Study Guide written & edited by Megan Dredge. Additional writing by Max Schintler. Design by Shane Dunne.

Study Guide Episode 2

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SynopsisIn this episode, we are brought up to speed with where each of our Waste Warriors are at with their mission. Jenny, Jayden and Max from Berry Springs developed a plan to meet their mission by designing a solar powered drip irrigation system. They continue to develop their prototype by solving the problem of wasted water in their garden beds. Freida and her team at Taroona in Tasmania succeeded in raising the profile of waste and recycling by creating a mural for all students to see. They develop an action plan in order to break the waste cycle by listing the 5 R’s in priority order for their school. Sinon and his team in Fremantle start to make progress on their mission to reduce food waste. The Waste Warriors also enjoy some well-timed wise advice from their experts, The Planet Heroes.

Challenge Theme: PLASTIC, PLASTIC EVERYWHEREThe challenge theme in this episode focuses on Plastic. Invented over 100 years ago, plastic seemed like a good idea at the time. It was convenient and it was cheap. Since then many variations of plastic have been created and we now store food in it, brush our teeth with it, and drink water from in. In fact, the average Australian drinks 30 litres of water from plastic bottles every year! That’s 118,000 tonnes of plastic bottles!

Plastic is one of our biggest waste issues. And only 40% of it gets recycled.

Plastic is everywhere. Think about it. It’s your lunch box, it’s your drink bottle, it’s your toys, it’s your pens and rulers, your house and bedroom is full of it! And unfortunately, it’s not just in our houses, it’s also in our oceans.

The United Nations believes that there are 13,000 pieces of plastic floating on every square kilometre of the ocean’s surface. For our marine life, it can be deadly.

Relevant Links & ResourcesA fantastic article with links for recycling, composting and more. http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-05-05/reduce-your-waste-with-these-changes/9691210

Daniel Web – An English Artist who kept all his plastic rubbish for an entire year. An inspiring and motivating story that your students will love. https://metro.co.uk/2018/04/09/artist-makes-incredible-mural-plastic-used-year-7451663/ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/17/i-kept-all-my-plastic-year-4490-items-forced-rethink

Earth Day Activities and Resources https://www.teachstarter.com/blog/10-excellent-earth-day-classroom-activities-and-resources/

Turn Your Old Water Bottles Into A Vertical Garden http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/02/urban-vertical-garden-built-from-hundreds-of-recycled-soda-bottles/

23 Creative Ways To Reuse Old Plastic Bottles – everything from chandeliers to bird feeders to solar light bulbs! https://www.boredpanda.com/plastic-bottle-recycling-ideas/

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one - AskQuestions to ask before, during and after viewing the episode

Before• “Plastic, plastic everywhere.” What do you think this means?• What is an example of something that is now made of plastic but used to be made of something else?• What do you think ‘renewable energy’ is?• What is a ‘prototype’?

During• The school in Berry Springs has been given a mission to be “water-wise”? What does this mean?• Give some examples of “single-use” plastic.• Lawrence told us that it takes 460,000 barrels of oil to manufacture the plastic bottled water that Australians drink every year. Have you ever considered that it’s not just about the plastic itself? What other valuable resources are required to make plastic? How might this also affect the environment?

After• Why is reducing food waste so important?• Who/what specifically would benefit from reducing the amount of plastic we use globally?• What kind of impact could you and your school have if you were more intentionally water-wise?• Have your every grown something from seed? How surprised were you to find out that you can grow food from your old scraps and from seeds in your pantry? Think of something in your pantry (or even your bin) that could be planted and/or regrown.

“Make ‘no plastic’ your new normal.”Freida, Waste Warrior, Taroona High School

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TWO - AcquireImportant vocabulary phrases and important facts to look for and to learn in this episode.

Vocabulary:• plastic waste• United Nations• drip irrigation• renewable energy• biodegradable

Important Facts:• How much of Australia’s plastic waste gets recycled? 40%• How many pieces of plastic waste is estimated to be floating in every square kilometre of the ocean? 13,000• What is a water flow meter? A device used to measure the speed and volume of water moving through a pipe.

THREE - ApplySuggested activities and discussion starters to do with your class. These can be individual, with a partner, in a small group, and also to the whole class.

SelfWrite down 10 plastic things that you have touched or already used today.

PartnerMany toys are now made out of plastic. Brainstorm some examples of toys, games and sports equipment that used to be made from other materials such as metal and wood.

GroupSinon said, “We need the whole class’s effort to start the garden.” Why is this important? When it comes to sustainability, why do we need groups of people to be engaged and committed?

ClassUsing Daniel Web’s story and artwork as inspiration, explore the reactions and emotions of your students. (see Relevant Links & Resources)

“Make sure the party for plastic ends!”Lawrence, Project Planet Champion

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Four - ActivateHelping your students devise ways of actively implementing what they have learned.

Activate #1 – Turn Inspiration Into ActionAfter talking with Garden Guru Carla, Sinon said, “It actually inspired me to grow more vegetables and re-use.” Freida said, “We’re ready to start making changes and inspiring others to get on board with us.” Inspiration is a powerful thing. What inspired YOU during this episode? What caught your attention? What stirred your emotions? Think about how you can turn that inspiration into action in your own life, and also in your family, school and community.

Me: What can I do?

Us: What can my family do?

My School: What can we do?

My Community: What can we all do?

Activate #2 – Purple Box Challenge – The Teachers’ Staff Room

Challenge:To ‘raid’ the teachers’ staff room and search for all the plastics in order to raise awareness and inspire others to make a difference.

• How will you accomplish this challenge?• Which teachers can you include in your plans so that your ninja raid is successful?• How can you set this up so that it sends the right message to everyone (and so that you don’t get into trouble 😀 )?• What are some creative ways you could encourage your school to use less plastic?

Activate 3 – Tips and Hacks To Start TODAYWhat tips and hacks did Freida give us to help us get started TODAY? List as many as you can.

Freida’s tips and hacks were:

• say goodbye to plastic bottled water and bring your own reusable drink bottle.• take your own reusable cup when you buy your next hot chocolate.• remember to take your own reusable bags whenever you go the shops. • Choose containers or beeswax wraps instead of plastic cling film.• Say no to plastic cutlery and plastic straws.

“It’s going to be fun raiding the (teachers’) staffroom!”

Sumaiya, Sidekick Berry Springs Primary School.

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Five - AlignConsolidating and extending student learning by aligning with other Key Learning Areas in the curriculum.

History: Plastic Over Time Write an information report showing how plastic was invented and how its use has changed over time. Include infor-mation and recent statistics that demonstrate the significant effects plastic is having on our environment.

English: DebateTopic: Should any plastic water bottles be allowed in schools?

Teacher note: Debates are a great way of engaging students and helping them to identify their own point of view and learn how to provide supporting evidence. Debates also encourage the development of critical thinking and provide a fantastic opportunity for students to develop skills working as part of a team.

Science: The Power Of Solar PowerIn this episode, the students from Berry Springs worked with Dr Jeremy to design and start building their Solar Pow-ered Drip Irrigation system. Using scientific terminology, describe how this system works and then give clear reasons for how this system works and then give clear reasons for why this system works. Include a labelled diagram as part of your explanation.

“If you don’t try then you’ll never actually know.”Freida, Waste Warrior, Taroona High School

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Vocabulary ScrambleUnscramble these vocabulary words. Then, describe the meaning of each one in your own words.

SCRAMBLE WORD MEANING

itlpasc sawte

dneUti itoanNs

ripd irnoitragi

rbeawnee eygren

bblerdaaiodeg

Turning Inspiration Into ActionWhat is the meaning of the word “inspiration”?

Where did the word originate?

In this episode, what were you inspired to do differently?

Worksheet

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WorksheetRecycling PlasticList as many recyclable plastic items as you can.

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Draw ThisDraw three benefits of reducing the amount of plastic we use globally. Label your diagrams.