PITCH-IN CANADA
Resource Centre

Re-Think Activities
An educational Unit for children up to Grade 4
Written by Valerie Thom, B.Ed. and edited by Allard W. van Veen, APR, Fellow, CPRS

This unit has six chapters, each filled with information, ideas and projects. Words in bold and in italics are featured in the glossary which you can reach by clicking here

REUSING AND RECYCLING: ACTIVITY 10          ***Let’s Make A Compost Pile                     1 – 3

Skills: none

Time: several class periods, several weeks apart

Learning Objective: students will learn the value of composting as a way of recycling biodegradable wastes; students will learn how to make a compost pile.

NOTE: this Activity can follow REUSING AND RECYCLING: ACTIVITY 9 and/or OUR GARBAGE: ACTIVITY 8.

Materials and Equipment: class garbage that includes food scraps (could be collected over several days); newspapers. APPENDIX 7, an information sheet on composting produced by PITCH-IN CANADA, is included in this unit for your reference. You may also wish to contact your provincial Ministry of the Environment, local solid waste authority, or other organizations (see REFERENCES section) for further information.

Activity:

1. If REUSING AND RECYCLING: ACTIVITY 9 was done, save the vegetable/fruit scraps for this Activity OR empty the collected class garbage onto newspapers OR bring collected food scraps from a household garbage.

2. If necessary, sort out the food scraps from the rest of the garbage.

3. Review with the students that one way to reduce the amount of garbage we produce is to recycle. Discuss with the students:

• How does nature recycle its wastes, such as leaves and fruit?
• How could we recycle this pile of food scraps?

4. Introduce the concept of composting if students are not familiar with the idea.

5. Ask students for information on composting OR provide students with information:

• What should be included?
• What shouldn’t’ be included?
• Why shouldn’t’ we include meat, bones, dairy products? (Suggestion: ask students to think about what would happen if their dog found meat bones in the compost.)
• What could we do with the compost? (Grow a vegetable or flower garden at school, mulch the school shrubs and plant, put into planter boxes for the school entrance, grow seeds in the classroom, donate to the Parks Department, a Seniors home, etc.)

6. Select an appropriate site and construct the compost pile with as much student help as possible. Encourage students to bring food scraps from home as well, if practical.

7. When there is a useable amount of compost in the pile, remove it to carry out the project(s) your class selected.

8. Have students draw a class mural, or write a class story, to describe their compost project.

Have students write and illustrate a simple brochure that they can take home to encourage their parents to start a compost pile.

Ask students to make a list of all the reasons why composting is good for the environment.

Students could visit local hardware stores and garden centres to find out about ready-made compost containers for sale. Have students prepare a report describing the containers, and their pros and cons. Invite the stores to make a display of the containers for an Open House Night or Parents Night at the school.

For Older Students:

Older students could research different ways of composting, and the different designs of compost boxes. Information can be obtained from your municipal solid waste department or from some environmental organizations. See the REFERENCES section for possible contacts.

Click here to return to the Index for Chapter 5 and more activities

Click here to return to the Index for Re-Think