Nature's+Recyclers

[[image:nr_tlm_cover.gif align="right" link="http://www.sciencecompanion.com/module-overviews/natures-recyclers-levels-4-5-life-science/"]]Nature's Recyclers (4-5-6)
There are three clusters of lessons in the Nature's Recyclers Unit. They are listed below. Selected lessons from each cluster are provided free. They have been selected because they present a coherent mini unit from the full set of lessons. You will need [|Adobe Acrobat Reader] on your computer to download the lessons and resource pages.

Students discuss what the term “waste” means, examine a “mystery bag” filled with examples of natural waste, and speculate about why the world is not covered in organic remains. They arrange illustrations showing the progressive decomposition of several organisms, or parts of organisms. They suggest reasons for why the organisms decompose.
 * Cluster 1: Organic Remains**
 * Lesson 1: Wondering about Nature's Waste and Resource Pages
 * Lesson 2: Nature's Breakdown and Resource Pages

Students consider some examples of nature’s recyclers such as dung beetles, earthworms, and fungi. They observe how composting worms turn dead plant matter into nutrient-rich castings. Then they plant seeds in organic material and perlite to see if the organic material helps plants grow better. With fungi they observe mycelium growth, make spore prints, and identify the parts of mushrooms They conduct an experiment to study bread mold growth and graph their results. The class also takes a field trip to look for evidence of decomposition.
 * Cluster 2: Nature's Recyclers**
 * Lesson 3: Natures Cleanup Crew and Resource Pages
 * Lesson 4: Looking at Worms and Resource Pages
 * Lesson 5: Feeding Worms and Resource Pages
 * Lesson 6: From Decomposers to Soil and Resource Pages
 * Lesson 7: How Fungi Feed
 * Lesson 8: Investigating Bread Mold Growth
 * Lesson 9: Looking at Mushrooms
 * Lesson 10: Agents and Evidence of Decomposition
 * Lesson 11: Drawing Conclusions About Mold Growth

Students analyze the results of their planting experiments and conclude that castings provided additional nutrients to the plants. They discuss the food chain, the food web, and the roles of nature’s recyclers. They play a game in which they act out the process of nutrient recycling. Last, they put together a Mobius strip to model how nutrients are passed from one living thing to the next.
 * Cluster 3: Recycling Nutrients**
 * Lesson 12: Soil Nutrients for Plants and Resource Pages
 * Lesson 13: Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers and Resource Pages
 * Lesson 14: The Nutrient Game
 * Lesson 15: Recycling Nutrients