Dirty Decomposers

http://www.teachengineering.org/view_lesson.php?url=collection/duk_/lessons/duk_decomposers_mary_less/duk_decomposers_mary_less.xmllessontext/xmlDirty DecomposersEngineering K-Ph.D. Program, soildecompositionnutrient recyclingbacteriafungi

Students design and conduct experiments to determine what environmental factors favor decomposition by soil microbes. They use chunks of carrots for the materials to be decomposed, and their experiments are carried out in plastic bags filled with dirt. Every few days students remove the carrots from the dirt and weigh them. Depending on the experimental conditions, after a few weeks most of the carrots will have decomposed completely.

Engineers must understand what causes vegetables to decompose in order to develop methods for transporting and preserving them from the field to the grocery store. Additionally, Engineers may design systems in the future that use microbes to break down waste. Students will be able to describe the role of decomposer organisms in nutrient recycling and their importance in maintaining the flow of energy through an ecosystem. Students will be able to relate the presence of soil-dwelling organisms to soil quality. Students will be able to describe some of the physical conditions that are favorable or unfavorable to microbial decomposers. 5TeachEngineering.orgMary R. Hebrank (Project Writer and Consultant), Duke Universityhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/duk_/lessons/duk_decomposers_mary_less/intro.pdfhttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/duk_/lessons/duk_decomposers_mary_less/experiment.pdfS101DA63North_CarolinaMath2.01 Estimate and measure length, perimeter, area, angles, weight, and mass of two- and three-dimensional figures, using appropriate tools.66S1014376North_CarolinaMath4.01 Collect, organize, analyze, and display data (including box plots and histograms) to solve problems.77S101F39ENorth_CarolinaMath5.01 Identify, analyze, and create linear relations, sequences, and functions using symbols, graphs, tables, diagrams, and written descriptions.77S100C65ANorth_CarolinaMath4.01 Collect, organize, analyze, and display data (including scatterplots) to solve problems.88S100D46CNorth_CarolinaMath4.02 Approximate a line of best fit for a given scatterplot; explain the meaning of the line as it relates to the problem and make predictions.88S1028413North_CarolinaScience1.01 Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.66S1028415North_CarolinaScience1.02 Develop appropriate experimental procedures for: • Student generated questions.66S1028416North_CarolinaScience1.03 Apply safety procedures in the laboratory and in field studies: • Recognize potential hazards.66S1028419North_CarolinaScience1.04 Analyze variables in scientific investigations. • Identify dependent and independent.66S102841ENorth_CarolinaScience1.05 Analyze evidence to: • Explain observations.66S1028421North_CarolinaScience1.06 Use mathematics to gather, organize, and present quantitative data resulting from scientific investigations: • Measurement.66S1028464North_CarolinaScience4.02 Evaluate the significant role of decomposers.66S102849DNorth_CarolinaScience7.01 Describe ways in which organisms interact with each other and with non-living parts of the environment: • Coexistence/Cooperation/Competition.66S10284A0North_CarolinaScience7.02 Investigate factors that determine the growth and survival of organisms including: • Light.66S10284A6North_CarolinaScience7.03 Explain how changes in habitat may affect organisms.66S10284AFNorth_CarolinaScience1.01 Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.77S10284B1North_CarolinaScience1.02 Develop appropriate experimental procedures for: • Student generated questions.77S1028416North_CarolinaScience1.03 Apply safety procedures in the laboratory and in field studies: • Recognize potential hazards.66S10284B5North_CarolinaScience1.04 Analyze variables in scientific investigations: • Identify dependent and independent.77S10284BANorth_CarolinaScience1.05 Analyze evidence to: • Explain observations.77S10284BDNorth_CarolinaScience1.06 Use mathematics to gather, organize, and present quantitative data resulting from scientific investigations: • Measurement.77S1028531North_CarolinaScience1.01 Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.88S1028533North_CarolinaScience1.02 Develop appropriate experimental procedures for: • Student generated questions.88S1028534North_CarolinaScience1.03 Apply safety procedures in the laboratory and in field studies: • Recognize potential hazards.88S1028537North_CarolinaScience1.04 Analyze variables in scientific investigations: • Identify dependent and independent.88S102853CNorth_CarolinaScience1.05 Analyze evidence to: • Explain observations.88S102853FNorth_CarolinaScience1.06 Use mathematics to gather, organize, and present quantitative data resulting from scientific investigations: • Measurement.88S102858CNorth_CarolinaScience4.06 Describe and measure quantities related to chemical/physical changes within a system: • Temperature.88United StatesCopyright 2012 - Engineering K-Ph.D. Program, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke Universityhttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2009-01-216Teacher