Look at these four everyday things: a leaf, a scrap of paper, a bit of foil, and a plastic wrapper. If we buried them in soil today, which ones do you think would still be there in a few weeks? Hands up your guess for each one.

A leaf can soften into soil because tiny living things eat it. Foil mostly just sits there.

That word is rot: living things in the soil break some materials down so they can become part of the soil again.

Look back at our four samples. Which ones will rot, which will rot a little, and which will not rot? Whisper your guess to your partner, then show hands when I call each sample.

Work in groups of four. We will bury four equal pieces (a leaf, paper, foil and plastic) and watch them over the coming weeks. We do not dig them up today.

1. In the four boxes on your journal page, write whether each sample will rot, will rot a little, or will not rot, and say why you think so.
2. Bury the four equal pieces at the same depth in the same soil so the test is fair. Label each spot with the material and your group name.
3. As a whole class we will agree one dig-up day and what to photograph or measure when we come back. Write that class plan in the dig-up plan lines on your journal page.

Environmental impact means how much help or harm a material causes for living things, soil, water and waste.

Where does each of these end up? It could be one of four places:

• rots away
• use it again
• recycle it
• lasting waste

We will take one card at a time and answer the questions on the board. Some of these will start an argument. Say where you think each card should go, and why. If you disagree, say so.