Recycling: How We Can Make a Difference: Key Stage 2

What happens to the things we throw away — and how can we give them another life? This short film introduces primary school children to recycling, the waste hierarchy, and the practical steps they can take at school and at home to look after our planet's precious resources.

Designed for Key Stage 2 (ages 7–11), the video covers what recycling is, why natural resources matter, and why reducing and reusing should always come first. Children follow the journey of an aluminium can from recycling bin to brand-new product, and discover simple actions they can start today.

Curriculum links:Science (Year 5) — Properties and changes of materials, reversible and irreversible changesGeography — Natural resources, sustainabilityDesign and Technology — Material selection, circular economyPSHE — Environmental responsibility, everyday sustainable choices

Running time: 5 minutes

This film is a free educational resource from Better Planet Education, a UK charity inspiring young people to look after our world. Visit betterplaneteducation.org.uk to explore our full range of free resources, lesson plans, and school programmes — including Better Planet Schools, our flagship environmental education programme for UK primary schools.