The 5Rs and Scram!
This is a level 2 and 3 mathematics in science contexts activity from the Figure It Out series.
A PDF of the student activity is included.
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Download PDF - The 5Rs (1702 KB)
Download PDF - Scram (2023 KB)
using language that relates to environmental resources.
coloured sticky notes
FIO, Levels 2+-3+, Sustainability, The 5Rs and Scram!, pages 1-3
30 5Rs cards (see copymaster)
classmates
Game (The 5Rs)
A card game that introduces ways of recycling household items or reducing our use of resources.
Game (Scram!)
A game that helps you understand words about the environment and resources.
Activity
1.
| Word | Meaning |
| water | A liquid that animals and plants need to live |
| resources | Materials or energy from the environment that are used to meet human needs or wants |
| air | What we need to breathe |
| renewable | Can be replaced by growing, making, or collecting more |
| environment | The world we live in |
| recharge | Replace used-up power |
| reduce | Cut down the amount of rubbish we produce |
| repair | Replace or mend a faulty part |
| reuse | Use more than once |
| biodegradeable | Decomposes or breaks down |
| non-renewable | Can’t be replaced after it has been used |
| waste | Any material that is discarded |
| recycle | Use waste materials to make new products |
| conservation | Protecting the environment and natural resources |
| inorganic | Not part of the animal or vegetable kingdom |
2. a. Examples will vary. Here are some possibilities:
| Word | Situation or example |
| water | In some parts of the world, there is not enough clean water for drinking. |
| resources | The air we breathe, the oil we extract for fuel, and the food we grow to eat are all resources because we use them to meet our needs and wants. |
| air | Air contains the oxygen that we need to live. |
| renewable | Grass is renewable because it grows back when eaten by animals. |
| environment | Our house, our school, the roads we travel on, and the fi elds we play sport in are all part of our environment. |
| recharge | Some batteries can be recharged so that they can be used again. |
| reduce | We can reduce the amount of food rubbish we produce by putting compostable material into a compost bin or heap. |
| repair | Things such as clothes, shoes, and electronic equipment can often be repaired so that they are “as good as new”. |
| reuse | We can reuse a water bottle by filling it again from the tap. |
| biodegradeable | Apple cores and banana peels will rot and decompose because they are biodegradable. |
| non-renewable | Oil is a non-renewable resource because once it is used, it cannot be replaced. |
| waste | Anything we put into the rubbish bin is waste. |
| recycle | Melting glass bottles to make new bottles is recycling. |
| conservation | Catch-and-release fishing is a form of conservation. |
| inorganic | Water and rocks are inorganic because they are not alive. |
b. Practical activity
c. Examples of extra words are: sustainable, natural, packaging, energy, solar, exploit, consume, soil.