Recycling and the Australian Curriculum - Queensland MuseumResources/~/media... · The images...

Recycling and the Australian Curriculum: Teacher Notes

1 QM/Learning Resources/Resources/Australian Curriculum

Recycling and the Australian Curriculum

Resources to support the use of recycling as a vehicle for teaching real world science

This pdf includes:

� Images of recycling machinery and processes

� Teacher notes about the images

� Teacher notes about science activities using recycled materials including links to

video clips which further demonstrate the science


QM/Learning Resources/Resources/Australian Curriculum

Trucks delivering scrap metal



Pincer jaw crane assists with sorting



Electro-magnetic crane assists with sorting large magnetic items



Claw crane lifting metal onto conveyor belt



Separating and cutting the metals and getting rid of waste e.g. soil, rubber, wood



Sorting wire for recycling



Piles of scrap metal after sorting, crushing and cutting, ready for recycling



Close up of scrap metal pieces



Aluminium cans baled and ready for recycling



Other sorted and baled metals



Train wheels



Preform for plastic soft

drink bottle



Aluminium bale and aluminium ingot (bar of melted aluminium)



Teacher Notes

Background Information to Recycling Images

The images provided have been taken at SIMS Metal Recycling plant and provide a

close up of the actual real world science involved in recycling metals. Teachers can

view them online or print out and laminate. The learning extracted can be matched to

the following relevant curriculum descriptors. For years 3, 4 and 5, more Inquiry Skills

learning could be achieved by facilitating an investigation such as a class lunch box or

school rubbish audit. If looking at all types of recycled materials, Australian Recycled

Cartonboard (ARC) have competitions which can also provide a purpose for auditing

packages brought in by students from home. ARC products are those packaged from

recycled materials, will be recycled and are Australian made. For more information see

http://www.arc.org.au/ ).

Relevant Australian Curriculum:

Science as a Human Endeavour

Nature and development of science

Foundation

• Science involves exploring and observing the world using the senses

Year 1/2

• Science involves asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and

events

Use and influence of science

Year 1/2

• People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment

and living things

Year 3/4

• Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions

Science Understanding

Foundation

• Objects are made of materials that have observable properties

Year 1

• Everyday materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways

Year 2

• Different materials can be combined, including by mixing, for a particular

purpose.

• A push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape

Year 3

• A change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or

removing heat.

• Heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to

another.



Year 4

• Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties; These

properties can influence their use.

• Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from

a distance.

Science Inquiry Skills

Questioning and predicting

Foundation

• Respond to questions about familiar objects and events

Year1/2

• Respond to and pose questions, and make predictions about familiar objects

and events

Planning and conducting

Foundation

• Explore and make observations by using the senses

Year 1/2

• Participate in different types of guided investigations to explore and answer

questions, such as manipulating materials, testing ideas, and accessing

information sources

Year 3/4

• Safely use appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record

observations, using formal measurements and digital technologies as

appropriate.

Processing and analysing data and information

Foundation

• Engage in discussions about observations

Year 1/2

• Through discussion, compare observations with predictions

Year 3/4

• Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent

data and to identify patterns and trends

Evaluating

Year 1/2

• Compare observations with those of others

Communicating

Foundation

• Share observations and ideas

Year 1/2

• Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways such as

oral and written language, drawing and role play



Teaching and learning episodes incorporating the images:

• Magnets- providing a variety of metals (ferrous and nonferrous) and allowing

students to discover that not all metals are magnetic. Show the image of the

electro-magnetic crane and discuss the implications for recycling. Show the

images of the aluminium cans bales and the train wheels. Discuss the

implications.

• Sorting and classifying and justifying- Show the images of different sorted metals.

View the video clip about how an MRF (Material Recovery Facility) works at

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=7CFE5tD1CCI&feature=related Set up an

activity where students themselves can sort packages according to properties of

the materials.

• Discussing the changes shown in the photos for example turning aluminium cans

into a bale, a bale into an ingot, metal into an art piece and the plastic tube into

a soft drink bottle. Consider the physical and chemical changes involved in

making other types of packaging.

• Using recycled materials to make hands-on activities:

(Images taken at the Queensland Museum during a recycling display)

� Ball run – right angled cardboard pieces,

tubes and narrow boxes can be

collected from furniture shop recycling

bins and other sources. Plastic bottles

can be cut to make funnel shapes. Balls

shown here are budget priced table

tennis balls. By attaching Velcro dots, the

pieces can be arranged on a fabric

display board and moved to create a

ball run into a box on the ground.

Students use science inquiry skills of

planning, predicting, testing, modifying

and retesting. Several entry points to the

run can be created. A sign helps visitors

to the classroom understand what the

activity teaches.



� Table soccer – firmly sticky tape two

small boxes onto a table surface with

open sides facing each other. Create

sides to the table (cardboard tubes work

well) and make two paddles from thick

cardboard, approximately 15cm x 10

cm. Players stand behind their box goals

and flick ball towards opponents goal

and returning the tap when it is hit to

them. Push forces play a big part in this

game. A sign helps visitors to the

classroom understand what the activity

teaches.

� Sound shakers – fill different types of containers with small items and use as

shakers. Choose some items which do not make a loud sound as well as those

that do e.g. feathers, packing materials, natural objects, everyday materials e.g.

sand, spaghetti. A sign helps visitors to the classroom understand what the

activity teaches.

� (Left) Paper cup maths – paper coffee cups

are collected from staff and parents. They are

glued onto squares of box cardboard with a

Velcro dot/s on each. They can be made as

singles or doubles. These are used on the fabric

wall as a different medium for maths

experiences (can also be used to create

pictures). A sign helps visitors to the classroom

understand what the activity teaches.



� Sensory experiences (Below) – recycled materials have many different textures and

properties that are great for exploring with our senses and then sharing our

observations with others. A sign helps visitors to the classroom understand what the

activity teaches.

� Show the images of the plastic tube before and the soft drink bottle after. Tell

students that the tube is made into the bottle. Ask them to pose suggestions for how

this might happen. Show the video clips of machines heat blowing PET tubes into

bottles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZfyPCujUPms (4

minutes 50 seconds excellent explanation of the whole process)

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=pNVeNjCCgzw&feature=related

(26 second brief visual of the heat blow mould process)

• Australian Recycled Cartonboard hold yearly competitions aimed at developing

public awareness of products packaged in paper and cardboard which are made

from recycled materials, are themselves recyclable and are made in Australia.

Details on their website http://www.arc.org.au/

Two school entries are shown below



Thanks to SIMS Metal Management for allowing QM to take the recycling images,

Brisbane City Council for additional signage and Windaroo State Primary School

for their competition entries.

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