Activity Information:

Grade Appropriate Level: Primary / Elementary

Local actions have global consequences, and global actions have local consequences.

Materials:

Objectives:

Students will be able to identify a response to a classroom or school problem
Students will be able to observe and record, then share their findings
Students will be able to reflect on the environmental consequences of their choices

Students are expected to know the following:

Students are expected to be able to do the following:

Ask relevant questions to clarify a classroom or school problem
Brainstorm & compare a variety of responses to a given classroom or school problem
Use simple graphic organizers (e.g., charts, webs, journals) to record relevant information

Read “What Matters” by Alison Hughes then ask if students made any connections to the story? Discuss what are some small actions they could do as a class to help the Earth.
Take a close look at the daily garbage in your classroom and discuss ways to solve the amount of garbage being thrown out.
Sort the garbage into recyclable, returnable, compost and garbage. Tell the students that their class is going to tackle this problem by putting waste in its proper place. Then, explain how composting works using the visual provided and watch the video In our Garden: Vermiculture (Worm Composting) with Kids!

Activity:

Poke holes in the lid of the plastic container and then fill the container with a mixture of finely torn newspaper, dried leaves, and soil (equal parts of each)
Dampen thoroughly until it is as moist as a squeezed sponge
Place about a pound of earthworms (redworms are best) into the plastic container
Stir the compost with a stick (add water to the mixture if it is too dry or add more dry soil if it is too wet). Put the lid on the container and store it in an area at about 17-25 degrees Celsius
Feed kitchen scraps or lawn clippings to the worms by mixing them carefully every 2 or 3 days. Avoid fat, meat & bones because they will cause the compost to smell
Observe the compost at regular intervals and record class observations
After a few weeks students will notice dark crumbly castings as the leaves and scraps will "disappear". Push these castings to one side and add more shredded paper and feed to the other side (these dark crumbly castings can be used as soil for plants).

ANALYSIS from observations:

Using Social Studies inquiry processes and skills to ask questions: gather, interpret, and analyze ideas; and communicate findings and decisions.
Make simple inferences based on their results and prior knowledge.
Design a course of action to address a problem or issue and provide reasons to support the action.
Compare observations with others.

Art – make a school display showing how to sort waste items
Science – examine the earthworm life cycle
ADST (Applied Design, Skills & Technologies) – designs grow out of natural curiosity – build an outdoor compost