EXPLORATION
UPPER ELEMENTARY | SCIENCE
Understanding Organic Waste
Students will learn about waste and compost,
and their benefit to the environment.
Time
45 Minutes
Setting
Inside
Collection Group
Standards
- S3L2b. Students will identify ways to protect the environment (conservation of resources, recycling of materials).
Materials
Procedures
- Ask students to estimate how much trash the average person in the United States generates everyday (in pounds). Answer: 4.6 lbs
- Explore the effect of creating so much waste for our landfills and discuss options for diverting waste from landfills (composting organic waste or recycling paper, plastic, and metal).
Visit http://www.learner.org/interactives/garbage/solidwaste.html
Read “Where Does the Garbage Go” by Paul Showers - Discuss the benefits of composting including both waste diversion and releasing nutrients to create healthy soil. Watch videos of the process of decomposition.
Rotting fruits and vegetables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0En-_BVbGc
Pumpkins and apples decomposing in a compost heap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYssw7gvD_s
Worms decomposing food scraps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2vGlSNbPYQ
Additional Content for Exploration
Students can work together to develop waste diversion programs for their school cafeteria and measure the difference in waste that goes to the landfill from their cafeteria.
