Understand, build, maintain, and use compost systems
THEME: The Living Soil–The Living Plant: We are all Interconnected and Related
STRAND: Science of Soil Fertility
GRADE LEVEL:
Key Concepts
Able to construct, retrieve, and layer green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) in composting systems.
Understand that green and brown provide various nutritional elements for optimal FBI activity.
Connect vermiculture, soil amendments, and healthy layering to soil creation and plant nutrition uptake.
Lesson
Build a compost pile with green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) layers in the proper ratios.
Build and maintain several different compost systems: aerobic, anaerobic, compost bins, compost pallets.
Observe a compost pile. Turn and record moisture, temperature, and pH changes over time. Use a compost log to record data.
Determine when a compost pile is finished and ready for use (i.e., temperature is stable, abundance of macro- and microorganisms).
Discuss the importance of compost and create a poem, play, and/or song about it.
\*See Appendix: