Last updated: January 28, 2021
Lesson Plan
George Washington Carver - An Original Conservationist: The Importance of Compost
- Grade Level:
- High School: Ninth Grade through Twelfth Grade
- Subject:
- Science
- Lesson Duration:
- 90 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 9-10.RH.2, 9-10.RH.7, 11-12.RH.2, 11-12.RH.7
- State Standards:
- NGSS (MO CLEs) HS-LS4-6 mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity
HS-LS2-3 cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions HS-LS2-7 reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity - Thinking Skills:
- Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.
Essential Question
What is the effect of manufactured fertilizers on soil as compared to natural compost?
Objective
Students will analyze the impact of natural v. manufactured fertilizers on soil health.
Background
This is lesson three of five lessons in the George Washington Carver - An Original Conservationist unit.
To analyze the benefits of compost, students will begin by creating compost in a bottle. Next, they will choose one of the options listed below.
The goal of this project is for you students to “sell” their fake product, either fertilizer or compost, to a consumer. You will need to assign your groups either fertilizer or compost. Also, if possible, have your campaigns presented to another class so they can vote on the most effective.
Students should understand that there may be multiple answers to the questions based on their goal. If they want their product to work best on crops like corn or sweet potatoes they may need a different ingredient list than a group who is focused on crops like cotton or tobacco (all four crops are common to the American South and are discussed in other portions of the George Washington Carver project).
There are three options for implementation:
Option 1: Ad Campaign You can have students work together and complete this assignment as instructed on the student sheet.
Option 2: Presentation You can have students work to create the following pretend products but have each group create a single presentation over their product. These can then be presented in class.
Option 3: Problem Based Learning This project can be part of the unit PBL. One group can be assigned to each fertilizer and compost and their ad campaigns can be presented at the end of the unit with the other groups.
Preparation
Download:
Lab Instructions - The Importance of Compost
Presentation Instructions - Ad Campaign (Teacher)
Presentation Instructions - Ad Campaign (Student)
Rubric - The Importance of Compost
The primary set up of this lab can be done individually or in groups. Students can also do this activity from home if there is a distance learning component to the class. The primary lab can be added to through the extensions below. Each extension has additional instructions that should be merged with those of the original lab set up. Three methods for lab completion:
1. All students complete only the basic lab
2. Some students complete the lab with Extension #1 and some students complete the lab with Extension #2
3. All students complete the lab with Extension #1 or all students complete the lab with Extension#2
If you are doing this lab as part of the ongoing George Washington Carver Problem Based Learning Project you will need to start this lab at the beginning of your project or even before you officially start the PBL. This way students will be gathering and analyzing their data at the appropriate time of the unit.
This lab was written using material gathered from a variety of sources, listed below. Additionally, both extensions were written by Gloria Gammel, author of the George Washington Carver Project.
Sources:
The City of Newcastle
www.sfenvironment.org
Materials
Download Lab Instructions - The Importance of Compost
Download Presentation Instructions - Ad Campaign (Teacher)
Download Presentation Instructions - Ad Campaign (Student)
Download Rubric - The Importance of Compost
Lesson Hook/Preview
Considering cost and benefits analysis, why would farmers choose to use manufactured fertilizers on their fields, instead of natural compost?
Procedure
Using the Lab Instructions - The Importance of Compost, begin the compost in a bottle 3-4 weeks in advance of the Presentation - Ad Campaign assignment.
Vocabulary
compost
fertilizer
organic matter
nitrogen
carbon
decomposition
fungus
bacteria
invertebrates
evaporation
methane
microorganisms
Supports for Struggling Learners
To simplify the assignment for younger students, lower level students or to fit a different time frame you can remove the creative component and ask students to research the bolded questions below. You can assign different students/groups different brands of fertilizers so that they can understand that all fertilizers are not the same.