Receiving a hands-on experience in their unit on solid and hazardous waste, the students in environmental science classes got the chance to look through real compost samples on Nov. 19. Each student gathered in the lab and found a partner to work with, then the students put on their gloves and received their samples. The students were looking for decomposers such as snails, spiders, worms, or bacteria. Mrs. Staback has been teaching at the school for about 9 years and teaches biology, genetics, along with environmental science. This is Mrs. Staback’s second year doing this lab and plans on doing it for as long as possible. Mrs. Staback has seen how this lab engages her students through the critters they find. In one of the compost samples the students discovered a pseudoscorpion, which is not a decomposer and an uncommon find. Mrs. Staback shares what she wants her students to take away from this lab.
“I want them to take away that dirt is living and the process of decomposing is so important,” Mrs. Staback said.” not only to our natural soil but also to things that we discuss in class with landfills and having those decomposers present to naturally breakdown organic waste so that we can reduce our waste impact.”
The environmental science students will have their test for this unit on Dec. 8.
