PrimaryGeographyScience

Plastic recycling – KS2 science and geography lesson plan

What's included?

PDF lesson plan and interactive workbook

Key Stage

KS2

Age

Years 3-6

Subjects

In this plastic recycling lesson, send students on a plastics hunt in the classroom. Sort the items you find to make the link between the littering alien in the included interactive workbook and the plastics we find in everyday use.

This lesson, perfect for World Environment Day, takes pupils on a recycling journey – encouraging them to make their own choices and lead the direction the story takes.

This helps them to learn new facts about plastic pollution and reinforces the view that caring for the environment is an important part of life.

Plastic recycling lesson objectives

  • Understand how our actions can impact on the environment
  • Understand how plastics get into the ocean
  • Learn plastic is valuable and how we can reuse it if we recycle it
  • Discover how we recycle plastics into new products

Starter activity

Hold up a plastic bottle and ask pupils to discuss with a partner how long they think it will take to break down.

Are they surprised to learn that it could take hundreds of years? What impact might this have on the animals and plants that live in the oceans? And how might this affect us?

Go on a plastic hunt around the school or classroom. Collect as many plastic items as possible – water bottles, glue sticks, plastic bags, washing-up bowls and pens. You’ll use these items later in the lesson when the children sort their own recycling.

Kirsty Beasley is a Year 6 teacher at Cam Everlands Primary School, Gloucestershire.

Plastic recycling lesson plan
DOWNLOAD A FREE RESOURCE!
Plastic recycling – KS2 science and geography lesson plan
PrimaryGeographyScience

You'll also receive regular updates from Teachwire with free lesson plans, great new teaching ideas, offers, and more. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Which sectors are you interested in?




By signing up you agree to our Terms & Conditions and privacy policy

Explore teaching packs

Pie Corbett Ultimate KS2 Fiction Collection
Pie Corbett Ultimate KS2 Fiction Collection
Fire up KS2 pupils' imagination with this collection of 20+ fictional stories, written by literacy expert Pie Corbett. Each ... more
21 x resources
Pie Corbett KS2 Non-Fiction Collection
Use Pie Corbett’s non-fiction texts to inspire your KS2 pupils to get writing. Each resource contains an original text in ... more
7 x resources
Pie Corbett KS2 Poetry Collection
Inspire KS2 pupils to be creative and express themselves with this pack of Pie Corbett poetry. Each of these Pie Corbett Tal... more
7 x resources
WAGOLL classroom resources
WAGOLL Packs from Real Authors
Peer inside the mind of award-winning children's authors and help pupils understand how to create engaging characters, capti... more
13 x resources
Art KS2 inspiring medium term plans
Art KS2 Inspiring Medium Term Plans
Get pupils' creative juices flowing with these expert medium-term art plans for KS2. Each resource consists of a full half-t... more
6 x resources
Magical Harry Potter Teaching Ideas
Magical Harry Potter Teaching Ideas
Spark pupils' imaginations with these inventive and exciting teaching ideas, all themed around the wonderful world of Harry ... more
11 x resources