1.36 What Decomposes and What Doesn’t
This is Lesson 1.36 (“What Decomposes and What Doesn’t?”) from the Grow Your PALS Program Guide, part of the National FFA Mentoring Program’s Environmental Science unit. Students classify items as organic or inorganic, set up a control group, and bury organic and inorganic materials in milk jugs, then return three months later to observe and compare what has decomposed. The lesson teaches the concepts of organic/inorganic matter, decomposition, scientific controls, and proper disposal of non-decomposing items.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
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- Define organic matter, organic, inorganic and decompose.
- Discuss the concept and purpose of controls in scientific experiments.
- Explain the process of decomposition, including conditions necessary for it to occur.
- Explain the importance of proper disposal of non-decomposing items.
- Time required
- Instruction time for this lesson: 50-75 minutes; additional time for allowing material to be in ground and then recovering material at a later date.
- Materials
-
- Scissors
- Permanent marker to identify group names
- Shovel
- Ice pick or nail
- One square foot hole per each group
- One piece of paper per person
- One pencil per person
- One piece of construction paper per person
- Magazines
- PALS1.36.LG.ASSESS.A – one per student
- Per Group: One paper bag for control items (if needed)
- Per Group: Ground markers for buried jugs
- Per Group: Two paper lunch bags
- Per Group: Two plastic sandwich bags
- Per Group: Two plastic pens
- Per Group: Two wooden pencils
- Per Group: Two paper napkins
- Per Group: Two Styrofoam plates
- Per Group: Two paper plates
- Per Group: One gallon milk jug – cut off tops prior to class
- Unit
- Environmental Science
- Precepts
- A. Action — A1. Work independently and in groups to get things done
- Lesson Type
- Large Group
- Key Terms
- Organic, Inorganic, Decompose, Control
- Resources
- National FFA Organization. (2003). LifeKnowledge Precepts and Signs of Success Strategies for Great Teaching. (Reardon and Derner) – for use in lesson review/evaluation
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
National Standards
- ESS.03.05.01.b.Distinguish the characteristics of inorganic and organic compounds as they relate to environmental service systems.
- NL-ENG.K-12.12Applying Language Skills
- NS.K-4.1Science as Inquiry
- NS.K-4.4Earth and Space Science