SOIL YOUR UNDIES 2024 - 4TH GRADE
Students buried underwear in six different locations around campus so they could observe the decomposition of the underwear. They buried the undies on September 19, 2024 and dug them up on November 7, 2024 so they were underground for 49 days. (they did the math) They recorded air and soil temperature as well as recording the "Munsell Code".
When students dug up the undies 49 days later, only two had decomposed. Using data from our weather station, we determined it had only rained a few days of the 49 days they were underground - during Hurricane Helene and the day before we dug them up.
The following day, students analyzed the soil from the 6 different sites, estimated the percentage of decomposition, recorded the Munsell Code and tested the soil for organic matter using Hydrogen Peroxide. They also viewed some of the bacteria and fungi on the undies using a USB microscope.
Below, the first image shows the cotton part of the undies, and the second image is the elastic waistband which looks like plastic! The waistband did not decompose on any of the undies. The other images show the decomposition done by mold, fungi, bacteria and other decomposers. The last image is of one of the soil samples.
Soil Your Undies - 2023
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Due to playground construction, we had to remove the undies buried on the playground before the students dug up the other undies.
On May 23, 2023 students buried a pair of underwear at 6 different locations on campus.
In late September, students did a site analysis of each location and made predictions on the amount of decomposition that may have occurred.
Students then analyzed the undies and the soil that they were buried in, and tested for organic matter in the soil
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