Lesson Plans

Recycle City

30-60m
Ages 5-12

Introduction

Learn about upcycling

Teach students to work together in this quick and fun lesson where kids learn about upcycling as they collaborate to build a cardboard city.

Subjects
English, HASS, Visual Arts, Design and Technologies

Objectives

Preparation

Student Materials

  • Makedo Invent Kit

  • Upcycled cardboard

  • Markers and craft supplies

Teacher Resources

First time using Makedo? (or for a handy refresh):

Lesson Steps

60 minute lesson

  1. Warm-up (10 mins)

  2. Activity (25 mins)

  3. Group discussion (10 mins)

  4. Clean up (5 mins)

  5. Journaling (10 mins)

Warm-up

Time allocated: 10 minutes

Ask students to look at an image and answer these questions with as much detail as they can.

  • What is going on in this picture?

  • What do you see that makes you say that?

  • Finish this sentence stem: “I wonder…”

Discuss the warm-up image and how it can relate to the Recycle City activity.

Activity

Time allocated: 25 minutes

  • Introduce the activity.
    Suggested script: “Today we will explore the concept of collaboration by working together to build a cardboard city with Makedo tools and upcycled cardboard. Each team will construct a building for our city and by sharing the work, we will have a whole city in a shorter period of time than if one student tried to build it alone.”

  • Divide students into five equal teams. 

  • Distribute Makedo and cardboard and begin building.

    • Give each team an equal number of tools and cardboard.

    • Encourage sharing during the activity if another group needs more supplies.

    • Encourage students to share ideas for how to build their structure.

Group Discussion

Time allocated: 10 minutes

  1. During today’s activity, what did you learn about your classmates?

  2. What are some glows (strengths) and grows (challenges) we can give our classmates?

  3. What was good about collaborating? What was difficult?

  4. Would you have been able to complete a city on your own? How would it have been different than working together?

  5. What are some positives about collaboration?

Clean Up

Time allocated: 5 Minutes

  • Have students take apart structures and return Makedo tools and connectors to the correct spot. Stack cardboard for reuse or recycling.

  • Call students to the meeting area for reflection.

Reflection

Time allocated: 10 Minutes

Have students journal their responses to the following prompts:

  • Consider the feelings you experienced during the Recycle City activity. How did you feel working as a group? Frustrated? Happy? Sketch your feelings and explain.

  • How well did you collaborate with your team?

  • What makes a person fun or easy to work with? Do you have the skills it takes to be a good collaborator?

Extensions and Supports

Take it further

Extensions for students who are done early or would like a challenge

  • Allow students to help another group that is struggling.

Supporting learners who need additional support

  • If students have fine motor skills difficulty, have the Occupational Therapist (OT) join in during this lesson.

Further Resources

Makedo Inspiration Hub

If you enjoyed this lesson, check out our global citizenship, social justice and changemaking unit Makedo Change on the Makedo Hub.

Take a look at this snapshot from Our Holy Redeemer School in Clydebank, Scotland in their project The Town that Takes Care of the Planet.

Alignment to Standards

These standards are highly relevant to this activity. For a complete list, please refer to the framework websites. This list can be tailored for your class.