Lesson Idea | Sustaining Living Soil with Composting
Sustaining Living Soil with Composting is a hands-on activity for grades 4–7 that teaches students how to build and maintain a simple compost bin using everyday materials. Through this process, students learn how organic waste breaks down into natural fertilizer, improving soil health, feeding plants, and reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. The activity connects science concepts with real-world sustainability by exploring the role of microbes, the balance of green and brown materials, and the environmental benefits of composting. It also supports NGSS standards and links to global sustainability goals, making it ideal for classroom or school garden projects.
Standards
NGSS CONNECTIONS
SEP: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information; Asking Questions and Defining Problems
DCI: Earth’s Materials and Systems
CCC: Systems and Systems Models; Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World
SDG CONNECTIONS
2: Zero Hunger
12: Responsible Consumption and Production
15: Life on Land
Lesson Idea | Sustaining Living Soil with Composting
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Soils4Teachers is run by the Soil Science Society of America (started 1936). It gives K–12 teachers easy soil lessons, activities, videos, guides, and help to teach about soil and why it matters.
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