education in Schools page for more information at http://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/2582/litter-education-in-schools Visits to the Waste Education Boardwalk (WEBWalk Friarton): Please visit our WEBWalk information page for details of how to book a group visit to our innovate outdoor interpretation centre http://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/2583/waste-education-boardwalk-webwalk A Waste Awareness Coordinator will work with your group to schedule in an age appropriate activity and assess time and availability. To make a place a booking request please contact our Customer Service Centre on 01738 476476, or e-mail WasteAwareness@pkc.gov.uk. 8