Lesson Plan

9. Explore waste management

KS4-07-16

Intent

Lesson Outcomes

  • Describe how waste produced by humans can reduce biodiversity

National Curriculum

  • Combined Science: how materials are cycled

Working Scientifically

  • Explaining everyday and technological applications of science
  • Evaluating associated personal, social, economic and environmental implications
  • Making decisions based on the evaluation of evidence and arguments

Resources

Handout: An investigation sheet for the students to complete.

Rocket words

  • biodiversity
  • pollution
  • sewage
  • landfill
  • organisms

Implementation

Starter

Discuss the effects and problems associated with an increasing population. Ask the children to name some of the negative impacts humans have had on ecosystems that we have previously introduced and discuss their effects.

Main Teaching

Answer questions and take part in activities during the presentation. 

Expert Film: This is Alex Semenyuk, who works with the RHS as an Anaerobic Digester Manager at Barfoots. Alex talks about waste management.

Career Film: Ewa Krupa works as a Horticulturist with the RHS.

Mission Assignment

Show how fast the human population is increasing globally and in different countries using the counter on the Worldometers website.

Interpret graphs showing increased waste production following human population growth – look for patterns and trends, extrapolate and make predictions. (See handout)

Impact & Assessment Opportunities

Plenary

With their talk partners, the children are to go through the quiz at the end of the presentation and answer the questions.