DIY Wild Treasures Challenge 3:
What’s the difference between landfills and Nature?
(45 minutes to set up plus periodic observation over time)
At “What’s the difference between landfills and Nature?” students create an experiment that will help them determine what happens to stuff that have been exposed to three different conditions: (1) laying on top of the ground in an open, mesh-like container, (2) buried just below the ground in a similar open mesh container, and (3) buried in an air-tight container. Throughout the school year they can return to their experimental plots and observe how their materials have changed. Through the process of setting up their experiments, your students will be able determine which of the three conditions best represents a capped landfill and explain a fundamental difference between a capped landfill and Nature.
Materials
(Per 2 students)
1. “What’s the difference between landfills and Nature?” Challenge Card
What’s the difference between landfills and
Nature? What’s different between a landfill and
the phases of the moon, the seasons of the year, the circulation of air,
water, and blood, the exchange between your breath and a leaf, and the
ability of a forest to stay alive by eating itself? Since the very essence of
Nature is cycles, it would be wise to take a close look at anything we do
that is NOT part of one. Your challenge is to start an experiment that will help
you observe what happens to stuff under 3 different conditions: on the
surface of the soil in open containers; buried just below the ground in open
containers; and buried in closed containers. There are two sets of directions.
Option A is more open-ended in that you need to figure out a way to use the
materials to solve the challenge. Option B is more directed in that it
provides the instructions for what to do with the materials. Your teacher
will tell you how to proceed. ©2003 Wild Treasures |
Dead Insects
Deciduous leaves
Coniferous leaves
Fruit
Iron nail
Waxed milk carton
Soda Can
Dead mouse
Other
3. 2 pairs of latex gloves
4. 2 1’ x 2’ wire mesh (1/2” mesh)
5. 1 clear Tupperware container (large enough to hold one set of items)
6. Duct tape
7. Permanent marker
8. Option A: Open-ended Challenge directions (for those groups you determine the open-ended approach is appropriate)
Option A: Open-ended Challenge
Arrange the provided materials so that you can place them outside in order to determine under which of 3 conditions the living and nonliving objects will have changed the most. After setting up the materials, work with your original Challenge Trail team to answer your teacher’s questions.
9. Option B: Directed Challenge directions (for those groups you determine the more directed approach is appropriate)
Option B: Directed Challenge
a. Create 3 identical sets of materials.
b. Spread out the items in Set 1 and Set 2 on 1/2 of each of the two wire meshes, so that each mesh has the same materials.
c. Fold over the wire mesh on top of your materials and seal the edges with Duct tape. Label each mesh with your names and condition (e.g., buried open or surface open). Be sure not to cover the materials under the duct tape.
d. Seal the third set of items inside the provided Tupperware container. Label it with your names and “Buried Closed.”
e. Place the materials outside. Mark them so you can find them throughout the year.
f. Share your predictions.
g. After setting up the materials, work with your original Challenge Trail team to answer your teacher’s question(s).
10. Outside: Find the area outside in which the experimental plots can be set up without being disturbed.
11. Cross-sectional diagram of a capped landfill:
<Insert diagram, “Landfill Cross-Section”>
Procedure
1. Divide each team into pairs and provide each pair with a Challenge Card.
2. Ask students to read the Challenge Card and ask you at least 4 questions to clarify what they are about to do.
3. Discuss and clarify Challenge Options A and B. Determine which pairs will do Option A or B.
4. Distribute the materials.
5 Circulate around the room and make sure students have the necessary materials. Ask questions like, “Under which condition do you think the materials will change the most? Why do you think that?”
6. Help students with setting up their experiments outside. Ask, “Which of the conditions do you think best represents a capped landfill?” Show them a copy of the cross-section of a capped landfill. Elicit students’ responses and affirm that the sealed buried container is the condition that best represents a capped landfill.
7. Have students discuss among their original Challenge Trail teams, “What’s the difference between capped landfills and Nature?” Elicit students’ ideas and affirm that capped landfills are designed to prevent the cycling of materials, whereas essentially every process in Nature is part of and is dependent upon many cycles.
8. Have each team pick an Earthstone if: (1) the groups worked well together at setting up their experiments; (2) they made well-thought out predictions, (3) students explained why they think stuff will change more under one of the conditions, (4) the groups selected the “Buried Closed” condition as the one that is most like the capped landfill, and (5) the entire class had an interesting discussion about the difference between capped landfills and Nature.
Return to The DIY Challenge Trail Go on to DIY Challenge #4