School 4 students conduct experiment on waste

After researching how Oceanside processes its solid waste, fourth grade students in School #4’s Project Extra class set up a fair experiment to determine how or if various types of waste break down in landfills. A fair experiment is one where only one variable at a time is changed.

Under the guidance of teacher Kellie Manning, the students took observation notes and measurements to document the process. They created a simulated landfill by covering the sides of a two-liter bottle with a light-eliminating shield, such as a paper bag or other opaque item. This kept any extra light from getting into the simulated landfill and only allow light to hit the surface as the sun naturally would. Students then chose different packaging materials to place in the simulated landfill including paper, cardboard, plastics, aluminum foil, styrofoam, and biodegradable plastic.

Students next alternatively layered dirt with pieces of trash. They took height measurements of each layer to keep them consistent before adding pieces of the packaging material. Students made predictions on which materials would break down the fastest and if they would break down at all. The students are now in the process of taking observations overtime to see the landfills progress.