Search for Resources
Description
As the title of this resource suggests, “food waste hurts our world”. Methane emissions from rotting food in landfills are a leading contributor to climate change and expanded crop production can affect wildlife habitat by depleting freshwater supplies and land. This resource teaches students how re-thinking our approach to the way we use food supports healthy eating and a healthy environment. Three experiential activities guide learners through the following tasks:
-
Conduct a food waste audit before and after implementing simple waste reduction strategies
-
Become a “Top Leftover Chef” and plan a nutritious meal featuring leftovers
-
Grow fresh vegetables from root end scraps and measure daily growth
-
Describe how they and their family can be more sustainable when purchasing and using food products.
General Assessment
Recommendation of how and where to use it
This resource supports Grade3-5 Science lessons that are exploring waste mangement, causes of greenhouse gas emissions and human impacts on wildlife habitats. The "Grown from Garbage" activity also provides an in-depth investigation of plant biology as students sprout new plants from romaine lettuce or green onions while measuring and describing daily growth. The activities explore Social Studies or Health concepts related to connections between human health and the environment and the role of personal responsibility in supporting sustainability.
The "Top Leftover Chef" task could become the basis of an awareness project where students identify potential “throw away's” from their home fridges and work with local chefs to create recipes that would use these ingredients. The class could produce a cookbook that is distributed at a community “tasting” event where the chefs prepare some of the recipes and students deliver a presentation about responsible consumption and the environment.
Relevant Curriculum Units
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
- Step 1Select a province
- Alberta
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Exploring connections strengthens our understandings of relationships to help us make meaning of the world.
- Matter and Energy Understandings of the physical world are deepened through investigating matter and energy.
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions.
- British Columbia
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Global Indigenous Peoples:Indigenous societies throughout the world value the well-being of the self, the land, spirits, and ancestors
- Manitoba
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Growth and Changes in Plants
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Communities of the World: Exploring the World
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Habitat and Communities
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Weather
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Health Education
- Step 4Relevant matches
- : Understanding Me and My World
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Plant Growth & Changes
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Habitats
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Health Education
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Health: Environmental Health
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Weather
- Northwest Territories
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Life Systems: Growth and Changes in Plants
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Communities of the World: Communities of the World
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Life Systems: Habitats & Communities
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth and Space Systems: Weather
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Life Systems: Growth & Changes in Plants
- STEM Skills and Connections
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Life Systems: Habitats and Communities
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth and Space Systems: Conservation of Energy & Resources
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Living Things
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Living Things
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Living Things
- Saskatchewan
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Plant Growth and Changes
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Community Comparisons: Resources and Welath
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Habitats and Communities
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Weather
- Yukon Territory
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Global Indigenous Peoples:Indigenous societies throughout the world value the well-being of the self, the land, spirits, and ancestors
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment
Themes Addressed
Citizenship (1)
- Sustainable Consumption
Waste Management (2)
- Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Source Reduction
