Lesson plan: Promote healthy eating and reduce waste to landfill with every lunchbox.
Suitable for: Prep + Years 1, 2, 3, 4
Lesson plans and resources for teachers
Use our free resources to teach students about waste minimisation, recycling and litter prevention.
Lesson plans
Designed by qualified educators with expert waste and recycling knowledge, our lesson plans help teachers meet curriculum objectives. They include activities, games and curriculum links for various years on topics including nude food, organic recycling, packaging and waste minimisation.
Lesson plan: Enjoy your morning tea, then catalogue and analyse what you leave behind.
Suitable for: Prep + Years 1, 2, 3, 4
Lesson plan: Get crafty and learn about how worms are the link between growing and recycling food.
Suitable for: Prep + Years 1, 2
Lesson plan: Get hands-on and see how your waste breaks down underground.
Suitable for: Prep + Years 1, 2, 3, 4
Lesson plan: Join the mission to get organic waste out of landfill.
Suitable for: Years 7, 8
Lesson plan: Use your imagination and design skills to see what a plastic bottle can become.
Suitable for: Prep + Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Lesson plan: Learn how to reduce, reuse and recycle and what happens after things go to the bin.
Suitable for: Years 3, 4, 5, 6
Lesson plan: Audit your school's bins and analyse the waste types and where they should go.
Suitable for: Years 5, 6, 7, 8
Lesson plan: Get hands-on and see how your waste breaks down underground.
Suitable for: Prep + Years 1, 2, 3, 4
Lesson plan: Explore Brisbane City Council's three waste streams and discover how each bin is collected, managed and processed.
Suitable for: Years 4, 5, 6
Lesson plan: Consider the electronic items you have today and the impact they have on the environment when we follow a linear economy model vs a circular model.
Suitable for: Years 9, 10
Fact sheets
Our fact sheets are designed to supplement your lessons and help students learn more about reducing and recycling waste.
Select one or more topics to see available fact sheets.
For more information about these teaching resources and other waste and recycling support for schools, email Council.
Get Grubby Program
Schools and early learning centres in Brisbane can register for the Get Grubby Program for free access to a range of resources.
Exclusive to early learning educators in schools and early learning centres (including family day care and outside school hours centres), the online program contains 10 sustainability units on topics such as:
- recycling
- composting
- worm farming
- saving water
- growing food.
Each unit contains special videos from the makers of dirtgirlworld and Get Grubby TV, screening on ABC Kids. They include songs, activities and games.
Council learning apps for kids
You can download 2 fun iPad apps to help children learn about recycling and reducing waste.
Other waste and recycling educational resources
There are a variety of educational resources to help teach students about reducing waste, recycling and sustainability.
Information on waste management legislation and recycling labels to promote waste reduction and recycling.
- Australasian Recycling Label: Learn about the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) when disposing of packaging.
- ‘Check It! Before You Chuck it!‘: Access knowledge and learnings on the types of label classifications and how to use them.
- Queensland Department of Environment and Science - Recycling and waste in Queensland: Explore waste management legislation and strategies, including waste minimisation, waste reform and litter laws.
Waste education programs tailored for schools.
- OzHarvest – FEAST: Register for a free 10-week, curriculum-aligned program that teaches students in primary and high school about healthy eating.
- Reverse Garbage: Find information on eco-art workshops aligned to the curriculum areas of sciences, technologies, visual arts, English and HASS for children from pre-Kindy to Year 12.
National and international events that shine a light on sustainability and the environment.
- National Tree Day: The annual event includes a Schools Tree Day. Access a how-to guide, lesson plans and toolkit to join in the fun.
- Clean Up Australia Day: Register your School Clean Up to receive a toolkit, and find lesson plans to support your event.
- National Recycling Week: Access activities, resources and lesson plans to get involved.
- International Compost Awareness Week: Join in a week of activities and events to raise awareness of the importance of compost.
Courses to help early learning educators and teachers improve positive waste behaviours in their communities.
- Cool Australia: Access professional learning and development courses designed by teachers, for teachers.
- Waste Education Queensland: Take advantage of extensive free waste management and waste education resources for schools and early learning centres.
Inspiration and ideas to live more sustainably.
- Containers for Change: Raise funds for your school by returning containers for recycling for a $0.10 refund.
- Planet Ark : Explore ideas and solutions to improve your environmental impact at home, school or work.
- Australian Circular Economy Hub: Find inspiration in school case studies and learn about the circular economy movement.