Let’s Learn About Waste!

Journey to Away was inspired by the simple yet profound question: Where does our trash go when we throw it away? This book was created to spark curiosity, challenge the way we think about waste, and empower children (and their families!) to become environmental changemakers.

Activities

Classroom Guide

Classroom guide for the book titled 'Journey to Away: A Raccoon's Mission to Save the World'. Featured themes include waste reduction, creativity, and collaboration. Learning objectives focus on raising awareness about waste issues. Synopsis describes the story of Mel the raccoon discovering a hidden world of trash. The background highlights the authors' activism and artistic influences. Aims outline the book's goal to empower children to address waste problems and inspire wider system change.

Word Search

Word search puzzle titled 'Away Word Search' with a blank space for a name. The grid contains letters with words related to the environment hidden in various directions. Words to find include sustainability, biodegradable, single-use, plastic, reduce, reuse, recycling, zero-waste, pollution, activism, garbage, and compost.

Talkin’ Trash Vocabulary Lists

Vocabulary list about waste management, including terms like garbage, litter, landfill, and recycling, along with their definitions and examples.
Image of a vocabulary list titled 'Away Talkin’ Trash Vocabulary List (2)' with definitions for terms: Sustainability, Waste sorting, Pollution, Compost, and Plastic Pollution. The text explains these environmental concepts for educational purposes.

Imagining Away 

If you haven’t read the book yet, have your child imagine, describe, and draw where they think trash goes after we throw it away.  Then after you read the book, talk about how their ideas about Away have changed!  You can even make a before and after drawing of how they imagined away before and after reading the book.

Worksheet titled 'Imagining Away' with blank spaces for drawing and writing about where trash goes when discarded. It includes a section for name and lines for writing a sentence.

Discussion Questions

Discuss these questions after reading the book! (For ages 5-7)

Illustrated discussion guide for the book 'Away' featuring questions for ages 5-7 about waste and recycling. Includes character roles, plot points, and encourages discussion on waste management at home and school. Background includes animal graphics and colorful text boxes.

Act It Out!

What could be more fun than pretending to be the characters from Journey to Away? Pick characters, make props and costumes, and act out key scenes from the book!

Educational activity poster titled 'Away Act it Out!' for ages 6-8, featuring a 5-step plan for students to act out scenes, using trash for props. Includes a character bank with raccoon illustrations and lesson skills focused on group work, costumes, and performing. Scenes list suggests themes related to waste management and ecology.