This morning, our compost pile is alive with action — you can see a light steam rising as tiny microbes work hard beneath the surface. The pile has already shrunk by nearly a foot and a half, which means the breakdown process is in full swing. It’s looking a bit dry, though, so today we’re giving it a boost. I’m adding in some tomato plants and some spoiled peppers from the school kitchen — these ‘greens’ are full of nitrogen and will help balance out the dry, carbon-rich materials. As I mix everything together, we’re creating the perfect recipe for decomposition — a living system that turns waste into soil. Let’s see what happens in a few more days!
Let’s take a moment to check out the middle of the pile I’m digging into, you can really see nature at work. Steam rises up — it’s warm, alive, and smells amazing, like fresh earth after a rain. You can spot fuzzy white fungi threading through the mix, breaking things down into dark, rich soil. That’s the good stuff — the sign our compost is cooking! I’m also noticing some bigger pieces that are taking longer to break down. That’s a reminder for next time — the smaller we chop our materials, the faster they transform.
Let’s continue working to build the new pile. You can really see the steam rising — Wow! - it almost looks like I’m starting a fire, but this is nature’s kind of fire: the heat of decomposition. Layer after layer, I stack greens and browns. I chop as I go to help everything break down faster, and give each layer a good watering to keep the microbes happy. As the pile grows, it reaches almost five feet tall, alive with energy.
Speaking of energy, I still have some left, so I’m gonna power through and create another compost pile. Watch me work!
🌍 Lesson Focus: How Nature Recycles — The Composting Process
Objective: Students will understand how living and nonliving things work together to decompose organic matter and create rich soil, and how carbon and nitrogen play key roles in the process.
🧠 Key Concepts
Compost – Nature’s way of recycling! It’s what happens when dead plants, food scraps, and leaves break down into soil.
Decomposition – The process of breaking things down into smaller parts.
Carbon (“browns”) – Things like pine straw, leaves, and wood chips that give energy to decomposers.
Nitrogen (“greens”) – Things like grass, weeds, and kitchen scraps that give protein to decomposers.
Decomposers – Tiny living things (bacteria, worms, fungi) that do the work of turning waste into soil.
⚗️ Demonstration Steps
Build the Layers
Show students how you alternate layers:
Browns → pine straw, leaves, wood chips
Greens → grass clippings, weeds, fruit/vegetable scraps
Explain that you’re balancing carbon (energy) and nitrogen (protein) just like a recipe.
Add Water & Air
Spray lightly with water and explain that decomposers need moisture and air to survive — just like us!
Observe Changes Over Time
Encourage students to check for:
Heat (feel the center — safely, if possible)
Smell (earthy vs. stinky)
Texture (materials softening)
Life (worms, bugs, fungi)
🔬 Classroom Discussion Prompts
Why do you think decomposers are important to the Earth?
What might happen if we didn’t compost or recycle food scraps?
How does composting help plants grow better?
What’s the difference between “browns” and “greens”?
📒 Extension Ideas
Compost Detectives: Give students magnifying glasses and have them explore the compost pile (or samples) to find decomposers — worms, pill bugs, fungi threads, and insect larvae. They can record what they find, draw pictures, or use a simple “field guide” to identify living things.
Temperature Graph: Use a thermometer to measure pile temperature each week and chart the data.
Vocabulary Poster: Create a class poster labeling “Carbon Materials” and “Nitrogen Materials.”
Kitchen Scrap Compost List: Create a list of items that are safe and unsafe to put in compost bins
Micro Life Under the Microscope: If you have access to a microscope, place a small compost sample on a slide to look for tiny living things like bacteria and fungal threads (hyphae). Discuss how these invisible helpers play a major role.
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