Waste Matters in the Pacific

Student Activities:
1. Whole class activity.

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i) As a "warm up" exercise, discuss with class the idea that all people create waste and that all waste has to go somewhere. Brainstorm (see teaching strategies) ideas around this theme. List all ideas on butcher paper for later use.

ii) Discuss briefly with the students what happens to their household waste and follow on with open questions about how waste might be managed in other cultures and communities that have special needs - e.g. small islands, isolated places, tourist destinations.

iii) Introduce the case study and establish what students already know about the Pacific - location, place names, culture etc.

Locate the region on a wall map, globe or atlas and direct students to note size of island countries and distances from each other, from Australia and from other countries.

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• Tell the students that you were surfing the net and found this site. Then carry out the above activities (i to iii).
• Link the topic to a current waste issue either local or from the Pacific region. Then carry out the above activities (i to iii).
• Find a "note in a bottle" from a fictitious island saying "Help, we are sinking under a mountain of waste" (or similar). Then carry out the above activities (i to iii).

iv) Divide class into 5 groups and allocate one case study to each group. This can be done according to student or teacher choice but the groups should be fairly equal in number.

Next: 2. a) Individual Activities.