School Composting

Composting is a wonderful teaching tool which can introduce and explain far reaching concepts like life cycle, the importance of death and decomposition, soil recycling, resource management, garbage and landfills.

Best of all, composting activities are just plain fun!  Children get to touch dirt, hold worms, build compost piles, set up and explore worm bins, analyze what they’ve eaten for lunch, and learn songs about worms and other wiggly creatures.

Various resources are available for teachers and schools in the unincorporated area and Scotts Valley to involve their students in composting and recycling through the Green Schools Program

Backyard Compost Bins for Schools

Backyard compost bins use green waste from school grounds and garden, as well as fruit and vegetable scraps. To purchase a backyard bin, visit our Free and Reduced Cost Bins and Where to Buy Bins pages.

Worm Bins for School and Preschools

Worm bins are great for classrooms or school gardens. These bins offer the chance for a classroom presentation on nature's way of recycling, lifecycle, ecosystems and organism interaction. To purchase a worm bin, visit our Free and Reduced Cost Bins and Where to Buy Bins pages.

Resources

Worm Foods
Worm Bin Critters

Websites

Books, Curriculum, Videos and More
California School Gardens Network
Cornell University Composting in Schools
Green Schools Program
Kids stuff--Adventures of Squirmin' Herman the Worm
Kid’s Stuff—Adventures of Vermi the Worm
School Waste Management Education and Assistance
The Worm Guide: A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers
Worm Words Glossary for Teachers