CU 7.05What Breaks Down?
The child buries a leaf, an apple core, and a piece of plastic in a clear container of soil and checks every week to see which ones break down.
Presentation
Search videos (opens YouTube in a new tab)- 1
Show the three items. Ask: 'What will happen if we bury these in soil?'
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Bury each one against the side of the container so it can be seen through the plastic.
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Draw the three items on the first row of the chart.
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Close the lid and place the container on the shelf. Mist the soil once a week.
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Each week, look through the side and draw what each item looks like now.
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After four to six weeks, compare: 'The leaf and the apple are breaking down into soil. The plastic looks the same.'
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Say: 'Tiny living things in the soil, like worms and fungi, break down things that were once living.'
What catches the child’s eye
- The apple core turning brown, then soft, then disappearing into the soil
- The plastic cap looking brand new after six weeks
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Bury the same items in the garden with labeled sticks and dig them up after a month
- Add paper and a piece of cloth and compare
- Start or care for a class compost bin
- Sort a basket of items into 'will break down' and 'will not'
Control of error
The container shows the result directly; the weekly drawings let the child compare with the first week.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Says which items broke down and which did not
- Keeps the weekly chart
- Explains why plastic should not go in the soil
Guide note
Mold will grow. Keep the lid closed; look only through the side. The guide opens it outdoors if needed and disposes of it in compost. Skip the indoor container for children with mold allergies and use the garden version.