In April, 7th and 8th grade students took part in a compost challenge, which involved working in teams to come up with a compost design to be used at TFA. The winning team (ZZ, Paige, Kael and Piper) constructed a vermicomposting bin with proper worm bedding, drainage, and aeration. They also had the opportunity to learn some woodworking skills while constructing a frame with Casey, our Director of Finance and Operations. Chloe, Fiona, and Paige put the final artistic touches on the holder, and now it's in use. The worms have been busily breaking down our compostable food scraps for the past couple of weeks.
In addition to talking about soil health and composting in Science, in Language Arts, 7th graders have been exploring how humans impact the environment. They worked individually to research a different recyclable material (like paper, plastic, or glass) and then taught their classmates what they learned, synthesized the information, and reflected on what they could do differently in what they consume and how they recycle. In 5th grade, students created posters promoting the new compost bin at our school! They were able to solidify the many things they learned in their Science unit, while also learning how to communicate a message effectively.
