Thinking about landfills
This activity is a ready-to-use cross curricular teaching resource. It is intended for NZC levels 4–5. The student worksheet can be printed, making it suitable for students working away from a school setting. The landfill labelling interactive is also available as a printable activity, or it can be completed online.
Household waste
A truck dumping waste at the resource depot. Unless rubbish is separated into different categories for recycling (paper, plastics and glass), waste is put into landfill – simply burying all the waste in a large hole in the ground.
The purpose is to encourage students to:
consider how landfill systems have changed from the days of tipping or dumping wastes
think about the time it takes for items to decompose
consider how information is presented in a landfill diagram (science capability ‘Interpret representations’)
use literacy skills and science knowledge to label a landfill diagram.
Modern landfill system
Use this interactive to identify the components of a modern landfill system. Drag and drop the text labels onto the diagram. Selecting or hovering over a box will highlight each area in the diagram. If you hover your mouse over the text labels there is more information.
If you want to redo an answer, click on the box and the answer will go back to the top so you can move it to another box. If you want to check your answers, use the Reset incorrect button. This will reset incorrect answers only. When you are happy with your selection, use the Check answers button to check them. Use Reset all to practise again from the start.
Feel free to edit the Word document to meet the needs of your programme and your learners. There is a separate Word document with the activity answers.
Download the activity Word file (see link below).
Download the activity answers Word file (see link below).
Landfills and literacy
This ready-to-use activity is a component of the activity Looking at modern landfill systems. Additional components include:
engineering practices
a template for creating a timeline of rubbish disposal in Aotearoa
an exploration of local waste management practices
considerations for waste minimisation.
Find out more about the structure of landfills in New Zealand and the growing waste challenge we face.
