"Trash to Treasure: School Compost Quest!"

Middle School Grade Project 12 weeks

"Trash to Treasure: School Compost Quest!"

PATRICIA C

MS-ESS3-3

DA:Pr5.1.7.b

Self Directed Learning

Academic Mindset

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Purpose

This project aims to engage middle school students in a meaningful exploration of environmental stewardship through hands-on activities that address real-world challenges. By focusing on litter reduction and composting, students will develop practical solutions to minimize human impact on their school environment. The project fosters critical thinking, self-directed learning, and a sense of community responsibility, while aligning with science and arts standards. Through collaboration with community partners and reflective practices, students will cultivate a deeper understanding of sustainable practices and their role in promoting a healthier ecosystem.

Learning goals

Students will explore and apply scientific principles to design methods that monitor and minimize human impact on the environment, specifically through waste management and composting. They will engage in self-directed learning, using feedback to refine their strategies and deepen their understanding of the energy cycle and sustainable practices. Through critical thinking and problem-solving, students will develop innovative solutions to encourage their peers to maintain a clean school environment. Additionally, students will cultivate an academic mindset by establishing a sense of identity and belonging within their community, fostering self-efficacy and reflection.

Standards

[Next Generation Science Standards] MS-ESS3-3 - Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
[Next Generation Science Standards] MS-ESS3-3 - Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
[National Core Arts Standards] DA:Pr5.1.7.b - Utilize healthful practices and sound nutrition in dance activities and everyday life. Discuss benefits of practices and how choices enhance performance.

Competencies

Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.

Products

Students will design and implement a comprehensive waste management system, including litter collection strategies and a composting program. They will create educational materials to raise awareness about the importance of reducing litter and composting, such as posters, presentations, or digital content. Additionally, students will produce a report detailing the data collected on waste reduction and composting effectiveness, which will be shared with the school community during an exhibition event. These products will not only demonstrate their learning but also serve as tools to inspire ongoing environmental stewardship within the school and beyond.

Launch

Kick off the project by organizing a school-wide "Trash Audit Day" where students collect and categorize waste from the P.E. field and school grounds. Collaborate with Compton Farms to provide an engaging workshop on composting and its benefits. Introduce students to the essential questions and challenge them to brainstorm initial ideas for reducing litter and implementing a composting system. Use this launch event to gather baseline data on the types and quantities of waste, setting the stage for students to develop and monitor their strategies over the coming weeks.

Exhibition

Students will organize a "Green Day" event to showcase their projects, inviting other classrooms, feeder elementary schools, parents, and a community liaison from the Department of Water Waste Management. They will present their findings, demonstrate the composting process, and share the impact of their efforts on the school environment. The event will include interactive stations where attendees can learn about the energy cycle and sustainable waste management practices. Students will also display visual data representations and engage in discussions about the importance of environmental stewardship, fostering a sense of community involvement and responsibility.

Learning Journey

Project Activities

Days 1 - 48

Milestone Activities

No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Plan

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Project Introduction Activity 15m Trash Audit Preparation Activity 15m	Trash Audit Day Activity 30m	Data Analysis Workshop Activity 30m	Composting Workshop Activity 30m
Preparation

Week 2	Day 5	Day 6	Day 7	Day 8
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Reflection Session Activity 15m Feedback and Goal Setting Activity 15m	Design Thinking Introduction Activity 15m Empathy Mapping Activity Activity 15m	Ideation Session Activity 20m Idea Selection and Group Formation Activity 10m	Prototyping Workshop Activity 20m Peer Feedback and Iteration Activity 10m
Preparation

Week 3	Day 9	Day 10	Day 11	Day 12
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Compost Bin Design Activity 15m Community Connection Activity 15m	Prototype Construction Activity 30m	Feedback and Revision Activity 30m	Reflection and Goal Setting Activity 30m
Preparation

Week 4	Day 13	Day 14	Day 15	Day 16
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Compost Bin Testing Activity 30m	Data Collection and Observation Activity 30m	Reflection and Strategy Refinement Activity 30m	Community Outreach Planning Activity 30m
Preparation

Week 5	Day 17	Day 18	Day 19	Day 20
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Composting System Design Activity 15m Feedback Session Activity 15m	Litter Reduction Strategy Development Activity 15m Strategy Presentation and Feedback Activity 15m	Composting System Prototype Construction Activity 30m	Litter Reduction Campaign Planning Activity 15m Reflection and Goal Setting Activity 15m
Preparation

Week 6	Day 21	Day 22	Day 23	Day 24
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Visual Data Presentation Activity 15m Peer Review and Feedback Activity 15m	Exhibition Preparation Activity 15m Interactive Station Design Activity 15m	Rehearsal and Refinement Activity 20m Community Outreach Strategy Activity 10m	Reflection and Strategy Finalization Activity 15m Goal Setting for Exhibition Day Activity 15m
Preparation

Week 7	Day 25	Day 26	Day 27	Day 28
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Composting System Implementation Activity 30m	Litter Collection Strategy Deployment Activity 30m	Monitoring and Data Collection Activity 20m Reflection and Feedback Activity 10m	Community Engagement Planning Activity 30m
Preparation

Week 8	Day 29	Day 30	Day 31	Day 32
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Community Engagement Strategy Workshop Activity 15m Educational Materials Creation Activity 15m	Feedback Integration Session Activity 15m Outreach Activity Planning Activity 15m	Role-Playing and Rehearsal Activity 20m Final Material Preparation Activity 10m	Peer Review and Feedback Session Activity 15m Reflection and Goal Setting Activity 15m
Preparation

Week 9	Day 33	Day 34	Day 35	Day 36
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Community Engagement Launch Activity 30m	Feedback and Reflection Activity 15m Goal Setting for Community Outreach Activity 15m	Interactive Presentation Preparation Activity 20m Peer Review and Refinement Activity 10m	Exhibition Rehearsal Activity 15m Final Reflection and Strategy Finalization Activity 15m
Preparation

Week 10	Day 37	Day 38	Day 39	Day 40
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Composting System Evaluation Activity 30m	Peer Feedback Session Activity 15m Strategy Refinement Activity 15m	Community Outreach Reflection Activity 15m Final Outreach Planning Activity 15m	Exhibition Preparation Activity 15m Presentation Rehearsal Activity 15m
Preparation

Week 11	Day 41	Day 42	Day 43	Day 44
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Final Compost System Evaluation Activity 15m Peer Review and Reflection Activity 15m	Litter Reduction Initiative Assessment Activity 15m Strategy Refinement and Planning Activity 15m	Community Feedback Session Activity 15m Goal Setting for Sustainability Activity 15m	Exhibition Preparation and Rehearsal Activity 15m Final Reflection and Strategy Finalization Activity 15m
Preparation

Week 12	Day 45	Day 46	Day 47	Day 48
Phase	Project Activities
Activities	Final Exhibition Setup Activity 15m Presentation Finalization Activity 15m	Green Day Exhibition Activity 30m	Exhibition Debrief and Reflection Activity 15m Sustainability Planning Activity 15m	Project Reflection and Celebration Activity 15m Goal Setting for Future Action Activity 15m
Preparation