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Recycling by Composting |
Step
1 - State the Problem
Step 2 - Research,
and Hypothesize or Predict
Step 3 - Plan Experiment
and Gather Data
Step 4 - Analyze the
Data and Make a Conclusion
Step 5 - Take Action
Step 6 - Assessment
 More
information about this step
Introductory activity waste
statistics
Begin by examining how much waste we generate. Have students
start to understand this problem by keeping a log of the amount
of waste they create for one day. They should record:
- what they throw out,
- the estimated weight of each piece of garbage,
- whether it's organic,
- and if it is a recyclable product.
The next day, have the class determine the following about their
garbage:
- What is the average total weight of garbage produced by
students in this class?
- How much of that garbage is recyclable?
- How much of that garbage is compostable matter?
- Try to figure out the same statistics on a national level.
Visit the US Census site for current population figures.
Put the information into a pie chart to determine the percentage
of the waste that is
organic matter. Then have them find out if we have the means
to dispose of all of this waste now and in the future.
Optional extension: To
get more data and accurate statistics, invite other classes
or schools to keep a waste log. Then share data and complete
a statistical analysis. Share the results with the other classes
or schools via e-mail or Web site. See the teacher tools for
sites for resources.
Resources for step 1
Materials needed
- For the chart Excel (optional) or graph paper
Teacher tool Web sites
Bookmark these Web sites for
student research
 More
information about this step
Research local waste
Now have students explore how their community handles waste
management. They should focus on the benefits of composting.
Give them the following questions to research, or have student
groups develop their own set of questions.
- How much and what kinds of waste are generated in your
community?
- How and where is waste dealt with in your community? (Is
it incinerated, sent to a landfill, etc.?)
- How long do the different kinds of waste take to break
down using the different methods?
- How much of your community's garbage can be composted?
- What are the benefits of composting? How would it benefit
your community?
- How does composting work? (What methods and materials
are used, what is the process, etc.)
- How does composting impact soil quality?
- How much does it cost to compost?
Get in touch with your local sanitation department, environmental
commission, and local environmentalists to find the answers
to these questions. Use the Web sites listed below to find
local listings. Ask if there is a composting program in your
area, and take a field trip to the location to find out how
it works and how much waste is composted. Make sure to take
some compost back with you to complete the experiment in step
3.
Hypothesis
Using all your research, create a hypothesis for this question:
What impact would increased composting have on my community?
How would mixing in compost affect the soil quality in my
community?
Resources for step 2
Teacher tool Web site
- Environmental Protection Agency: Contact Information
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/comments.htm
Scroll down to the map and click on your region to get contact
information for your local EPA office. Consult with local
officials to get information about waste disposal in your
community.
Bookmark these Web sites for student
research
Waste management information
Composting information
 More
information about this step
Now have your class do an experiment to test the hypothesis
you made in step 2. If you were unable
to get compost soil from the field trip, you can make your
own as described in step 4, or buy it.
(See teacher tools below for help). Next, dig up a sample
of soil from an area with poor soil quality such as a playground
or a frequently traveled path. You may want to conduct a soil
test. Mix half of your sample with an equal amount of compost
and put it into five large flowerpots. Put the rest of the
soil sample into another five flowerpots without any compost.
Plant the seeds of a few different fast-growing local plants
in each pot. Make sure the conditions in each pot of soil
(test soil and control soil) are the same. A group of students
can be assigned to make sure the plants all get the same amount
of sunlight and water. If possible, have students photograph
the daily growth of the plants.
Recording data
Talk to students about what kind of data they'll need to record,
how often they'll need to record it (we recommend daily), and
how they should organize it. We recommend that groups of students
be assigned to record the following for an individual plant
over a period of two or more weeks:
- daily plant growth and health,
- pH level of the soil (many plants grow best in soil with
a pH between 6 and 7),
- amount of sunlight, water, and temperature that the plant
gets.
Resources for step 3
Materials needed
- composted soil
- gardening tools (spade, 10 large flowerpots)
- soil test, pH kits
- indigenous, fast-growing seeds
- data records (Excel, or notebook or log book)
- camera (optional)
Teacher tool Web sites
 More
information about this step
Use the data from measuring the plants to create a line graph
showing the growth rate for each plant. Once complete, ask
students what conclusions they can draw from the data, or
have them answer the following:
- Is the soil packed down?
- What is the pH-level?
- What other signs are there to show the fertility of the
soil?
- How healthy are the plants in each pot?
Compare the soil quality in each pot. Using your observations
and data, what conclusions can you make about the impact of
compost soil on growth? Could compost be used to improve the
soil quality all over your community? Are there areas in your
community, such as contaminated, abandoned lots, where poor
soil could be reclaimed by compost? Have students use images
of the plants, and written descriptions of their findings
in a written report, PowerPoint presentation, or Web page.
See resources below for help.
Resources for step 4
Materials needed
- For report: PowerPoint or word processing software or
use Web building resources listed in teacher tools
Teacher tool Web sites
Have students visit the sites listed below to get advice
on planning and implementing a composting program in your
school. Decide what composting method will work best —with
the right equipment, it's even possible to compost indoors
if necessary. When the compost is ready, mix it into a garden
at your school or a local park. (Make sure to ask for permission
first.) Plant a flower garden in the new, rich soil.
Resources for step 5
Materials needed
- Composting materials as listed in the Backyard Magic site
below
Bookmark these Web sites for student research
- National Wildlife Federation: Take Action
http://www.nwf.org/action/howtos/
This site gives great advice on how to write to local media,
write press releases, plan campaigns, and more. You may
want to have your students consult this site for advice
on how to promote their composting campaign within their
school or even their community.
- Environmental Defense Composting: Nature's Recycling
Program
http://www.edf.org/heap/
Get the facts about composting and find what it takes to
start your own composting program in your community or school.
While organizing the composting project, take pictures, write
articles, and interview environmentalists (including yourselves).
Keep track of how many pounds of waste were recycled by composting.
After composting, reflect by writing about the experience
and how it felt to be an environmentalist.
Send a description of the project to a local newspaper and
officials. Ask them to support composting, and explain how
more composting could improve the local environment. Gather
all the materials made during this project and build a Web
site or make a scrapbook about to share with others. Send
us your Web project and we'll post it on the WHAT'S UP
IN THE ENVIRONMENT Web site!
If possible, return to the garden where you added the compost
a year later to see how the garden is doing and test the soil.
Analyze the new environment you helped promote and see how
it made a difference! Send us your results with a Web site
update.
Resources for step 6
Teacher tool Web sites
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