Brainstorming – Students share what they already know about recycling or caring for the environment. Use, for example, a Menti to assess prior knowledge. 

Sorting Game:
Boxes contain recyclable and reusable items, as well as things that cannot be recycled. Additionally, labels or mats marked "Recyclable" and "Non-recyclable" are placed on the floor or mats.

Students are divided into groups of four. Each group is given sorting mats and an equal number of items.

The winner is the group that finishes sorting the fastest.

• Why do we sort waste?
  What properties do we use to sort items?

• Think about different materials: paper, metal, plastic — what happens to them after use?
  Which materials can be recycled?

• What advantages does reusing materials give us?

• How can this be connected to sorting recyclable materials into different bins?

• Recycling means giving an item a new life.

Recycling is not just about sorting things and throwing them into the right bin. Recycling is a systematic process where used materials are transformed into new and valuable products. Imagine taking an empty aluminum can and turning it into a shiny new bicycle frame! This process helps us save natural resources like wood and metals, which would otherwise be needed to produce new products. When we do not recycle or reuse, waste ends up in landfills that pollute our environment.

Not all used materials can be recycled. Recyclable materials are special because they can be processed into something completely new. We can give them a second life. For example, paper, cardboard, newspapers, plastic bottles and containers, glass products, and metal cans are all recyclable. When you buy goods at the store, check if they have a recycling label — it is better to choose products that do.

Unfortunately, some items cannot be recycled by conventional methods. These are called non-recyclable materials. For example, paper products soiled with food, like greasy pizza boxes or used napkins, are usually not recyclable. The same goes for certain types of plastics, such as plastic bags, electronic devices with hazardous components, and batteries.

A landfill is a designated area for disposing of solid waste. When garbage decomposes, it can release harmful gases into the atmosphere and pollute nearby water sources. By recycling and reducing waste, we need fewer landfills, which decreases their harmful impact and helps create a healthier environment for everyone.

Recycling plays a crucial role in nature conservation by reducing the need to extract new resources, such as trees for paper production or new metals for manufacturing. The more we recycle, the less we have to take from the environment.

Reuse means using an item repeatedly for the same purpose or finding a new creative way to use it. It is the most environmentally friendly option because it requires minimal processing and reduces overall demand for new materials.

In everyday life, we can use reusable water bottles instead of buying single-use plastic bottles every day, or pack our lunch in a reusable container instead of paper bags. Old reusable bottles can be turned into, for example, flower vases.

The ultimate goal of waste management is primarily to reduce waste. This means that we generally consume less and are mindful of the things we buy and use. Reducing waste prioritizes limiting waste generation and minimizing the need for recycling or product disposal.

Simple ways to reduce waste:

• Print documents double-sided whenever possible;

• Compost food scraps instead of throwing them in the trash.

Recycling process:

• Collection: Trucks collect recyclable materials and bring them to a central facility;

• Sorting: Recyclable materials are separated by type (paper, plastic, glass, etc.) on a huge conveyor belt;

• Processing: Depending on the material, items may be cleaned, crushed, or melted into smaller pieces;

• Production: Recycled materials are transformed into completely new products.

The life of a plastic bottle – put the pictures in order. 

Recycling a plastic bottle

1. Collection and sorting: Used plastic bottles are collected in designated containers. The collected bottles are sorted to separate them from other materials and to ensure that only suitable plastic materials go for recycling.

2. Cleaning: All labels, stickers, dirt, and glue residues are removed from the collected plastic bottles. Any remaining contents inside the bottles are also cleaned out.

3. Shredding: The cleaned plastic bottles are shredded into small pieces, which become the raw material needed for new products.

4. Melting and processing: The shredded plastic material is melted at high temperatures and formed into new products. Various technologies such as extrusion or heat pressing can be used during this process to shape new plastic products, such as new forms of plastic bottles, other plastic items, or even textiles.

5. Final product: Recycled plastic material can be used to make new plastic products, including food packaging, footwear, sports equipment, materials for road construction, and much more. New bottle shapes can also be made from recycled plastic bottles, but they are not always intended for the same use because the quality of plastic changes during recycling.

Recycling plastic bottles is an important part of plastic waste management because plastic is a material that takes a very long time to decompose in nature and can cause significant harm to the environment. The process of recycling plastic bottles helps reduce the amount of plastic waste, conserve natural resources, and save energy.

Benefits of recycling plastic bottles:

• Environmental protection: Recycling helps reduce waste and prevents plastic from entering nature, where it decomposes very slowly and causes environmental damage.

• Reduced resource use: Recycling decreases the need to produce new plastic materials, saving natural resources such as oil, which is the main raw material for making plastics.

• Energy savings: Recycling plastic consumes less energy than producing new plastic materials, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Building a Recycling Robot
Students will create:

• Design – a sketch of a robot made from recyclable materials that can sort recyclables by size;

• Robot – gather all necessary materials and build the recycling robot according to the design.

This project develops creativity, critical thinking, and reinforces principles of recycling.

Materials: Various clean and safe recyclable materials such as cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, bottle caps, aluminum cans, paper towel rolls, edges, glue, tape, markers, paint, straws, strings, etc.

Preparation: Collect a large amount of cleaned and safe recyclable materials. Prepare a workspace with enough room for students to build their robots.

Introduce the challenge: Design a robot capable of sorting recyclable materials.

Brainstorming and designing: Divide students into groups of three. Show them the available recyclable materials. Encourage them to generate ideas for their robot’s design and functionality. Students can sketch their robot design on paper.

Building the robot: It’s time for students to bring their ideas to life. They can use recycled materials, craft supplies, and optional construction materials to build their robots. Remind students to keep the sorting function in mind during construction. Robots can include additional features or decorative details, such as labels for sorting different types of waste.

Testing and improving: Once built, students test their creations. Encourage them to refine their robot’s design based on test results.

Presentation: Each group presents their robot to the class, explaining their design choices, how their robot sorts recyclable materials, and the challenges they encountered during the building process.

For younger students, provide pre-cut shapes or visual aids made from recycled materials to help with robot design. For more advanced students, challenge them to add simple mechanisms like levers or pulleys to their robot designs.

Research on the recycling possibilities and journey of one material or item. Depending on the students’ experience with presentations, some of the following guidelines can be skipped. Recommended group size is 3 students. Beforehand, consider how detailed you expect the presentations to be (think about what specific information should be included in the presentation). Support materials are available here.

Activity steps:

• Background information gathering – Practice with students how to search for information on Google using keywords. Discuss which sources are reliable and which are not.

• Assigning roles within the group – Assign each group member specific tasks, such as what information to find and/or which area they are responsible for.

• Creating the presentation – Practice making presentations together. Presentations can be created in any preferred platform (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, Slidesgo, etc.). Teach students how to create slides, insert text, add images, and more.

• Organizing the presentation – Plan the order of the slides. This helps structure the learning process and visually present the material.

• Presenting to the class – Each group presents their work to classmates.

Discussion Circle:

• What new things did you learn during the day?

• What old knowledge did you get to review?

• Did you learn anything completely new?

• What skills did you develop?

• How can you apply the new knowledge in your daily life?

• How could you tell others about the benefits of recycling?

• Become a recycling and waste sorting expert: take charge of sorting recyclable materials at home. Help your family members identify recyclable items and make sure they are placed in the correct bins.

• Reduce waste generation: pay attention to what you throw away. Can you avoid single-use plastics by carrying a reusable water bottle or shopping bag?

• Give items a second life: before throwing something away, think if it can be reused for another purpose. For example, turn old jars into flower pots, pencil holders, or vases, or use them for a creative craft project.

• Share your knowledge: share your new recycling knowledge with your family! Teach them about different recyclable materials and the importance of responsible waste management.

• At school: talk to your teachers about starting a recycling initiative. You can help raise your classmates’ awareness and ensure proper sorting into designated bins. Create a classroom corner with a box for used items that can be recycled later and then taken to an appropriate collection point.

• Community cleanup champion: organize or participate in community cleanup events. It’s a great way to put your recycling knowledge into action and make a positive impact on your local environment. 

Games with Recycled Items

• Making tic-tac-toe (noughts and crosses) with bottle caps of different colors

• Building balls from fabric and plastic wrap

Activities Related to Digital Skills

• Interactive recycling quiz: challenge students to create a short online quiz about recycling using a free web-based quiz platform. This helps develop digital skills and allows them to test their classmates' knowledge in a fun way.

• Documenting the day: students can take photos and document their learning process throughout the day. Later, they can present their process to their classmates.