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"Leaf" It in Your Yard
Lesson Plan

Summary: "Leaf" It in Your Yard is actually four activities in one inquiry. In What Is Composting?, students conduct research using multiple resources to learn about the process of composting.  In How Do You Build a Compost Pile?, 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. The Composting Virtual Tour is integrated into this activity as an online resource to help teachers, parents, and students visualize the process of composting. In How Do You Maintain a Compost Pile?, students conduct regular maintenance of the classroom pile. Concepts introduced in this inquiry include decomposition, food web, and the nitrogen cycle. The Family Page extends this learning to the community by challenging families to create compost piles at home.

Day 1: What Is Composting? (45 min.)

Note:  This inquiry is designed to be completed between October 1st and November 15th. Distribute the Family Page one week prior to the start of the inquiry.

Ready...

  • Gather the following materials:
    • two Ziploc bag soil samples--one half full of moist leaf litter from a forest floor and one topsoil from a forest floor.
    • six to eight manilla folders for the creation of Team Research Folders
  • Review Related Resources and select resources for Team Research Folders. Plan on one team folder for every four students (six to eight folders in all).
  • Bookmark the Related Resources page on your classroom and/or lab computer(s) for student reference.
  • Copy a class set of the Thinksheet and Data Sheets.
  • Print Data Sheet Sample Answers.

Get Set...

  • Introduce "Leaf" It in Your Yard to your students. This activity challenges you to:
    • learn about composting and decomposition through research
    • hypothesize what is needed to make a productive compost pile
    • create a class compost pile
  • Tell students what behaviors you expect of them before, during, and after the lesson.
    • scientific thinking
    • respectful listening
    • speaking in appropriate voices
    • participating
  • Explain how today's lesson is grouped:
    • introduction
    • team research
  • Hold up two Ziploc bags--one with leaf litter and one with topsoil.   Ask students what these two bags have in common. (Accept responses.) Point out that soon the leaf litter will become topsoil and that both soils contain living organisms. (future photo)   Optional: Pass out a topsoil bag and a leaf litter bag to each team.  Allow time for teams to compare the contents of the two bags.  Discuss findings.  Note:  You may wish to take students outside to dump soils out into trays or dishtubs for closer inspection.  If staying indoors, remind students to keep bags sealed since soils are rich in molds and may cause discomfort to those with allergy concerns.
  • Introduce the terms compost and decompose.  Explain to students that they will be conducting research to answer the question, "What is needed to make a productive compost pile?"
  • Group students in teams of four.
  • Distribute Team Research Folders.  Allow five to ten minutes for students to skim through resources. (Future photo)  If computers will be used, clarify expectations for use.
  • Distribute Composting Data Sheets (pages 1 and 2 only) and go over the questions listed.  Enviro-note:  Copy double sided to reduce paper consumption.

Go!!!

  • Guided Worktime.  Students use the resources provided answer questions on the Composting Data Sheets. (Future photo) 
Day 2: What Is Composting? (45 min.)

Get Set...

  • Share The Food Web of the Compost Pile. Point out that a compost pile decomposes because a food web of living organisms feed on organic waste and each other to survive.

Go!!!

  • Students use the team resources provided answer questions on the Composting Data Sheets.  Distribute Composting Data Sheets 3 and 4 to teams after they demonstrate careful completion of Data Sheets 1 and 2.  Use Data Sheet Sample Answers as a reference.  Note:  Allow approximately 120 minutes for guided worktime.
Day 3: What Is Composting? (45 min.)

Get Set...

  • Share The Nitrogen Cycle Simplified. Point out that Nitrogen (an important nutrient for growth) cycles through the living and nonliving components of a compost pile.

Go!!!

  • Complete guided worktime.
  • Share/Discuss/Clarify answers on the Composting Data Sheets.
  • Distribute the Composting Thinksheet.
  • Direct students to complete the "Think It Through" and "Hypothesis" sections of the Thinksheet with their team.
  • Share/Discuss/Clarify characteristics of a productive compost pile that all teams agree upon (i.e., building a pile with layers, keeping proper moisture, keeping air in the pile through regular turning).  Have students list these characteristics in the "Design a Test" section of their Thinksheet. (future photo)
  • Plan a time to build the class compost pile based upon the response from the Family Page. Note: Review the Compost Safety Contract before, during, and after completion of the class compost pile.

 

Day 4: How Do You Build a Compost Pile? (60 min.)

Ready...

Get Set...

Go!!!

  • Build the compost pile.
Day 5: PutItAllTogether (45 min.)
  • Summarize the main points
    • Composting is the managed accelerated decomposition of plant-based matter.
    • A productive compost pile is built with layers, is turned (to add air) regularly, and is kept uniformly damp (NOT WET) so that consumers living in the pile can grow and reproduce.
    • Decomposition is the breaking down of once living matter into soil, air, and water.
    • Review The Nitrogen Cycle Simplified. Point out that nitrogen (an important nutrient for growth) cycles through the living and nonliving components of a compost pile.
    • Review The Food Web of the Compost Pile. Point out that a compost pile decomposes because a food web of living organisms feed on organic waste and each other to survive. 
  • Provide Rationale. By composting we:
    • reduce landfill space used. Leaves are not hauled to a landfill, but composted into nutrient-rich soil instead.
    • save energy while reducing pollution. Fewer trucks are needed to haul waste.  Fewer factories are needed to produce chemical lawn/garden/plant fertilizers.
    • save money. Waste hauling fees are lower and less money is spent to buy fertilizer for lawns and plants.
    • get exercise. Turning a compost pile is aerobic for the consumers in the pile as well as you!  Think of it as Environmental Jazzercize!
  • Complete the "Make Some Sense Of It" section of the Thinksheet.
  • Compliment students for appropriate behaviors during the lesson.
  • Evaluation
    • Formative: anecdotal notes of teams in progress, incidental questioning of students' rationale for what they are doing (during activity), observation of teamwork, status of the class (end of each unfinished activity day)
    • Summative: Choose one or more of the following:

       

Monthly Maintenance: How Do You Maintain a Compost Pile? (30 min.)
Note: This is intended to be a small group (three students) rather than whole class activity after the first small group models what to do for the rest of the class.

Ready...

  • Gather the following materials:
    • shovel or dull-pointed pitchfork for turning the compost pile
    • a two liter soda bottle for periodic watering
    • temperature probe (optional)
    • compost fencing or container (optional)
  • Review Teacher Tips For Managing a Classroom Compost Pile.
  • Assign teams of three for monthly compost pile maintenance. 
  • Provide teams with the following pages on or before their maintenance day:
    • Student Safety Contract
    • Student Tips For Managing a Classroom Compost Pile
    • Troubleshooting Data Sheet
      (Click here to view.)

Get Set...

  • Provide time for the assigned team to read over the information sheets (see above).

Go!!!

  • Conduct maintenance.
Want Something More???
  • Check out Related Resources.
  • Conduct a temperature study of your compost pile.  Record temperatures once a week using a soil temperature probe.  Create a line graph to show variations in temperature.  Watch for temperature spikes after turning/watering that signal increased decomposition (increase in the populations of heat-producing consumers due to more favorable conditions).
  • Analyze compost pile samples in teams in the spring.  Create a food web from the consumers you identify.
  • Set up a controlled study with two compost piles to answer the question, "What happens when you don't aerate (add air to) a compost pile?  Use the same ingredients in both piles, and give both piles the same amount of water, but only turn one pile.  The contrast is dramatic!