Botanic Garden and Attenborough Arboretum

Waste Busters

Waste Busters is suitable for KS1 and KS2. Two children holding waste items

The day starts with a teacher led introduction including learning what reuse, recycle and compost mean, the length of time different materials take to biodegrade and the danger to wildlife.

Then the children go around the Botanic Garden in small group of 'waste busters' to find different waste materials next to plants or features they come from or are connected with. For example coffee granules by the coffee plant, a can by the pineapple, an orange juice tetra-pack by the orange tree, a plastic bottle by a water tap, paper by the pine tree...

Back in the classroom, the collected items are sorted into Reuse, Recycle or Compost bins and their choices discussed.

Children are given a chance to hunt for mini-beasts in different microhabitats and then link these to how soil is formed. In addition children can bring a small container (such as a yoghurt pot) and reuse this to plant cress. 

  • Age: KS1/2
  • Numbers and Duration: One / two classes. (One class can come for a half day for the introduction and waste buster trail)
  • Availability: All year
  • Cost: Please visit our programme costs page

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