GoalExplain how to waste less, reuse things and recycle them, and read a table of recycling.
New words
recycle · to make old things into new thingsreuse · to use something againwaste · what is thrown away
Explanation
Making things uses materials from the Earth, and rubbish takes up land. We can waste less. We can reduce, which means to use less. We can reuse, which means to use a thing again. A glass jar can hold pencils. We can also recycle. Paper, plastic, glass and tin cans can be collected and turned into new things. Many bins have a symbol with three arrows to show that things inside can be recycled. When we recycle, we need fewer new materials, and there is less rubbish.
Worked examples
material
paper
plastic
glass
tins
things
9
12
4
6
Leo’s family sort their rubbish for one week. They count 9 paper things, 12 plastic things, 4 glass jars and 6 tins.
The bar chart shows that plastic is the biggest group. Leo’s family decide to buy one big bottle of juice instead of many small ones, so they make less plastic waste.
Use both sides of paper, and take a cloth bag shopping. These reduce waste.
Class activity
Recycling box (with an adult): for one week, put clean empty items in four boxes at home: paper, plastic, glass or tin, and “reuse”. Wash and dry things first, and take care with sharp edges (do not touch broken glass or open tins). At the end of the week count how many things are in each box and show it in a tally chart. Which box has the most? What could you reuse?
Practice
1
Name three things that can be recycled.
Any three of: paper, plastic bottles, glass, tin cans, newspaper.
2
Look at Leo’s family table (paper 9, plastic 12, glass 4, tins 6). Which material did they have the fewest of?
Glass (4).
3
A class threw away 20 sheets of paper in week 1. In week 2 they used both sides of every sheet. How many fewer sheets did they throw away in week 2?
12 fewer (20 − 8 = 12).
4
Give one way to reuse a glass jar.
For example: keep pencils, buttons or paintbrushes in it, or grow a plant.
