We have our own unique compost system in the garden and wanted to inspire our youngest gardeners to take part in the making of what we dubbed “magic soil,” the end result of our composting chain. As a teacher, my classroom is always the first laboratory I turn to when I want to explore something scientific, organic and awesome.

As a teacher, my classroom is always the first laboratory I turn to when I want to explore something scientific, organic and awesome.

After saving our organic and plant-based leftovers, Sarah, Composter Extraordinaire came to visit our classroom and tell the dramatic and exciting story of the compost journey that their old banana peels were about to take. We learned excellent words like decomposition and disintegrate and played a game to engage in the 4-part system of our compost.

Children are naturally drawn to the gross and smelly parts of natural life and we enthusiastically discussed it all! Strange smells, critters dancing in the compost piles and the wonder of decomposition were embraced as a part of this important job we all have as human citizens of Earth. In short, we embraced the ick factor to get the kids engrossed in the process.

We then visited the garden to drop off our compost and see the bins for ourselves and touch and try the tools that catalyze and advance the process.

Warren St Marks Community Garden – bringing up the next generation of community gardeners step by step!