Compost / Transfer of Matter

Students in grade five learn about the transfer of matter by looking at different compost models in the Farm to School Garden. The Massachusetts State Standards addressed by these lessons are:

• 5-LS2-1: develop a model to describe the movement of matter among producers, consumers, decomposers and air, water and soil in the environment to show that a) plants produce sugars and plant materials b) show that animals can eat plants and/or other animals for food and c) show that some organisms, including fungi and bacteria break down dead organisms and recycle some material back to the air and soil 

• 5-LS2-2 Compare at least two designs for a composter to determine which is most likely to encourage decomposition of materials.