Search for Resources
Description
Reusable Bags is an action toolkit resource emphasizing the importance of reusing in reducing waste and conserving resources, even more so than recycling. Students take action to decrease the number of plastic bags in circulation by constructing their own reusable bags using old clothing items.
The resource includes an introduction and is divided into four parts: preparatory activities, a bag-making day, follow-up activities and further opportunities for promoting reuse. Activities such as a clothing swap and a campaign to promote reuse provide opportunities for students to move beyond investigating an issue to identifying solutions and working towards a desired change in personal lifestyle at school and in the community. The suggested action projects are practical and relevant to the students. The toolkit also offers an appendix that provides background information and directions to several related resources. These activities can take place at any time during the year.
The resource also provides an activity allowing students to connect their learning to the SDGs and apply the knowledge they gained throughout this action toolkit to think critically about them. Through interactive activities and hands-on projects, teachers can help students understand the importance of the SDGs and how they can make a difference. By introducing students to the SDGs, they can better understand how their actions can help create a more sustainable world.
To access more LSF Action Projects click here
General Assessment
What skills does this resource explicitly teach?
The resource explicitly teaches the following skills:
- how to develop a concept map;
- how to make a bag;
- how to conduct a reuse audit.
Strengths
- The resource is extremely relevant to all students and their families. Plastic bags are used throughout our communities by all of us.
- The tools included in the resource to help present the topic are engaging and effective (mockumentary, images, reflection questions, trivia questions, etc.).
- There is a sufficient amount of background information for teachers to guide their students. There are also several web links included for extensions, or to further develop the project.
- The resource is easy to understand and to use. In addition, it is flexible. The teacher has the choice of which introductory and follow-up activities to do based on their particular needs and restrictions.
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 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environment and Outdoor Education: Environmental Core
- Environment and Outdoor Education: Environmental Investigations
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Knowlege And Employability: Shape and Space
- Number
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Biological Diversity
- Grade 10
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Math 20-3:Measurement
- British Columbia
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with rational numbers
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science for Citizenship 11: Scientific understanding enables humans to respond and adapt to changes locally and globally
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 12: Sustainable land use is essential to meet the needs of a growing population
- Manitoba
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Number
- Shape and Space
- Grade 10
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Applied Mathematics : Measurement
- Essential Mathematics :Measurement
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- World Geography: A Human Perspective - World Resources, Energy, and Environment
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Citizenship and Sustainability: Area of Inquiry: Environment
- Global Issues
- New Brunswick
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Number
- Shape and Space
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Advanced Environmental Science 120:Introduction to the human sphere
- Introduction to Environmental Science 120: An Overview of Environmental Science
- Introduction to Environmental Science 120: Investigating Environmental Issues
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Home Economics
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Home Economics Intermediate: Clothing Module
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Number
- Shape and Space
- Grade 10
- Grade 11
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 3205: Introduction to Environmental Science
- Environmental Science 3205: Land Use & the Environment
- Family Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Textiles 3101: Clothing and the Individual
- Textiles 3101: Fashion and Fashion Trends
- Textiles 3101: The Clothing Clinic
- Textiles 3101: The World of Textiles
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- World Geography 3200/3202: Ecosystems
- Northwest Territories
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with rational numbers
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Civic Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Challenges in the Global Environment
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Math 20-2:Measurement
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Civic Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Civics and Citizenship (Open): Civic Engagement and Action
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Foundations of Mathematics (Applied) Measurement and Trigonometry
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science (Univ/College Prep.) Reducing and Managing Waste
- Environmental Science (Workplace Prep.) Human Impact on the Environment
- Family Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Understanding Fashion (College Prep.): Design and Fashion Construction Skills
- Understanding Fashion (College Prep.): Influence on Fashion
- Understanding Fashion (College Prep.): Marketing, Environmental Responsibility, and Consumer Behaviour
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Regional Geography (Univ./College Prep.): Sustainability and Stewardship
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- The Environment & Resource Management (Univ./College Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship of Natural Resources
- The Environment & Resource Management (Workplace Preparation): Human-Environment Interactions
- World Issues: A Geographic Analysis (College Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship
- World Issues: A Geographic Analysis (Univ. Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship
- Prince Edward Island
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Home Economics
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Intermediate Home Economics:Sewing
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Number
- Shape and Space
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Interdependence: Atlantic Canada in the Global Community: Citizenship in the Global Community
- Grade 10
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Math 521A: Measurement
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 621A: Environmental Challenges and Successes
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- What can I do?
- Geography 621A Global Issues
- Geography 621A Global Issues : Inquiry- What are the issues?
- Geography 631A Global Issues: What Can I Do?
- Quebec
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Social Studies
- Step 4Relevant matches
- The Contemporary World: Environment
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science & Technology: The Living World
- Saskatchewan
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Math 9: Number
- Math 9: Shape and Space
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 10: Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 20: Human Population and Pollution
- Environmental Science 20: Student-Directed Study
- Yukon Territory
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Math
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Computational fluency and flexibility with numbers extend to operations with rational numbers
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science for Citizenship 11: Scientific understanding enables humans to respond and adapt to changes locally and globally
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 12: Sustainable land use is essential to meet the needs of a growing population
Themes Addressed
Citizenship (2)
- General Guide to Taking Action
- Sustainable Consumption
Ecosystems (1)
- Appreciating the Natural World
Waste Management (1)
- Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Sustainability Education Principles
| Principle | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Very Good | The resource provides a positive bias with well researched background information from many sources to support the importance of reusing over recycling. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
| ||
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | All three dimensions are well presented in this resource. Although plastic bags are an environmental problem, the resource effectively addresses the many economic and social benefits to reusing, beyond the environmental reasons. |
| Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
| ||
| Respects Complexity | Good | The resource provides opportunities to analyze a life cycle of a bag. It includes a discovery of bio degradation. Several opportunities are presented for promoting reuse through three action plans. |
| Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
| Acting on Learning | Very Good | An action opportunity is at the core of this project. The action experience proposed - making a reusable bag - can be done by all students and is relevant to all students. The resource also includes several other action opportunities that may be done as extensions. |
| 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 | Throughout the resource, there are probing journal questions and choices that students must make and explain. Each of these questions or choices will give students an opportunity to articulate what is truly important to them. |
| 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 considered in the 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 | Satisfactory | The Bag Issue activity (B2) uses strong imagery that will force students to see the issue from a different perspective, and thus develop an affinity with our natural world. |
| Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
| ||
| Locally-Focused Learning | Very Good | The plastic bag issue is one found in all communities and all households. This project is extremely relevant not only to the students but to the students' families as well. By researching the local school and community and using the information and materials to engage in the activities would be locally-focused and would be relevant to the lives of the learners. |
| Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
| ||
| Past, Present & Future | Good | The resource has a positive vision for the future and encourages students to discover various items that could easily be reused. |
| 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 | Good | Most of the activities have open-ended questions to which students must come up with their own answers and solutions. |
| Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
| Integrated Learning | Good | In addition to addressing environmental science concepts, this resource also touches on citizenship and textiles (fashion design). |
| Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
| ||
| Inquiry Learning | Good | The activities are structured to allow students to discover and build knowledge for themselves. This is provided by the surveys they can conduct, the experiments, the life cycle analysis and reflection. |
| Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
| ||
| Differentiated Instruction | Good | The resource does not limit itself to the scientific aspect of the issue, but it also addresses the affective domain, especially with activity B2 and the short mockumentary in activity A4. The various activities incorporate variety of learning styles. |
| Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
| ||
| Experiential Learning | Very Good | The theme, activities, and action plans facilitate direct and authentic experiences. |
| Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
| ||
| Cooperative Learning | Good | |
| Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
| ||
| Assessment & Evaluation | Very Good | Assessment options are stated where applicable with reference to monitoring student's pair share work, progress of the school reuse/waste audit worksheet, reflections in the green journal, life cycle analysis, and trivia quizzes. |
| 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 | Good | Students have opportunities to present information to each other, to their teachers and the community when organizing their campaign. |
| Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
| ||
| Case Studies | Good | Case studies are embedded in the references to websites as well as in the background information in Appendix A. |
| 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 | Students can choose which type of bag (grocery bag, laptop sleeve, purse, etc.) to create, depending on their needs/interests. The fabric used is their choice as well, truly making the end result personal. In addition students can choose various aspects of the pre- and post-activities such as which areas to audit. |
| 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. | ||
