Richmond View School explore the three R’s
In term three, the Year 0-6 students at Richmond View School dove into exploring the three R’s of recycling and how they can help protect our environment. Three groups of students were set up, each focusing on one aspect of recycling using different materials. One group, working alongside their teacher Marion van der Berg, used the Enviroschools Beeswax Wrap Kit to understand how recycling, reusing, and reducing can help our buzzing bee friends. The wraps also help us protect nature through littering less.
Before they began, their Richmond View School community was invited to bring in items that they would normally throw away or recycle. Such as newspapers, plastic bottles, cotton fabric scraps, unused seeds, and beeswax. The response was a surprise as it provided the children with all they needed to dive into some hands-on learning.
The first activity was all about understanding how bees and other insects need flowers to survive. As well as how they help us in return through pollination. The students planted seeds in small pods that would grow into bee-friendly plants. In the following sessions, children got creative by making cute animal plant pots for their growing seedlings.
Along the way, the children also learnt how to make seed paper. They did this by shredding old newspapers, soaking them in water, and mixing in wildflower seeds. After pressing the mixture into thin sheets, the students cut them into cute shapes to give to people to plant.
In their final sessions, the children made beeswax wraps using cotton scraps donated from school families. They carefully cut these into squares. The students painted them with a melted beeswax mixture, then melted away the excess between sheets of baking paper using an iron. Through making these beeswax wraps, the students learnt how to reduce waste and the importance of taking care of our little buzzy bee friends, as we benefit from them in more than one way.
It was a wonderful journey of learning, creativity, and environmental stewardship—showing how small actions can make a big impact!
Story supplied by Richmond View School