COMPOSTING LESSON PLAN - WordPress.com · Web viewLesson Plan 1: Composting Table of Contents 1.0 Materials 1 2.0 Assessment Activity 1 3.0 Attention Grabber 1 4.0 Lesson Goals and

NEAT LESSON PLANSLESSON #1: COMPOSTING

Lesson Plan 1: Composting


Table of Contents

1.0 MATERIALS..................................................................................................................................................1

2.0 ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY...........................................................................................................................1

3.0 ATTENTION GRABBER.............................................................................................................................1

4.0 LESSON GOALS AND CONTENT.............................................................................................................2

5.0 HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES............................................................................................................................3

6.0 POST-TEST....................................................................................................................................................4

7.0 PRESENT TAKE-HOME REFERENCE MATERIALS & ACTIVITY FOR KIDS.............................4

8.0 SUPPORT MATERIALS..............................................................................................................................4

9.0 References......................................................................................................................................................12

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1.0 Materials1. Notebook containing the following:

Lesson plan Assessment activity and post-test Reference materials (fact sheet, stickers, and magnets) Take-home hand-out for kids CD ROM of lesson plans, post-test, and reference materials

2. Plastic bin (available for check-out from NEAT personnel) containing 3 waste baskets, 1 marked “compost,” 1 marked “recycling,” and 1 marked “trash.”

3. You will need to provide examples of compostable and non-compostable material in plastic bags (for example, grass, leaves, food scraps, twigs, and newspaper)

2.0 Assessment ActivityRefer to the assessment activity in section 8.0, “Support Material.”

3.0 Attention GrabberAsk the class the following questions:

Question: “What are 3 ways that composting lawn and kitchen waste can improve water quality?”

Answers:1. Compost replaces synthetic fertilizers in people’s lawns that pollute stormwater

run-off with nitrogen and phosphorus.2. Compost improves soil so that water penetrates more easily and stays in the soil

longer. This reduces the watering needs of your lawn and garden.3. Compost helps protect soil from erosion, which means less sediment in run-off

waters.

Question: “What are some other benefits of composting?”Answers:

1. Composting keeps lawn and kitchen waste from filling landfills.2. If your lawn waste is collected by your city, you are preventing nitrogen-rich run-

off from leaves and grass left sitting on the curb. You also prevent the leaves and clippings from clogging storm drains. You also conserve energy by decreasing the stops that city vehicles must make to collect the waste.

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4.0 Lesson Goals and ContentToday we are going to learn the following:

1. How to make a compost bin using cheap materials2. What you can compost and what you cannot3. How to maintain your compost bin so that you can use the compost for your lawn and

garden

1. Making a Compost Bin: Compost bins can be assembled using chicken wire (just make a cylinder and secure the

edges), stacked bricks or concrete blocks (without mortar), 4 used wooden pallets tied together, or planks of wood nailed to 4 posts.

All compost bins must:- be open on the bottom to allow the composting materials to contact soil- allow plenty of airflow

Compost bins should be no smaller than 3 feet by 3 feet and no larger than 5 feet by 5 feet. It should be around 3 feet tall; you must be able to reach inside it to access its contents.

2. What to compost: To promote the break down of organic materials, you need 3 things:

1. A good carbon/nitrogen ratio (4 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen) - Sources of carbon (“browns” or dry, hard materials) are dry leaves, sawdust,

shredded newspaper, hay, straw, and eggshells.- Sources of nitrogen (“greens” or wet, soft materials) are manure, green plants,

grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, and tea bags.2. Water, which you add whenever you add new dry materials to the pile3. Microorganisms, which are introduced by adding a few shovelfuls of dirt to the pile

What not to compost:

Leftover cooked food (it attracts animals, contains fats and oils that are slow to break down, and contains salt that is harmful to plants)

Meats (raw or cooked) and cheeses (they attract animals, contain fats and oils that are slow to break down, and contain salt that is harmful to plants)

Inorganic material like plastic or metal (it won’t break down) Cloth and glossy paper (they take too long to break down and contain

chemicals that are harmful to plants ) Pet waste (it makes it smell bad and can introduce disease) Living weeds with roots (they may grow in your bin)

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3. How to maintain your bin:1) Turn the whole pile inside out with a hayfork or shovel every month to aerate, adding

water as needed to make the whole pile moist like a wrung-out sponge.2) The plant materials should decompose into compost within 4 months in warm weather,

longer under cool or dry conditions. The smaller the pieces of material, the faster they will compost. Shred newspaper, crumble eggshells and dry leaves, etc.

3) Warning signs:a. If the pile is not hot, it lacks either nitrogen or moisture.b. If the pile smells like ammonia, it is too wet or too tightly packed for oxygen

circulation. c. If the compost is slow to break down, the pieces you added may be too large, or it’s

too cold outside.4) When the compost looks like dirt, remove it from the pile and distribute to lawn and

plants in your yard. Distribute evenly on top of dirt; don’t let the compost touch the stems of plants (unless they have bark) because the compost will weaken the structure of the stems.

5.0 Hands-on Activities1. Contact 1 of our local partners and set up a demonstration on composting. Alternatively,

contact NEAT personnel about discounts (available through Lowe’s) on composting bin construction materials and build a bin with your group.

Christopher Todd GlennJC Raulston ArboretumNC State University Box 7522Raleigh, NC 27695-7522Phone: (919) [email protected]

Sandra WeitzelNorth Carolina Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesDivision of Soil and Water ConservationRaleigh Regional Office1628 MSC, Raleigh NC 27699-1628Phone: (919) [email protected]

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GREEN TIP: Avoid printing information for students. Instead, ask students questions to determine whether they remember the lesson material.


2. After you have presented the lesson goals and information, ask students to come 1 at a time. Each student must choose an item from the bag and decide whether the item should be placed in the trash bin, recycle bin, or compost bin. As each student chooses, ask the class for input.

To prepare for this activity, make sure that items are in a brown paper bag before the class begins and that the bins are placed in a visible location at the front of the classroom.

When the activity is complete and all items have been put in a bin, move on to the review activity.

6.0 Post-testPass out the post-test and have students complete it individually or in groups. Refer to the post-test in section 8.0, “Support Material.”

Close the lesson by saying:

Composting is a cheap and fun way to improve water quality and care for your lawn and garden without costly fertilizers.

Composting will save you money on fertilizers, lawn waste collection (if you pay for it in your city), and potting soil.

7.0 Present Take-Home Reference Materials & Activity for Kids1) Pass out reference materials and take-home hand-out for kids.2) Ask for questions from the participants.

8.0 Support Materials1. Assessment Activity2. Post-Test3. Take-Home Reference Materials (available on CD-ROM)

- Compost Magnet - Easy Compost Bin Construction Plans

4. Take-Home Activity for Kids

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GREEN TIP: Instead of passing out paper for each student, you can have students share a test or you can read the questions aloud and have students answer verbally.


Assessment Activity

1. Before class, draw a T-chart on a large piece of paper and hang it on a wall. Label 1 side of the chart “advantages” and the other side “disadvantages.” If you have a black board or a whiteboard, save paper and use that instead.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

2. Ask NEAT members to offer either advantages or disadvantages to composting.3. Record each answer in the appropriate column.4. Encourage members to talk about why they haven’t tried compost bins in the past. What

are the hassles?5. Once all members have offered additions to the T-chart, discuss the results.

a. Say each advantage and disadvantage out loud, asking students for extra input.b. Promote discussion about the topics

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Post-Test

1. Compost bins can be assembled usinga. chicken wire. b. stacked bricks or concrete blocks.c. 4 used wooden pallets tied together.d. planks of wood, nailed to 4 posts.e. all of the above.

2. There should be absolutely no air flow inside a compost bin.a. Trueb. False

3. The largest a compost bin should be isa. 5 feet by 5 feet.b. 10 feet by 10 feet.c. 15 feet by 15 feet.d. about the size of a school bus.

4. Which of the following is not a compostable item?a. Eggshellsb. Cheesec. Vegetable and fruit scrapsd. Coffee grounds

5. If your compost pile is cold then it has the perfect amount nitrogen and moisture.a. Trueb. False

6. Distribute compost on top of dirt, making sure it does not touch the stems of plants.a. Trueb. False

7. To promote the break down of organic materials in your compost bin, you needa. water and carbon dioxide.b. dirt, formaldehyde, and raw meet.c. a good carbon/nitrogen ratio, water, and microorganisms.d. pet waste, living weeds, and cheese.

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Post-Test Answers

1. Compost bins can be assembled usinga. chicken wire.b. stacked bricks or concrete blocks.c. 4 used wooden pallets tied together.d. planks of wood nailed to 4 posts.e. all of the above.

2. There should be absolutely no air flow inside a compost bin.a. Trueb. False

3. The largest a compost bin should be isa. 5 feet by 5 feet.b. 10 feet by 10 feet.c. 15 feet by 15 feet.d. About the size of a school bus.

4. Which of the following is not a compostable item? a. Eggshellsb. Cheesec. Vegetable and fruit scrapsd. Coffee grounds

5. If your compost pile is cold then it has the perfect amount nitrogen and moisture.a. Trueb. False

6. Distribute compost on top of dirt, making sure it does not touch the stems of plants.a. Trueb. False

7. To promote the break down of organic materials in your compost bin, you needa. water and carbon dioxide.b. dirt, formaldehyde, and raw meet.c. a good carbon/nitrogen ratio, water, and microorganisms.d. pet waste, living weeds, and cheese.

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Compost Magnet

Turn the Heap Stickers

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Easy Compost Bin Construction Plans

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Take-Home Activity for Kids

Materials

Either suggested reading Paper cup Scissors Toothpick Fork Assortment of candy to represent composting materials:

- Oreos (for dirt)- Pudding (for mud)- Runts (fruit)- Gummy worms (earth worms)- Swedish Fish (fish)- Cadbury Cream Egg (egg shells)

Suggested Reading

Compost, By Gosh! by Michelle Eva Portman Wiggling worms at Work by Wendy Pfeffer

Activity

1. Crush up the Oreos on a plate and create a thin layer over the surface of the plate. Explain that the Oreos represent dirt.

2. Cut out the bottom of the paper cup. Explain that in order to make a compost pile, the composting materials must have contact with the soil.

3. Use the toothpick to poke holes is the cup. Explain that a compost bin needs plenty of airflow.

4. Put the paper cup on top of the Oreo layer. Explain that now that we have created our compost bin we need to fill it with composting materials.

5. Give each child pudding, runts, gummy worms, and Swedish fish.

6. Explain what each represents. Ask children if they think it should go in the composting bin.

7. Put composting materials in the cup and non-composting materials to the side.

Composting Materials Non-Composting Materials

Oreos (for dirt) Swedish Fish (fish)Pudding (for mud)Runts (fruit)gummy worms (earth worms)Cadbury Cream Egg (egg shells)

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http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Michelle%20Eva%20Portman


8. Once you have placed all composting materials in the paper cup, tell children to turn the candy over with their fork. Explain that a compost pile must be turned once a month so that air can get in and break down the materials.

9. Encourage kids to keep turning the materials with their fork. When the candy looks well mixed in the pudding, explain that the compost becomes dirt for the garden!

10. Now kids can eat the candy mixture!

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9.0 References

The Virginia Cooperative Extension: Making Compost from Yard Wastehttp://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/envirohort/426-703/426-703.html#L2

City of Arlington: Backyard Compostinghttp://www.ci.arlington.tx.us/earthday/earthday_compost.html

VegWeb: Compost Guidehttp://vegweb.com/composting/

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http://vegweb.com/composting/

http://www.ci.arlington.tx.us/earthday/earthday_compost.html

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/envirohort/426-703/426-703.html#L2

Documents

COMPOSTING LESSON PLAN - WordPress.com · Web viewLesson Plan 1: Composting Table of Contents 1.0 Materials 1 2.0 Assessment Activity 1 3.0 Attention Grabber 1 4.0 Lesson Goals and