BOISE, IDAHO — Math. Science. How about composting? North Junior High in the North End of Boise has a classroom that's looking for the community's help to make sure their students get to learn all about composting.
At North Junior High in Boise, you'll find some interesting things growing in Ms. Lyngar's seventh-grade life science class. But don't worry, it's all planned.
"I like to teach science by doing science, so instead of just talking to kids about recycling or nutrient-rich soil or the different organisms that are around, if they can actually see it and feel it and touch it and be a part of it, I think that's super important," said North Junior High Life Science Teacher Riley Lyngar.
And she's not all talk as she's been teaching her students about a messy but important practice called Vermicomposting.
"So vermicompost is using Red Wriggler Worms to make compost. The Worms will eat newspaper, egg cartons, and food scraps, and then they turn it into really nutrient-rich soil, and so we use that in class for the students to grow their own plants so they can see the whole life cycle, from growing from a seed, to the soil, and recycling in-between," explained Ms. Lyngar.
Though it's a process reporter Matt Sizemore's three-year-old daughter might describe as, quote, yucky, Ms. Lyngar's students are into it, and are definitely learning.
"I never knew they use worms and random scraps of stuff for it," said seventh-grader Raleigh.
"The dirt, I never knew that worms eat the things that they eat, so I learned that," said seventh-grader Marcus.
"Like Marcus said, I didn't know that they eat newspaper and egg cartons, and the worms that we're using are the best for the soil for our plants," said seventh-grader Landon.
Speaking of the plants, once you get past handling the slimy worms and fragrant homemade compost, it's the cherry on top!
"The seventh graders love growing their own plants. They're so proud of, every day, they come in and say let's see how much our plants have grown!" exclaimed Ms. Lyngar.
In her nine years of vermicomposting with classroom-after-classroom of students, she's seen how something like Earth-friendly gardening can interest today's youth when they start from the very beginning.
"It's fun to see them take care of something that historically some kids find rather boring, so they're just so proud and it makes my little teacher heart happy," smiled Ms. Lyngar.
But her little science class could use your help. They're looking for things you're probably just throwing away.
"If anybody has newspapers laying around or egg cartons, we'll take them off your hands and feed them to our worms," asked Ms. Lyngar.
"I think we need more stuff to get our worms to grow," said Raleigh.
You heard them! If you have old newspapers or egg cartons, bring them to North Junior High and say it's for Ms. Lyngar's awesome science class. You'll be helping pave the way for a sustainable future and a happy classroom!
"I love this. Realizing their learning without them realizing their learning. Cause if they're not having fun, I'm not having fun, and I think that's the whole point of teaching science is for them to learn to love science and just to have the curiosity of what's going on around them," smiled Ms. Lyngar.
Again, if you're able to help out Ms. Lyngar's class, bring your used egg cartons and newspapers to North Junior High School in Boise's North End and tell the front desk what it's for!
