Welcome to Change is Simple’s Online Learning Platform!
Overview: Today’s topic is compost critters, where we will explore outside and learn the amazing creatures that help keep our soil healthy.
Grade Level: 2-4
Theme: Natural Resources
Supervision needed? No
Essential Questions:
What is a compost critter?
How do they play a role in composting our food?
Materials Needed:
One sheet white paper
Assorted markers
Computer
Standards:
3-LS1-1. Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
Ecological Health 14.2 Identify ways the physical environment is related to individual and community health
Today’s lesson is all about exploring. We will be learning about Compost Critters / Decomposers that live in our own back yards.
We’ll be going outside to find some cool critters. But you do not need a yard for this; you will be able to find these critters in small gardens or mulched areas even around the dirt/grass edges of parking lots, or in the woods.
Be sure you are very gentle with all of the critters; they are all very important to the environment and ecosystem. And they will not hurt you!
Be sure to ask the adults in your life if it is acceptable to bring those critters back inside or if you should keep them outside.
Here’s Patrick, our Co-Founder, to lead you through today’s activity. Follow along!
Now that you have collected some leaf litter:
Look at it closely, find some critters, take photos of them and look them up on the internet. See if you can identify them. Choose one of your favorite critters and answer the following questions:
What is the name/species of the critter?
What does it eat?
What is another name for its poop?
Does it fly?
How does your critter help the environment?
We encourage you to continue this activity over the next several weeks. You’ll see the critters getting bigger over time, you’ll discover new critters, and you’ll find more and more as Spring goes on. Take notes and pictures so you can track the differences!
NEXT, learn more about composting at home and school by watching this super fun video made by our team at Change is Simple!
VOCAB WORDS:
Castings
Decomposers
Microorganisms
O Horizon / Leaf Litter
Did you enjoy today’s activity? Stay tuned for more, and in the meantime…