Last week, our friends at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center came to visit and talk to our Primary classes about the wonders of decomposition. We learn a lot about the food chain but sometimes we forget about one of the most important links-the decomposers!

We often think of decomposers as icky, but they play a vital role in keeping the ecosystem balanced. Decomp Romp is an interactive program on the ways decomposers do their work and what it does for the environment. We learned about worms and beetles, as well as fungi, all of which help break down organic materials and turn them into vitamins and nutrients to create rich soil.

Students also learned how to sort between items that can be recycled or composted and those that must go into the trash. Did you know? Treated wood cannot be recycled or composted at home due to the chemicals used on the boards.

To end the session, each student was given a recycled water bottle filled with black soil to create their own personal composters. They can add fruit rinds, pits, seeds, and other organic material to it, along with a little water to keep the soil damp. In time, this will result in a rich soil great for planting! You can even use the bottle itself as a seedling starter.

Thank you to Mitchell Lake for giving us insight into the wild world of decomposition!