Students can compare the rate of rot between food trash and other trash. Ask each child to bring in a quart or litre-size plastic jar with lid. Have students work in Pairs. Allow five to ten days to complete this experiment.
- Dirt from outside
- Quart or liter-size jars with lids
- Non-meat food trash, such as apple core or banana peel
- Other trash, such as plastic
Each pair of students uses two jars. Put one cup (250 ml) of dirt in each jar.
Put a piece of food trash on top of the dirt in one jar.
Put a piece of the other trash on top of the dirt in the other jar.
Set the lids on the jars, but do not tighten them. Keep jars in a warm place away from sunlight.
Students can predict what they think will happen to the trash, and observe the jars for five to ten days. Partners can record what happens in their jar, and compare results with the results of other students.
Discuss how the food trash is different from the other trash. Since food trash comes from once-living things, it is organic material and can rot. It is broken down further by plants and animals called decomposers. Trash that does not rot, remains as it is, taking up space in landfills. What can be done with this kind of trash?
