My students need a composting kit, with a scale and trowel, in order to measure the amount of waste they can reduce and to analyze the life cycle in an authentic way.
Global warming and green living are an increasingly large part of our discussions as adults in society. Yet the phrase, "Recycle, Reduce, Reuse" is standard fare for our school children. My students are interested in paying it forward, but their age requires they do so in a very tangible way.
My students attend a public school in North Carolina.
Most families of my students are well established in the area, meaning that entire families will attend my school- not just a whole set of siblings, but even parents of my students have gone to this school. Thus the school is a keystone to the community, known for providing students with everything it can possibly provide. Yet budget cuts are silent and impersonal. Like all schools, mine is tightening its belt and we are all looking for ways to continue the authentic, hands-on learning we always have.
My students themselves are thoughtful and intuitive. They are constantly asking the "so-what" of whatever we're learning, wanting to know how they can use their knowledge and skill set to effect change in the world. As a result, they are almost all dreamers! I frequently have to remind them that our antics can only last a school year; which is why starting an animal rescue at the school may be impractical, for instance.
My Project
In this year-long project, students get to be both social and physical scientists. They first do extensive research on what can go in a vermi-compost based on what worms can digest, etc. Then they publicize their findings to the school community that every student may understand the process. The students also use their findings to construct the worm bin and are in charge of carefully measuring the food so as not to overload the worms. Finally, they spend the year calculating how much food they've prevented from ending up in a landfill because of their work.
For our project we need the worm bin kit which includes a bucket, dirt, and worms. We need to trowel in order to diligently turn our food. If we don't rotate the dirt and food, the bin will attract other critters. Finally, the scale is important in letting us know how much waste we are putting in the worm bin. Too much food will rot and smell badly. Too little food will starve our wormy friends.
This project will have an invaluable and long-lasting effect on the my students.
As part of a larger unit on waste reduction, they'll begin to rethink what they are putting in the trash. This project is simple to reproduce, which will allow them to vermi-post at home. Likewise, the project is sustainable- it won't need to be reconstructed from scratch every year.
This project will build student's identity as change-makers. And we need a generation of young people ready to change the world.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Anderson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.