Buried Treasure: Garbage
An indoor-outdoor activity.
Objectives
- To identify organic and nonorganic materials
- To explore the impact of our garbage, biodegradable vs. nonbiodegradable
Materials
- Piece of plastic
- Piece of paper
- Fruit peel
- Chart paper and marker
Indoor Procedure
Review definition of decomposition. Use
it as decomposable. List organic, nonorganic, biodegradable, non biodegradable
on chalk board Older students begin with a discussion of organic - materials
produced naturally by plants and animals as part of their natural life cycles.
organic materials are decomposable or biodegradable by soil life forms.
Examples: lettuce, leather, some soaps, fur, hair, wood, etc..
Continue and describe nonorganic substances - chemically based and manufactured
by mankind (anything artificial or synthetic) or relatively inert materials
occurring in nature. Non organic materials are not decomposable by soil
life forms. They are nonbiodegradable. Examples: cleaning chemicals, pesticides,
plastics (including clothes), paint, cement, tar, rock.
Second graders inspect the classroom and list ten organic things and ten
nonorganic things they see. As the class compare lists, make a three column
chart. Label columns Organic, Nonorganic, and How Long
to Decompose. As class contributes items for each column, beside each
organic item predict how long (weeks, months, years, centuries) it might
take to decompose. Beside each nonorganic item elicit the response NEVER.
Outdoor Procedure
Bury the biodegradable and nonbiodegradable
objects. The class chooses a spot in the schoolyard and buries the plastic,
paper, and fruit peel. In one month, dig up the objects and observe them.
Have the objects changed? Decomposed?
Discussion Questions
- How do observations from this activity relate to human garbage and
the impact of trash on Earth?
- What will Earth look like 100 years from now if we keep manufacturing
and discarding nonorganic, nonbiodegradable things?
- What kind of ingredients should we look for on manufacturers' labels?
Record answers in Computer Journals.
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