Classroom compost poster

Activity

Design a classroom poster to review learning about composting.

  • Estimated time: 30 minutes
  • Location: Outdoors & Indoors
  • School term: All year round
  • Level of experience: No experience needed
  • Subject(s): Art&DT

Learning objectives

  • Communicate ideas visually
  • Consolidate learning about composting
  • Understand that composting is part of a wider recycling process

Essential background information

Preparation

Discuss and review composting knowledge, and bring together facts to design an information poster.

You could use examples of composting posters or other information posters as a prompt. 
 

Equipment

  • Large sheets of paper
  • Pencils, crayons or paint
  • Natural and manmade materials to stick onto the poster (optional)
  • Printed examples of composting posters from internet (optional)
  • Glue (if necessary)

Step by step

  1. Nominate a scribe to record answers and ask the group what they have learnt about making good compost. For example, what materials can and cannot be composted.
  2. Ask what facts they would tell others in order to pass on their expert composting knowledge.
  3. Look at a few posters in your classroom (or on the internet) and think about what makes a good poster. For example, bright, simple, eye catching, good headline and a balanced layout. 
  4. Decide what art material you will use for the poster (natural materials stuck on or paint and crayons). Consider designing the poster on a computer.
  5. Work as a group to create a poster or work on individual designs. Decide where the poster is going to be displayed for the biggest audience or relevance to the subject. 

Hints & tips

  • Use real materials that will not decompose quickly such as egg shells, dry tea bags, twigs, newspaper, paper towels for the posters and draw those that will rot down quickly, such as grass and food scraps.
  • Use this activity as part of the Earth Matters class growing topic.