Curated OER
Recycling Garden Waste
Pupils experience how to make compost. This lesson is ongoing with periodic checks and maintenance. They select a piece of ground around the school or around their homes to establish a compost pile. Organic materials are utilized within...
Curated OER
Com-Post With Us?
Students discuss the importance of reducing, recycling and reusing materials to help the environment. As a class, they create a worm bin and observe how it turns material in to compost. They use the internet to research the...
Curated OER
A Worm World
Students maintain a compost bin and build a worm observatory. They design experiments relating to worms and record observations in a worm journal.
Curated OER
Decomposers at Work!
Students design and conduct investigations that illustrate the process of decomposition. After a lecture/demo, students simulate the process of soil composting in the classroom. They closely chart the decomposition of their soil.
Curated OER
The Nitrogen Cycle
Young scholars design and create a compost pile in order to study the Nitrogen Cycle. They then use the scientific method to determine if plants grow better when they add organic matter from their compost pile to the plant's soil.
Curated OER
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost
Students expand their understanding of solid waste management. They examine the effects of packaging decisions. They study engineering advancements in packaging materials and solid waste management.
Curated OER
3RC (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost)
Students examine the effects of packaging decisions and the engineering advancements in packaging materials and waste management. They observe biodegradation in a model landfill.
Curated OER
Let's make a landfill
Learners create a mini-landfill. In this decomposing lesson, students differentiate between materials that decay from those that won't. Learners identify the factors that might help materials from decomposing. Students record on a...
Curated OER
"Leaf" It in Your Yard
Students research about the process of composting. Students apply their research by creating a compost pile at school that will be maintained once or twice a month for the remainder of the school year.
Curated OER
Red Worms Rock!
Second graders measure red worms. In this instructional activity, 2nd graders observe and collect data on red worms. Students measure the red worms and create a graph with the data they collect.
Curated OER
Building Soil Nature's Way: Exploring decomposition and soil health
Students explore decomposition and soil health by creating their own garden. In this agriculture lesson, students build a "lasagna garden" with organic matter found in the area and plant perennials native to their region. Students are...
California Academy of Science
Where Do I Put My Trash?
Where does the trash go after you put it in the garbage can? The class discusses sustainability, recycling, compost, and landfills as they play as fun relay game. In teams, they race to be the fastest group to successfully sort their...
Curated OER
Investigating the Response of Worms to Soil Improvers
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, but do they care what soil is all about? Find out in an easy and fun controlled experiment. Have your young biologists hypothesize, test, and draw conclusions about which type of soil worms...
Curated OER
Where is Away?
Focusing on where are garbage goes once we dispose of it, learners explore environmental concerns. Using a clear format, this instructional activity leads learners through a discussion of waste reduction, recycling, and composting. Then,...
Curated OER
Toward a Sustainable Agriculture
Your class considers a case study of a sustainable agro-ecosystem and view a PowerPoint presentation about a sustainable farm. They complete a case study worksheet. Extension activities are included.
Curated OER
What a Waste
Students analyze components of garbage. They collect and sort a few days' worth of garbage. They chart the results of an investigation.
Curated OER
Trash Disposal Choices
Students investigate the use of landfills. In this landfill use and recycling instructional activity, students discuss what happens to trash and junk. They review the types of trash before categorizing a list of items they throw away...
Curated OER
Growing Tomatoes From Seed Activity
In this growing tomatoes worksheet, students plant tomato seeds in February, and follow their growth through the summer break. They observe and investigate the plant growth from seed to plant.
PBS
Twirling in the Breeze
Blow classes away with a hands-on lesson investigating wind speed. Learners use common materials to design and construct anemometers. They then test their anemometers and collect data on the wind speed created by a fan.
Captain Planet Foundation
Sorting Out Soils
Sift through soil and learn about why it's important for organic processes. After discussing what makes up soil, such as the living organisms and what types of soil have more nutrients, kids sample layers of mulch and deeper soil to...
Curated OER
Helping the Soil
In this soil conservation learning exercise, students study and analyze two excellent ways to enhance soil conservation: compost heap and leaf-mould. Students review all the ingredients in making both.
Curated OER
How Long Until Dirt
Third graders examine the difference between composting and wasting food. They problem-solve what to do about leftovers after lunches so good food doesn't go to waste.They study food storage techniques that are environmentally friendly...
Curated OER
Causal Patterns in Ecosystems Section 3
Students design and create a worm and worm free compost tanks for observation of decay in ecosystems. They make predictions, care, and revist tanks using their journals for observation and data collection.
Curated OER
Beautiful Soil
Students discover what are the components of soil. They examine how it is formed and it's importance. They engage in garden activities and processes. They hold a handful of garden soil and describe what they see. They take a...