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Food Webs Activity for Kids
Compost DIY
- Duration: 30-60 min
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: $0 to $5
Use microbial decomposition to turn food waste into fertilizer!
Material List
- 1Pile of twigs
- 1Pile of dry leaves
- 1Bucket of food waste (such as egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, apple cores, orange and banana peels)
- 1Pair of non-latex gloves
- 1Large bowl for mixing
- 1Large plant pot or other container with holes on the bottom
- 1Watering can with water
- Note:Do not use meat as part of the food waste (it attracts flies, smells & can have bad microbes).
Instructions
- 1Put on your gloves.
- 2Mix all your food waste together in a large bowl.
- 3Add a layer of dry twigs at the bottom of the large flower pot.
- 4Then add a layer of food waste on top of the twigs.
- 5Next, add a layer of dry leaves.
- 6Using the watering can, sprinkle water over the top until damp.
- 7Leave your compost to decompose naturally for 3-6 months.
- 8The process is slow but eventually you will have a nutrient-rich material for gardening.
How It Works
Decomposition is nature’s way of recycling. Dead plants and animals are broken down into basic nutrients that become part of the Earth. Decomposition happens when decomposers - such as worms, bacteria, and fungi - eat and digest plant and animal remains. Without decomposition, dead organisms would just pile up!
Check out the Full Lesson on Food Webs
In this lesson, we learn that:
- A food web is a model of intersecting food chains.
- Food of almost any kind can be traced back to the sun.
- Decomposers break down dead organisms.
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