School Programs - Grade K to 8

Kindergarten - Helping Hands: Keeping our Community Clean

Students will learn about the important role that community helpers play in keeping our neighbourhoods safe and clean. We will take a closer look at the roles and responsibilities of waste collectors and highlight how our actions (like reducing waste, recycling, and composting) can help make our community a better place to live, work, and play.

Grade 1 - Discover the Five "R's": Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle/Compost, and Recover

Students will be introduced to the Waste Hierarchy through the five "R's": Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle/Compost, and Recover. We will explore actions we can all take to prioritize and apply each of the five "R's" to minimize waste and pollution in our community.

Grade 2 - Clean Earth, Clean Water: Waste Management and Water Protection

Water is an essential resource for all living organisms. We will examine the relationship between responsible waste management and the quality of water in our communities, explore the potential effects of waste pollution, and highlight actions we can take to protect our water resources.

Grade 3 - Digging into Dirt: The Magic of Soil and Compost

We will explore the process of transforming organic material into a nutrient rich, soil-like material called humus. By investigating the types of materials that can be composted and the steps involved in this process, students will discover how composting serves as a circular method for waste reduction while producing a valuable resource.

Grade 4 - Taking Care of Our Planet: Natural Resources and Waste Management

We will explore natural resource, their importance, and the relationship between these materials and the products we purchase, consume, and use every day. We will investigate the potential environmental effects of a common single-use item and identify actions we can take to minimize our use of natural resources and reduce the waste we generate!

Grade 5 - Clean Communities: The Role of Civics in Waste Management

Students will explore the significance of community engagement in waste reduction efforts, understand the influence of local policies and regulations on waste management practices, and discover how individual actions play a role in achieving larger environmental objectives.

Grade 6 - Turning Waste into Energy: Exploring the Durham York Energy Centre

Even after applying the first four “R's”, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle/Compost, we can still end up producing garbage. Students will explore how our remaining household waste is used to generate electricity that can be used in our homes, schools, and businesses.

Grade 7/8 - Electronic Waste: The Hidden Impact of Our Gadgets

Students will be introduced to the concept of e-waste and examine how the rapid pace of technological advancement and consumer culture leads to a growing amount of e-waste that needs to be managed. We will explore the potential environmental, social, and economic consequences of these items, while emphasizing sustainable practices such as responsible consumption, effective recycling, and the creation of greener technologies to reduce these potential impacts and foster a healthier planet.

In-person presentation for kindergarten-aged students will be considered if multiple kindergarten classes will be attending, and the presentation can be located within a quiet central spot (preferably a space like the school library or classroom) with a few tables available and a larger space for students to sit. Each class will rotate through the presentation for a pre-scheduled 30-minute timeslot. Schools can request one-day of in-person kindergarten presentations per school year. Staff will accommodate up to one in-person kindergarten presentation per week across all school boards when possible.

Students will learn about the importance of responsible waste management through a variety of activities including a topic-specific story, hands on activities including waste sorting, and identifying ways that they can participate in responsible waste management to help keep our community a safe, healthy, and clean place to live.

Summary of Education Session

Students will sit together in a common area. The presenter will introduce themselves and the topic of the presentation. As a group, the presenter will read Michael Recycle (written by Ellie Bethel, illustrated by Alexandra Colombo) to provide a basic overview of the themes that will be explored throughout the presentation.

Activity 1: There’s a mess in our town! (Waste sorting activity)

Students will be introduced to each of the waste bins (reuse bin, blue boxes, green bin, and garbage bin) and explore what belongs in each waste bin. Students will then work together to sort a variety of waste materials into the correct bin using the tips and tricks provided by the presenter.

Activity 2: Water pollution observation.

Students will be encouraged to identify common litter items that the presenter has collected, placed in sealed jar of clean tap water, and left for a prolonged period. The class will work together to make observations about the quality of the water, such as changes in the colour, clarity, or state of the water and the litter items, and make connections to the potential impacts of pollution on the environment.

Activity 3: Creative thought, what could I be next?

Students will be encouraged to think of creative ways to reuse several clean waste materials and to share their ideas with the class. The presenter will share some examples using prepared photographs of fun craft projects that have been completed using materials from the blue box.

Activity 4: Using our senses to explore finished compost.

Students will explore what happens to the materials we place in the green bin once it leaves our homes. Using their senses (touch, sight, and smell), students will share their observations with the group and learn how we can use this material to grow new plants and new food.

Wrap up: After a quick tidy-up, students will come back to the common area to wrap up, including an opportunity to ask any additional questions. Teachers will receive some additional information and promotional items to share with the class.

Time expectation: Each class will be scheduled for a 30 to 45-minute timeslot during the day.

• Rethink

Kindergarten

• Growing food from kitchen scraps. Don't toss it - plant it!

Grade 2

• A look at natural resources (Social Studies)
  
  • Worksheet: Read the provided scenarios and explain how they are an example of rethinking waste

Grade 5

• Mock parliamentary committee meeting (Social Studies)

Grade 7

• Analyze the production process of a popular household item (Geography)

Infographics

• 5Rs in Waste Hierarchy
• What is a Circular Economy

Videos

Watch our videos below to compliment the lesson plans on rethink:

• Learn how Durham Region Waste uses the five 'R's to reduce waste and preserve valuable resources

• Rethink is the first "R" in the Region's Waste Management Hierarchy

• Watch and learn how waste management in Durham Region includes a circular economy

• Reduce

Kindergarten

• Waste free lunch
  • Worksheet: Circle each waste free lunch option in the picture provided

Grade 1

• Food waste reduction (Science and Technology and Social Studies)
  • Worksheet: Draw a picture showing how you can reduce food waste

Grade 2

• Reviewing waste generation in the classroom (Math and Social Studies)

Grade 5

• Product packaging challenge (Science and Technology)

Grade 7

• Carry your waste challenge (Geography)

Infographics

• What is a Circular Economy

Videos

Watch our videos below to compliment the lesson plans on reduce:

• Learn how Durham Region Waste uses the five 'R's to reduce waste and preserve valuable resources
• View our Food Waste Prevention Playlist
• Reduce is the second "R" in the Region's Waste Management Hierarchy
• Watch and learn how waste management in Durham Region includes a circular economy

• Reuse

Kindergarten

• Repurposing blue box material

Grade 1

• Community helpers and waste management in our community (Social Studies)

Grade 4

• Book swap (Social Studies)
  • Book swap slip

Grade 5

• Making a reusable bag from an old t-shirt (The Arts)

Grade 8

• Settlement patterns and sustainability (Geography)

Infographics

• What is a Circular Economy

Videos

Watch our videos below to compliment the lesson plans on reuse:

• Learn how Durham Region Waste uses the five 'R's to reduce waste and preserve valuable resources
• View our Food Waste Prevention Playlist
• Reuse is the third "R" in the Region's Waste Management Hierarchy
• Watch and learn how waste management in Durham Region includes a circular economy

• Recycle

Kindergarten

• Sort it out
  • Worksheet: Cut and past items into the correct blue box

Grade 1

• Sort it out - Recyclable materials and the Blue Box Program (Science and Technology and Social Studies)
  • Worksheet 1: Circle the items that do not belong in the blue box
  • Worksheet 2: Cut and past items into the correct blue box
  • Worksheet 3: Design the side of a recycling truck

Grade 3

• What new items can be made from the materials you plan in your blue box? (Social Studies)
  • Worksheet 1: Know before you throw
  • Worksheet 2: Research assignment

Grade 4

• Minerals in your home and school (Science and Technology)
  • Worksheet: Match the words with the correct definitions

Grade 5

• Life cycle analysis of a common plastic waster bottle (Science and Technology)
  • Worksheet: Life cycle analysis of a common plastic water bottle

Grade 7

• Make a musical instrument out of materials found in the blue box and compose a jingle (The Arts)

Infographics

• 5Rs in Waste Hierarchy
• What is a Circular Economy

Videos

Watch our videos below to compliment the lesson plans on recycle:

• Learn how Durham Region Waste uses the five 'R's to reduce waste and preserve valuable resources
• View our Food Waste Prevention Playlist
• Recycle is the fourth “R” in the Region’s Waste Management Hierarchy
• Benefits of Recycling
• Prevent litter by preparing your recycling in these quick steps
• Watch and learn how waste management in Durham Region includes a circular economy

• Recover

Grade 1

• Energy makes things happen! (Science and Technology)

Grade 4

• Force: Removing metals at the Durham York Energy Centre (Science and Technology)

Grade 5 and 6

• Forms of energy - energy from waste (Science and Technology)

Videos

Watch our videos below to compliment the lesson plans on recover:

• What happens to your garbage once it leaves the curb
• Durham York Energy Centre virtual tour
• Durham York Energy Centre process overview
• Learn how Durham Region Waste uses the five 'R's to reduce waste and preserve valuable resources
• Recover is the fifth "R" in the Region's Waste Management Hierarchy

Websites

• Durham Region Waste Management
• Durham York Energy Centre

• Compost

Kindergarten

• Compost in a jar

Grade 1 and 3

• Using compost to grow plants from seeds (Science and Technology)

Grade 2

• Food in our community (Social Studies)

Grade 4

• What's in your compost? (Science and Technology)
  • Worksheet: What's in your compost?
  • Resource: The Soil Food Web

Grade 6

• Can food waste change Earth's climate? (Social Studies)

Grade 7

• Research and construct a compost food web (Science and Technology)

Videos

Watch our videos below to compliment the lesson plans on compost:

• How to properly participate in the green bin program – “The Basics”
• Helpful tips to make green bin use easier – Addressing the “Yuck” Factor
• Backyard Composting for beginners

Websites

• Durham Region Waste Management
• Composting Council of Canada