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Here are some ideas to teach children about recycling, resource management and sustainability. They will help you keep the kids entertained, either during school holidays, or if you are educating children at home. Some of these activities are downloadable sheets, which can be printed out if you have a printer at home, while some are ideas for activities which use simple household items.

Plastic Worksheets: Home Activity

3Rs Activities at Home: Turn potatoes into plastic!

11 May 2020/by Lucy Mottram

3Rs Activities at Home: Recycling Audit

15 June 2020/by Bobby Hughes

Holiday activity for the summer: What was it like?

11 August 2020/by Lucy Mottram

Summer Holiday Activities: Guess the Word

4 August 2020/by Anna Simkins

New Litter Word Search!

21 September 2020/by Lucy Mottram

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Sustainable Shaun

Recycling Pairs

Fill In The Gaps

Super Sorter MRF

Sort The Waste Game

Vibrant Recycling

Check out our YouTube Channel

153

Created on March 02, 2022 By

Millie Green

Circular Economy Quiz

Test your knowledge of the circular economy.

1 / 11

What is the difference between a circular and linear economy?

A circular economy is a system that reduces resource use by reusing, recycling and refurbishing resources.

A linear economy is a closed-loop economy which promotes sustainable development.

A circular economy creates more waste and pollution than a linear economy.

A linear economy uses less resources than a circular economy.

2 / 11

True of False, kerbside recycling is an important part of the circular economy.

True

False

3 / 11

True or false, recycling packaging conserves natural resources.

True

False

4 / 11

True or false, composting waste is not part of the circular economy.

True

False

5 / 11

True or false, A circular economy is good for the environment but not good for the economy.

True

False

6 / 11

True or false, if there were no humans, then there would be no landfill.

True

False

7 / 11

Select all examples of natural resources used to produce products

Wood

Water

Glass

Stone

Iron

Cows

Crops

Clay

Plastic

Fossil fuels

Soil

8 / 11

True or false, if we make less stuff, there will be less work for people.

Children making or fixing an electronic device

True

False

9 / 11

True or false, in the future we could rent new technology or cars instead of owning them.

True

False

10 / 11

True or false, the circular economy is just another name for recycling.

True

False

11 / 11

What are some benefits to a circular economy? (select all correct answers)

Pictographic of Linear Economy (represented by a straight line), Recycling Economy (represented by a line with two circles) and Circular economy (represented by a circular line)

Reduces waste

We no longer need to do recycling

Uses less energy and resources

I will never have to buy anything ever again

Works as a solution to the planet's resource shortage

Reduces pollution to our environment

Your score is

The average score is 69%

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Created on March 08, 2022 By

Millie Green

Climate Change Quiz

Test your knowledge with our climate change quiz!

1 / 6

Which of these statements best describes climate change?

The changes in weather we see day to day in a certain place.

The average weather conditions in a certain place for the past 30 or so years.

The changes in weather we see over a year in a certain place.

The average weather conditions in a certain place for the past 5 years.

2 / 6

Which of these are fossil fuels? (select all correct answers)

Coal

Oil

Solar energy

Petrol

Wood

Gas

Wind energy

Wave energy

3 / 6

Which greenhouse gas is released from landfill sites?

Carbon dioxide

Methane

Oxygen

4 / 6

What happens to waste and rubbish specifically in Devon?

It gets converted to energy

It all goes to landfill

It is all recycled

5 / 6

What are the impacts of climate change? (Select all correct answers) Satellite image of the earth

Sea level rising, cooling oceans and changing rainfall patterns

A decrease in the global average temperature

Sea levels rise, warming oceans and changing rainfall patterns

An increase in the global average temperature

More unpredictable weather patterns

6 / 6

What actions can you take to reduce your contribution to climate change? (Select all correct answers)

Reuse things you already have as much as possible

Eat all your leftover food

Buy seasonal and local food

Recycle as many materials as possible

Buy fewer things

Use public transport instead of the car

Your score is

The average score is 42%

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Created on March 09, 2022 By

Millie Green

Fast Fashion Quiz

What do you know about Clothes, Textiles and Fast Fashion?

1 / 9

Which plant can't be used to make fabric?

Flax

Birch

Stinging nettle

Parsley

2 / 9

What percentage of the World's carbon emissions come from the textiles and clothing industry?

Picture of chimneys with yellow coloured smoke emerging

10%

15%

30%

3 / 9

How much water does it take to grow enough cotton for a t-shirt?

2 litres

30 litres

105 litres

2700 litres

4 / 9

How many tonnes of clothes are wasted globally on average each year?

View of a big yellow machine called a compactor on a landfill site in Plymouth

2 tonnes

2,000 tonnes

50,000 tonnes

1 million tonnes

50 million tonnes

92 million tonnes

5 / 9

What is the most sustainable fabric?

Linen

Cotton

Viscose

Polyester

6 / 9

Spot the odd one out! Which statement is false?

Clothes will last a long time if you wash them at low temperatures.

Polyester and nylon fabrics produce millions of tiny plastic microfibre particles every time they are washed.

You should put clothes in the waste bin when you are finished with them.

If they are in good condition someone else will want your old clothes when you grow out of them, or get bored of the style.

There are lots of brilliant quality second-hand and vintage clothes available to buy online.

7 / 9

The carbon footprint of all the clothes bought in the UK in 2019 was the same as flying a plane around the world how many times?

900

2,500

8 / 9

How many miles would you need to drive in a car to release the same amount of carbon as one new t-shirt?

Hand out of a car window on a country road

109

9 / 9

How can you reduce your impact on the Earth? (Select all correct answers)

Rails of clothes separated into different women's sizes at a clothes swish at Marpool Primary School

Buy less clothes

Buy new clothes every month

Buy clothes from a charity shop

Donate clothes to a charity shop

Swap clothes with family and friends

Buy clothes that will last longer

Only buy what you really need

Throw clothes in the bin

Your score is

The average score is 37%

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Created on March 14, 2022 By

Millie Green

Picture of turtle about to eat a plastic bag

Plastic and Plastic Pollution Quiz

Science of Materials - Plastic

1 / 14

Name some properties of plastic...

Waterproof

Light

Solid

Liquid

Brittle

Adaptable

2 / 14

How much plastic packaging is recycled in the UK?

32%

50%

59%

77%

100%

3 / 14

How many types of plastic polymer are there?

100

Over 250

4 / 14

What are most plastics made from?

Oil

Sand

Wood

Metal

Plants

5 / 14

When was synthetic plastic invented?

1700

1854

1870

1907

1949

6 / 14

How can you reduce the plastic you use at home? (Select all that apply)

Reusable bottles

Reusable shopping bags

Ask for Birthday or Christmas presents that aren't made from plastic

Check the clothes buy to see if they contain plastic

Don't change anything

Buy fruit and veg without packaging

Talk to your family about plastics

7 / 14

Which of these inventions actually exists as an alternative to plastic packaging?

Packaging from cow poo

Packaging from seaweed

Packaging from mushrooms

None of these

All of these

8 / 14

What is produced when plastics break down in the environment?

Child's plastic bucket on beach full of plastic litter

Carbon dioxide

Microplastics

Methane

Oil

9 / 14

Complete the sentence: Plastics are a problem when discarded at sea because....

Picture of lots of plastic litter along a beach

they float around in big islands.

ocean creatures eat them thinking they are food and they never break down entirely.

they dissolve.

they react with seawater to form acids which are dissolving coral reefs.

10 / 14

Are plastics a renewable or non-renewable resource?

Renewable

Non-renewable

11 / 14

What is the item found most regularly on beach cleans?

Milk bottles

Yogurt pots

Cigarette butts

Coffee cups

12 / 14

Are plastics a problem to wildlife when they end up in the sea?

True

False

13 / 14

Where should your hard plastic packaging go?

In the recycling bin

In the sea

Throw it out of the car window

In the black bin bag

14 / 14

Choose the reasons why we should recycle.

We must not waste resources.

Materials are valuable.

We should save energy to help save our world.

Reducing waste, reduces pollution.

All of the above

Your score is

The average score is 49%

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Created on March 14, 2022 By

Millie Green

Science of Materials: Metals Quiz

This is a quick quiz to test your knowledge of metals and their recycling!

1 / 10

What materials stick to a magnet? (Select all correct answers)

Horseshoe shaped magnet with north in red and south in blue

Iron

Aluminium

Steel

Plastic

Glass

2 / 10

Name some other properties of metals

Hard

Solid

Shiny

Conduct electricity

All of the above

None of the above

3 / 10

What's the name of the place where magnetism was discovered?

London

The Moon

Washington

Sydney

Magnesia

4 / 10

Where do we get metals from?

The Blue Marble picture is the iconic image of the Earth floating in space taken by astronauts on the Apollo 17 mission to Mars. It remains the best image of Earth taken from space.

We extract them from seawater.

Minerals called ores that are found as rocks underground.

Astronauts bring them back from The Moon.

We can grow metal on trees.

5 / 10

Are metals a renewable or non-renewable resource?

Renewable

Non-renewable

6 / 10

Which kind of your recycling would stick to a magnet?

Aluminium can

Piece of paper

Steel food tin

Plastic yogurt pot

Leftover food waste

7 / 10

Choose the reasons why we should recycle.

Materials are valuable and we shouldn't waste them.

So we don't have to keep making new resources.

Saving energy and carbon which helps fight climate change.

Metals can be recycled forever.

All of the above.

8 / 10

How are magnets used in the recycling process?

To crush up plastic

To lift aluminium cans

To sort out steel from mixed recycling

To turn food waste into fertiliser

9 / 10

Name an object that you would never make out of metal.

Phone

Train

Pillow

Flask

Toilet

10 / 10

Can you recycle all metals?

Yes

Your score is

The average score is 64%

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Created on March 09, 2022 By

Millie Green

picture showing screwed up paper and a ring bound notepad

Science of Materials: Paper

Test your knowledge of paper in all its forms!

1 / 7

How much paper do we use in the UK each year?

7700 tonnes

80 tonnes

9.9.million tonnes

1.2 million tonnes

2 / 7

How many trees does it take to make one tonne of paper?

Half a tree

65,000 trees

3 / 7

How many trees are saved by recycling one tonne of paper?

700

4 / 7

How much water does it take to make 1 sheet of A4 paper?

0.2 tonnes

1 tonne

7 tonnes

10 tonnes

5 / 7

How many times (on average) is paper recycled in Europe?

2.4

3.8

6 / 7

Every Christmas we waste enough wrapping paper to cover this many football pitches...

100

11,000

1 million

5 million

7 / 7

What can you do to reduce paper at home?

Use both sides of paper

Buy recycled printer paper

Reuse paper bags

Going paper free

Read an online newspaper or magazine rather than buying one

All of these

Your score is

The average score is 38%

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Created on March 09, 2022 By

Millie Green

Partially eaten fruit and leftover skins, including banana, apple and oranges.

Science of Materials: Food Waste

Test your knowledge of Food Waste.

1 / 9

How much of the food produced on the planet is wasted?

10%

30%

50%

2 / 9

How much food waste do we make in the UK?

Plastic school canteen try being scraped into a bin of food waste

65,000 tonnes

2.2 million tonnes

9.5 million tonnes

60 million tonnes

3 / 9

How much of the food thrown away in the UK each year could have been eaten by humans?

40%

50%

60%

70%

4 / 9

True or false, pizza can be composted at home.

True

False

5 / 9

How much of the world's greenhouse emissions are down to food waste?

0.6%

10%

6 / 9

In the UK how much has the amount of food waste changed since 2007?

Smiling waste collection team from West Devon emptying food waste caddies into a waste collection vehicle

Increased by 5%

Reduced by 5%

Increased by 18%

Reduced by 18%

7 / 9

How much food was redistributed through food waste initiatives in 2020?

Assorted vegetables including onion, different coloured peppers, garlic, leeks and carrots with a large chopping knife

20,000 meals

220,000 meals

2 million meals

220 million meals

8 / 9

What do you think is the top food wasted in UK homes?

Fruit peelings and apple cores in a blue food waste bin lined with newspapers

Pasta sauce

Yogurt

Bread

Potatoes

Fruit

9 / 9

What can you do to reduce food waste at home?

Shop with a list

Use up leftovers

Plan meals

Know your dates - best before and use by

Think about portion size

Freeze stuff

Leave the peel on potatoes and carrots

All of these!

Your score is

The average score is 37%

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Created on March 14, 2022 By

Millie Green

Picture of plastic bag with some clothes folded inside

Science of Materials - Textiles

Test your knowledge on all things textiles.

1 / 9

What are textiles?

A tile of text

Types of cloth material

The name for a group of tiles

Text message about cloth

Types of patterns

2 / 9

What properties can textiles have? (Select all correct answers)

Insulating

Waterproof

Rigid

Washable

Brittle

Opaque

3 / 9

Can clothes be recycled?

Yes

4 / 9

True or false, textiles can be made of plastic.

True

False

5 / 9

What are most plastics made from?

Oil

Sand

Wood

Metal

Plants

6 / 9

How long does a plastic bottle take to biodegrade?

1 year

15 years

100 years

450 years

4000 years

7 / 9

Which of these does not get made into fabric?

Cow poo

Seaweed

Mushrooms

Nettles

All of these have been made into fabric

8 / 9

What can you do to reduce clothes waste? (Select all correct answers)

Young people holding a pencil made from denim and a piece of denim material

Donate old clothes to charity shops

Swap clothes with family or friends

Reduce how many new clothes you buy

Buy more clothes

Use older clothes for longer

Only buy durable clothes

Buy clothes from charity shops

Make old clothes and materials into something new

Nothing

9 / 9

What can you do to reduce microfibres and microplastics?

Only wear non-plastic clothing that does not produce microfibres when washed

Don't wash clothes so often, only when dirty

Use a device in your washing machine to collect microfibres

Don't litter, and do a litter pick in your local area

Buy reusable plastic products rather than single use

All of the above

Your score is

The average score is 58%

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Created on March 14, 2022 By

Millie Green

Science of Materials - Glass

Test your knowledge of glass.

1 / 7

What is glass made from?

Sand

Dirt

Wood

Animal bones

Oil

2 / 7

What properties does glass have?

It is unreactive

It is waterproof

It is transparent

All of these (and more!)

3 / 7

True or False, glass is brittle.

True

False

4 / 7

What does translucent mean?

Something is see-through - like a glass window.

Something that lets some light through it, but you can't see through it - like a plastic milk bottle.

Something doesn't let light through it - like a brick wall

Jellyfish

5 / 7

Is it easy to recycle glass?

Yes

6 / 7

How is glass of different colours separated? (Select all that could apply)

Lasers

Magnets

By hand

Blown air

Water

7 / 7

Can glass be reused?

Glass jar with nails inside and another with pennies inside

Yes

Your score is

The average score is 63%

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Home Education & Holiday Activities

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Plastic Worksheets: Home Activity

3Rs Activities at Home: Turn potatoes into plastic!

3Rs Activities at Home: Recycling Audit

Holiday activity for the summer: What was it like?

Summer Holiday Activities: Guess the Word

New Litter Word Search!

Sustainable Shaun

Recycling Pairs

Fill In The Gaps

Super Sorter MRF

Sort The Waste Game

Vibrant Recycling