Chart paper and marker Indoor Procedure Review definition of decomposition. Use it as decomposable. List organic, nonorganic, biodegradable, non biodegradable on chalk board Older students begin with a discussion of organic - materials produced naturally by plants and animals as part of their natural life cycles. Non organic materials are not decomposable by soil life forms. They are nonbiodegradable.
Second graders inspect the classroom and list ten organic things and ten nonorganic things they see.
As the class compare lists, make a three column chart. Label columns Organic , Nonorganic , and How Long to Decompose . Outdoor Procedure Bury the biodegradable and nonbiodegradable objects. The class chooses a spot in the schoolyard and buries the plastic, paper, and fruit peel. In one month, dig up the objects and observe them.