Kayley and Cheyenne – Composting
This National FFA lesson plan, “Composting,” centers on Kayley Pennington and Cheyenne Bolender’s SAE program of composting food waste from their school cafeteria. Through a video, worksheets, and research, students learn how composting works, the five areas that must be controlled for success, and the bacterial phases of decomposition. The resource includes student activity sheets (“No Food Waste” and “Heat It Up!”) and an answer key.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
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- Explain how composting works.
- Identify and describe the five areas that must be controlled for composting to be successful.
- Examine the phases of composting and the bacteria involved in the process.
- Time required
- 60 minutes
- Materials
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- A copy of the "No Food Waste" worksheet for each student
- A copy of the "Heat It Up!" worksheet for each student
- Internet access to play the video in real time or embed it in a PowerPoint ahead of time
- Cross-Curricular Connections
- Science — Examine the phases of composting and the bacteria involved in the process.
- Resources/References
- 1. Video: "Composting SAE | Kayley Pennington and Cheyenne Bolender," https://vimeo.com/368429355; 2. Article: "The Science Behind Composting," https://www.livescience.com/63559-composting.html; 3. Website: Understanding the Process, https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/types-composting-and-understanding-process; 4. Article: "Compost Microorganisms," http://compost.css.cornell.edu/microorg.html
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
AFNR Career Ready Practices
- CRP.02Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. Career-ready individuals readily access and use the knowledge and skills acquired through experience and education to be more productive.
- CRP.04Communicate clearly, effectively, and with reason. Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas and action plans with clarity, whether using written, verbal and/or visual methods.
- CRP.07Employ valid and reliable research strategies. Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and using new information to make decisions, change practices or inform strategies.
- CRP.08Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Career-ready individuals readily recognize problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the problem.
AFNR Cluster Skills
- CS.02Evaluate the nature and scope of the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Career Cluster and the role of agriculture, food and natural resources (AFNR) in society and the economy.
- CS.04Demonstrate stewardship of natural resources in AFNR activities.
- CS.06Analyze the interaction among AFNR systems in the production, processing and management of food, fiber and fuel and the sustainable use of natural resources.
AFNR Performance Element
- ESS.04Demonstrate the operation of environmental service systems (e.g., pollution control, water treatment, wastewater treatment, solid waste management and energy conservation).
Common Career Technical Core
- AG-ENV4Demonstrate the operation of environmental service systems (e.g., pollution control, water treatment, wastewater treatment, solid waste management and energy conservation).
Common Core – Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects: Writing
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.9Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.7Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.8Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.9Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9.10.4Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Common Core – Science & Technical Subjects
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.2Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.10By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 9-10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.2Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.4Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.8Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author's claim or a recommendation for solving a scientific or technical problem.
FFA Precept
- FFA-CS-M.CommunicationEffectively interact with others in personal and professional settings.
- FFA.PG-J.Mental GrowthEmbrace cognitive and intellectual development relative to reasoning, thinking and coping.
- FFA.PL-A.ActionAssume responsibility and take the necessary steps to achieve the desired results, no matter what the goal or task at hand.
NASDCTEc
- AGPF01.04Operate environmental service systems (e.g., pollution control, water treatment, wastewater treatment, solid waste treatment, and energy) to manage a facility environment.
Next Generation Science
- HS-ETS1-3Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.