Themes 1st Semester (Aug-Nov)
Turning Trash into Treasure
Themes | 6G
- Make sure that the “Wow!” moments of the projects are clear in the beginning of the Summary
- Make sure you list all the required materials
- Make sure that the Financial Literacy skills that will be developed and assessed are clear
- Make sure you explain and justify the deliverable
Summary:
In this project students will learn about the importance of waste management, recycling, and how these concepts can tie into financial literacy through entrepreneurial activities. They will explore creative ways to repurpose waste materials and turn them into valuable products that can be sold, helping them understand both environmental responsibility and basic financial concepts.Learning goals:
- Understand the environmental impact of waste and the importance of recycling for resource conservation.
- Recognize the significance of upcycling in reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
- Explore creative ways to repurpose waste materials and transform them into valuable products.
- Apply innovative thinking to identify opportunities for creating unique upcycled items.
- Understand basic financial concepts such as budgeting, cost analysis, pricing, and profit calculation.
- Apply financial literacy skills to determine the costs of materials and calculate potential profits from selling upcycled products.
- Understand the ethical considerations of repurposing waste materials and promoting sustainable consumption.
- Explore the alignment between entrepreneurial endeavors and responsible environmental practices.
Skills and Standards:
Skills:
- Financial Literacy – Identify the needs and wants
- Financial Literacy – Learn to track and manage the money
- Financial Literacy – Recognize the price of items.
- SDG 12 – Understand the consumption chain, companies and people involved
- SDG 9 – Understand the productive chains and their characteristics
- WEF Skill 10 – Take action on creative ideas to actively contribute in a practical and valuable manner to the respective field where the innovation will take place.
Standards:
- Cog skill – Communicate accurately and precisely, expressing, integrating, and applying specific content and/or conventions with accuracy and precision.
- ELA | Speaking – Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.
- Math – Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.
Deliverable
- The final deliverable of the “Green Entrepreneurship: Turning Trash into Treasure” project involves a culminating event and presentations that showcase the students’ entrepreneurial endeavors and upcycled creations.
Milestones
- Milestone 1: Does it go to waste or can it be recycled?
- Milestone 2: Exploring entrepreneurship.
- Milestone 3: Hands-on.
- Milestone 4: How much does it cost? or What is the value?
- Milestone 5: Listen to your customers.
- Milestone 6: Time to sell.
- Milestone 7: Reflect on the impact.
Planning suggestions:
Milestone 1
- Concept of waste – discuss with the students the concept of waste, its impact on the environment, and the importance of recycling. Highlight the types of materials that are commonly recycled and why recycling is essential for conserving resources.
- Can it be recycled? – propose a very simple game: show some images and ask if that material can be recycled or not. After that you can show real-world examples of recycling processes.
Milestone 2
- Concept of entrepreneurship – explain how it involves identifying opportunities and creating products or services that people value. Discuss the importance of creativity and innovation in entrepreneurship.
- Brainstorm – brainstorm ways to repurpose common waste materials (e.g., plastic bottles, cardboard, old clothes) into useful and attractive products. Encourage them to think outside the box and consider the practicality and marketability of their ideas.
Milestone 3
- Upcycling project – in small groups, students can select the idea they liked most and start to work on it. It could be making reusable bags from old t-shirts, turning glass jars into decorative containers, or creating planters from plastic bottles. Provide the necessary materials and resources, and allow students to work on their projects. Emphasize creativity, functionality, and environmental impact.
- References – Share some product references.
Milestone 4
- Cost x value – Discuss the idea of “cost versus value” and how it relates to pricing their upcycled products.
- Budgeting and pricing – Explain how to determine the cost of materials and calculate potential profits.
Milestone 5
- Research – Guide students in conducting simple market research to understand potential customers’ preferences and willingness to pay for their upcycled products. Help them set reasonable prices that cover their costs while remaining attractive to buyers.
Milestone 6
- Green Entrepreneurship Market – organize a mini market where students showcase and sell their upcycled products to their classmates, teachers, and parents. This provides a practical experience in marketing, sales, and customer interaction.
Milestone 7
- Reflect on their experience – Ask them to analyze their sales, expenses, and profits, and share insights about the business aspect of the project. Also, discuss how their upcycling efforts contributed to waste reduction and environmental preservation. Reinforce the idea that small actions can make a significant positive impact.
Golden Tip:
- On site visits: if possible, invite students to visit a bazaar, flea market or garage sale happening in the area. This way, those who have never been will have the experience of seeing how it is organized, what it sells and the suggested prices.
- Color coding: you can suggest that students differentiate between new and used products using different colors. Colors can also be used for prices. It makes it easier to organize and pay for things.
