Explore our range of activities and resources to help with teaching and learning at home or school. Or just for fun!
From easy-to-follow worksheets and supporting information sheets through to videos and in-depth session plans for teachers and group leaders, our resources are suitable for a range of curriculum topics and ages.
Select a theme to get started
Recycle
Right
Mix and match activities to learn what is ok to put in your recycle bin
Journey of Waste
Explore in detail how your waste and recycling is processed
Compost Awareness
Go on a mini beast hunt, discover a good composting recipe. Biodegradable Tastic!
Eco
Choices
Why is it important to think about waste? What else can we do?
All Ages: Activity
Did You Know? The wheelie bin was invented by an English company called Frank Rotherham Mouldings in 1968.
But, the wheelie bin has really only been seen on our streets since the 1980’s, when bin trucks became more automated. Why not make your own wheelie bin with this activity?
All Ages: Activity
Did You Know? The waste that a family generates is a resource and is valuable. And nearly three quarters of what a family throws can be recycled but not all of it can go in your recycling bin.
This activity will help you and your family to recycle right and help share this knowledge by creating your own poster.
Get started by downloading the teachers notes and sorting cards below:
Choose your Local Authority Bins:
KS1 & KS2: Activity Posters
The recycle bin is full but has it got the right items in it?
Can you help by choosing the items to go in the recycling bin or labelling them?
Click the links below to complete the online activity or download the worksheet.
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KS1: Activity
It's time to go on a material hunt!
Find items around your house made of different materials.
You will then need to find out where they can go after your finished with them? It could be: in your recycling bin, to a Household Waste Recycling Centre or donate them to a charity shop so they can be reused!
All Ages: Activity
Did you know?
There are lots of labels on packaging but not all of them tell you if the product can go in your recycling bin.
This activity will help you to spot and learn what the different labels mean! Click below to complete online or download the worksheet below.
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All Ages: Quiz
Did you know?
In Merseyside and Halton approximately 20% of what residents put in their recycling bins is incorrect. This contamination can stop the sorting process from operating and affects the quality of the materials we are able to send off for recycling.
Take a look at this presentation, which will guide you through what happens to your waste and then take the quiz to test if you recycle right!
KS3: Article
Many of the UK's local authorities collect recyclable waste mixed together in the same bin.
Mike Tingle discovers how differences in chemical and physical properties are used to separate a wide variety of materials.
Mike Tingle is a freelance author and educational consultant specialising in applied science.
Acknowledgements: The author thanks Julian Phipps of UPM, Shotton, and Steve Stothard of Reverse Vending Corporation for their help in answering his queries.
All Ages: Activity
KS2: Activity Pack
Did You Know?
A Materials Recovery Facility is one step in the recycling process. From your house to making a new product there are lots of steps involved. Explore the Materials in Motion Activity Pack to find out more!
Materials in Motion Bingo is ideal for doing during or after your visit to Gillmoss Recycling Discovery Centre. This Resource Pack contains an activity with Teachers Notes and worksheet.
Ask the MRF is the second activity in the Materials in Motion range and is ideal for doing after your visit to Gillmoss Recycling Discovery Centre. This Resource Pack contains an activity with Teachers Notes.
How Things Work is the last activity in the Materials in Motion range and is ideal for looking in more detail into how the machines or processes work. Useful short videos that may answer some of the questions raised after a visit to the Recycling Discovery Centre.
KS2: Activity Pack
Did You Know?
A Materials Recovery Facility uses some of the physical properties of materials to sort and separate your recycling.
This is a series of resources that encourages pupils to look at the properties of the materials collected in their recycling bin and how these are used by the MRF for sorting and separating. The activity can be done either before or after your visit to Gillmoss Recycling Discovery Centre.
This Resource Pack contains an activity with Teachers Notes.
KS1: Activity Pack
Waste or rubbish is what people throw away because they no longer need or want it, or they are required to dispose of something. Almost everything we do creates waste and as a society we are currently producing more waste than ever before.
Download the lesson plan and activity cards to deliver this lesson below:
All Ages: Activity
Did you know?
The team at the Materials Recovery Facility work hard to help you to recycle but they are find lots of things that can’t go in your bin.
Circle the items that can go in your recycle bin and then find the 10 differences between the pictures.
Click the links below to complete the online activity or download the worksheet.
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All Ages: Video
With the help of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, more than 420,000 tonnes of household residual waste (the waste left over after recycling) from Merseyside and Halton is used to generate enough electricity to power 63,000 homes.
This short film details the journey of Merseyside and Halton’s residual waste.
All Ages: Activity
KS2: Activity Pack
Did You Know?
If Henry the VIII had been able to eat a takeaway beef burger then the polystyrene packaging would be just starting to decompose about now!
Decomposing is the process of objects breaking down or decaying. If you have organic matter, this process is called composting with compost being made.
Click the links below to complete the online activity or download the worksheet.
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Use this presentation to learn about composting and compost and complete the challenges as you go along.
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All Ages: Activity
Did You Know?
A healthy compost bin has the right ingredients which, when they decompose give a nutritious product you can use in your garden.
Explore the activities below that can be done as part of your wider study into composting.
Click the links below to complete the online activity or download the worksheet.
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KS1 & KS2: Activity
KS2: Activity Pack
Did you know?
The gardening waste you put in your compost bin decomposes at different rates!
A logic based card game that can be delivered in isolation or in conjunction with the Composting 101 activity. This game encourages students to identify the rate at which different items decay within a compost heap.
Click the links below to complete the online activity or download the worksheet.
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KS2: Activity
Did You Know?
Recycled aluminium only uses 5% of the energy needed to extract new aluminium.
Resource Match Up is a game that helps pupils understand the different resources needed to make every day items.
An activity that will support wider study into the benefits of recycling. This Resource Pack contains activity cards and Teachers Notes.
All Ages: Activity
Did you know?
Working together as a family can you help protect earth?
Take pictures of your activities or your Bingo card and post them to our @MerseyRDC Facebook or twitter page with #GillmossEcoHero.
If you get Bingo (4 in a row, vertical, across or diagonal), we will send you a digital Gillmoss Eco Hero certificate. Children’s University Participants can get 2 credits for each line completed. Have fun!
KS2: Activity
Did You Know?
Over 75% of what you buy can be reused or recycled but not everyone actively recycles. What happens when we use up all earth’s natural resources?
A game that demonstrates the role recycling has in conserving our earth’s natural resources.
An activity that can be done as part of your wider study into the benefits of recycling.
KS2: Activity Pack
This activity pack encourages pupils to think about where they live and what can affect their local environment. Pupils could then go and survey their local area looking at environmental pollution or investigate ways in which their homes are eco friendly.
The Resource Pack contains two main activities:
- Action and Impact
- Good Eco Choices
- Teachers Notes and a worksheet pack.
Curriculum Links:
PSHE: Living in the wider world. Citizenship and global issues.
All Ages: Activity
Did You Know?
Only 1/3rd of all plastic bottles used are recycled. The rest are thrown away!
This activity pack enables pupils to create objects from everyday items that we throw away and can support discussion on why recycling is important and what we can do to help reduce the amount of waste we create. Browse the different Make Your Own activities below:
KS2: Activity
Did you know?
The 3 R’s in the environment have been around a long time but many people are forgetting to follow them. Reducing, Reusing and Recycling all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away and save precious resources.
Click the links below to complete the online activity or download the worksheet.
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Click below to start the online Click and Drag activity, when prompted click the 'Make a Copy' button to start the activity.
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