Worms - Composting Tips and Tricks
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Children love critters and are eager to learn about them.
Exploring the soil, the creatures involved in decomposition, and learning how to create and tend a worm bin can teach many valuable lessons about environmental stewardship. |
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Worms and composting are wonderful teaching tools because you can use them to introduce and explain concepts like:
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A great video on how to make your own bin.
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With a few materials like plant trimmings, lunch and/or snack scraps, and a few basic techniques
anyone can compost. Get ready to set the stage for a variety of fun interdisciplinary activities.
anyone can compost. Get ready to set the stage for a variety of fun interdisciplinary activities.
food waste and Climate Change
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Many people assume that food scraps and uneaten food are ok because it will simply break down.
BUT While the food will rot in the landfill, it does so without oxygen and releases the greenhouse gas methane. Methane is at least 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide and directly contributes to global warming. (https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/understanding-global-warming-potentials#Learn%20why) |
The carbon footprint of U.S. food waste is greater than that of the airline industry, and globally accounts for about 8 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. (https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/reduced-food-waste)
School Wide Ideas
.Take these principles schoolwide using Citizen Science to promote recycling/composting at lunch to divert what goes to the landfill.
Schools produce alot of waste - a recycling club or class project can track how much is diverted from the trash bin, report findings and ask school administrators to adopt recycling/composting practices to make real change.
Local refuse collection companies often have outreach coordinators to partner in such a project.
Schools produce alot of waste - a recycling club or class project can track how much is diverted from the trash bin, report findings and ask school administrators to adopt recycling/composting practices to make real change.
Local refuse collection companies often have outreach coordinators to partner in such a project.
Classroom Guides and Help
Classroom Activities from Worms, Worms, And Even More Worms
https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/docs/cr/Education/Curriculum/Worms/98Activities.pdf
This guide explores vermicomposting--the practice of using worms to transform food waste into a nutrient rich finished product called vermicompost.
Do the Rot Thing | A teachers Guide http://www.cvswmd.org/uploads/6/1/2/6/6126179/do_the_rot_thing_cvswmd1.pdf
By using the activities in this guide, you will be joining thousands of teachers across the country in bringing compost into the classroom as a valuable teaching tool.
https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/docs/cr/Education/Curriculum/Worms/98Activities.pdf
This guide explores vermicomposting--the practice of using worms to transform food waste into a nutrient rich finished product called vermicompost.
Do the Rot Thing | A teachers Guide http://www.cvswmd.org/uploads/6/1/2/6/6126179/do_the_rot_thing_cvswmd1.pdf
By using the activities in this guide, you will be joining thousands of teachers across the country in bringing compost into the classroom as a valuable teaching tool.
Curriculum to Help
Vermicomposting: A School Enrichment Curriculum
Targeted for 5th grade. Developed by Rhonda Sherman, Extension Specialist for Solid Waste Management in the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State
Earthworm Composting
A companion guide for high school students developed in part by NC 4-H Forestry and Wildlife Specialist, Renee Strand.
Read more at: https://growforit.ces.ncsu.edu/curriculum/vermicomposting/
Targeted for 5th grade. Developed by Rhonda Sherman, Extension Specialist for Solid Waste Management in the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State
Earthworm Composting
A companion guide for high school students developed in part by NC 4-H Forestry and Wildlife Specialist, Renee Strand.
Read more at: https://growforit.ces.ncsu.edu/curriculum/vermicomposting/