Educational Resources for Primary Schools

Fun colouring activity

Lanes keyworkers inspect the drains to make sure that they are running smoothly and not blocked with kitchen roll, FOG and other items that should not be flushed down the drains. Sometimes what we find down the sewers isn’t pretty at all! Can your little ones help our engineers become a little more colourful?

Print off our keyworker colouring template here.

Educational board game: Pipes and Ladders

Pipes and Ladders board game Unblocktober version of Snakes and Ladders

Teach your pupils about protecting the environment and our sewer system while having fun with Unblocktober’s eco-friendly Pipes and Ladders board game – inspired by the classic Snakes and Ladders family game.

Not only is playing the game fun, but so is creating it!

Every item of the board game can be created easily using recyclable materials, so get playing today and let’s see if your students can become Unblocktober champions by rolling the dice!

Download the instructions and the board below:

Teaching resources: hidden plastics

Plastic pollution and its effect on the environment has taken centre stage on the public’s agenda over the last few years.

But we can’t completely eliminate this threat to the environment without understanding hidden plastics – plastic that finds its way into everyday item without us realising and become non-biodegradable as a result.

You can help us teach the future generations about this important topic with our unique and engaging KS1 teaching resources.

Hidden plastics: the lesson plan

Learning outcomes of the lesson

In this lesson pupils will learn:

  • What hidden plastics are
  • Where it can be found
  • How to dispose of it correctly
  • Eco-friendly alternatives to common plastic items

View and download the lesson plan by clicking the image below:

Hidden plastics lesson plan

Additional resources: the KS1 Hidden Plastics Factfile

To go alongside the lesson plan, we have developed an additional resource to add context and depth to the lesson, and for the pupils to take home with them.

Download the factfile by clicking the image below:

Hidden Plastics Factfile - KS1

fatberg-fighter-certificate

Teaching resources: fatbergs

Are you a primary school teacher looking for a fun, engaging lesson plan to help your pupils understand about the importance of the UK’s drainage network and the dangers of fatbergs and their impact on the environment?

Why not teach our Fatberg Fighters lesson plan?

Fatbergs: the lesson plan

Our unique Fatberg Fighters lesson plan puts primary school pupils in the thick of the action as we discover first-hand how fatbergs are formed, the problems they cause and how the UK’s children can play a pivotal role in helping to save the environment and fight fatbergs.

And at the end of the lessons participants are certified as Fatberg Fighters!

Learning outcomes of the lesson

In this lesson pupils will learn:

  • The importance of healthy drains and sewers
  • What fatbergs are and how they are formed
  • Why fatbergs are dangerous and affect you
  • Three key things to remember to do in their home to stop fatbergs from forming

View and download the lesson plan by clicking the image below:

lesson-plan-button-2

Additional resources: the Fatberg Fighter Factfile

We have also developed a  Fatberg Fighter Factfile – a teaching resource to go alongside this lesson plan that provides context and background information to help tackle this topic. The factfile explains:

  • What are drains and sewers?
  • What is a fatberg?
  • Why are fatbergs dangerous?
  • How you can help stop fatbergs

It also contains our special Fatberg Fighter certificate to give to the pupils at the end of the lesson.

Download the factfile by clicking the image below:

lanes-fatberg-factfile-cover

In addition, we have a range of Fatberg Fighter stickers that can be given out to the children on successful completion of the lesson, along with the Fatberg Fighter certificate.

If you would like to request some stickers as illustrated below, please send your name, email address, school name & delivery address to marketingdepartment@lanesgroup.co.uk

drainage-character-stickers

Take a look at the video of our lesson with Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads C of E Primary School below:

Take a look at some photos of our lesson with Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads C of E Primary School below:

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Take a look at our printable poster of the 3 things you must remember to help protect our sewers below:

fatberg3ps

To download the printable poster as a PDF in pink, click here

To download the printable poster as a PDF in green, click here

To download the printable poster as a PDF in blue, click here

What the teachers say

Ben Tagg, year 5 class teacher at Altrincham Preparatory School

“The next generation must be more environmentally focused that any that have gone before them. Educating children about the effects of what they do in their own home will be vital in developing a sense of a ‘shared Earth’.

“Many of the pupils in the class did not fully understand the sewer and drains network before the lessons, with many openly admitting that they take it for granted. Only when discussing what would happen if our drains and sewers were blocked up did they fully appreciate the value to our modern society.

Since the lessons, the students have informed me that they have now been watching mum and dad, when cooking, to see how they dispose of their waste oil and fat.”

Jenni Ringland, Foundation Stage Leader at Holy Trinity Stacksteads

“It’s important to educate children about what can and what can’t go down our drains as they will hold onto that knowledge and take it on board.

“The children said they would go home and tell their family what they can put down the drain.

“They really liked receiving their certificates, they’re fully fledged ‘fatberg fighters’ now.”

Tom Waldron, teacher at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Reddish

“Not all the class have an awareness of the sewage system in the country and don’t think about what happens after something goes down the plughole or toilet.

“It’s important to get children involved as they can be more receptive to change than adults and if an idea or a habit can be embedded in childhood then it is more likely to last into adulthood.

“The lesson has already made a difference – two parents said their children came home telling them all about it and quite a few of the children have already said they’ve stopped putting wipes and other things down the toilet.”

Why are Fatberg Fighters important?

The extent of the UK’s fatberg problem came into worldwide view in September following the discovery of a 130-tonne fatberg that was blocking a 250-metre stretch – the length of two Wembley football pitches – of a Whitechapel sewer. Lanes for Drains worked on the excavation of the fatberg alongside Thames Water, as the story went truly global.

The Fatberg Fighter initiative was launched just before the discovery of the fatberg – the largest ever discovered – as Lanes for Drains works on between 400-600 drainage issues each month that have been caused by fatbergs.

In addition, a recent survey by the company found that 93% of the UK believe that the British public need more education about the dangers of fatbergs and how to avoid them. Some 47% said they believed the most effective way to improve awareness was to teach children in schools – so we listened and took action.

Where to view a Fatberg

7,000 visitors flocked to see the Fatberg at the Museum of London in the first weekend it went on display in February 2018.  Children are keen to see and experience the #fatberg phenomenon.

The display is interesting and certainly captures the complexity of dealing with the removal of the #fatberg. From an environmental responsibility, if this display makes one person think about disposal of fats, oil and grease then it’s served the purpose of telling the tale of modern times.