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Grades K-3: Disappearing Trash
Students will learn which types of waste are biodegradable.
Materials:
Garden or compost soil
Markers, crayons or stickers
Containers: yogurt, dixie cups, clear cups or egg cartons
Test materials: tissue, fabric scrap, cotton, newspaper strip, fruit or
vegetable scarp, toothpick, foil, plastic wrap, cardboard, leaves, candy
wrapper, rubber and a marble.
Vocabulary: biodegradable, decay, decomposer
Procedure:
- Illustrate the amount of trash each student produces in a day by passing around something that weights about five pounds. Or, have each student step into a trash bag to show what that trash produced per person looks like.
- Discuss that materials in landfills will decay slowly if at all.
- Decaying Experiment:
- Organize students into pairs or teams.
- Each team will 4 label cups for the materials that they will be testing.
- Test materials should be placed in labeled cups and covered with garden soil. Keep soil moist during the experiment.
- Students will record on a lab sheet:
- The materials that they are testing.
- The materials they predict will decay.
- The order that they predict the materials will decay.
Observations can be recorded once a week or at the end of the month.
- At conclusion of the experiment, students will answer:
- What materials have stayed the same?
- Which items changed or completely decayed?
- Why is it important to know which trash items decay?
Time: one class period; month to two month observation
Conclusion:
- Discuss why certain material did not decay during the experiment, and explain that some materials may take 20�100 years to decay. Why is this important?
- Share ideas about products that can be substituted for non-biodegradable items such as bringing your lunch in a cloth bag, using a thermos or water bottle, and storing leftovers in plastic or glass containers instead of plastic baggies.
Follow up:
Demonstrate how much packaging comes with items by unwrapping a product and showing or weighting the amount of packaging protecting the product. Discuss that students should look for products that can be recycled or that have limited packaging.
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