Compost changes slowly over time, and we can see three stages: the beginning, the middle, and the end. In the beginning, the compost looks just like the things we put in it — straw, leaves, grass, and old plants. As time passes, tiny helpers called decomposers start their work. Worms wiggle through the pile, breaking big pieces into smaller ones. Fungi spread thin white threads through the materials, helping them fall apart. 

In the middle stage, the compost is softer, darker, and starting to look more like soil, but you can still see some pieces that aren’t finished yet. By the end, everything has broken down. The compost becomes dark, crumbly, and smells like fresh earth. This is the stage we use in the garden to help new plants grow strong and healthy.

🌱 Fun Compost Questions

1. What do you think happens first when we make compost?
   Does it look more like soil or more like leaves and straw?

2. Who are the “tiny helpers” in the compost pile?
   Can you name a decomposer you’ve seen before?

3. Why do you think worms are good at helping break things down?
   What do you think they do all day inside the compost?

4. Have you ever seen fungi or “white threads” in soil or wood chips?
   What do you think those threads are doing?

5. What changes do you notice from the beginning compost to the middle compost?
   Does it look different? Smell different?

6. Why do you think the compost gets darker as it breaks down?

7. Which stage do you think would feel the squishiest?
   Beginning, middle, or end?

8. Why do you think finished compost helps plants grow better?
   What do you think plants “eat” from the soil?

9. If you were a worm living in the compost pile, what would be your favorite job?

10. What do you think would happen if we tried to plant seeds in the beginning compost?
    Would it work? Why or why not?

 Handout with Questions