The Bristol 2015 Resources Challenge is a team game exploring how pupils, schools
and families can use the world’s valuable resources with greater care. It raises pupils’
awareness of ways that we can reduce, reuse and recycle in our daily lives, with a
strong focus on moving up the ‘waste hierarchy’ (i.e. reducing and reusing before we
recycle). The game also develops essential team-work skills: debating ideas, listening
to others’ opinions, and arriving at consensus decisions.
Designed for KS2 pupils working in groups of 5 or 6, this hour-long activity is ideal for as
a class lesson or eco team task.
To play the Bristol 2015 Resources Challenge you will need:
• the Resources Challenge pack, printed onto A3 paper (preferably in colour)
• the Resources Challenge PowerPoint
• dice (one per group of pupils)
• whiteboards and pens (optional)
NB- Before playing the game, it’s a good idea to find out what materials can be
recycled in your school, and what families can recycle in your local area.
Instructions
• Print the Resources Challenge document onto A3 paper. This document
comprises 4 game boards, 2 sheets of game cards, and 1 sheet of cards for extra
challenge.
• You will need one set per group of pupils.
• To play the standard game, print pages 1 to 6.
• To play the game with additional challenge, print pages 1 to 7.
• Cut along the dotted lines on pages 5 to 7, so that each game card is in a
separate square.
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1. Use the Resources Challenge PowerPoint to introduce the game to your pupils.
2. Divide pupils into teams of 5 or 6. Give each team a set of 24 game cards, the four game
mats, and a die. (If you are including the additional game cards there will be 32 per team.
Be sure to explain to the children that some of the cards do NOT match any of the clues.)
3. One pupil rolls the die and chooses a clue corresponding to the number thrown
1= reduce, 2 = reuse, 3 = recycle, 4 = resources, 5 = roll again, 6 = free choice.
4. The whole team discuss which game card is best suited to the clue. Once they have
made a decision, they place their chosen card on top of the clue.
5. The die is rolled again, and the game progresses until all the game cards and clues have
been matched. It is likely that during the game pupils will need to move a card to a
different clue – encourage them to discuss this with their team before doing so.
(If you are using the additional game cards there should be 8 left at the end of the game.)
6. When a team has finished they should:
a. Check their answers – are all the pictures in the right place, and does every
member of the team understand the reasoning behind the choices?
b. Identify one action that their school can focus on. This could be something that
the school could improve (e.g., reusing paper), or a new initiative (e.g., introducing a
compost bin).
c. Identify one action for each family to work on.
7. Whole class plenary: each team shares their actions for schools and families, with
discussion about how these ideas could be implemented.
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Answers
Some clues have more than one game card that could be correct. However, once all
clues have been considered the best fit for answers is as detailed in the tables below.
Reduce
Put the lids on –
they’ll last much
longer
Pens and glue sticks
with lids left off.
Launch a whole-school campaign to
look after resources better so they last
longer. This will also save the school
money!
STOP! Do you really
need them both?
Shopper below ‘buy
one get one free’
sign.
Discuss with the class other factors which
encourage us to buy things we don’t
need. Role play ways to resist these
pressures.
Use 1 or 2, not 3 or 4
Child with paper
towel dispenser.
Run a whole-school campaign to
reduce the number of paper towels
used.
You can write
without paper.
Child using wipeclean whiteboard.
Launch a whole-school campaign to use
large and small whiteboards instead of
paper whenever possible.
Choose us for your
parties.
Strong plastic plates
and cups.
Ask the PTA to fund reusable plates and
cups for school parties, so that
disposables can be avoided.
Think before you
click.
Computer ‘print’
icon.
Plan a whole-school campaign to print
and photocopy less.
Packed lunch with no
wrapping.
Carry out a packed lunch waste audit.
Encourage parents to use reusable
boxes and bottles in packed lunches
instead of disposable wrappers and
cartons.
Hand pouring rice
into a cup.
Discuss with staff in the school kitchen
how they decide how much to cook
each day. Introduce of a system to allow
pupils to order their exact meal each
morning.
Pack me without
wrapping.
Measure before you
cook.
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Reuse
Recycle
Out of energy?
RECHARGE!
Rechargeable
batteries.
Check that all batteries used in school
equipment are rechargeable.
Remind your family
to take me shopping.
Canvas shopping
bag.
This is likely to be a home action.
Love your scrap.
Scrap paper drawer.
Carry out an audit of your recycling
boxes to find out what % of the paper
has been used on both sides.
Check that every class / office has a
clearly labelled and accessible scrap
paper drawer.
Designate one tray of the school
photocopier for reused paper.
Too small? Pass it on!
Older child passing
skirt to a younger
child.
Set up a school uniform exchange to
support families to reuse uniforms.
Love your leftovers.
Ice cream tub
containing leftover
food.
Talk to the staff in the school kitchen
about whether they can reuse uneaten
food the following day. (NB school
kitchens are subject to strict food safety
regulations so their options are more
limited than at home.)
Don’t buy a new
one. REPAIR!
Broken recorder with
super-glue.
Meet the school caretaker / site
manager to discuss options for mending
school equipment that gets broken.
Out of Energy?
RECYCLE!
Non rechargeable
batteries.
Find out if your school has the option of a
battery recycling collection and if so
whether this is used.
Feed the worms.
Compost bin.
Start composting fruit and vegetable
peels. (Be sure to balance these with
other materials.)
If your school is already composting,
check to find out if collection caddies
are well located and clearly labelled.
Collect from every
room.
Recycling box with
label.
Check that every room in the school has
appropriate recycling containers, and
that these are labelled to ensure the
correct materials are recycled.
Make sure it’s on
your toilet rolls.
Made from recycled
materials label.
Find out if your school toilet paper /
hand towels / photocopy paper are
made from recycled paper.
Make your own recycled paper
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