Plastic packaging experiment

A practical activity to compare the amount of packaging to the amount of chocolate or snack. 

Students will

• become aware of some of the effects of consumption decisions.
• realise that through food choices, we can start to reduce waste.
• set goals to produce less plastic waste and dispose of it appropriately.

1 hour

• 2 bowls of the same size
• 1 pack of packaged snacks (e.g., 1 bag of chocolate sweets or 1 bag of packaged snack rolls)

Additional material:

Zero Waste Kindergarten – Handbook in German

In this activity, issues around packaging are explored. The activity is suitabele for pre-school and primary school.

1. Unpacking purchased snacks.    

• Each pupil gets a sweet or snack roll and unpack it.
• The packaging goes into one bowl, and the contents into the second.
• Observation: The pack contains relatively little chocolate or snack, but a large amount of plastic packaging.

2. Take a photo of the result.

3. Discuss the result.

• What is the problem with plastic waste?
• Is the pack size deceptive because there is so much packaging inside?
• What is the packaging for?
• What unpacked alternatives are there?
• How can we reduce our plastic waste?

Then, eat the contents and dispose of the rubbish properly.

4. Consolidation of learning.

Record the findings from the experiment on a poster.

Additional activities:

• Collage from pictures/drawings: Present snacks that are packaged and snacks that are unpackaged. We can find that unpackaged food is often healthier and fresher (such as fruit, vegetables, bread, bread rolls).
• Store check: What is packaged, and what is unpackaged? Where can we buy unpacked food (market, special shops,...)?

Nature: environmental protection and sustainability, consumer education

Maths: concepts of size, measuring activities, presenting data in a structured way

Language: listening with understanding, discussing, formulating arguments

Art: collage, presentation