Handout: An investigation sheet for the students to complete.
We previously learned about the carbon cycle. Ask the pupil to sketch the steps of the carbon cycle. At what step does decomposition occur?
Answer questions and take part in activities during the presentation. Stop the presentation at the relevant slides: Talk Partners; AfLs; Songs. Take part in the Choral Response Questions activity (see Assessment section) after the Keywords/Rocket Words slide.
Expert Film: This is Dr. Hazel Smith, who works with the RHS as the Head of Supply Development at Barfoots. Hazel talks about decay.
Career Film: Dr Hazel Smith works with the RHS as the Head of Supply Development at Barfoots.
Answer questions related to compost and decomposition in gardens. (See handout)
Alternatively:
Describe how plants and animals return materials to the environment.
Bread mould practical.
Discuss what would happen if things didn’t decay when they die.
Classify items as biodegradable and non-biodegradable and agree criteria for classification.
Discuss how the rate of decay can be controlled by considering food preservation, bodies preserved in bogs, compost heaps.
Demo: Investigate the rate of decay of grass clippings. Observe results in later lesson
With their talk partners, the children are to go through the quiz at the end of the presentation and answer the questions.