Lesson Plan 1

Read through Lesson Plan 1: Teachers notes and Worksheets 1 -5.

The aims for the lesson are missing. What do you think the aims of this lesson are?
Make a note of your ideas (choose at least 3).

Lesson Plan 1: Teachers notes

Pre-reading
1. Mind-map: write the word ENVIRONMENT on the board and elicit vocabulary related to the topic.
Speaking: Students discuss questions on recycling in small groups or pairs.
 What do we recycle, why?
 What are the benefits of recycling?
 What do you know about the recycling process?

While Reading Tasks

2. Skimming/Reading for gist
a. Tell students they are going to read a text about recycling, but the paragraphs are not in the
correct order. They need to look at the paragraphs and put them in the correct order.

b. Put students into pairs or groups of three and hand out cut up paragraphs from Worksheet 1.
Give students a time limit of about 5 minutes (to encourage reading for gist).

c. Students work in pairs to put paragraphs in the correct order, monitor groups and help if
necessary.

d. Feedback and answers. During feedback, elicit reasons why students have chosen a particular
order.
Collect paragraphs, students should not have a copy of the text for the next stage of the lesson.

3. Scanning
a. Tell students they are going to complete a flow diagram about the recycling process, they need to
read the diagram and complete with words from text. Elicit which exam strategy students can use –
Predicting. Hand out worksheet 2, students work in pairs to predict the answers or type of answers
(noun/verb/adjective etc).
b. Check answers and feedback to whole class.

c. Hand out worksheet 3 (the complete text), students scan text for answers and fill in flow diagram.
Encourage students to underline or highlight where they found the answers in the text.
Check answers and feedback.

Post reading tasks

4. IELTS Writing Part 2: Essay

a. Tell students they are going to write an essay about recycling.

Hand out Worksheet 5.
b. Put students in pairs and ask them to discuss the essay task and make notes on ideas.
Students can write essay in class or for homework.

Worksheet 1

Recycling

We often talk about recycling and we tend to know that it is a good thing to do, but how many of us
know what actually happens? Recycling household waste in the UK is becoming more and more
common and out local councils encourage us to waste less and collect more recyclable materials.

The process of recycling domestic waste starts at home. When you have waste products, they
should be sorted into different bags or boxes. These boxes or bags are divided by material type;
plastic, paper or aluminium. Non-recyclable waste is anything that is not plastic, paper or
aluminium. So when you want to throw something away, first check what it is made from and put it
the appropriate place.

The bags or boxes are collected by people who work for the recycling company or local council. They
are usually collected once a week or once a fortnight, it depends on the region and local council
policy. The recyclable items are then transported to a depot or warehouse where they are stored
before being reprocessed.

Different types of plastic are used for different products. Milk bottles are usually made from HPTE
(high density polythene), carrier bags LDPE (Low density polythene) and drinks bottles are made
from PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The plastic is collected from each household, transported to
the depot, sold to a reprocessing centre, then reprocessing can begin. There are two processes for
reprocessing plastic, it depends on the type of plastic. It is either; melted down and moulded into a
different shape, creating a new product; or it is shredded, washed the melted down and reprocessed
into granules (small pieces). These granules are then sold to a firm overseas to be made into
different products. For example, plastic drinks bottles are reprocessed into granules, which are sold
to companies in China who use them to make clothes. These clothes are then sold back to people in
the UK.
Paper is one of the most recycled materials. When the paper has been collected, it is taken to a
recycling depot and then sent to a paper mill for processing. At the mill, the paper is checked for
quality and contamination and is sent to be shredded and pulped. Pulp is made up of shredded
paper and water and is needed to make new paper. Paper can only be recycled 4 – 6 times before
the fibres become too weak, so woodchip is added to the pulp to strengthen the mixture. The pulp
is then cleaned, stripped of ink and colour and sprayed onto a large screen. Here the excess water is
drained out and the recycled fibres bond together. The paper is then sent through heated rollers for
drying, a coating is added to give a smooth or glossy appearance. The paper sold to printing
companies all over the country.

Aluminium cans are taken to a recycling depot where a giant magnet is used to separate the
aluminium and steel. Once the aluminium has been separated it is crushed and sent to a
reprocessing plant. At the reprocessing plant it is shredded into pieces, these pieces are the same
size as a 10 pence piece. The aluminium then needs to be de-coated, the decoration that we see on
drinks cans needs to be taken off. When the aluminium has been de-coated, it is melted down and
cast into ingots – rectangular pieces of metal, similar to a brick – and cooled. These ingots are sent
to the mill where they are rolled out into aluminium sheets. The sheets are then sold to
manufacturing companies and used to make new products, for example car parts, bicycles or drinks
cans.

Large items household items and glass can also be recycled, however they are not collected in the
same way as plastic, aluminium and paper. White goods, such as fridges, freezers or cookers can be
taken to a local recycling centre. Here they are either reconditioned and re-sold or they are
disposed of. Glass is widely recycled, inhabitants take glass to recycling bank and separate the glass
according to colour. This glass is then reprocessed and made into new glass bottles or jars.

Worksheet 3

Recycling

A. We often talk about recycling and we tend to know that it is a good thing to do, but how many of
us know what actually happens? Recycling household waste in the UK is becoming more and more
common and out local council encourage us to waste less, but how can we do that?

B. The process of recycling domestic waste starts at home. When you have waste products, they
should be sorted into different bags or boxes. These boxes or bags are divided by material type;
plastic, aluminium or steel, cardboard, food waste and non-recyclable waste. Non-recyclable waste
is anything that is not plastic, cardboard or aluminium. So when you want to throw something away,
first check what it is made from and put it the appropriate place.

C. The bags or boxes are collected by people who work for the recycling company or local council.
They are usually collected once a week or once a fortnight, it depends on the region and local
council policy. The recyclable items are then transported to a depot or warehouse where they are
stored before being reprocessed.

D. Different types of plastic are used for different products. Milk bottles are usually made from
HPTE (high density polythene), carrier bags LDPE (Low density polythene) and drinks bottles are
made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The plastic is collected from each household,
transported to the depot, sold to a reprocessing centre, then reprocessing can begin. There are two
processes for reprocessing plastic, it depends on the type of plastic. It is either; melted down and
moulded into a different shape, creating a new product; or it is shredded, washed the melted down
and reprocessed into granules (small pieces). These granules are then sold to a firm overseas to be
made into different products. For example, plastic drinks bottles are reprocessed into granules,
which are sold to companies in China who use them to make clothes. These clothes are then sold
back to people in the UK.

E. Paper is one of the most recycled materials. When the paper has been collected, it is taken to a
recycling depot and then sent to a paper mill for processing. At the mill, the paper is checked for
quality and contamination and is sent to be shredded and pulped. Pulp is made up of shredded
paper and water and is needed to make new paper. Paper can only be recycled 4 – 6 times before
the fibres become too weak, so woodchip is added to the pulp to strengthen the mixture. The pulp
is then cleaned, stripped of ink and colour and sprayed onto a large screen. Here the excess water is
drained out and the recycled fibres bond together. The paper is then sent through heated rollers for
drying, a coating is added to give a smooth or glossy appearance. The paper sold to printing
companies all over the country.

F. Aluminium cans are taken to a recycling depot where a giant magnet is used to separate the
aluminium and steel. Once the aluminium has been separated it is crushed and sent to a
reprocessing plant. At the reprocessing plant it is shredded into pieces, these pieces are the same
size as a 10 pence piece. The aluminium then needs to be de-coated, the decoration that we see on
drinks cans needs to be taken off. When the aluminium has been de-coated, it is melted down and
cast into ingots – rectangular pieces of metal, similar to a brick – and cooled. These ingots are sent
to the mill where they are rolled out into aluminium sheets. The sheets are then sold to
manufacturing companies and used to make new products, for example car parts, bicycles or drinks
cans.

G. Large items household items and glass can also be recycled, however they are not collected in the
same way as plastic, aluminium and paper. White goods, such as fridges, freezers or cookers can be
taken to a local recycling centre. Here they are either reconditioned and re-sold, or they are
disposed of. Glass is widely recycled, inhabitants take glass to recycling bank and separate the glass
according to colour. This glass is then reprocessed and made into new glass bottles or jars.

Worksheet 4

Questions 1 – 10

Complete the flow-chart

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Initially waste is sorted at (1)……………………

 ↓

Recyclable materials are collected regularly

Recyclable materials are taken to (2) …………………..

Plastic is (3) …………….. and its Paper is transported to a (4) Aluminium is separated
form is altered ……………. from steal

↓ ↓ ↓
OR plastic is made into Paper is shredded and Aluminium is (6)
granules made into (5) ………….. ….…..into 10 pence sized
pieces
↓ ↓ ↓

Granules are (7) ………… Ink and colour is taken Aluminium is decoated
to companies abroad out and sprayed onto big and made into (9) …………
(8) ……………………..

↓ ↓

Paper is put through (10) Sent to mill and rolled

………….. rollers for drying into sheets

↓ ↓

New products are re-sold to public

Worksheet 5

Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people think that we should recycle as much as possible and if we do not recycle we should
be fined. Other people think it is our personal choice how much we recycle.

Discuss both of these ideas and give your own opinion.

You should write at least 250 words.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.

Here are the aims for Lesson Plan 1, were yours similar?

 By the end of the lesson, students will have practised reading for the general idea
 By the end of the lesson, students will have practised scanning for specific information
 By the end of the lesson, students will have practised completing flow chart tasks
 By the end of the lesson, students will have planned an essay on recycling

Answer Key
1. home
2. depot
3. melted
4. mill
5. pulp
6. shredded
7. sold
8. screen
9. ingots
10. heated