Compost heap sign

Activity

Identify top tips for making compost and communicate them to others in the form of a written sign.

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

Learning objectives

  • Learn about the composting process and see first-hand composting in action 
  • Create useful information signs to tell others about the composting process

Essential background information

Preparation

If the school only has one compost bin, consider where another one (or two) could be sited.

Equipment

  • Compost heaps to study
  • Paper and pencils
  • Laminator for adult use (optional)
  • Plastic bottle to keep signs dry (optional)
  • Wooden stakes or canes to attach sign (optional)

Step by step

  1. Go to the composting area and look at the various states of decomposition by examining the contents of the compost bins.
  2. Ask your group for their top tips for making good compost.
  3. Design a ‘top tips for making great compost’ poster to display next to the compost area.
  4. If the school has two or three compost bins, make a label for each bin so other people using the garden know which one to fill, which one is rotting down and which can be used on the garden straight away.
  5. After creating the posters and signs, ask pupils how these should be displayed and how they can be protected from the weather (laminating or put inside a plastic bottle).
 

Hints & tips

  • Compost takes time to rot down. With only one compost bin, the compost at the bottom is ready first and it can be difficult to remove.
  • Ideally have three compost bins or bays: Bin One - leave to rot for a year, Bin Two - use the decomposed compost, Bin Three - fill with fresh compostable materials.
  • Use this activity as part of the Earth Matters class growing topic.