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Science lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 30 minutes

Sort waste into the right recycling group

Ecosystems and food chains

CCSS NGSS.K-ESS3-3England: EYFS Understanding the World: The natural worldEngland: KS1 Y1 Everyday materials

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Sort waste into the right recycling group.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Reduce, reuse or recycle?

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Food web cards, Arrows to build chains, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Reduce, reuse or recycle?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is this reducing, reusing or recycling: putting empty cans in the recycling bin? (reduce / reuse / recycle) → recyclePrompt: Reduce = use less. Reuse = use again. Recycle = make into something new.
  2. Which of these is a way to reduce? (using a jam jar to store pencils / putting glass bottles in the bottle bank / taking the same cloth bag to the shop each week / buying fruit without plastic wrapping) → buying fruit without plastic wrappingPrompt: Is the item used less, used again, or turned into something new?
  3. Which of these makes the LEAST rubbish? (single-use plastic cutlery / paper plates thrown away after lunch / a new plastic bag every day / a reusable lunchbox) → a reusable lunchboxPrompt: Which one can be used again and again?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a food web and ask what would happen if one animal disappeared.
  • Share the objective: Sort waste into the right recycling group. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which recycling group should this go in: a used envelope?
  • Step 1: Paper and card can be pulped and made into new paper.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: paper and card
  • Answer: paper and card
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which recycling group should this go in: a glass milk bottle? (paper and card / glass / metal / food waste (compost)) → glassPrompt: What material is it made of?
  2. Three of these go in the food waste (compost) group. Which one does NOT? (eggshells / a clean foil tray / apple core / carrot tops) → a clean foil trayPrompt: Name the material of each thing.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. True or false? Glass jars can be melted and made into new jars. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Think about what each thing is made of.
  2. Three of these go in the metal group. Which one does NOT? (a drinks can / an old comic / a clean foil tray / a soup tin (can)) → an old comicPrompt: Name the material of each thing.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Reduce, reuse or recycle?.
  • Use concrete materials: food web cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/kindergarten.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Sort waste into the right recycling group

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    True or false? Cans should be rinsed before recycling.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  2. Question 2

    Which recycling group should this go in: a glass sauce bottle?

    • A. paper and card
    • B. glass
    • C. metal
    • D. food waste (compost)

  3. Question 3

    Three of these go in the glass group. Which one does NOT?

    • A. an empty jam jar
    • B. apple core
    • C. a glass milk bottle
    • D. a glass sauce bottle

  4. Question 4

    True or false? Once something is recycled it can never be used again.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  5. Question 5

    Which recycling group should this go in: an empty jam jar?

    • A. paper and card
    • B. glass
    • C. metal
    • D. food waste (compost)

  6. Question 6

    Three of these go in the paper and card group. Which one does NOT?

    • A. a cereal box
    • B. a used envelope
    • C. a cardboard egg box
    • D. apple core

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Answer key: Sort waste into the right recycling group

  1. 1. A. True

  2. 2. B. glass

  3. 3. B. apple core

  4. 4. B. False

  5. 5. B. glass

  6. 6. D. apple core