Instructor's Page

Lesson Plan:

RATIONALE OF LESSON

In the United States, today we too often discard items which in earlier times would have been repaired or saved for other uses. Whole landscapes are being destroyed, stripped of vegetation and wildlife and the living soil. Pesticides, lead and other chemicals are appearing in our food and water supplies. Our disposal options are steadily being reduced.
Composting is a process whereby plant material is returned to the soil by the action of microscopic fungi and bacteria. This class of organisms is called decomposers and is a vital link in the nutrient cycle. The process enriches the soil as a natural fertilizer while reducing the amount of soil waste requiring disposal.

RATIONALE OF TECHNOLOGY

¹ To live, learn and work successfully in an increasingly complex and information rich society, students must use technology effectively. Technology can enable students to become capable information technology users, information seekers, analyzers, evaluators, problem solvers, decision makers, communicators, collaborators, publishers, producers and informed responsible contributing citizens. - ISTE www.iste.org

AUDIENCE

Third grade through ninth ( 8 years old -15 years old). Lesson and extentions may be altered accordingly.

PURPOSE / AIM

Guiding students to better understand the world which is faced with many health and environmental problems caused by the lack of inadequate pollution controls to protect the land and its habitants. Our unit is designed to cause students to think about and reassess some of their present values and how it impacts our environment.

OBJECTIVES / GOAlS

Students will understand the concept of composting and through the processes explain the effectiveness of reducing the amount of solid waste disposal.

By integrating this lesson with technology, students will practice and apply navigational skills, and effectively communicate and collaborate with multiple audiences.

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

To obtain material list and instructions click here: Hands On Activity

Attention Science Instructors:
To add a control element to this activity, you may want to collect and separate waste from the school grounds into different bags. By doing this you will be able to compare how, what, and when natural or man made materials will or will not decompose. (You can also add one tablespoon of bone meal and water to some of the bags to expedite decomposition.) This may lead to discussions about recycling, waste conservation, or the scientific process of experiments.

Attention Social Studies Instructors:
This activity can also lead to the discussion of man's lack of responsibility and his relationship to the animal kingdoms and the planet. The class may analyze what will happen when landfills are full and man is still producing tons of trash, and how this will effect our planet and the way we live (Hint: think about the effects on the planet, forest, parks, water supplies, animals, etc.).

ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION OPTIONS

The instructor may choose one or all of the following to grade: Scavenger Hunt, Post Results Activity, Hands On Activity, or any of the Extention Activities.

Scavenger Hunt Answers:

Key:
Questions are in Black
Answers are in Red
Web Site that Answer are found on in Blue

1. How many tons of "trash" are generated everyday?
200 million tons of trash a day
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/solidwaste.html

2. About how many pounds of "trash" does each person generate a day?
4.3 pounds of trash per person
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/solidwaste.html

3. About how much of that "trash" is recycled?
Only 1/4 (25%) of the trash is recycled
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/solidwaste.html

4. Where does the rest of that trash go?
the rest either is burned in incinerators or buried in landfills
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/garbage/solidwaste.html

5. Why are landfills considered bad for the environment?
     Landfill liners cannot hold back toxic materials forever.
      Toxic materials will, over time, percolate and leach through liners and get into the ground.
      Well water may be contaminated from toxins that leaked from landfills.
http://www.eecs.umich.edu/mathscience/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/landfill.html

6. Composting is one way that we can reduce the amount of trash that goes into our landfills. Besides reducing the amount of trash, what other positive effect does composting give our environment.
Composting provides a way not only of reducing the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of, but also of converting it into a product that is useful for gardening, landscaping, or house plants.
http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/compost/why.html

7. What is the definition for composting?
    Composting is the natural cycle of plants living, dying and breaking down to pass their nutrients to other plants.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case2/c2facts5.html
8. What is the definition for compost?
    Compost is a source of nutrients for plants.   It helps to improve the texture and fertility of the soil.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case2/c2facts5.html
9. What are the four basic ingredients in a compost pile?
    Carbon, Nitrogen, water, and Oxygen
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case2/c2facts5.html

10. What is the function for each of the four basic ingredients in a compost pile?
    Carbon: from organic matter like leaves provides the food for microorganisms
    Nitrogen: (the fertilizer) comes from grass clippings and dead green plants and provides the energy microorganisms need to break down the carbon.
    Water and Oxygen: which microorganisms need lots of to do their job.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case2/c2facts5.html

Additional Resource Information

Videos

'Jeopardy Game Show'

Demonstrates how recycling saves energy, reduces waste and consumes resources.

'Reduce, Refuse, Recycle: It's Elementary'

Focuses on solid waste problems and highlights actions Illinois students can practice in their schools to reduce solid waste.

'The Rotten Truth'

This program provides an entertaining overview of the solid waste problem. An elementary student narrator visits a landfill, a recycling center and the museum of garbage while providing facts, music and fun.

'The Garbage Dump Dilemma'

Students try to solve their town's garbage problem. They organize data to find a solution to their problem.

BOOKS

Waste Reduction Guide for Illinois Schools

A 10 step guide for schools staring a recycling program with suggestions on promoting an on-going program throughout the year.

COMPANIES

Environmental Action Coalition
156 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10010

Group for Recycling in Pennsylvania
P.O. Box 7391
Pittsburgh, PA. 15213

National Wildlife Federation
Educational Services
1412 16th St., NW
Washington, DC. 20036

Sonoma County Community
Recycling Center
P.O. Box 1375
Santa Rosa, CA. 95403

U.S EPA (A-107)
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC. 20460

U.S EPA Region VII
Information Center Publications
324 E. 11th Street
Kansas, MO. 64106

ADDITIONAL WEB SITES

http://www.gnb.ca/elg%2Degl/comucate/compost/magic.htm

http://emeraldnet.net/~diabolus/compost.html

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2000/05/17/green.DTL

Extension Ideas:

The two (2) following ideas are optional and may be given to students before or after assignment or for assessment purposes.

Draw a picture of what our landscape would look like if this process did not exist?

Vocabulary ( cycle, recycle, reuse, decay, geological, decompose, nutrient cycle, organisms, composting, bacteria, fungi, habitat, spoilage, contamination)