Back to School: Discover More about Paper & Cardboard Packaging

The history of paper dates back to ancient China, where it was an exquisite material formed through a laborious handmade process. Now it is a material that we all acquire to use every day. Low-cost, lightweight and easy to recycle paper, and paper-based materials such as corrugated cardboard, are practical and sustainable.

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) website is a fantastic resource if you would like to learn more about paper’s history, production and its uses. Their fact sheets include insightful information on subjects including ‘Compliance with Food Packaging Law’ and ‘Forestry Sustainability & Timber Regulations’.

PaperWorks Teacher Resources

For teachers, the CPI website also includes a Schools section and a link to their sister website PaperWorks. This provides ready to use, whiteboard-friendly lesson plans, teacher notes and activity sheets. These are divided into 5 categories, tying paper and corrugated cardboard into curriculum learning:

5-7 years – Art & Design
7- 11 years – Science & Technology
11 – 14 years – Design Technology
11-18 years – Geography
14-18 years – Business Studies

The materials are available to view and download for free from the website. Why not take a look to see if they can save you some lesson planning? You might inspire the next generation of sustainability champions, packaging designers or bespoke box manufacturers!