Take the Trash Challenge!

2008-12-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

Instructions:
Carry around a plastic or brown paper bag with you for one day. Put everything that you would throw away into this bag, not the trashcan. That includes food, tissues, paper, gum, everything!

After you take the challenge, answer these questions:

What did you learn from this activity?
Are you going to do anything differently now?

Click on "Reply" below.

Worm Bin Composting

2008-11-03T12:07:00.001-07:00

Learn how to create your very own classroom worm bin, just as our teachers in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District did.

Items needed:

Newspaper -- you'll want about a week's equivalent of the New York Times.
Plastic container with lid -- the Rubbermaid Roughneck 14-gallon storage bin is perfect, and be careful to rinse it out with water, not soap.
Water -- leave a bucket full out for one full day before use to let the chlorine dissipate into the air.
Worms! Red wigglers (Eisenia fetida) are best suited for indoor composting bins, and 1/2 a pound should be a good start for the bin size mentioned here.

Step 1: Make the bedding for the worms. First, shred the newspaper into long narrow strips. Make sure there is enough to fill the bin to overflowing -- the newspaper shrinks when wet.

Next, pour the water over the newspaper strips.

The newspaper strips should all be wet but not too soggy, like a wrung-out sponge. Make sure there is not a lot of excess water under the strips.

Step 2: Give them food. Push the newspaper strips to one side and add some leftover food, such as vegetables, fruits, and coffee grinds. Avoid all meat and dairy, as these types of food tend to make the bin smell and can attract other creatures.

It's a good idea to smash or chop the food into smaller bites before adding it to the bin -- the more surface area, the easier it is for the worms to break it down.

Step 3: Add the worms! See below for a list of worm suppliers.

Add the worms over the food material.

Cover the worms with newspaper strips.

Worms like the dark, so add a wet sheet of newspaper over the top.

Make sure to drill lots of holes on the lid so that the worms can breathe.

Don't forget to feed your worms every other day. Avoid foods with strong flavors such as citrus, jalapenos, onions, and garlic. And remember -- no meat, dairy, or oily foods.

Websites:

Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers - a PDF guide on how to set up, maintain, and harvest your compost, plus classroom activities.
Worm Composting Guide - an online guide to all of the above.

Books in print:

Worms Eat My Garbage, by Mary Appelhof
Worms Eat Our Garbage, by Mary Appelhof (classroom activities)

Worm suppliers:

Questions? Email Patty.

Welcome to the Forum!

2008-06-30T10:55:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Green Up Our Schools Forum! This space is for teachers, parents, and students alike to share ideas and talk with one another.

For example, say you're having a hard time finding a supplier of recycling bins. You could post a question here ("Has anyone found good bins for a reasonable price?") and check back in a few days for an answer!

Feel free to simply share your progress ("We just had an awesome kick-off assembly! Here's what we did...") or whatever else you like.

Cheers,
Patty