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Food Waste Solutions

Elementary

Description

This hands-on resource focuses on teaching students how to reduce food waste at home and at school. They learn the definition of food waste, how to make choices that eliminate or reduce food waste, methods of proper food storage and how to compost. 

In the first lesson students discuss food waste, learn the proper definition of the term and complete a provided pre-test on food waste at school. Through questions and brainstorming the students learn  reasons why food is wasted at school and some of the solutions to decrease the waste. Next, they play the Waste-Free Lunch Game in which they attempt to pack a waste free lunch from provided items faster than another competitor. The students complete a post-test and an assignment to share their learning with another student.

The topic of the second lesson is food waste at home. The students review the correct definition of food waste and complete a pre-test focused on food waste at home. Through additional brainstorming and discussion questions the students create a list of reasons food is wasted at home. Information on food storage and food waste solutions is shared by the teacher prior to watching a video entitled, “Oh the Things You Can Eat”.  The students replicate the activity demonstrated in the video and discuss their thoughts. Next, the students complete a provided post-test. In a  second activity students are introduced to the terms “compost”, “decomposer” and “compostable”. After watching a video describing the construction of a compost bin, the students make their own. 

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

This resource teaches the students to consider alternatives to 'easy to pack' and 'plastic-ladden' foods for their lunches.  In addition, the resource teaches the students how to create their own classroom compost bin.

Strengths

  • Engaging activites that address a wide range of learning styles
  • A good quantity of information for the teacher
  • Easy to implement and successfully complete

Weaknesses

  • No suggestions for accommodations for students who may struggle with the material

Recommendation of how and where to use it

The resource is most suitable for students at the upper elementary level to explore sustainability and food choices.  It will help to address curriculum outcomes related to the environment, healthy eating and sustainable practices. This resource could be used at the end of a unit on healthy food choices to further expand upon the students' learning.

Relevant Curriculum Units

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  • Alberta
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    • Grade 4
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        • Making meaning of healthy living and the decision-making process contributes to our understanding of healthy growth and development
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        • Growth and Changes in Plants
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      • Technological Education
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        • Human Ecology: food and Nutrition - Citizenship and Sustainability
  • New Brunswick
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        • Our Local Environment : Learning and Living Sustainably
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        • Properties and Uses of Earth Materials: Learning and Living Sustainably
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        • Health: Environmental Health
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        • Health: Environmental Health
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        • Life Systems: Growth and Changes in Plants
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        • Life Systems: Growth and Changes in Plants
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        • Life Systems: Growth & Changes in Plants
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        • Investigating Health Knowledge and Information: Informed Decisions
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        • Plant Growth and Changes
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        • Sharing What It Means to Be Healthy: Decision Making
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        • Facing Obstacles and Embracing Opportunities to Holistic Well-being: Understanding, Skills and Confidence

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (1)

  • Sustainable Consumption

Food & Agriculture (1)

  • Food Security

Waste Management (3)

  • Composting
  • Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
  • Source Reduction

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

Students are presented with unbiased information and engaging activities to help them gain an understanding of the importance of reducing food waste.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Satisfactory

Although not all aspects of the issue are examined as the resource has a focus on the environmental impacts of food waste, the teacher can easily introduce the economic and social dimensions of the issue via discussions.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Very Good

The issue is discussed and explained in a manner that allows for the students to gain an appreciation of the importance of reducing food waste.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Very Good

The students are able to act on the issue by building their own classroom compost bin. They are also encouraged to share their learning with those at home which may result in families taking up composting.

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Good

During the discussions and activities, students have some opportunity to identify their ideas and feelings on the issue of food waste.

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Poor/Not considered

This is not a focus for this resource.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Good

The resource does create an understanding of protecting the environment by reducing food waste and creating a class compost bin.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good

Learning about reducing food waste is easily applicable to the lives of the learners and there is focus on 'waste at home'.  The learning is extended by building their own classroom compost bin.

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Poor/Not considered

This aspect of learning is not addressed in the resource.

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

The activities included in the resource allow the students to explore the topic of food waste in an open manner to arrive at conclusions that are their own.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Very Good
  • Science
  • Health
  • Literacy
Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Satisfactory

Students are provided with the problem of how to cut down on food waste. They participate in activities that help them to learn how to effectively do this.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good

The resource offers engaging hands-on activities that will address the learning styles of a variety of learners. It does not include strategies for learners that may have difficulty with the material.

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Good

The practicality of the activities relate directly to the daily lives of the learners and the information taught is easily transferable and easy to put into practice.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory

Cooperative learning skills are not explicitly taught but the students often work in groups.

Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Very Good

The resource provides a pre and post test for use in both lessons in order to assess student learning.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory
Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Poor/Not considered

Case studies are not included as a part of this resource.

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Poor/Not considered

The opportunities for choice are limited in the resource due to its structure; this, however, does not detract from the quality of the resource.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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