Lesson Overview
Featured Article: “The Unlikely Ascent of New York’s Compost Champion” by Cara Buckley
Growing up in the Bronx, Domingo Morales was never interested in urban farming, and he thought vegetables were gross. However, after landing a job at a nonprofit that trains young people for solar installation, horticulture and other green jobs, Mr. Morales found his way to becoming, arguably, the most famous compost person in New York City.
In this lesson, you will learn about Mr. Morales’s life and his initiative called Compost Power. Then, you will find something that you can do in your school or community to benefit the environment.
Note to teachers: The featured article mentions some adult topics. Please read it before assigning it to students.
Warm-Up
Take a few minutes to write about how you and your family deal with waste: In a typical week, what kinds of things do you throw away? Do you throw everything in the trash? Do you recycle? Do you compost? Do you ever feel guilty about what, or how much, you toss out?
The article you will read today talks about composting. Watch this six-minute video from NowThis to learn about the process:
Then, tell us:
What is one interesting fact you learned about composting?
What is one question you have?
After watching this video, are you more inclined to find a way to compost your food scraps? Why or why not?
Questions for Writing and Discussion
Read the article, then answer the following questions:
1. How did Domingo Morales get started in urban gardening? Why had he been hesitant to try it previously? Do you relate to any part of his journey?
2. What is the program that Mr. Morales created? Does anything like this exist in your community? If you live in a city, check out this map to see what composting services are available in your region.
3. What are some of the potential environmental benefits of Mr. Morales’s program?
4. What was Mr. Morales’s life like before he found his way to Green City Force? How did he excel in that work opportunity?
5. How did Mr. Morales overcome the challenges he faced in 2018 to eventually win a David Prize?
6. How is Mr. Morales described throughout the article? Does he remind you of any leaders in your community or of someone you admire for contributing to your town?
Going Further
What is one environmental action you can take in your home or school community?
Start by brainstorming a list of ideas. Here are some things you might consider:
Do you recycle at home or at school? What could make the process easier or clearer for people?
Is composting available where you live? Is it accessible to everyone? What could make it more accessible?
How much do people care about the environment and climate change where you live? Could you do something to educate your friends and family about why these issues matter?
What else matters to your community when it comes to the environment?
Now, choose one issue you want to focus on based on what you identified as concerns for your community, and create something to help educate people about it. Here are some ideas:
Create a poster, infographic, public service announcement, flyer or social media post with information and a strong message about your topic.
Make labels for trash cans and recycling bins that help people know how to properly dispose of waste.
Organize a demonstration or teach-in to educate people about the environment.
Next, make a plan for putting your project into action. Here are some questions to think about:
What are the materials you need to do this project? Where can you do research for it?
Who could you work with to help you execute your vision? Could any of your peers, parents, teachers, librarians, custodians or administrators help?
Is someone else already doing this work in your community? Could you partner with that person or organization?
What is your timeline?
Finally, take action, and let us know how it goes! Once you’ve got a plan in place, or have started your project, share it in the comments section of this article.
Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.
