Materials: Bucket or container for collecting leaves and grass.

• Build background knowledge about decay and decomposition by watching the video "It's not scary, it's decayed".

• Go for a nature walk and look for signs of decomposition (leaves, etc.).

• Collect dead leaves and grass and sticks (ideal size for stirring) for activity #3.

Materials: A collections of items (or photos) of things that are compostable and things that are not; supplies or technology to make an anchor chart; a compost bucket or container to begin collecting compostable materials.

• Ask students: what is composting?

• Explain that most things that decay (with a few exceptions) can be collected as compost and added back to the earth when they finish decomposing.

• Together as a class, or in small groups depending on the age of the children, sort a collection of items (or photos) of things that decay (what is compostable versus things that are not).

• Have children/groups share their understanding and create an anchor chart together as a class of what is compostable versus not (the infographic is supplied for the teacher's reference, and is based upon what decomposes in a backyard compost pile).

• Begin collecting compostable materials as a class for activity #3 and hang the anchor chart for reference.

Materials: A large glass jar with a lid (or a collection of smaller mason jars with lids for each student); leaves, grass, newspaper (brown materials); green compostable materials; soil; cups or shovels for scooping; water; sticks for stirring; gloves (optional).

• Watch the video: "Create a soil-arium" on how to create a soil-arium with compost materials.

• Build a large soil-arium together as a class, or have students bring their own glass jars to school and build individual soil-ariums.

• Ongoing: monitor the decomposition process, add water, and mix regularly; journal observations; read books about composting, microorganisms, and/or soil. If they begin to smell, add more brown materials.

• In the spring, use the soil to grow plants and reflect on the soil-arium/composting process.