Garden City Harvest Curriculum th​
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Grade 1 Included Lessons: Lifecycles in the Garden: Annual, Biennial, and Perennial Plants pages 2­5 Microorganisms Make Our Compost pages 7­9 Compost Mapping pages 10­14 Mapping a Garden Ecosystem pages 15­18 2 Lifecycles in the Garden: Annual, Biennial, and Perennial Plants Objectives: 1. Identify and even observe similarities between different plants in the garden. 2. Identify the six main plant parts and the plant lifecycle as it relates to the plant’s growth, survival and reproduction. 3. Able to define, differentiate and classify plants in the garden based on whether they’re “annuals,” “biennials” or “perennials.” MCPS Science Standards Met:​
3.1; 3.5 Season Used:​
Summer, Fall Time: ​
60 minutes Grade Level:​
4th Materials: ● A garden with annual, biennial and perennial plants. Pre­Lesson Preparation: ● Decide ahead of the lesson which annual, biennial and perennial plants in the garden you want to focus on with your class. ACTIVITIES: A) Introduction: Let’s get up close and personal with the plants in the garden! 1. Start with a discussion about the similarities between all the plants in the garden. Optional: give students some time to explore the garden to let them generate some thoughts before starting a discussion. Prompt questions: a. What do all plants have in common? What are the five basic needs of all plants? ​
Food, water, air, shelter and energy. b. Why is it important that all five of these basic plant needs are met? ​
This will help them to grow, survive and reproduce. c. Why does it matter if they reproduce or not? What does “reproduce” mean? ​
It means they will propagate, make more of the same type of plant. This is essential because, without reproduction, the plant would go extinct. d. Think about plant parts as they relate to plant lifecycles. What six main plant parts will they all produce? ​
Roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. 2. Let’s talk about some differences between plants in the garden. Have students brainstorm some ways in which the plants differ from one another. Prompt questions: a. Start with differences they can see. What are some of the more obvious, visible differences between the plants you see in the garden? Have students make observations. 3 b. Continue with differences that are biological and not necessarily readily visible. Do all the plants in the garden share the same lifecycle? ​
No. Plants have different lengths of lifecycles, same as different animal species.​
For instance, how long do dogs typically live? Cats? Horses? People? Plants, too, have different life cycle lengths. Let’s dive deeper into this topic... B) Activity: Exploring the garden’s plants and their lifecycles. There are names for plants that have different lifecycle lengths: “annual,” “biennial” and “perennial.” We will examine each of these lifecycles in more depth. 1. Let’s begin with annual plants because they are the most common plant type in the garden. In fact, most of the plants we eat from the garden are annuals. ​
Have the class gather around an annual plant in the garden (examples: snap peas, squash/pumpkins, kale, zucchini, cucumber)​
. a. Time to brainstorm. Start by posing questions to the students and then giving them hints: What is an “annual”? How long does it take for an annual plant to complete its lifecycle? Hint: You’ve probably heard the word “annual” in other contexts…Such as an “annual event”? b. Break it down. ​
“Annual” means that it takes place once a year. ​
Can you provide an example of an annual event at your school? ​
(An annual christmas music program, etc.) For plants, this means that it goes through its entire lifecycle within a year, 365 days, or less. 1­ Timeline for an annual plant’s life cycle: The plant starts as a seed. It germinates, producing the stem, cotyledon leaves and roots. Eventually, it produces its flowers. Once the flowers are pollinated, the fruit can grow. Of course, the fruit contains the seeds that are used for reproduction, propagating that plant species. 2­ In less than a year an annual plant goes from seed, to producing seeds in a year or less. At the end of this cycle, the plant dies. a­ Extra Note: The dead plants can be composted. Eventually, the dead plants will fully decompose and be added to the soil. In the soil, the compost will feed (i.e. provide nutrients to) the next generation of plants. In this way, they contribute to another plant’s lifecycle. 3­ Most of the edible plants in the garden are annuals. Can you think of examples of annual plants? Hint: remember, if the plant is an annual it will produce flowers/fruits within one growing season. ​
(Annuals: Snap peas, green beans, pumpkins, kale, zucchini, cucumber...) 2. Let’s continue on and talk about biennial plants in the garden, which are much less common than annuals. ​
Have the class gather around a biennial plant in the garden (examples: carrots, parsley, spinach)​
. a. Time to brainstorm. Start by posing questions to the students and then giving them hints: What is a “biennial”? How long does it take for a biennial plant to complete its lifecycle? You’ve probably heard the word “biennial” in other contexts...Hint: think of the word “bi” in “bi­ennial.” Lots of you have probably 4 ridden something with “bi” in the word. ​
Bicycle. b. Break it down. ​
“Bi” means “two.” A bicycle has two wheels. For plants, this refers to the number of years it takes for them to go through their full lifecycle. 1­ Timeline for a biennial plant’s life cycle: In the first year of growth, the plant produces its roots, stems and leaves. Once winter comes, it goes “dormant.” (“Dormant” is the plant’s version of hibernation.) In the second year of growth, after winter, it quickly regrows a new stem and leaves since it’s already established in the soil. Then, it grows its flowers, fruits and seeds. 2­ It takes two years to complete the lifecycle of a biennial. At the end of the second year, the plant dies. 3­ Interesting Note: Some of the biennial plants in gardens are grown as if they were annuals. This means that we harvest and eat them in their first year of growth. The reason for this? If we allow them to go dormant through the winter and grow into their second year, they become unpalatable, woody and send all their sugar into the flower(s). 4­ Can you come up with some examples of biennial plants in the garden? Hint: think about plants you’ve eaten in the garden that you’ve never seen flower? ​
(Biennials: carrots, spinach and parsley...) 3. Lastly, let’s talk about perennial plants in the garden. ​
Have the class gather around a perennial plant in the garden (examples: strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, a tree)​
. a. Time to brainstorm. Start by posing questions to the students and then giving them hints: What is a “perennial” plant? How long does it take a perennial plant to complete its lifecycle? b. Break it down. ​
“Perennial” means that the plant lives for more than two years. Perennial plants can vary a lot by type; some produce new flowers and fruits every year, while some produce flowers and fruits only once. 1­ Many perennials don’t reproduce through seeds. Rather, they have an underground root network, in the form of bulbs, tubers or rhizomes. They store all their energy in these root networks over winter, when they go dormant. 2­ Interesting Note: Some perennials act like annuals. That is, they go through a lifecycle within a year. The difference is that annuals die after one year while perennials come back year after year. Some garden plants that are perennial, we treat like annuals, depending on the climate of where you live. a­ For instance, tomatoes are actually perennials. If they are grown in climates that are warm year­round, the vines don’t die after one year (they aren’t annuals), they keep living year after year as a perennial. However, in a climate like Missoula’s, winter would kill the tomato plant so we treat it as an annual. Every year, we reseed it and transplant it into our gardens. 3­ Can you think of some examples of perennials in the garden? Hint: 5 Think of plants in the garden that haven’t been re­planted, that regrow year after year?​
(Strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, trees…) CONCLUSION: ● What are some similarities, both that can be observed and that are biological, between different plants in the garden? ● What are the six main plant parts? ● What does a plant lifecycle look like? How does it relate to a plant’s growth, survival and reproduction? ● What is an “annual” plant? What are some examples of annuals in the garden? ● What is a “biennial” plant? What are some examples of biennials in the garden? ● What is a “perennial” plant? What are some examples of perennials in the garden? ● What are some of the big differentiating features between annuals, biennials and perennials? 6 Microorganisms Make Our Compost Objectives: 1. Identify the five basic needs of all living things for growth, survival and reproduction ­ food, water, air, shelter and energy. 2. Identify where living things, and specifically animals versus plants, obtain energy; how energy is vital to the survival of living things; ways in which that energy is used. 3. Learn what a “microorganism” is and how they contribute to an important cycle in the garden called “composting.” 4. Learn all about compost ­ what it is, the process of making it, what you do with it in the garden and how to make it in a spinning composter. 5. Learn what conditions in the compost need to be present in order for microorganisms to survive and do their job of “decomposition.” MCPS Science Standards Met:​
3.1; 3.2 Season Used:​
Spring Time:​
60 minutes* *Optional: extend the lesson for a period of a couple weeks or months. See “Additional Activity Ideas” at the end of this lesson for ideas. Grade Level:​
4th Materials: ● Spinning composter ● Organic matter (i.e. food scraps, old plant parts) ● Straw ● Watering can ● Trowel Pre­Lesson Preparation: ● Have all the materials at the ready. ACTIVITIES: A) Introduction: Today, we are going to be talking about an extremely small animal that contributes to a very important cycle in the garden. 1. Start with a discussion about the needs of all living things. Here are some prompts: a. All living things need what five things to grow and survive?​
They need food, water, shelter, air and energy. b. How do living things obtain energy? ​
They get energy from the food they eat. c. Why do living things need energy to survive? ​
Everything living things do takes energy in the form of food in order to grow and survive.​
7 d. What are some examples of how we use energy in our lives? ​
(Thinking, running, talking, breathing, eating drinking, sleeping, playing, reading, etc.) e. Specifically, where do animals obtain food? As a class, brainstorm where different animals, including humans, obtain food. Push them to think where their food originates before answers like “grocery store” or “farmer’s market.” ​
(Hunting, fishing, the ground, raising livestock, etc.) ​
Now, compare this to where plants obtain food. ​
Plants obtain food from the soil and from the sun’s light in a process called photosynthesis. f. Why is all of this important? Why is it essential that a living thing’s basic needs are met? ​
It will allow them to grow, survive and, ultimately, reproduce. In essence, reproduction ensures the survival continued propagation of a species. Pose the question: what would happen to a species if they survive and reproduce? ​
They’d go extinct. ​
Can you provide examples of species that have gone extinct? ​
(Dinosaurs, Dodo bird, mammoths, etc.) 2. We’ve dissected what living things need to grow and survive, as well as the specifics of how and where they obtain energy. Let’s talk about that extremely small animal in the garden that was mentioned earlier. a. This extremely small animal is called a “microorganism.” What is it? First off, break the word into two ­ “micro” and “organism.” ​
“Micro” is something so small that it can’t be seen with the naked eye; it requires a microscope to see. An “organism” is another word for a living thing. Put the words together and you have an “extremely small living thing.” b. Extra Note: Just like there are different types of animals we can see with the naked eye ­ dogs, cats, horses, people ­ there are different types of microorganisms ­ fungus, ​
bacterium and virus. c. So, why are we talking about microorganisms? It so happens that microorganisms are part of a very important cycle that takes place in the garden. This process is called “composting.” 3. What is compost? ​
Compost is food for plants; plants get extra nutrients from compost when it’s added to the soil; compost gives plants energy to help them grow bigger, stronger and healthier. a. How is compost made? How do microorganisms contribute to the making of compost? ​
First, we literally have to collect food scraps (banana peels, egg shells, coffee grinds, etc.) and other organic matter (grass, leaves, etc.) and put it all together ­ we can make piles of compost outdoors, or we can add it to a spinning composter. Then, we let the microorganisms go to work on the compost. The microorganisms eat the contents, and then, poop it out. We call this process “decomposition,” which means that the contents of the compost are “broken down” into smaller pieces. For example, the food scraps and other organic matter added to the compost pile goes from being recognizable, clearly identifiable contents (such as banana peels, egg shells, grass, leaves, etc.) to looking just like soil. It turns dark brown or black and has a very earthy smell. 1­ Extra Note: Compare this to your own body’s process of passing food 8 through the body...you eat food, your body digests those nutrients it can use for energy, and then, what it can’t use is expelled from the body as a dark brown substance. Poop. b. Okay...but let’s back up. What type of conditions need to be present in the compost pile (or spinning composter), in order for the microorganisms to not only survive, but to do their job? ​
Same as all living things, they need food, water, air, shelter and energy. B) Activity: Let’s compost! We are going to make sure the microorganisms have all their needs met and make some compost. ​
Have students gather around the spinning composter​
. 1. To make compost, we need to make sure we are providing the microorganisms with everything they’ll need in order to survive their environment. a. First, let’s identify their shelter. Give students a chance to come up with ideas and figure out what the microorganism shelter would be in this scenario. ​
Answer: the compost pile or spinning composter. b. Let’s identify their food. We talked about this earlier, what kinds of food do we put in compost for the microorganisms to eat? ​
Answer: food scraps and other organic matter. ​
It’s important to put not only food scraps in the compost, but also other organic matter in the form of dried plant matter, such as dried leaves, dried grass, dead plants, straw, etc. ​
Have students add equal parts straw and food scraps to the composter​
. 1­ Which of the five basic needs of living things will the microorganisms gain once they have food? ​
Energy.​
How will the microorganisms use this energy in the process of composting? ​
It will allow them to perform the function of eating the compost pile and turning it into a decomposed, soil­like substance. c. Let’s add the microorganisms themselves. Where do you suppose we might find them in the garden? Let the students brainstorm some ideas. ​
Answer: microorganisms can be found in the soil, but of course, because they are “micro,” we can’t actually see them with our naked eyes. H
​ave a student add a trowel full of soil from the garden to the composter​
. d. Let’s add water. It’s necessary to make sure the compost stays moist. If it’s dry, the microorganisms will dry up and die. ​
Have students add enough water using the watering can to moisten the compost​
. e. Lastly, we need to make sure the microorganisms have plenty of air to breathe. How do you suppose we can add air into the spinning composter? Let the students brainstorm some ideas. ​
The convenient thing about using a spinning composter is that, as its name suggests, it spins. This makes the ingredients in the composter fluffier by incorporating more air into the pile.​
Show students this is the case by having them first examine the compost before spinning it ­ have them notice that it’s compact and dense. ​
Have students take turns spinning the composter​
. Then, have them observe the compost after it’s been spun ­ have them notice how much more voluminous and fluffy it is in comparison. 1­ Extra Note: If you had a compost pile instead of a spinning composter, 9 how could you incorporate more air into it? ​
By using a shovel to “turn the pile.” 2. So, with all these steps and basic needs met, the microorganisms should be happy and able to perform their very important job in the garden. 3. Let’s review this whole cycle in the garden to which the microorganisms contribute. They “decompose” (a.k.a. break down) the food scraps and other organic matter that we add to the compost into what looks like soil. Once the compost has been fully decomposed by the microorganisms, we add it to the garden soil. Plants grown in the soil will use the compost as food to help them grow bigger, stronger and healthier. When the plant eventually dies, it can be added to the compost pile (or spinning composter). The process starts all over again! *Additional Activity Ideas: 1. Have the students draw and label the compost cycle, making sure to add the role that the microorganisms play in the process. 2. Extend this lesson out over the course of a few weeks/months by having the students regularly add food and water, as well as spin the composter. Once the composter is relatively full, have them observe the contents of the compost over a period of time. Have them sketch and journal their observations every few days. Watch as the microorganisms get to work and break down the compost over a period of time! Have them hypothesize how long it will take for all the contents in the compost to break down and become indiscernible. Once the compost has fully decomposed, have students add it to the garden soil. CONCLUSION: ● What are the five basic needs of all living things? Why is it essential that a living thing’s basic needs are met? ● From what do living things obtain energy? Specifically, where do animals obtain food energy versus plants? How is energy vital to the survival of living things? What are some ways in which energy is used? ● What is a “microorganism”? To which important cycle in the garden do they contribute and how? ● What is compost? How is it made? What do you do with it in the garden? How do you make it in a spinning composter? ● What conditions in the compost need to be present in order for microorganisms to survive and do their job of “decomposition”? 10 Compost Mapping Objectives: 1. Learn that compost consists of living and nonliving matter. 2. Learn that non living matter can be categorized into carbon matter and nitrogen matter. 3. Classify/identify carbon and nitrogen matter by specific characteristic traits. 4. Learn that decomposers are living organisms that serve a particular function in our compost: break down (a.k.a. eat) the nonliving matter and turn it into soil­like matter. 5. Classify/identify microorganism and macroorganism decomposers. 6. Identify the basic needs of decomposers that will help them to not only survive but, to be productive and work efficiently. 7. Identify ways people can help decomposers meet their needs in a compost environment. MCPS Science Standards Met:​
3.2; 3.4; 3.5 Season Used:​
Spring Time: ​
40 minutes Grade Level:​
4th Materials: ● A note card for each person in the class representing a different part of the compost: ○ non living carbon materials: Dried Leaves, Straw, Dried Grass, Twigs, Dry Pine Needles, Wood Chips, Dried Pinecone ○ nonliving nitrogen materials: Manure, Fresh Grass Clippings, Banana Peel, Egg Shells, Apple Core, Carrot Tops, Cucumber Peelings ○ living decomposers: Worms, Beetles, Spiders, Millipedes, Bacteria, Fungi, Snails, Slugs, Centipedes ● Thermometer ● Watering canister ● Rope long enough for an entire class to fit inside when laid in a circle ● Shovel for activity ● White board and marker ● Rakes/shovels/wheelbarrows Pre­Lesson Preparation: ● Make notecards: print name, draw picture and laminate. ● At the top of the white board write “Compost”; along one side of the white board write all the examples of nonliving carbon matter, non living nitrogen matter and living decomposers listed above under “Materials”. ● Have the rope, watering can (filled with water), shovel and thermometer at the ready. Teacher Background: 11 What is soil? Soil is made up of varying sizes of rock particles (like sand, silt and clay), organic matter, minerals, nutrients, water, air and living organisms that decompose the organic matter. We use soil in our school gardens to grow all the fruits and vegetables that we love to eat! In order to keep our soil healthy and our plants happy, we like to amend the soil with an ingredient called compost. What is compost? Compost is food for plants; when we add it to the soil, plants feed on the nutrients in the compost. These nutrients allow the plants to grow bigger, stronger and healthier. Think of it the same way that the nutrients in the food that we eat help our bodies to grow, repair and maintain itself; compost does the same thing for our plants. Specifically, what is compost made of? Simply put, compost is made up of nonliving, organic matter (such as food scraps, twigs, leaves, grass clippings) that is broken down (a.k.a. decomposed) into smaller bits by living organisms known as “decomposers”. Once the decomposers do their job, the compost will look like very rich, healthy, dark brown soil. We’ll come back to the subject of nonliving, organic matter. First, exactly what or who are these decomposers? How does decomposition work? The decomposers are the living things in a compost and include both macroorganisms and microorganisms. They break down the nonliving, organic matter into elements that the plants can use as food. Macroorganisms are large enough to be seen by the naked eye; examples include: worms, beetles, spiders, millipedes, snails and slugs. Microorganisms are so small that you need a microscope in order to see them; examples include: bacteria and fungi. Like all living things, these macroorganisms and microorganisms have certain survival needs. These needs include: food, water, air and shelter. The shelter in this case is the pile of compost. The decomposers get their food from the nonliving, organic matter that we add to the compost. It’s important that the compost stay moist so that the organisms don’t die from dehydration and that the compost be “turned” once in awhile to incorporate in air for the decomposers to breathe. As long as all their needs are met, the decomposers will work fast and efficiently; if their needs aren’t met, they’ll be slow, inefficient and may die. You know decomposition is in progress when the pile heats up from the energy expended by the decomposers. In fact, if you stuck a thermometer in the middle of the compost pile, you may read temperatures as high as 160 degrees F (though a temperature between 110 and 140 degrees F is best). (temperature cited from: http://www.almanac.com/compost) Okay, now back to the subject of nonliving, organic matter in the compost. Let’s break it down further. The nonliving, organic matter can be further classified into two categories: “green matter” and “brown matter”. Green matter has high levels of nitrogen, compared to brown matter which has high levels of carbon. Examples of green matter include: fresh plant matter (green grass, newly fallen leaves), kitchen scraps (fruit/vegetable peelings, fruit cores, vegetable tops, egg shells, coffee grinds) and animal waste (a.k.a. manure). Examples of brown matter include: dried leaves, dried grass, straw, twigs, wood chips, dried pine cones and dried pine needles. In 12 an ideal compost environment, there would be a balance of nitrogen­rich and carbon­rich matter, and the compost would alternate between layers of green matter and brown matter. How long does compost take to make? That is a relative question. It depends on the climate, and therefore, where you live. In Western Montana, it can take upwards of four weeks for the decomposers to do their job and fully break­down the compost into its basic elements. ACTIVITIES: A) Introduction: Let’s start with a discussion about compost. 1. Pose these questions to students: a. What is compost? ​
It’s food for plants; it’s recycled food for plants; it provides plants with extra nutrients they can use to grow bigger, stronger and healthier. b. What’s in compost? ​
Food scraps, dried leaves, dried grass, twigs, worms... 2. We can classify things in a compost pile as “living” and “nonliving”. In fact, having both living and nonliving things is essential for a compost pile to decompose. ​
On the white board, make two branches off of the word “Compost” ­ one that says “Nonliving” and one that says “Living.​
” a. What does “decompose” mean? ​
To break down into smaller pieces. b. Compost needs to decompose completely before it can be added to the soil in the garden beds. c. What does decomposed compost look like? ​
It looks like soil; it’s dark brown, crumbly organic matter. 3. We can further divide this nonliving component into two categories: carbon matter and nitrogen matter. Compost needs a balance of carbon and nitrogen. In fact, when we add it to our compost, we want to alternate layers of the two. ​
Make two branches off of the word “Nonliving” on the whiteboard ­ one that says “Carbon (brown) Matter” and one that says “Nitrogen (green) Matter”. a. Dead, dried plant matter is a good source of carbon and tends to be brown in color (hence the alternative name “brown matter”). Fresh, moist plant matter and animal waste are good sources of nitrogen and tend to be green or still have color (hence the alternative name “green matter”). b. ​
Look at the list written to one side of the white board. Help me to determine which of these items are good sources of carbon matter and which are good sources of nitrogen matter. Write items under the appropriate category. 1­ Carbon Matter: dried leaves, straw, dried grass, dead branches, twigs, dead pine needles, wood chips, dried pinecone. 2­ Nitrogen Matter: manure, green grass, banana peel, egg shells, apple core, carrot tops, cucumber peelings. 3­ Any other examples of carbon and nitrogen sources? 4. The living organisms in compost are decomposers. They eat the nonliving matter ­ that is, the carbon and nitrogen matter. a. What is a decomposer? ​
Eats/consumes dead plants and animals and reduces them to simpler forms of matter. 13 b. ​
Living decomposers can be further broken down into “microorganisms” and “macroorganisms”. Write these on the board branching off of the word “Living.​
” 1­ Macroorganisms can be seen by the naked eye. 2­ Microorganisms can only be seen under a microscope. c. ​
Look at the list written to one side of the white board. Help me to determine which of those items are micro or macro decomposers. Write items under the appropriate category​
. 1­ Macroorganisms: worms, beetles, spiders, millipedes, snails, slugs, centipedes. 2­ Microorganisms: bacteria, fungi. 5. What do we know about all living organisms? What do they need to survive? ​
Food, water, air, shelter and energy. a. If the decomposers in a compost pile have all these key ingredients ­ food, water, air, shelter and energy ­ they are productive and work fast and efficiently. b. Without these ingredients they are slow, lazy and may die. c. So, to have a functioning compost pile, we need to make sure the decomposers have all their needs met. B) Activity One: Life inside a compost pile. Tell the students they get to experience what life inside a compost pile is like. 1. Pass out compost ingredient cards to all but one student. They will represent what’s on their card. The student without a card is “the gardener”. 2. Tell them that the ingredients can be divided into three categories: non living carbon, nonliving nitrogen, and living decomposers. 3. Have them sort themselves into these three groups. 4. Have each student shout out in turn what he/she “is”. 5. Outline the perimeter of compost with rope and have students stand outside of it. Tell students the circle represents the perimeter of the compost pile. 6. Now, we need to create an environment in which our living, decomposing organisms will want to live, and therefore, will work hard and efficiently. Let’s make sure all their needs are met: a. Do the decomposers have shelter? ​
Yes. The compost pile (outlined by rope). b. Do the decomposers have food? ​
Not yet. ​
What do we need to add? ​
The nonliving matter ­ carbon and nitrogen. 1­ Have the students with carbon and nitrogen cards add their cards one at a time to the center of the circle, alternating carbon and nitrogen. c. Do the decomposers have water? ​
Not yet. 1­ Have “the gardener” student use the watering canister and sprinkle the compost pile with water. d. How can “the gardener” add more air (or oxygen) to the compost so the decomposer can breathe? ​
Use a shovel and “turn the pile”. This makes the compost light, fluffy and full of air. 1­ Have “the gardener” use a shovel and pretend to turn the compost. 2­ While “the gardener” does this, have a few of the carbon and nitrogen 14 students spread the carbon and nitrogen cards around the pile to represent “turning the compost”. e. With food, water, air and shelter needs met, the decomposers should have enough of what? ​
Energy to do their work. 7. Okay, now that we’ve created a good environment for the living decomposers, we can add them into the compost. a. Have the students with the living decomposer cards scatter their cards throughout the pile. b. ​
Get out the thermometer and pretend to take the temperature. Tell the students the compost is getting hotter...and hotter...and hotter. It’s over 150 degrees F! But now the temperature is starting to drop because the decomposers have eaten up all the carbon and nitrogen matter. Without food, they have less energy. The temperature of the compost is starting to get colder...and colder...and colder​
. c. How can we heat the pile back up? What do we need to add to the compost to get those decomposers moving again? ​
Add more food, water and air. d. How long does it take to have fully decomposed compost? It can take as little as a month for the living decomposers to break down the nonliving matter in the compost, IF they have all their needs met. 8. Let’s go compost! We are going to look at compost that has been fully decomposed. C) Activity Two: Spread compost on garden beds. 1. Cover rules of using shovels/rakes. 2. Demonstrate how to use shovels/rakes for the purpose of composting. 3. Divide students into two groups. Have half the group shovel/till compost into garden beds, have the other half raking/smoothing the compost into the garden beds. CONCLUSION: ● What are the components of a compost pile? ● How can we distinguish between carbon matter and nitrogen matter? ● What are some examples of carbon and nitrogen matter? ● What do the decomposers do to the compost pile? ● What do the decomposers need to survive? ● What are some examples of microorganism and macroorganism decomposers? ● How can we help decomposers meet their needs in a compost? CREDIT FOR LESSON ADAPTATION: Parrella, Deborah. "Compost Cake." ​
Project Seasons: Hands­on Activities for Discovering the Wonders of the World​
. Shelburne, VT: Shelburne Farms, 1995. 87­89. Print. 15 Mapping a Garden Ecosystem Objectives: 1. Define “ecosystem”; identify living and nonliving components of a garden ecosystem. 2. Identify ways in which living and nonliving components of an ecosystem are interconnected. 3. Learn that removing one element (living or nonliving) in an ecosystem can affect the whole ecosystem, and even cause it to collapse. 4. Identify ways in which water is essential to a garden ecosystem. 5. Learn how to sow seeds and transplant in the garden. MCPS Science Standards Met:​
3.4 Season Used:​
Spring Time:​
40 minutes Grade Level:​
4th Materials: ● Huge ball of yarn ● Whiteboard and marker ● Seeds and transplants ● Shovels/trowels and watering canisters Pre­Lesson Preparation: ● Make sure yarn is wound up in a ball. ACTIVITIES: A) Introduction: Last lesson in the garden together, we talked about the components of compost, both living and nonliving. What were some examples of living and nonliving things in compost? Microorganisms, microorganisms, carbon matter and nitrogen matter. We are going to apply that same idea of mapping a compost pile to an entire garden. We are going to talk about the garden as an “ecosystem”. ​
Write the word “ecosystem” on the whiteboard​
. 1. What is an “ecosystem”? Break up this word into “eco” and “system”. a. ​
“Eco” comes from the word “environment”.​
(​
On the whiteboard write: Eco = Environment​
) Ask students what comes to mind when they think of the word “environment”? ​
(the planet, the earth, trees, plants, animals, forests, rivers, natural world...) b. What is a “system” and what are some examples? ​
(school system, bicycle, car, the respiratory system in our bodies, the food system, cows and grass...) ​
(​
On the whiteboard write: A system is a collection of parts that interact with one another to function as a whole​
.) 16 c. Let's combine these definitions. ​
On the whiteboard write: An ecosystem is a system within an environment​
. What are some ecosystems you’ve heard of before? (​
rivers, forests, oceans, deserts, and tundra…) 2. Today, we are going to focus on a garden ecosystem. Let's brainstorm parts of the garden ecosystem, both living and nonliving. a. List student ideas on the whiteboard. Have every student brainstorm at least one element and tell them to remember their idea. Be specific! This list could include: ​
soil, compost, rocks, plants (specific fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, bushes), insects (bees, ladybugs, centipedes…), decomposers (fungi, bacteria, worms), birds, water, weeds, garden beds, shed, tools, gardener... b. Make sure they bring up living and nonliving things. c. Also, what do our living things in the garden ecosystem need in order to survive? ​
Food, Water, Air, Sun!​
(​
These should be added to the list if they weren’t already mentioned by students​
.) d. Once there is a long list, point out the living items and the nonliving items. How are these connected? ​
As the students to brainstorm how the parts of the garden ecosystem are connected, draw lines between the items to connect them​
. Try to have at least one good example of interconnectedness. (Add as necessary to the list: people, pollinators, etc.) B) Activity One: Mapping a garden ecosystem. 1. Okay, let's do an activity in which we see just how interconnected and interdependent are the living and nonliving components of a garden ecosystem. a. Have the students form a circle. b. Have one student start with the ball of yarn and say their living or nonliving garden item. Make sure water is one of the items of the garden ecosystem. c. The first student then throws the ball of yarn to another student in the circle while still holding onto the string of yarn. The next student should say how their living or nonliving garden component connects to that of the previous student. Continue until all students are holding the yarn and there’s a tangled, interconnected web. 2. The educator will pull on a string in the web and the student(s) that feels the tug raises his/her hand. Do this a few times to demonstrate how they are all interconnected. a. Talk about how taking away one element of that web affects and changes the whole ecosystem. 1­ Give a scenario of water being removed from the garden. The garden has no water. Have the student who represents water, drop the string. 2­ Have those students that would be affected if there was no water in the garden to drop their hold on the string. Example) The plants would drop the string, as would other living organisms like the decomposers. They can no longer survive because there’s no water in the garden. a­ Why do all living things need water? Think about this: people 17 and plants are largely made up water (the human body is made up of more than 65% water and many of our fruit and vegetable plants are more than 80% water). So, how would a lack of water affect plants? The plants couldn’t photosynthesize, respire or grow. The plants would turn brown, shrivel and die. The same thing happens to people without water, they get dehydrated and shrivel up. b­ We need water to grow our food. Food, as we know, is another basic need for all living things. 3­ Continue until everyone, or most everyone, drops their hold on the yarn. 4­ Reinforce that the whole ecosystem is interconnected and removing one element changes the whole system and all its living and nonliving components. 3. We examined one example of a specific type of ecosystem, that being the garden. There are many types of ecosystems, big and small. C) Activity Two: Sow Seeds 1. Have students smooth soil, get rid of big rocks, break up large chunks of soil. 2. Go over depth to plant seeds ­ twice the width of the seed. Plant seeds. 3. What do seeds need to start growing? H2O. Have students water where they planted. D) Activity Three: Transplant 1. Do a demonstration transplant: a. First, choose the location in which you want to plant. b. Dig a hole as deep as plant’s soil ball and twice as wide. c. Carefully remove plant from container by squeezing sides of container while upturned in your hand. d. Fill the hole with water. e. Hold plant over hole (stem base plum with top of hole) and fill with soil. f. Pat the soil gently but firmly around the base of the plant’s stem. g. Water the plant. 2. Divide students into groups of 3­4. Assign roles: digger, waterer, planter. CONCLUSION: ● What is an ecosystem? ● What are some living and nonliving components of a garden ecosystem? ● How are the living and nonliving components of a garden ecosystem interconnected? ● How would removing water from a garden ecosystem affect the rest of the ecosystem? ● What are ways in which water is essential to a garden ecosystem? ● How deep do we plant seeds? ● What are the steps for planting transplants in the garden? CREDIT FOR LESSON ADAPTATION: Jaffe, Roberta. "You Are What You Eat." ​
The Growing Classroom: Garden­Based Science.​
18 South Burlington, VT: National Gardening Association, 2007. 220­221. Print. 19