Circular Economy Introductory Kit
This card game and supporting resources, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, are designed to introduce the concept of the circular economy. Working in groups, students analyse the life cycle of a simple product, such as a bottle of water, and compare it with the cycle of growth, decay and new growth that is found in a biological…
Activity 6: Rethinking Textiles Products
This activity, for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, looks at textiles in fashion design. It provides an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge and understanding of a circular economy approach to developing textiles products and how textile companies are applying this approach to developing new products. It explores…
Activity 5: Biomimicry
Biomimicry involves looking at nature for inspiration to solve engineering problems and to develop innovative new designs for products and architecture. This activity, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, investigates what is meant by linear and closed loops systems and explores products that have been developed by learning from…
Activity 4: In the Loop
This design-and-make project, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, provides hands on experience of working with materials, using CAD/CAM for design, and an opportunity for students to manufacture interesting products while addressing many circular economy concepts. The activity explores the use of materials, the principle of…
Activity 3: Rethinking the System
This activity, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, follows the format of a ‘Dragon’s Den’ competition. It aims develop student’s understanding of responsible product development and how the principles of the circular economy can be applied to current business practice. Case studies of existing products…
Design and Technology for a Circular Economy: Teachers' Guide
This teacher's guide, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, introduces six design and technology teaching activities and explains how they can be used and adapted. It includes an overview of design in the circular economy, including an exploration of how pioneers have rethought design and why it has needed rethinking. Also included…
Activity 2: Waste = Food
This activity, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, introduces aspects of the circular economy through design-and-make tasks, focusing on food packaging for festivals. It addresses the circular economy principle that waste equals food. The activity provides students with the opportunity to consider mass food packaging waste at…
Activity 1: The Circular Economy in the Built Environment
This activity, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, concentrates on the design of buildings, their use and eco- effectiveness. Students will explore how, through applying circular economy principles, new buildings can be created that have a positive impact – buildings that do good rather than less harm. The activity is composed…
Pod 5: Pupil Project
In this summative challenge from Nuffield Foundation groups of students use the knowledge, skills and understanding from earlier pods to explore a sustainability question of their choice. They need to research, analyze and present ideas in preparation for an exposition. Students assess each others ideas and plans on an ongoing basis.…
Pod 4: Climate Change
In this Nuffield Foundation resource students begin by reviewing their understanding of the carbon cycle. They investigate the link between human activity and increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and speculate on whether this is causing global warming. They compare the carbon footprints of different activities and…
Pod 3: Cars
In this Nuffield Foundation resource, students explore our relationship with cars and other forms of transport. They start by investigating some of the health and social problems associated with increasing car ownership. They move on to consider how innovative technologies could support more healthy and sustainable lifestyles. As…
Pod 1: Introduction
In this Nuffield Foundation resource, students explore the how humans have sought and used materials and energy throughout history. They learn that the current manufacturing system extracts raw materials, makes something useful and then disposes of it afterwards as waste. This take-make-dump model is not sustainable. Natural closed…
Pod 2: Waste
In this Nuffield Foundation resource students investigate whether recycling alone can mitigate the wastefulness of current industrial processes. They categorize waste into two main categories - natural materials which can be recycled through natural systems, and processed technical materials which cannot. Students learn that in order…