North Somerset
We have been delivering 3Rs workshops in schools in the South West for over 10 years.
Feedback on our work is consistently high; in 2008/9 99.5% of 183 schools rated our workshops as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ in terms of pupil enjoyment and quality of resources/visual aids.
Typical comments include:
" As always a fantastic workshop which was organised effectively, with the relevant resources, engaged the children and developed their learning." St Andrews CE Primary School
"An excellent workshop - brilliant class management - excellent questioning, engaged all children, thank you!" St Peter's CE Primary School
What Do We Offer Schools?
Our team of qualified and experienced teachers offer schools assemblies and workshops to raise pupils’ awareness of the 3Rs. Our workshops have strong cross-curricular links with science, maths, literacy, geography and PSHE.
Our workshops and assemblies will complement your school’s schemes of work, and are also perfect for themed weeks such as Science, Environment or Recycling weeks.
Why the 3Rs?
Learning about ‘rubbish’ is a good way to engage children with environmental issues. Having learned about the issues each child can take immediate action both at home and school. Reducing waste prevents landfill sites filling up, preserves biodiversity and conserves valuable natural resources. It also saves energy, a vital part of tackling climate change.
The 3Rs form a central part of the ‘purchasing and waste’ doorway within the National Framework for Sustainable Schools. For schools working for an Eco-Schools award, work on the 3Rs will be essential, and there are close links with the Healthy Schools Programme.
Every Child Matters identifies ‘making a positive contribution’ as a key outcome in every child’s development. By working together to recycle and reduce waste, pupils learn to care for the local and global environments, as well as that of their school.
Workshops
Resource Futures' workshops are designed to take place in the classroom, with little or no reorganisation. We’ll bring the resources we need. We work with one class at a time, and most workshops take between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 hours, slotting easily into a normal school timetable. Workshops are as ‘hands-on’ and practical as possible. We will leave some fun educational follow up activities.
KS1, KS2, Eco-team PAPER AUDIT
A cross-curricular workshop that can be adapted to suit pupils from Y2 to Y6. Review your school’s recycling efforts, assessing contamination levels and considering whether paper has been fully used before being recycled. This is a great hands-on session to reinforce the ‘reduce’ and ‘reuse’ messages.
Links to: Geography and Maths including data handling
Science Workshops
F, Y1 MINIBEASTS IN THE COMPOST BIN
An active session of movement and fun! Imagining the school hall as a huge compost bin, pupils are transformed into wiggling worms, scuttling centipedes and slimy snails.
Covers elements of all six FS areas of learning
Y1,Y2 MATERIALS
A ‘rubbish’ feelie bag allows children to explore the properties of materials before deciding whether they should be put in the bin or recycled. Moving around the classroom, they act out the recycling of a can before making a fridge magnet to take home.
Links to: 1C Sorting/ using materials, 2D Grouping/ changing material
Y4, Y5, Y6 HABITATS AND FOOD CHAINS (terms 4.5 & 6 only)
Pupils observe live minibeasts fresh from the compost bin, and use pictures to build up food chains for the compost bin habitat. Links to 4B Habitats
Other Workshops -Perfect for Themed Weeks
Any of the workshops on the left can be incorporated into a themed week. In addition the following sessions develop pupil’s understanding of the 3Rs and are lots of fun!
KS1 PLASTIC ELEPHANTS
Plastic is labelled with a number depending on its type. Children sort a pile of plastics into sets using these numbers, and learn which can be recycled in their area. They reuse a plastic milk bottle to make an elephant which they decorate and take home to spread the recycling message. (NB plastic milk bottles are not provided and should be brought from home.)
KS2 RECYCLED MATERIALS CHALLENGE
There are objects made from recycled materials all around us. You could be wearing recycled plastic bottles or walking on recycled tyres! In this fascinating workshop pupils work in pairs to investigate a wide variety of everyday and unusual objects, working out what each recycled object is made from.
KS2 ‘RECYCLING AT HOME’ GAME
The perfect way to learn about reducing, reusing and recycling while developing vital team-work skills. In the hall pupils compete in teams to sort pictures into the correct recycling container.
KS1, KS2 PAPERMAKING
Your school becomes home to a ‘paper recycling factory’. Children are made aware of where paper comes from and why it is important to recycle it. They then get the chance to make their own sheet of recycled paper to keep and take home.
These are just some of the workshops we offer. Others such as Victorian toys, Growing plants or Materials year 3 are available upon request.
We can also support your school in waste reduction iniatives by holding action planning sessions with pupils and staff.
Assemblies
All full day bookings include a whole-school or key stage assembly which can either be a general 3Rs assembly or themed around Christmas or a waste related topic of your choice.
Prices and booking
To book a workshop please complete the Workshop booking form.
Or contact Education Officer Julia Cruse on 0117 914 3454 or julia.cruse@resourcefutures.co.uk