School Lesson Plan In Recycling

We offer a range of play equipment and playground products which is manufactured out of recycled plastic. This material has numerous benefits but one of its main attributes is that it diverts plastic waste away from landfill as it can be fully recycled and is therefore incredibly eco friendly and it protects the environment. We are teaching our children all about how to be more environmentally friendly and aware and how they can be more involved in the whole process rather than just learning about it. In fact the projects that schools complete as part of their Eco Schools initiative are usually led by pupils and the accreditations look for how these young people have been involved in the whole process.

So it was interesting to learn that one of the primary schools we have recently supplied with some recycled plastic play equipment had used it as a lesson plan to teach children about the recycling process.

Here’s a lesson plan therefore designed to engage primary-aged children on the topic of recycling and the environmental benefits of using recycled plastic for playgrounds.

Lesson Plan: Understanding the Importance of Recycling Plastic

Objective:
To teach children about the environmental benefits of recycling plastic and how their playground equipment can be made from recycled materials, thereby promoting sustainability and engaging in the green economy.

Materials To Be Used:

• Visuals of playground equipment made from recycled plastic – these can be taken from our website
• Plastic items (water bottles, containers, milk cartons) to be used as examples
• A whiteboard or interactive display for discussion and Q&A
• Printed stats or images about plastic waste, litter and recycling

1. Introduction

The teacher could start by asking the class how they think their new playground equipment in recycled plastic is made and what it is actually made from. The children could then explore how recycling helps the environment and the planet and how that throw-away waste can now become a new part of the school playground! The pupils could be asked about their perceptions of the recycling process and how this works. They could also give examples of when they have seen plastic waste on the roadside cast aside as litter and how they feel about this.

Key Facts to Share:

• 100 billion pieces of plastic are thrown away every year in the UK—that’s heavier than 30 aircraft carriers!
• But there’s good news: 125 million plastic containers are recycled in the UK each year, which saves 3.5 million kilograms of carbon from going into the air.

2. Activity 1: Plastic to Playground

They could do some research on how waste is turned into a product such as playground equipment and  how it is safe to use

• Use visuals to show the transformation: Plastic waste → Recycling plant → Playground equipment.

Some Example Engagement Questions:

• How do you think plastic bottles become playground play towers or picnic benches?
• Would you rather see plastic floating in the sea or litter beside the road or used for something useful like your school’s playground?

3. Activity 2: Quiz & Stats

Some suggestions for some questions which the children could research and come up with answers for

Questions for Children:

4. How many pieces of plastic are thrown away each year in the UK?
   • (Answer: 100 billion, which is heavier than 30 aircraft carriers!)
5. How many plastic containers are recycled in the UK every year?
   • (Answer: 125 million containers, which saves 3.5 million kilograms of carbon and 12,500 trees being cut down!)
6. Why is recycling plastic important for animals and nature?
   • (Answer: It stops plastic pollution, which hurts animals and habitats.)
   • Conclusion: How We Can All Help Save the Environment and Protect the Planet

The teacher could encourage the children to think about the processes of recycling and encourage them to think about how they and their families can be part of the recycling loop. Ask them to give examples of what they have done in this instance and what they are doing to stop waste going to landfill or being discarded into the oceans and seas thereby harming sealife.

Homework Suggestion:
Ask children to bring in a plastic item from home that can be recycled, and discuss how it could be turned into something useful.

This lesson plan should help children understand the importance of recycling and how their school playground can be part of a bigger solution for protecting the environment and saving the planet for many more generations to come.

 

We have also put together some videos on this subject too which can assist in this lesson plan

These can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

 

If your school would like to benefit from some playground equipment in recycled plastic, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01832 275902 or email: info@hideouthouse.com