Waste-Free Kitchen
Lesson Plans
Grades5, 6, 7Science
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Provided by LabXchange
What it is
- This 2-hour lesson plan guides students through investigating food waste as an environmental issue,
- Students will collect and analyze data on what is thrown away during snack or lunchtime, brainstorm solutions to reduce waste at home and school, and create models to represent these solutions.
Teaching tips
Prerequisites:
- Ensure students are familiar with greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect.
- Consider introducing and defining compost at some point in the lesson.
Preparation:
- Prepare separate bins or collection systems and gloves for the food waste data collection phase.
- Gather recycled materials for students to build their kitchen models.
Differentiation:
- Consider simplifying some of the language in the slides for younger learners.
- Simplify the data collection activity by having students track and record their own food waste at lunch, rather than collecting wasted food at lunch time.
- Challenge older students to calculate the projected annual waste volume from their lunchtime data.
Extensions:
- Have students weigh the wasted food and commit to reducing this weight in a week or so. Repeat data collection and graph the reduction in waste.
From the scientist review
In this lesson, students will learn about food waste, its environmental impacts, and ways to reduce it. They will also have the opportunity to observe where food waste comes from in their environment and brainstorm solutions where they can make a difference. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
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