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Description
This activity explores the problem of waste pollution and its solution through adopting a circular economic model. Students explore the issue of solid waste in the world, with a focus on plastics. Students explore biomimicry and how humans can take inspiration from the natural world to create sustainable products and systems. Students will investigate examples of companies that incorporate sustainable business practices and develop unique products from recycled plastics. As a culminating activity, students will create a new product from recycled plastics.
General Assessment
What skills does this resource explicitly teach?
The Circular Economy Activity will inspire students to apply a remake, reuse and recycle model in creating an entirely new product from recycled materials. By participating, they will develop their critical-thinking, creativity, communication and entrepreneurship skills towards building a sustainable economy. This resource explicitly teaches the design process steps. This resource explicitly teaches the design process steps.
Strengths
- an abundance of supporting materials
- easy to follow lesson plan
- innovative and engaging project ideas
- links are active
Weaknesses
- there are no suggestions for learners who may have difficulties
- there are no assessment tools
Recommendation of how and where to use it
This resource would be an excellent culminating activity after a study on waste management and its impact on the Earth. It would also be a great short unit by itself to be used in conjunction with Earth Day.
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- Analyzing and interpreting experiments in data probability develops an understanding of chance
- Development of computational fluency and multiplicative thinking requires analysis of patterns and relations in multiplication and division
- Fractions and decimals are types of numbers that can represent quantities
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with larger (multi-digit) numbers
- Grade 6
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Mixed numbers and decimal numbers represent quantities that can be decomposed into parts and wholes
- Grade 7
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with integers and decimals
- Decimals, fractions, and percents are used to represent and describe parts and wholes of numbers
- Grade 8
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Analyzing data by determining averages is one way to make sense of large data sets and enables us to compare and interpret
- Number represents, describes, and compares the quantities of ratios, rates, and percents
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Analyzing the validity, reliability, and representation of data enables us to compare and interpret.
Themes Addressed
-
Waste Management (3)
- Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Solid Waste Disposal
- Source Reduction
Sustainability Education Principles
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Good | |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
| ||
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | |
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
| ||
| Respects Complexity | Very Good | |
| Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
| Acting on Learning | Very Good | The students are able to create a solution to a waste problem by inventing a new object to save items from going to the landfill. |
| Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
| ||
| Values Education | Good | With the final project, the students choose an issue of personal concern and can express their beliefs and positive vision for the future via their solution. |
| Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
| Empathy & Respect for Humans | Poor/Not considered | This is not a focus of this resource. |
| Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
| Personal Affinity with Earth | Good | |
| Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
| ||
| Locally-Focused Learning | Satisfactory | |
| Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
| ||
| Past, Present & Future | Very Good | The final project will help the students to develop a positive vision for the future. |
| Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. | ||
Pedagogical Approaches
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Ended Instruction | Very Good | There is a lot of freedom and choice within the activities for the students. |
| Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
| Integrated Learning | Good |
|
| Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
| ||
| Inquiry Learning | Very Good | The students, through the design process outlined in one of the resources, are asked to define the problem, brainstorm solutions, design a solution and create their vision. |
| Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
| ||
| Differentiated Instruction | Good | There are no strategies included for learners who may have difficulties. |
| Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
| ||
| Experiential Learning | Good | Students will learn about the framework and model for designing, creating, and manufacturing products using recycled materials. |
| Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
| ||
| Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | The final project is presented as an individual project but could be modified for a group. |
| Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
| ||
| Assessment & Evaluation | Satisfactory | There are no tools provided to assist with the assessment of learning. There are product design requirements that are included in the resources that could be used to create a rubric. |
| Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
| Peer Teaching | Satisfactory | |
| Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
| ||
| Case Studies | Poor/Not considered | The resource is not structured for the use of case studies; however, there are numerous video links included in the resources that can be used to inspire the creativity of the students and could be used as models for innovation. |
| Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
| Locus of Control | Very Good | There is a lot of choice and freedom within the parameters of the project for the students. |
| Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. | ||
