1 of 11

Composting!

Let’s learn what food waste is!

2 of 11

Essential Questions

What is composting?

What is a three-bin compost system and how does it work?

How do we take care of our school’s three-bin compost system?

3 of 11

What is Composting?

    • Composting is like recycling for food and plant scraps!
    • We can put things like fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, and leaves into compost.
    • When we put these scraps in a compost pile, tiny bugs and bacteria eat them up.
    • As the bugs and bacteria eat the scraps, they turn them into rich, dark soil called compost.

4 of 11

Compost is like magic soil! It helps plants grow strong and healthy because it's full of nutrients.

Plus, composting helps us throw away less food waste, which is good for the environment. So, by composting, we can help make our planet healthier and our gardens happier!

Why Should We Compost?

5 of 11

At Beach Elementary, we are using a three-bin compost system!

The three bins are used in different ways to help with the process of composting.

Three-Bin Compost System

6 of 11

7 of 11

Your Turn!

We are going to make our own miniature compost systems!

You will be in groups of three for this activity.

First, we are going to sort what can go into the compost bin and what can’t.

What CANNOT go into a compost bin: plastic, glass, meat scraps

What CAN go into a compost bin:

fruit and veggie scraps, waste from the yard

8 of 11

Now We Build!

We will still be in our groups of three.

Each person draws on one box to make them look like the compost boxes in our system.

Now, tape the three boxes together, and tape the lids on the top.

From the pictures you sorted earlier, put the compostable things into your first box. Don’t forget to add brown materials!

9 of 11

Let’s Take Care of Our System!

You are a very important part of taking care of the school’s system!

You might be helping to:

    • Turn the compost
    • Add to the compost
    • Prepare brown materials
    • Measuring the temperature of a bin
    • Watering a bin

10 of 11

Turning Our Compost

It is important that our compost has the right conditions to turn into soil that is good for our plants!

This means that the compost should stay around 141 to 155°F.

It should be at 50-60% moisture level.

And it should be turned around once per week!

Practice “turning” your compost by mixing everything in your box together!

11 of 11

Thank You!

Any Questions?