If you are looking for how to introduce elementary environmentalists to the process of composting, here is a comprehensive outline for making it happen. The plan is to set this up at the beginning of a school year in order to observe the...

Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...

Students survey what composting is. They observe the benefits of composting over the course of the school year by making your own composters and gardens. Group members compare two different compost piles, make conclusions about...

Second graders define composting and recognize what can be composted.  For this composting and mulching lesson, 2nd graders classify objects or pictures as good or bad for composting. Students write a story about life in the compost...

Second graders examine the six nutrients humans need to maintain good heath. For this ecosystem lesson, 2nd graders learn about how plants grow and compare how humans need nutrients from plants to how plants need nutrients from the soil....

Students discover the concept of decomposition. They examine how it makes the soil more fertile and how it helps plants. They put a compost bin in their backyard and record their observations.

Students discover the benefits of composting. They identify the steps of decomposition as well. They are read a book and discuss what items decompose.

Students set up their own composting bin. They observe and record their findings during a period of time. They describe the decomposing process as well.

First graders investigate composting. In this biology lesson, 1st graders identify ways to use garbage as fertilizer. Students examine soil and compost matter as well as the role of worms in the dirt.

Students observe and describe the cyclic nature of life. They identify and appreciate the importance of a balanced ecosystem. Finally, students compare and contrast biodegradable and non-biodegradable resources in nature and describe the...

Students compost in a limited space and describe the decomposing process. Students convert unwanted, organic matter, particularly food scraps and paper into fertile soil.

Students create and tend to an outdoor compost pile. They research about decomposition and composting. They create two activities for their peers to complete.

Students investigate the decomposition process and the parameters which influence the rate at which it occurs. They design a "controlled" experiment by comparing decomposition rates between two compost piles. Analysis questions include...

Students conduct a scientific investigation about organic or inorganic waste.  In this organic or inorganic waste lesson plan, students create a compost heap to determine the difference between inorganic and organic waste. Students...

Young scholars observe the difference between degradable and non-degradable wastes. They create their own landfill in a jar by adding four or five pieces of garbage and then covering it with dirt and water. They make observations on what...

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.

Students make plant pots out of newspaper as part of a recycle, reuse, and reduce lesson. In this recycling lesson, students fold a piece of newspaper to make a pot in which to start plants. They fill it with compost and plant seeds.

Students perform a series of experiments which show that plants require nutrients in certain quantities. They also cooperatively read materials on the nutrient requirements of plants, fertilizers, composting, and soil management, and...

Students work in teams to identify and sort types of packaging used in food production. They consider ways to reduce the environmental impact of packaging and reflect how consumer choices play a role in trash production.

Where does our garbage go? What is the difference between a recyclable and non-recyclable item? Pose these important, but often overlooked, questions to your class and invite them to consider the lasting and damaging effects of the...

The other "Three Rs" are covered in this lesson: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Over four weeks, conservationists collect data about waste in their own homes. They combine their findings with those of other students in order to analyze...

Students collect and study information about worms. They discover how an earthworm helps process and loosen the soil. They write in their journals as well.

Students categorize questions they generate in preparation for pursuing answers that expand their existing knowledge. They create KWL charts and respond to journal questions to enable them to inquire to their fullest capacity.

Young scholars test a variety of plastic bags to test its biodegradability. They record their observations and discuss them once the experiment is complete. They identify materials best suited to be placed in a landfill.