Mill Food Recycler Educators Guide

A resource guide by educators, for educators using the Mill Food Recycler as a teaching tool in classrooms

ASU College of Global Futures Arizona State University Sustainability Teachers Academy

Table of contents

Foreword Dear Educator About the Authors Meet the Fellows

2 3-4

Preschool – Second Grade Lessons

Comparing and Contrasting Turning More Into Less Turning Lunch Into Learning Poetry and the Mill Bananas for Food Waste Reduction Investigating Heat and Matter

5-7 8-10 11-15 16-17 18-22 23-26

Third – Eighth Grade Lessons

Adding Up the Waste Worms and Food Waste

27-34 35-39

Ninth – Twelfth Grade Lessons

Exploring Carbon Cycling Transformation and Change Additional Resources Now What?

40-42 43-47 48

Mango

FOREWORD

Dear Educator,

Food waste is a significant challenge in schools and communities, but with the right tools and strategies, we can turn waste into a valuable resource. We are excited to introduce the Mill Food Recycler Educators Guide, a collection of lesson plans designed to help you and your students lead food recycling efforts by measuring, analyzing, and implementing solutions to minimize waste in the classroom.

At Arizona State University’s Sustainability Teachers Academy, we believe that education is the foundation of meaningful change. In collaboration with Incite, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Mill, we launched the Food Waste Futures Fellowship Program to support a cohort of 10 K–12 educators from five Title I schools across the Phoenix metropolitan area in integrating food systems sustainability into their classrooms. The fellowship brought food waste solutions to life for students with hands-on experiences, site visits, and integrated lesson plans. By naming their Mill Food Recyclers and using them daily, students made keeping food out of the landfill a regular part of their routine.

Building on WWF’s Food Waste Warriors toolkit, this guide expands resources for schools, offering a comprehensive curriculum that highlights the Mill Food Recycler as an innovative tool to raise awareness about wasted food and to manage food scraps. By using Mill, students can measure and identify commonly discarded foods and apply evidence-backed waste reduction strategies to make a difference in their schools and communities.

Research shows that sustainability education— especially when focused on food—can drive behavior changes beyond the classroom, influencing household habits (Boulet et al., 2022; Duval & Zint, 2007). This guide is more than just a teaching resource—it’s a catalyst for change.

We hope this guide inspires meaningful discussions, encourages students to engage with real-world waste-reduction solutions, and empowers them to view food as a resource to make a lasting environmental impact. Thank you for your dedication to sustainability education—we look forward to seeing the difference you and your students will make.

Community Engagement

Food Waste Futures Fellowship cohort

Pamela

EXIT

Amy

PACIFIC CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Ana Maria

Food Waste Futures Fellowship cohort

Ashley

PACIFIC STATES UNIVERSITY

Comparing and Contrasting Using Food Waste

GRADE

Preschool - Kindergarten

SUBJECT

Multi-disciplinary

LESSON LENGTH

2-3 hours

AUTHOR

Morgan Kane

RESOURCES

Where does your trash go? (Video)

What happens to our 2.2 billion tons of trash? (Video)

Follow That Garbage! A Journey to the Landfill - Bridget Heos

Garbage Galore - Ellen Lawrence

I Stink! - Kate and Jim Mcmullan

Compost Stew - Mary McKenna Siddals

Earth Book - Todd Parr

MATERIALS

2 mason jars

Plastic gallon bag

Mill Food Recycler

Cell phone camera

Food waste (split into two identical portions)

Printed photos

LESSON DESCRIPTION

Students will compare and contrast the decomposition process of food waste with food turned into food grounds using a Mill.

STANDARDS

Early Learning and Kindergarten Standards focus on socialemotional growth, learning approaches, language, literacy, and social studies. Children develop self-awareness, focus, problemsolving, communication, collaboration, and a sense of community through discussions, writing, and shared experiences.

Melissa

INTRODUCTION

Ask students if they know what a landfill 1is. If they do not know what a landfill is, watch the videos in the resource section to orient your students.

If students are already familiar with the 2concept of landfills, ask questions about where they are and their size. Challenge students to ponder what would happen if we ran out of room in landfills.

SANDWICH

ACTIVITY

After a meal on Monday with the 1students, sort the food waste into two identical piles and place one pile into a large mason jar and another into the Mill Food Recycler. Don’t add any other food to the Mill for the lesson duration.

Take a photo of the food waste in the jar 2and in the Mill each day. On Friday, compare and contrast the Food Grounds and the unground food waste.

Help the students explore the unground 3food waste in the jar. Make sure you put the lid on the jar and do not allow them to touch the food waste. Note that the food may be moldy, so keep the jar closed when allowing students to interact with it. Give them prompts such as:

Sight: Describe color, size, texture

Touch: Dump the jar into a plastic gallon bag and seal it. Pass it around for students to explore with their hands. Students may describe it as squishy, cold, or gross.

Place the Food Grounds into a mason jar. 4Let the students see the grounds and give them the following prompts:

Sight: Describe color, texture, size. How much space does it take up in the jar? How does it look the same or different as the unground food?

Smell: Open the jar and pass around. Describe the smell.

Touch: Pour Food Grounds on the table for students to explore with their hands. Is it dry or wet?

5

Place the photos (either printed or digitally) next to each other to observe the progression over the week. Optionally, display the printed photos above the Mill as an information bulletin that students can refer back to or use as a teaching resource when telling others about the Mill and how it takes food that would otherwise be rotten and moldy and turns it into Food Grounds.

EXTENSION

Brainstorm ways to implement food 1waste reduction strategies in the classroom, cafeteria, and at home.

Start a composting bin with the students. 2 Use the books listed in the resources to help students understand how compost helps gardens grow and create more food, and check out the Mill guide on how to use Food Grounds outside.

ASSESSMENT

Have students journal about the following writing prompt: Explain how using the Mill Food Recycler impacts landfill use. Look for students to understand that using the Mill reduces the impact on landfills and turns food waste into grounds that can be used in gardens, compost, or as a chicken feed ingredient.

Pomegranate

Day 1 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Trash Can Food Waste

Day 1 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Mill Ground Food Waste

TEACHER TIP

You may find that students get excited about feeding your Mill and try to throw out food they might otherwise eat. Have conversations about being mindful of only taking the food our own bodies will need and that it is okay if we don’t eat everything on our plate if we are full but we don’t want to throw things away, just because it is fun. After a while, the novelty will wear off and using the Mill will become part of their clean-up routine just as the trash can is.

Turning More Into Less Food Waste

GRADE

Preschool - Kindergarten

SUBJECT

Multi-disciplinary

LESSON LENGTH

5 days

AUTHOR

Marin Velarde

RESOURCES

Circle Map Instructions

WWF Food Waste Warriors Toolkit

Filling the Earth With Trash - Jeanne Sturm

Compost Stew - Mary McKenna Siddals

I Stink! - Kate and Jim Mcmullan (optional)

Earth Book - Todd Parr (optional)

Composting: Nature's Recyclers - Robin Koontz (optional)

How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?: The Story of Food - Chris Butterworth (optional)

MATERIALS

Butcher paper or large sticky note pad

Food is Not Trash Cards (Food Waste Warriors Toolkit)

Luggage scale

LESSON DESCRIPTION

This lesson focuses on understanding waste and developing responsible waste disposal habits. By defining waste in their own words and learning the concepts of "more" and "less" in relation to waste, students will explore the differences between Mill Food Recyclers and traditional composting methods. Finally, students will begin developing responsible habits when disposing of waste, aiming to minimize waste generation and encourage sustainability.

STANDARDS

The Bro

INTRODUCTION

Provide students with the prompt “What is 1waste?” Allow students to respond at their own level, using phonetic spelling or pictures.

Use students responses to start a 2discussion about waste. Explain to students that waste is when you throw something away that doesn’t need to be thrown away.

Wonder with students about what 3happens to our waste after it gets thrown into the trash.

ACTIVITY

Using the circle map instructions in the 1 resources, work with the students to create a circle map with the prompt “Foods we eat at lunch.” Students can add items on their own, or you can capture what students suggest and add it in.

Use the “Food is Not Trash” cards from 2 Food Waste Warriors Toolkit linked in the resources. Discuss with students what they would do with each of the items. Emphasize that food that is unopened should not be thrown away.

Refer back to the “Foods we eat at lunch” 3Circle Map. Have students note food from the map that they consistently throw in the trash. Have students explain why they throw them away.

Read Filling the Earth With Trash by 4 Jeanne Sturm.

Read Filling the Earth With Trash by

Revisit the “Food is Not Trash” cards. 5Discuss with students what they could do with each of the items instead of throwing them in the trash. Start brainstorming different ways to dispose of our waste.

Introduce the Mill, and explain that it dries 6and grinds up food to help us keep food as food and out of the trash.

7

Place some Food Grounds on a tray for students to touch and smell. On another tray, place food waste saved from students’ lunch or snacks. Have students observe what they see, noting similarities and differences.

8

Collect all food waste from students’ lunch or snack. Using luggage scale, weigh food waste material prior to putting it in the empty Mill, write down the weight of the food waste.

9

The next day, empty grounds from the Mill and use a luggage scale to weigh the grounds. Ask the students: do the grounds weigh more or less than the material that was originally put in? Why? It may help to use unifix cubes or number lines to help demonstrate the concept of more or less.

10

Observe the Food Grounds. Prompt students to observe how they are the same or different from what was put in the Mill yesterday.

11 Read Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals.

ASSESSMENT

Have students respond to the following prompt: “Why does the material from the Mill weigh less than the material that was put in the Mill?”

I BELIEVE BECOMES A LOVE YOU TO FUVGT

EXTENSION

Use the Food Waste Warriors Toolkit to 1 conduct a food waste audit with your students to determine how much food is wasted during an average school lunch.

Develop a better understanding of more 2 and less by building bottle composters using measuring cups of various sizes to measure the amount of materials that are added.

Turning Lunch Into Learning

GRADE

1st

SUBJECT

Food Education

LESSON LENGTH

1-2 hours

AUTHOR

Loretta Lyken

RESOURCES

WWF’s Food Waste Warriors Toolkit

PBS, Science Trek Where does your trash go?

Compost Stew - Mary McKenna Siddals

MATERIALS

Examples of food and food waste

“Food Waste Monitor” lanyards

Two "Food Saved" buckets

Two "Food Scraps" buckets

Snack shelf or designated area for storing saved food

Scale

Poster board

Markers

LESSON DESCRIPTION

Through this lesson, students will understand how the Mill Food Recycler works and how it reduces food waste. This is particularly important as young students consider ways to incorporate recycling and sustainability in daily life. This lesson does not contain standards because it is a model for how to incorporate the Mill Food Recycler into your daily classroom routines.

FOOD WASTE WANTED

FOOD SAVED

FOOD SCRAPS

FOOD SCRAPS

FOOD SAV

WE ARE WOOD WASTE WARRIORS

Edwin

INTRODUCTION

Ask students the following questions: 1

“Have you ever thrown away food after lunch or dinner?”

"What happens to food scraps after we throw them away?"

Explain that food waste is when we throw 2away food that could still be eaten or used for something else. Sometimes it’s leftovers, food scraps, or even food we didn’t open. When we waste food, it doesn’t just disappear—it has to go somewhere, like a big trash pile called a landfill.

Hold up different food items (e.g., a whole 3apple, an apple core, an unopened yogurt, a sandwich with one bite missing). Ask:

“Which foods can we still eat?”

“Which foods could we use in another way, like composting?”

4

Explain that when food sits in the landfill, it doesn’t just go away. It makes a gas called methane that can hurt the earth. When we save or compost food, we help the earth stay healthy.

5

Draw a poster with three bins:

Save to Eat Later (e.g., unopened food)

Compost (e.g., fruit and vegetable scraps)

Trash (e.g., wrappers, plastic)

Explain that when we think carefully about where our food goes, we can keep trash piles smaller and help the earth. When we save food or compost it, we help the earth stay happy and healthy.

ACTIVITY

Show a picture or videos of the Mill Food 1Recycler and explain how it transforms food scraps into nutrient-rich materials.

Explain to students that the Mill is like a 2 magic helper for the Earth! It performs very special functions:

It dries and grinds the food: The Mill chops up the food scraps into tiny pieces and makes them super dry, which is full of good stuff plants need to grow!

We use Food Grounds to help plants:

We can mix Food Grounds into soil to help plants grow. It’s like giving plants a yummy snack.

4

Show students the Mill Food Recycler and use collected food scraps from your personal household or school lunch to model how to use the machine. Complete an overnight cycle with the Mill Food Recycler to demonstrate how it makes Food Grounds.

5

Create 5 new class jobs: Food Waste Warrior, Mill Monitor, Snack Organizer, Compost Champion, and Classroom Educator (the descriptions for these jobs are on the next page).

ACTIVITY (CONT.)

Each day, help students complete the 6 following workflow:

Lunchroom Collection: Food Waste Warriors collect food scraps and saved food during lunch. They encourage classmates to participate by sorting items into proper buckets.

Classroom Processing: Warriors and Mill Monitors bring the buckets back to the classroom. Food scraps go into the Mill Food Recycler, and saved food is placed on the snack shelf.

Reflection and Reporting: Compost Champions weigh and document the processed materials weekly. The team presents progress during class meetings.

Support students as they learn these roles 7 and make them a part of the classroom routine. With practice, your students can become responsible leaders and advocates for your Mill.

EXTENSION

Help students brainstorm ways to use unwanted food, like making applesauce from leftover apples, or banana bread from unwanted bananas. If possible, make these recipes with the students to demonstrate that food is a valuable resource.

Poppy

CLASS JOBS

Food Waste Warriors (2 students):

Wear laminated lanyards

Carry two labeled buckets to the lunchroom:

"Food Saved" Bucket: Collects unopened, uneaten food that can be safely saved and shared.

"Food Scraps" Bucket: Collects leftover food scraps that cannot be eaten.

Monitor to ensure proper sorting and minimize contamination.

Transport the buckets back to the classroom for processing.

Mill Monitors (2 students):

Take the "Food Scraps" Bucket and empty its contents into the Mill Food Recycler.

Monitor the machine’s operation and explain its purpose to peers or visitors, becoming classroom experts on how the Mill reduces food waste.

Snack Organizers (1-2 students):

Sort the "Food Saved" Bucket.

Place unopened food items on a designated snack shelf for later use.

Keep the shelf tidy and ensure food safety (e.g., checking for spoilage).

Compost Champions (1 student):

Weigh the Food Grounds weekly to track how much waste has been recycled.

Record the data on a Food Waste Tracker Chart and share findings with the class during morning meetings\science lessons.

Classroom Educators (2 students):

Teach their classmates about the importance of reducing food waste.

Prepare small presentations, fun facts, or posters to encourage participation and remind everyone about proper sorting.

Food Waste Warrior Signs and Lanyards

WE ARE FOOD WASTE WARRIORS!

Food Waste Warriors

WWF

FOOD WASTE WARRIORS!

Print this sign out to hang in your classroom to remind students to conserve food.

FOOD WASTE

FOOD WASTE

MONITOR

MONITOR

Print out these badges, then laminate, hole punch, and feed yarn through the hole to make monitor signs.

Food Waste Warrior Signs and Lanyards

FOOD SAVED

FOOD SAVED

FOOD SCRAPS

FOOD SCRAPS

Laminate and use velcro to attach these stickers to bins to create your food saved and food scraps bins.

Poetry and the Mill

GRADE

K-5 (special education)

SUBJECT

Reading comprehension and decoding skills

LESSON LENGTH

2-3 hours

AUTHOR

Madeline Agpoon

RESOURCES

Mill FAQs

Scooping protocol

Haiku writing protocol

Haiku writing tool

Haiku Starter

McKinsey & Company Food Waste (optional)

Kids Eat in Color Food Waste Guide (optional)

MATERIALS

Highlighters

Pencils

Printed copies of Mill FAQ pages

LESSON DESCRIPTION

This lesson is an introduction to the Mill Food Recycler. It will help students understand how a Mill works, what food waste is, why we use the Mill, and how we can further reduce food waste at schools. While this lesson was originally designed for use in a Learning Resource Center (LRC), it supports reading comprehension and decoding skills in grades K-5.

STANDARDS

(2RF.3) Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding one-syllable or two-syllable words.

(2RI.1) Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

(2RI.2) Identify and explain the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.

A stick figure with glasses is throwing a yellow flame at a door with a smiley face. The background is blue with green grass at the bottom.

WARNING

INTRODUCTION

Project the articles “How is the Mill 1 different from home composting devices?” and “How does a Mill food recycler cycle work?” from the Mill FAQs and provide students with hard copies of the documents.

Determine sight words that you would like 2to work on with your students. As your students review the documents, highlight chosen sight words. Have students read highlighted words together.

Read the informational sheet to students 3 while students “scoop out” phrases that teacher reads. Scooping is a fluency strategy where readers learn to group words together into phrases, rather than reading each word individually.

Show the students the inside and outside 4 of the Mill. Ask the students if they have any questions about the Mill or food waste.

ACTIVITY

Show students Food Grounds from the 1Mill. Allow students to touch and smell the grounds and ask students to describe them.

Explain the structure of Haikus to 2 students, and give them examples of Haikus. Use the Haiku protocol in the resources for support.

Project the Haiku writing tool from the 3 resources and work as a class to write a Haiku about the Food Grounds.

Have students create a list of adjectives 4that describe Food Grounds, the Mill, and how they feel about food waste.

Have students use the Haiku starter from 5 the resources to write their own personal Haikus about the Mill.

HAIKU EXAMPLE

Shredder is the best. Shredder’s job is to eat food. Shredder eats cupcakes.

EXTENSION

Have students transfer their Haikus to a separate page and illustrate them to reflect their experiences with the Mill Food Recycler.

ASSESSMENT

Review students articles to check their understanding of sight words from the introduction. Review their Haikus to ensure that they followed the correct poetic format.

J

Bananas for Food Waste Reduction!

GRADE

2nd

SUBJECT

Science

LESSON LENGTH

1 hour

AUTHOR

Jordan Petrine

RESOURCES

Chemical Changes Crash Course Video (optional)

MATERIALS

1 sheet of paper

Glass beaker or other heat safe container

Lighter

8 Banana peels

Bananas for Food Waste Reduction Worksheet

Student clipboards (optional)

LESSON DESCRIPTION

Students use the Mill Food Recycler to explore how energy in the form of heat can cause changes in materials. They will use the scientific method to explore how banana peels are impacted by different environments, and will ultimately understand how the Mill turns liquid water into steam to transform food waste into Food Grounds.

STANDARDS

(2-PS1-1) Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties. (2-PS1-4) Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.

I'm Mill. Feed Me.

INTRODUCTION

Take a sheet of paper crumple it into a 1ball. Then tear it into small pieces and put the pieces into the glass beaker. Explain to students that these are both physical changes, meaning that while the matter has changed form, the properties and mass of that matter have stayed the same.

Use the lighter to light the paper on fire. 2Ask students if the mass and properties of the paper have stayed the same. Since they have not, this is a chemical change.

Reinforce this concept by asking students 3if the following are physical or chemical changes: melting ice (physical), burning wood (chemical), chopping up fruit (physical), cooking an egg (chemical).

ACTIVITY

Check for understanding of words like 1 chemical changes, physical changes, matter, and properties. Optionally, show them the Crash Course video.

Explain to students that you’re going to 2explore how different conditions impact the way banana peels change. Tell them that you’re going to put 3 different banana peels in 3 locations in the school, and 5 in the Mill Food Recycler. Be sure to either eat the bananas or use them in a recipe to avoid food waste!

Have students complete the K (Know) and 3W (Want to know) parts of the KWL chart on their worksheet. Encourage them to think about what they know happens when banana peels are left out to decompose. If needed, help your students get started by working as a class or providing sentence starters.

Brainstorm with the students 3 places to 4put the banana peels throughout the school. Have students vote on a whiteboard or flipchart and place all the banana peels in their locations. Show students you are placing 5 banana peels in the Mill.

Have students write predictions on their 5worksheet: what will happen to the peels in the Mill bin? In other locations?

Let the Mill Food Recycler process the 6bananas overnight. Plan on either bringing the bananas from around the school to your classroom before the start of the lesson, or taking your class to the peels.

Present the banana peels to the students 7 and have them use their senses of sight and smell to make observations about the peels. Students may notice that the peels are different colors, have grown mold, smell different, etc. Do not let students touch the peels.

Have students draw a before vs. after of 8what the banana peels look like. Encourage students to be as detailed as possible!

Put the banana peels that were in various 9school locations in the Mill. Have students predict what will happen to the peels.

ASSESSMENT

Complete K (Know) section of the KWL 1chart with what students have learned from the experiment.

Have students complete a written, 3-5 2sentence exit ticket reflection on the science experiment. Students must describe properties of the matter and how they changed throughout the experiment.

Banana peel in trash bin

EXTENSION

Use the bananas from this experiment to 1make banana bread with the students. While making the bread, choose specific steps to ask if the matter is undergoing a physical or chemical change (i.e., mixing wet and dry ingredients, baking the bread, etc.).

Have students gather data by measuring 2the 5 banana peels before and after they are processed by the Mill. Help students understand that the peels lose mass because water is evaporating due to heat.

Bananas for Food Waste Reduction Worksheet

NAME

DATE

KWL CHART

Look at the banana peels provided and think about what you know about what happens to banana peels after the banana is eaten. Use the KWL chart to brainstorm things you know and want to know about the peels.

PREDICT

Complete the following prompt:

I predict that when a banana peel is left in (location) _________________________________,

it will (describe) ____________________________________________________________________

because (explain) ___________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________.

Bananas for Food Waste Reduction Worksheet

NAME

CLASS

DATE

DRAWING RESULTS

Draw a banana peel before and after it was left around the school for a day. Then, draw a picture of a banana peel after it went through the Mill Food Recycler. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

you might eat in school. Then, use words and drawing to show what you think happens to that food as it sits in the trash bags and in a landfill.

EXPLAIN

Explain your results using your understanding of chemical and physical changes using the prompt:

The banana peels underwent a (physical\chemical) ___________________________ change because of the

following evidence: _________________________________________________________________________________.

Investigating Heat and Matter

GRADE

2nd

SUBJECT

Science

LESSON LENGTH

1 hour

AUTHOR

Andrea Negrete

LESSON DESCRIPTION

In this lesson, students explore how heating and cooling can cause changes in the state of matter. They will learn how to plan a scientific investigation and gather evidence to explain how heat affects the physical state of materials.

STANDARDS

RESOURCES

What is Science Video

Mill Composting Guide (optional)

Life Lab (Optional)

MATERIALS

Food waste from school lunches or snacks

Investigating Heat and Matter Worksheet

ARE... OK to read New SPACE AAA! HELLO Chuacard LOVE

INTRODUCTION

Explain to students that matter can have a 1variety of different properties, like hard and soft, liquid, solid, etc.

Preselect a few items with a variety of 2different properties before class, such as a book, glass of water, or an apple. Have students describe the properties of the matter.

Explain to students that heat can cause 3physical or chemical changes matter. Ask students to describe examples of how heat can change states of matter.

Explain to students that you’re going to do 4 an investigation on states of matter. Show them the What is Science? video to introduce the scientific method.

ACTIVITY

Before the lesson, collect food waste 1from student lunches or snacks. Put food scraps into two piles that are similar in size and scrap composition.

Have students draw a picture and use 2descriptive words on the worksheet to describe the properties of matter that the food has on the first day. Add one pile to the Mill Food Recycler, explaining to students that the Mill will heat the food overnight. Add the other pile to a sealable container and leave it, sealed, in the classroom overnight.

The next day, show students the Mill Food 3Grounds and the pile of food waste that was left out overnight. For student safety, do not open the sealed container. Have them draw pictures of each.

Continue the investigation for three days, 4examining the Food Grounds and food waste over the course of those days. Have students draw the food waste and Food Grounds after the last day (Day 5).

ASSESSMENT

Have students describe the properties of the food waste that was not put into the Mill compared to the Food Grounds. Prompt students to explain using evidence the effect that heat had on matter.

EXTENSION

Brainstorm other ideas for investigations with students using the Mill. Ideas include using different types of food waste or adding them to the school garden or compost pile. You can find more information on composting with Food Grounds in the guide section of the Mill website.

Investigating Heat and Matter Worksheet

DAY 1, PICTURING FOOD WASTE

Draw the food waste and use words to describe it. Use your knowledge of the properties of matter.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

you might eat in school. Then, use words and drawing to show what you think happens to that food as it sits in the trash bags and in a landfill.

DAY 2, RESULTS

Describe the food waste using pictures and words. Use your knowledge of the properties of matter.

Investigating Heat and Matter Worksheet

NAME

DATE

DAY 5 RESULTS

Describe the food waste using pictures and words. Use your knowledge of the properties of matter.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

you might eat in school. Then, use words and drawing to show what you think happens to that food as it sits in the trash bags and in a landfill.

EXPLAINING THE RESULTS

What effect did heat have on matter? Use evidence to explain your results.

Food for Thought: Adding up the Waste

GRADE

4th

SUBJECT

Math

LESSON LENGTH

2-3 hours

AUTHOR

Tylar Rodriguez

RESOURCES

The Enormous Scale of Global Food Waste

Rotting Fruit Timelapses

Food for Thought Worksheet

MATERIALS

Hanging scale

2 five gallon buckets

Latex gloves (optional)

4-8 lbs of food scraps collected from previous day’s meals

LESSON DESCRIPTION

This lesson introduces students to the concept of food waste through a hands-on exploration of how food decomposes, as well as how the Mill Food Recycler can reduce waste. Students will explore both math and science standards by comparing the quality of food thrown away to food that decays and will apply their math skills in real-life scenarios.

STANDARDS

(4.OA.1) Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison (4.OA.2) Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison

(4.OA.3) Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted.

Make food, not waste

OK to eat

Not OK to eat

BALL

INTRODUCTION

Present the Enormous Scale of Global 1 Food Waste graph. For each photo, allow students 2 minutes to record a “Notice.” A Notice should be something that surprised the student, or something that they learned. For example:

I was surprised by how much food the United States wastes!

I learned Australia wastes the most food.

Allow students 2 minutes to record 2“Wonders.” A Wonder should begin with the phrase, “I wonder…” For example:

I wonder why we waste so much food in the US.

I wonder what other countries are doing to waste less food.

After students write down their Notices 3and Wonders for the graph, allow students 2 minutes to talk with a shoulder or face partner about their observations. Then, select 3-4 students to share their thoughts with the class. Focus conversation around what their observations might tell them about how we view food in the United States.

As the conversation winds down, let 4students know that our job is to consider how we as a classroom can reduce our own waste.

Point out the Mill Food Recycler, and 5explain to students that the Mill will help us reduce the amount of waste that is produced at school.

ACTIVITY

Pass out the Food for Thought worksheet. 1 Spend 5 minutes allowing students to use their senses to describe what food might look like after it is thrown away. They may use words or pictures to help. If students struggle, consider showing the time lapse of food rotting.

Show students food collected from lunch 2on the previous day (you can get students to help collect food). Students should identify, name, and draw the foods in the “Before” boxes on the worksheet.

Place the food in a 5 gallon bucket and 3weigh it using the hanging scale. Convert the weight from pounds to grams (1lb=450g). Round the answer to the nearest whole gram and have students record it on the worksheet.

Ask students to predict if the food will 4weigh more, less, or the same after it goes through the Mill. Have them record predictions in the worksheet.

Have students work in pairs to complete 5the food waste scenarios in the worksheet.

Allow the Mill to create Food Grounds 6overnight.

On the next day, review students 7predictions on the relative weight of the Food Grounds. Then remove the Food Grounds from the Mill and place them into a 5 gallon bucket. Weigh the grounds, convert it to grams, and have students record the measurement in their worksheet.

Ask students to subtract the before and 8after weight to determine the change in mass.

Put a small amount of grounds out at 9 each table group for students to inspect. Have students make observations with all of their senses (except taste), and have them record their notes and a drawing in the worksheet.

Before students record their answers, 10discuss their observations.

What differences in the food waste did they notice?

Is this the result they expected?

How could the Mill reduce the amount of food that is wasted?

Is it enough to only use the Mill? What more should we do to reduce our food waste impact?

M

ASSESSMENT

As an informal assessment, review your students reflections from the activity. Be sure they understand that the Mill Food Recycler reduces food waste and the impact that waste has on our food system by keeping it as food.

As a formal assessment, review their answers on the Food for Thought worksheet and ensure that they understand the mathematic principles in the worksheet (key to the right).

EXTENSION

Review the Enormous Scale of Global 1Food Waste graph.

Have students choose three countries 2and determine how much food is wasted per year in grams.

Help students use a formula to determine 3how much the food would weigh if all of the waste was processed using the Mill Food Recycler.

Use the extension worksheet in the 4document to help guide your students through this activity.

WORKSHEET ANSWER KEY

1. 1,800 apples harvested, 450 apples wasted

2. 300 slices of pizza, 40 slices wasted

3. 9 bunches of bananas wasted

4. 40 sandwich halves wasted

5. 4,350 grams of fruit salad were eaten

6. 3,080 grams of bread were sold

7. 2,280 grams of soup were eaten

8. 650 grams in total were wasted

Food For Thought Worksheet

DIRECTIONS

In this activity, we will take a closer look at how the Mill Food Recycler could be used to reduce food waste in our community and school.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

What happens to food after it goes into the trash? How does it change? Think of some examples of food you might eat in school. Then, use words and drawing to show what you think happens to that food as it sits in the trash bags and in a landfill.

EXPLORING FOOD WASTE

Take a look at the food waste provided. Write the names of the foods you can identify in the box below. Draw a picture of what the food looks like before it goes in.

Make a prediction of what will happen to the weight of the food after it goes into the Mill Food Recycler.

I think the food scraps will weigh (more\less\same)__________________________________ after going into

the Mill Food Recycler because ______________________________________________________________________.

Food For Thought Worksheet

RECORD THE DATA

Weigh the food waste provided in grams. Allow the Mill Food Recycler to create Food Grounds and weigh the food waste after it is turned into Food Grounds.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Record your observations of the Food Grounds after being in the Mill Food Recycler.

REFLECTION

How did the Mill Food Recycler change the food waste that was put in? 1

How does the Mill Food Recycler reduce our waste? Is this strategy enough? What more should we 2do to reduce our food waste?

Food Waste Scenarios Worksheet

Food Waste Scenarios Worksheet

Extension Worksheet

DIRECTIONS

Complete the table using the information from the infographic from Statista. Select 3 countries and write down the weight of food wasted per person (number in the circle next to the country). Then, complete the table following each step.

FOOD WASTE SAVINGS

Worms and Food Waste

GRADE

5th

SUBJECT

Earth Science

LESSON LENGTH

3-4 weeks

AUTHOR

Shaleta Chatman

RESOURCES

Soil Food Web

Worm Anatomy

Vermicomposting Ted- Ed Video

PBS Compost Video

Instructions: Make a Worm Composting Bin

Compost Guide

Compost Basics

MATERIALS

Clear plastic containers

Red wiggler worms

Food scraps (vegetable peels, fruit waste, coffee grounds)

Soil and shredded newspaper or cardboard

Markers

Chart paper

Worm and Soil Observation Worksheets

Laptops

LESSON DESCRIPTION

Student will learn about the role of worms in composting and soil health as they explore how worms can break down food waste and reduce its impact on the environment. The Mill Food Recycler can reduce food waste by extending food waste usage for worm farming. Students will seek to answer the essential question: Why is it important to put food waste to good use?

STANDARDS

(5.L3U1.11) Obtain, evaluate, and communicate evidence about how natural and human-caused changes to habitats or climate can impact populations.

(5.L3U1.12) Construct an argument based on evidence that inherited characteristics can be affected by behavior and/or environmental conditions.

INTRODUCTION

Begin with a discussion about food 1waste: What is it? Why is it a problem?

Have students do research to collect 2information about the negative impact food waste (water and land usage, methane release, etc).

Using the driving question “What effect 3 does food waste have on our lives?” have students create a circle map to brainstorm ideas regarding the effects of food waste.

If students have more experience with 4 food waste, have them use their notes to create a flow map or multi flow map to show the impact human actions have on the environment

CIRCLE MAP EXAMPLE

CIRCLE MAP EXAMPLE

Toxic gases released into the atmosphere Wasted water Global warming What effect does food waste have on our lives? Food that could go to others goes in trash Wasted money Time wasted preparing uneaten food Title of source used

FLOW AND MULTI FLOW MAP EXAMPLES

Flow Map

A woman buys strawberries in bulk from a price club and doesn't use them all before they start to go bad.

The bad strawberries get thrown in a plastic bag and goes out with the trash to a landfill.

Because of the plastic surrounding it, the strawberries do not decompose.

Multi Flow Map

A woman buys strawberries in bulk from a price club and doesn't use them all before they start to go bad.

Because of the plastic surrounding it, the strawberries do not decompose.

A chef at a restaurant creates a new recipe with strawberries, but it does not sell well.

The bad strawberries get thrown in a plastic bag and goes out with the trash to a landfill.

The person who buys ingredients buys the same amount of strawberries anyway thinkin the recipe didn't do so bad.

At lunch, a student shares their friend's sweet treat and skips the strawberries that were packed in their lunch bag.

The added waste in the landfill throws off even more methane gas into the atmosphere.

ACTIVITY

Show a picture of the soil-food web. 1 Discuss how each element of the web is important for the health of soil and food. Let students know they will be focusing on one decomposer (worm) and how it contributes to the soil-food web.

Have students connect their learning of 2ecosystems to the soil food web by creating questions around changes to the soil food web. For example: What would be the effect on worms if there were no producers?

ACTIVITY (CONT.)

Show pictures or models of worms and 3 discuss their anatomy and functions.

Divide students into small groups to 4 research the following topics:

The life cycle of worms

Foods that are safe for worms to eat

How to harvest nutrient-dense soil produced by worms

Have groups present their research 5findings to the class.

Show a short video about composting and 6the benefits of worms in the process (see resources).

Show students the Mill Food Recycler. 7 Highlight:

How the Mill works, and the impact it can have on food waste.

The different ways Food Grounds from the Mill can be used

How you can use the Mill to create food for the worms.

8

Guide students in setting up their worm farms using clear plastic containers by layering cardboard, soil, shredded newspaper, and food scraps, and then add the worms. If you have not created worm farms before, review the support guides in the resources section.

9

Explain to students how to care for their worm farms (feeding, moisture levels, etc.). Use Food Grounds from the Mill to feed worms.

10

Have students record their observations about their worm farms on their worksheets over the next few weeks.

11

Discuss ways the nutrient dense soil your worm farm produces can be put to use (school or home gardens, classroom window garden, donate to local nurseries or gardening plots). Make a plan with your students to put your soil to good use.

12

Discuss the importance of reducing food waste and how worm farming can contribute to sustainability. Invite students to share what they learned and how they can apply this knowledge at home.

ASSESSMENT

Assess how students can answer the essential question: “Why is it important to put food waste to good use?” Pay attention to vocabulary used, text evidence from research, and experiential evidence from hands-on portion. Evaluate based on the following vocabulary words:

Consume, decompose, decomposer, food waste, landfill, methane gas, nutrient-rich, produce, recycle, reduce, soil, vermiculture

EXTENSION

1

Plan a field trip to a local farm or composting facility.

2

Keep worms and observation records for the rest of the school year. Using the Mill and Mill app, track how many pounds of food waste were saved from landfills.

Worm and Soil Observations Worksheet

DIRECTIONS

Every day: Check to see if more food is needed. If you see food, you do not need to put in more. If food is needed, weigh and record how much food you add before you put it in the container.

Every week: Count how many worms are in the worm container. Remember to handle worms carefully.

WORM AND SOIL OBSERVATIONS

Week 1 Worm Count:

Week 2 Worm Count:

Worm and Soil Observations Worksheet

NAME

CLASS

DATE

WORM AND SOIL OBSERVATIONS (CONT.)

Week 3 Worm Count:

Week 4 Worm Count:

Exploring Carbon Cycling

GRADE

9th

SUBJECT

Integrated Science

LESSON LENGTH

2-3 hours, over 3 days

AUTHOR

Brianne Loya

RESOURCES

Carbon Cycle diagram

Student experiment procedures

Carbon Cycle Game (optional)

Carbon Quest Interactive (optional)

MATERIALS (PER GROUP)

Exploring Carbon Cycling Worksheet

Two small pots with drainage holes

Soil sample

Mill Food Grounds

CO₂ senor

$$ CO_{2} $$

Plastic wrap or lid to cover containers for CO₂ measurements (this could be a balloon to capture CO₂ if no sensor is available).

$$ CO_{2} $$

$$ CO_{2} $$

Measuring spoons

LESSON DESCRIPTION

Students will construct and refine models to describe how Mill Food Grounds contribute to the cycling of carbon and nutrients among the biosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere, focusing on the role of decomposition and organic matter. By collecting and analyzing experimental data, students evaluate how Mill grounds impact nutrient availability, carbon storage, and ecosystem health and apply the findings to explain patterns in the cycling of matter and energy. Students will apply their understanding of carbon and nutrient cycles to propose and justify sustainable practices that integrate Mill grounds, reducing human impact on natural systems and promoting ecosystem stability.

STANDARDS

(HS-ESS2-6) Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

(HS-LS2-4) Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.

INTRODUCTION

Show students a diagram of the carbon 1 cycle. Highlight and explain the following:

Photosynthesis, respiration, decaying organisms\decomposition, factory emissions\combustion

The role of decomposers in returning carbon and nutrients to the soil.

Introduce Mill Food Grounds as an 2example of organic matter that can influence these cycles.

Show students the Food Grounds and 3explain that the Mill uses heat to dehydrate food waste and turn it into a resource that can be used to impact soils.

ACTIVITY

Have students make predictions of how 1 they think Food Grounds might effect carbon cycling in the soil. For example:

The grounds will increase the amount of carbon in the soil, so decomposition levels will increase.

Have students make predictions before 2they begin the experiment.

Direct students to follow procedures to 3create a “control” and “treated” sample of soil using Food Grounds. Measure CO₂ levels to evaluate decomposition. Note that you can create a simple if imprecise CO₂ sensor by stretching balloons over the top of soil containers to collect gases.

$$ CO_{2} $$

$$ CO_{2} $$

Allow the soil containers to remain 4 undisturbed for 24-48 hours to allow decomposition to begin.

$$ CO_{2} $$

After the students have collected CO₂ 5data, have groups prepare short whiteboard reports to summarize their findings in a few sentences and be ready to share their data.

Have all groups present their data and 6explore any trends in the CO₂ levels.

$$ CO_{2} $$

If desired, complete the same experiment 7using soil testing kits to explore the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous in the soil.

ASSESSMENT

Discuss as a whole class:

How do the grounds affect CO₂ production?

$$ CO_{2} $$

How do these results demonstrate the role of organic matter in carbon cycling?

How can Mill grounds be used to enhance sustainability?

What are the broader environmental benefits of incorporating organic waste into soil?

EXTENSION

After understanding the role of organic matter in these cycles, students can apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios by designing experiments that integrate Mill grounds into sustainable resource management practices. By linking the abstract concept of carbon cycling with practical applications in soil and water systems, students deepen their understanding of how innovations can mitigate human environmental impact.

Exploring Carbon Cycling Worksheet

NAME

CLASS

DATE

OBJECTIVE

Investigate how Mill grounds influence the carbon cycle by measuring CO₂ production.

$$ CO_{2} $$

STUDENT PREDICTIONS

MATERIALS (PER GROUP)

2 small pots with drainage holes

Soil sample

Mill Food Grounds

CO₂ senor

$$ CO_{2} $$

Plastic wrap or lid to cover containers for CO₂ measurements (this could be a balloon to capture CO₂ if no sensor is available).

$$ CO_{2} $$

$$ CO_{2} $$

Measuring spoons

PROCEDURE

Label one pot as "Control" and the other 1as "Treated."

Fill both pots with the same amount of 2soil.

Add 2 tablespoons of Mill grounds to the 3"Treated" container and mix thoroughly with the soil. Leave the "Control" container unchanged.

Slowly pour water into each container, 4ensuring the soil is moist but not waterlogged. Wait approximately 5 minutes for the water to settle.

Cover each container to trap air inside. If 5using balloons to capture CO₂, cover the top of the container completely with the balloon.

$$ CO_{2}, $$

Leave the containers undisturbed for 24- 648 hours to allow decomposition to begin.

Use a CO₂ sensor to measure and record 7gas levels inside each container. If using balloons, record the sizes. Note any differences between the "Control" and "Treated" samples.

$$ CO_{2} $$

DATA

$$ CO_{2} $$

Transformation and Change

GRADE

9

SUBJECT

Visual Arts

LESSON LENGTH

8-12 hours

AUTHOR

Matthew King

RESOURCES

Example Rubrics (below)

Food Waste is the World’s Dumbest Problem

Mill Intro Video

Mill Impact Information

UN Food and Climate Change: Healthy diets for a healthier planet

The Global Food Waste Scandal

Corita Kent | 2016 AIGA Medalist

Corita Kent Artwork

MATERIALS

Pencils

Paper

Sponges

Paint brushes

Paint

Local dirt

Fine mesh screen

Stencil material (recycled manila envelopes work well)

LESSON DESCRIPTION

In this project, students will delve into the theme of Transformation and Change by creating a collaborative outdoor art installation featuring stenciled designs made with mud. This medium highlights the fleeting nature of art, emphasizing both ephemerality and non-destructive creation. Using the Mill Food Recycler, students will observe how food waste can be rapidly transformed into a valuable resource. Drawing inspiration from pop artist Corita Kent, they will embrace risk-taking, ambiguity, and the juxtaposition of themes such as food, waste, transformation, community connections, and their personal responses to the process.

STANDARDS

(VA:Cr1.1.HSI) Use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.

(VA:Pr5.1.HSI) Evaluate, select, and apply methods or processes appropriate to display artwork in a specific place.

(VA:Re8.1.HSI) Interpret an artwork or collection of works, supported by relevant and sufficient evidence found in the work and its various contexts.

(VA:Cn10.1.HSI) Document the process of developing ideas from early stages to fully elaborated ideas.

(VA:Cn11.1.HSI) Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.

(1)

INTRODUCTION

Encourage students to put food waste 1into the Mill Food Recycler after school breakfast and lunch on a regular basis so that they can observe the transformation of their food waste.

Have students reflect on the Mill process 2and their observations, considering personal insights, big ideas, and connections to themes like change and sustainability. Encourage them to brainstorm and record a central concept for their artwork, understanding that it’s okay to create a project that relies mostly or entirely on words.

3

After giving them time to explore, orient students to the Mill Food Recycler and the problem of food waste using the resources provided.

4

Set up a photo station with a backdrop where students can photograph food waste. They are encouraged to arrange, count, and describe the waste, noting textures, colors, and other details. Students will write down subjective observations using descriptive words like “soggy,” “bright,” or “slimy” to reflect on their perceptions.

ACTIVITY

Have students examine Corita Kent’s art 1 using the links provided in the resources. A good launching point are artworks which appropriate (borrow) words and images from food packaging, familiar brands, and signage. Through discussion and written reflection, have students:

Speculate about why Kent appropriated words and logos from advertising and popular culture.

Identify humanistic issues like hunger, community, and compassion.

Start to identify something about food, waste, human concerns, social issues, transformation, or change that resonates for them to contribute to this group art project.

Have students practice the stenciling 2method by making stencils of their initials and then applying paint using a sponge through their stencils.

3

Once students gain proficiency with the stencil technique and paint, move on to mud. Sift local dirt using a sieve or screen to remove larger particles and then mix with just enough water to make the mud workable. Encourage your students to experiment and discover what works for them.

4

Have students individually to sketch artwork on paper consisting of just a couple of words and maybe a simple shape. Any response from students that is about change, transformation, ephemerality, food, climate change, advertising, packaging, etc. will help contribute to the group’s overall art installation.

5

Before making their final stencils, have students make their artwork at full size and then put them on the floor to see how they can be arranged together as a larger collaborative piece.

ACTIVITY (CONT.)

Have students work in groups to create a 6collective piece of art using their separate stencils. They can combine stencils or create a new stencil that combines their ideas together.

Have students install their artwork in a 7common space. This might be adjacent to the entrance to their school or maybe a common area everyone will see at lunch. Encourage students to think about how the stenciled mud artwork will change quickly and to document the change with photography, video, and voice recordings.

EXTENSION

Students can be encouraged to extend the project by encouraging them to document the installation for a school social media account or by incorporating other media (digital, animation, 3D) as part of their response to the prompt.

ASSESSMENT

Use the suggested rubrics to grade and provide feedback on student work, or create your own.

VICE BEAUTIFUL NATURE REVOLUTION TRANSFORMATION BEAUTIFUL CHANGE BLOOM TRANSFORMATION

1234567890

WAYS

BEAUTIFUL NATURE GROW BLOOM TIME BLOSSOM TRANSFORMATION

STUDENT VOICE

“Time changes. Food changes. So in a way as the food is getting older and changing we are getting older and changing too. Maybe we shouldn't be worried about change?”

and changing too. Maybe we prompt.

EXAMPLE PROJECT RUBRICS

EXAMPLE PROJECT RUBRICS (CONT.)

Now What?

WAYS TO ENGAGE

Use these lessons to integrate Mill Food Recyclers into your classrooms and ask your district to engage in food saving, waste reducing practices. Learn about one student’s experience in taking action here. Use WWF’s Food Waste Warrior Toolkit for help with cafeteria audits and other food waste reduction strategies, including:

Offer vs. Serve: This allows cafeteria managers to reap the benefits of serving reimbursable school meals while allowing students to decline certain meal components that they know they will not eat.

Share Tables: Unused and sealed food from school lunch can be shared among students during the lunch period or donated to after school programs.

EXTEND IT OUTDOORS

Compost

Instructions: Make a Worm Composting Bin

Vermicomposting Ted-Ed Video

PBS Compost Video

Compost Guide

Compost Basics

A Teacher’s Guide to Compost Activities

Gardening

Lifelab Gardening Resources

Kids Gardening

Children and Nature

EPA strategies for preventing food waste

IN THE CAFETERIA

Nutrition Service Director Janay Watts from Tempe Elementary School District in Tempe, Arizona has successfully implemented Food Waste Reduction strategies in her district. She focuses on four areas: food waste reduction, student participation, customer service, and monthly monitoring of expenditures.

Her initiatives focus on building positive, fun relationships with students and promoting student voice in the cafeteria. For example, her team conducts “taste tests” of future menu items with students to ensure that they actually want to eat the cafeteria meals, and facilitate students designing their own recipes that can end up on the lunch menu if they pass the taste test. Her team also organizes exciting lunch events like “Taste the Rainbow,” which encourages students to try different colored fruits and vegetables from the salad bar.

Through collaborative efforts, the team has established monthly goals for each school site that target key data points, including food costs, food waste, and student participation. This valuable data is accessible to the team, keeping them informed and driving positive change. While none of her initiatives are punitive towards students or staff, she has effectively reduced both food expenditures and waste across the district. The belief and vision is that “students should have more than a transactional relationship with food.”

As a teacher, we recommend getting to know your cafeteria staff! There may be opportunities to make meals fun for the students, which increases engagement, promotes healthier students, and reduces food waste.

Mill Food Recycler Educators Guide

COCONUT MILK

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