Melissa Solorzano

Title or Topic of Module/Lesson: Introduction to Composting Browns and Greens

Date this Design Created/Modified: Spring 2017

Time: 10 minutes

General Overview/Need:
To educate the community about why they should compost, to inspire them. This is an
introduction to one step in a larger training on setting up a compost bin.

Why a computer should teach it:

It allows Santa Clara County Composting Education Program
to reach a larger audience. No onsite training facility or personnel is needed. Community
members and teachers can do it at their own pace and apply their knowledge to their own
compost.

Audience/Learners:
Adult learners, members of the general public who wish to learn more about composting and
how to apply it in their homes.

Technical:
This program will be offered on computers and portable digital devices.

Conditions of Instruction:
This program will be hosted on the website of Santa County Clara Composting Education
Program. It will be free to the public, anyone with internet access and a computer/mobile device
can access it.

Learning Objectives:
Given the material covered, the learner will be able to identify three items that can be composted.

At the end of the lesson, the learner will be able to identify what objects found in nature contain
Nitrogen.

At the end of the lesson, the learner will be able to identify what objects found in nature contain
carbon.

At the end of the lesson, the learner will be able to balance compostable materials by stating the
carbon to nitrogen ratio.
At the end of the lesson
At the end of this lesson, the community member will identify the proper Carbon to Nitrogen
ratio 90% of the time.

Assessment:
There will be no formal assessment required to pass. There will be some questions/activity at the
end to review if the learner was able to achieve the learning objectives. Any questions presented
will give the learner the correct answer immediately after responding.

Instructional/Cognitive Strategies:
ARCS Model

Multimedia Strategies:
The techniques of balancing audio and visuals as learned in the e-Learning and the Science of
Instruction: Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning will be
applied to this lesson. Any diagrams will be supplemented with audio of talking points.

Instructional Materials:
Audio, visuals, diagrams and charts/tables of facts will be incorporate to deliver the lesson. The
science behind the environmental impact will be the facts incorporated.

Special Instructions for Reviewers:

A storyboard will be provided with specific details and a timeline of this training program.

Resources:
http://cesantaclara.ucanr.edu/Home_Composting_Education/

http://www.queensbotanical.org/Education/compost/composting101

Style guide:
There currently is no style guide available for Santa County Clara Composting Education. The
colors and logo currently being used for the program will be incorporated into the
design.

References:
Appelhof, M. (2017). Worms Eat My Garbage: how to set up and maintain a
worm composting system. S.l.: Storey Books.
Clark, Ruth C., and Mayer, Richard E. (2011). e-Learning and the Science of Instruction :
Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning (3).
Hoboken, US: Pfeiffer.

Gredler. M. E. (2009). Learning and Instruction: Theory into Practice (Sixth Edition).
Pearson.

Martin, D. (n.d.). The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener
(G. Gershuny, Ed.). Rodale Books.

Previous design brief: (Please note that my captivate lesson is one lesson to this larger

project listed in the design brief)

UCCE Training Project

After completing a needs assessment for the University of California Cooperative

Extension (UCCE) Home Composting Program, a performance gap emerged. A gap existed in

motivating community members to initiate a home composting system. The overall objectives of

the UCCE Home Composting Program is to divert waste from landfills. After working some

events, speaking to the community, and speaking with organizational leaders there appears to be

fear and a lack of motivation preventing some community members from beginning the

composting of food scraps at home. Currently the program offers community workshops,

outreach, education and training programs. If master composters, volunteers who educate the

community about composting, could motivate community members to participate in diverting

waste from landfills while dispelling myths, this gap could be closed.
 Goals and Background

I am a master composter and have a personal interest in educating the community on how

to divert their organic waste by composting. Composting and compost application increases the

nutrients in the soil, reduces global warming, and diverts organic matter away from landfills. The

benefits and long lasting positive impacts of composting are why I want to conduct this training.

The methods used to determine the training needs consisted of gathering information

from the organization, distributing a survey to current volunteers, speaking at composting events

directly with community members and speaking with the coordinator of the program. I had the

opportunity to speak with the coordinator in person, which proved helpful in answering some

questions.

The learners are master composters; those who have completed an intense training on all

aspects of soil and compost. The master composters go out to the community and give lectures,

workshops and general outreach of how to compost and other composting resources. The

members of the community that master composters have to work with range from elementary

school children to senior citizens. Most people in the Bay Area have a general sense that

composting food scraps is beneficial. Some may have tried to compost in the past and failed and

some may have never attempted to compost. Common myths about composting are what prevent

them from composting at home. Some of these myths include that compost smells, will attract

critters, and is too difficult to maintain. The objective of this training is to give step by step

instructions on how to build a worm compost bin, how to maintain the bin properly, dispel myths

and to motivate community members and help them overcome the common misconceptions

about composting.
The Training

Techniques for motivating the community to compost would be conducted in a three

week free course. During the course, tips, suggestions, and techniques would be presented

specific to community outreach and how to help the community overcome any current

composting myths. This would take place at the Santa Clara County offices, then components of

the course would be given online. A PowerPoint presentation would be provided to go along

with the in-person lecture. There would be an opportunity for learners to participate in a group

activity, to practice techniques presented, and brainstorm ideas for helping the community

overcome their fears about composting.

Analysis

UCCE Needs Assessment

This paper is going to analyze the need for training at the University of California

Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Home Composting Program. Currently the program offers

community workshops, outreach, education, and training programs. The purpose of this paper is

to determine whether further training is needed by staff or volunteers to increase the amount of

people composting at home and therefore diverting waste.

Plan for Assessment

The methods used to determine the training needs consisted of gathering information

from the organization, distributing a survey to current volunteers, and speaking with the

coordinator of the program.

I distributed a survey as a google form to current Master Composters. The questions were

composed of the following:

 W
hat are the obstacles that prevent people from composting?

W
hat is the purpose of Master Composter?

H
ow can Master Composters in Santa Clara effectively increase the number of

community members composting?

W
hat learning tools/materials can you use to help community members set up a home

compost system?

W
hat in your opinion motivates people to start composting?

H
ow many years have you been a Master Composter?

The most helpful data came from surveys previously collected by the UCCE Home

Composting Program and their annual report. This included a post test taken after a composting

education class and a follow up survey six months after the training. Attendees were asked about

what they learned in the posttest and six months later if they implemented what they learned.

Data was also collected on how many people signed up in advance for a workshop and how

many actually attended.

The Data

Of the evaluation data collected, it revealed that over 70% of workshop attendees felt

they learned a lot about basic composting. Some areas that attendees did not feel they learned as

much were in the subject of worm composting and overall household waste diversion. When

asked about how likely they were to buy or build a specific type of composting system at home,

34% they would build a worm composting system, 66% said they would compost kitchen scraps

and 30% would opt to buy a prefabricated compost bin. In the six month follow-up survey 80%

of the attendees who completed the survey said they did begin to compost. Only 12% of
attendees responded to the survey. It is unknown if the other 88% of attendees did begin to

compost or did not.

When gathering information from the coordinator and Master composters, the number

one reason they believe people do not compost is because they are afraid the compost will smell.

This of course is not true if the proper techniques are utilized when building a compost. Other

people believe the compost will attract unwanted critters. This also is preventable when the

proper techniques are used. Master Composters thought that better visuals and demonstration

materials might help them to communicate better with the community. One other obstacle

presented was language barrier. The need to have composting materials in Spanish and

Vietnamese languages; recruiting Master Composters that speak these languages would help to

reach more community members.

Findings

Fear and lack of education seem to be the biggest obstacles preventing the UCCE from

diverting waste from landfills. Lack of resources and language barriers seem to be secondary

obstacles. Master Composters receive 15 weeks of training and then continuous training on a

monthly basis. There are group discussions available online where they can post resources and

exchange ideas. It appears the biggest problem in preventing the UCCE from diverting more

waste is after the Master Composter gives a workshop and the attendee goes home, they dont

follow through and compost. Gaps in the findings include not knowing more specific information

about the workshop attendees. For example their age, cultural background, motivation for taking

the workshop, how they learned about the workshop and if further training and guidance would

help them achieve their composting goals. Since only 12% of people respond to the surveys and
the majority of them have started composting, one might try to contact the other 88% and see if

they did or did not indeed start composting. If they didnt, further investigation might be needed

to discover what prevented them from doing so.

Over the past six months I have volunteered at numerous community events, speaking to

both adults and children about composting. My observations from interactions within the

community are that children become easily engaged in the composting process. They are curious

and eager to learn. The adults are cautiously interested. They have voiced concerns over

attracting rodents, difficulty in setting up a compost bin, not sure how to start creating a compost

bin and fears of it creating a foul odor. Part of my job is to educate them on the facts and dispel

the myths about attracting unwanted critters and smells. As a result of data and discussions

within the commuinty, I came to the conclusion that since one of the biggest obstacles in

preventing community members from composting is helping people to overcome their fear and

to physically get started building their compost bin. If the UCCE wants to continue its goal of

diverting waste from the landfills, any training program should address these two major concerns

that are preventing the compost process from beginning for some community members..

Rationale

It seems as though Master Composters giving the workshops are well educated on the

materials but may benefit from further tools and resources to bring to workshops. It appears that

learning is occurring at the workshops but there is a gap in attendees actually going home and

setting up a composting system and also responding to the survey. More information is needed to

make sure that the 88% that didnt respond to the survey did not set up a compost system, most

likely this is true. Based on the data collected, there is no way of knowing for certain if this is
true. It would be up to the organization to determine whether time and money should be spent

investigating and implementing a plan. If time and money allowed, how do we fill the gap to

help them set up the compost system? Would a step by step Lynda.com style videos help

attendees? If so, what information would be covered and how would they receive the

information? If not, what would help? What would motivate people to compost?

If it is true, that one of the biggest things preventing composting is fear, is there a training

method that could help people overcome this fear? Maybe more emphasis needs to be placed on

this aspect during a workshop. If this is true, improving/changing the methods that Master

Composters use to communicate may help. This would then require more training.

I do believe that if there was something in place where community members could sign

up to do an online step by step training of how to setup and maintain a compost bin, there would

be more compliance. So if Master Composters received more training on how to better

communicate alleviating the fears of composting, in addition to combining better step by step

training for attendees, compliance would increase. Other issues that cannot necessarily be solved

with training would be language barriers. Perhaps the organization could translate brochures into

other languages. If an online supplemental training was provided in addition to workshops,

perhaps those could be translated into other languages.

Conclusion

Propose supplemental education training online and step by step instruction to help with

conversion rates. Reach more community members by offering materials in needed languages of

Spanish and Vietnamese, if it is challenging finding Master Composters who speak these

languages.
Learner Analysis

The audience for this particular training is adult learners, anywhere from 18-90 years old.

This is open to all Santa Clara County residents. Learners have already expressed interest in

learning about composting by attending a previous introductory workshop that allowed them

access to this course. Some learners may currently be active in the work force, retired,

unemployed, or college students. Some may have prior knowledge of composting and tried to

implement that knowledge in their backyards without success. Others may be curious and need

the structure and support of a course to implement a compost bin at home.

Workplace/Environmental/Setting Analysis

A portion of this course will take place at the Santa Clara County offices. They have a

demonstration garden and worm compost area. They also have indoor facilities that are lecture

friendly with audio/visual equipment, large tables and open space to move about. There is no

cost to use this facility. Parts of the instruction can take place outdoors if the weather is dry. The

PowerPoint presentation can be viewed indoors in the lecture-style room. This room is also large

enough to accommodate the construction of worm bins. It has doors that exit to outside the

building allowing for materials to be brought in easily and set up. The lighting is very strong

when turned on and can be dimmed or turned off completely to view slides. The room is private

and not near any personal offices. If the setting were to become loud, the attendees should not

disturb any workers in the building.

The second part of the course will be completed at home at the learners own pace to

support and supplement their composting journey. They will need to have internet access and a
digital device to view the course. They will return three weeks laters to go on a field trip and

wrap up the course. A carpool will be provided from the initial training site in Santa Clara to the

commercial composting facility in Gilroy. There is always the possibility that a carpool driver

may not show up or a vehicle could not work. If that were to happen, all efforts would be made

to get a back up. If none were available, learners would have to drive themselves as a last resort.

Content Analysis

The content of this course will cover the lifecycle of a worm, how to create a home for

the worms so that they can sustain themselves in a trapped container, what organic matter to feed

the worms, how and when. Other aspects of the course will cover dispelling myths about

composting, soil biology and types of soil and how to amend the soil in your yard with the

application of worm castings. On a larger scale, learners will be introduced to large scale

commercial composting. They will see the business side to composting and how it can divert

tons of waste from landfills.

DESIGN

Literature Review

I started my research by looking for journal articles on current composting education

programs for both hot compost and vermiculture. To my surprise, most of the articles were from

approximately 20 years ago, including the training manual that the UCCE Master Composters

use. The textbook that was given out during the UCCE Master Composter training, The Rodale

Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener, was last updated in 1992. I am not sure
why the lack of new data on composting education. I can infer that this is because composting is

a basic natural occurrence that can happen without human interference and there are not many

innovations on how to present it. Composting is based on science and the natural breakdown of

organic matter, leaving little innovation in how to speed up or alter the process to move faster.

The most current literature I could find on the topic of educating people about

composting was about large-scale composting geared toward professionals in related fields to

agriculture, landscaping and composting. While this is not the intended audience of my

composting training, I thought it was valuable to learn of the lack of recent literature on the topic

and also about the content of what other composting programs cover. The California State

Polytechnic University has created a sustainability program that includes composting. They offer

a public education program that covers biology, process management, recipes, troubleshooting

and testing for chemicals. (Cooper, 2014). The delivery methods for these trainings are hands-on

activities and visiting local composting sites (Cooper, 2014).

In Minnesota, the Minnesota Composting Council (MNCC) has developed an educational

composting program, Plate to Garden, that has helped local schools participate and

organizations participate in a composting and fundraiser program.(Zbinden et. al., 2016). MNCC

supplies materials to help the school or organization separate their organic wastes. This is the

educational component. They oversee to make sure that the composting rules are being followed.

Then the organic waste is delivered to the composting facility. In return the school or

organization can purchase the finished compost as a fundraiser. They bag the compost

themselves and decide on a price to sell it. On average, each fundraiser raises at least
$1,000.00.(Zbinden et. al., 2016). This program teaches those involved the entire process of start

to finished product and how they can also help raise money for their school or organization.

In the article, Backyard Composting Education Programs by H.J. Johnson, Composting

programs from 40 states and 2 Canadian provinces were surveyed. The findings from the survey

concluded that about half of the programs used brochures, workshops, demonstration sites, gave

out free or reduced cost compost bins, school programs and portable displays (Johnson, 1995).

Of these methods, the top three that were most successful were the bin distribution programs,

reducing waste fees for composting material and master composter trainings in the form of

workshops (Johnson, 1995). These methods are still practiced by community outreach

organizations including the UCCE. There were questions that solicited recommendations for

motivating more individuals to compost. Those suggestions included offer incentives for

attending workshops like free bins or discounts on garbage fees (Johnson, 1995). As I mentioned

earlier from my personal experience speaking with community members, this survey also

discovered that some barriers that prevented individuals from composting were foul odors,

attracting rodents and time needed to invest in composting (Johnson, 1995).

Learning Objectives

1. From memory, workshop attendees will be able to describe how to set up a worm

compost bin with 95% accuracy.

2. At the end of this workshop, the community member will identify two ways that

composting improves the soil 95% of the time.

 3. From memory, the workshop attendee will be able to state two methods of applying

worm compost to their garden with 90% accuracy.

4. From memory, the community member will be able to name two benefits of composting

on a large scale with 90% accuracy.

Test Instruments

The first summative evaluation will be to see if learners can successfully construct a

worm compost bin. This will take place on the first day of the course. Learners will then be

asked again at the conclusion of the course to evaluate their compost bin for moisture, health of

the worms and compost accumulated thus far. Learners will also be asked to take a post exam on

the first day of the meeting to see if they can state important key concepts of composting from

memory.

A post exam will be given to learners in the middle of the course to gauge if learning has

taken place on furth composting concepts and soil health. Learners will be asked to take a quiz

online to answer a few questions in regards to the topic area.

Delivery System and Media Decisions

After reviewing the literature on the topic of composting, I have concluded that hands-on

workshops and site visits are the best way to motivate community members to compost. I am

proposing an advanced composting workshop that would be taught by UCCE master composters.

The course would be a blended program of in-person instruction and online instruction. The

instructor would become a mentor to the workshop/course attendees. This provides a balance to

reach those individuals who learn best in-person and those who would like to go home and learn

more details at their own pace.

Instructional Strategies and Activities

The major instructional strategy is a hands-on step-by-step demonstration of how to

physical construct a worm compost bin. Workshop attendees would view a live demonstration

and build along. Two instructors would be available to assist with any difficulties or challenges

that might develop. The attendees would receive access to a moodle course with a review of

what they learned in class, a step-by-step guide to set up a new worm bin for future use, video

tutorials and also additional information on the importance of soil health.

Agenda

1. Day 1, meet in a community center for 6 hours with a 1 hour lunch break with

food provided.

a. Distribute a pre-test to see the current level of knowledge of attendees.

b. One Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that demonstrates the basics of

vermiculture composting with visual examples of how to create one.

c. Hands on step-by-step instruction given by master composter on how to

build a worm compost bin.

d. Plastic bin, tools, wood, newspaper, water, buckets and worms will be

provided during the live workshop.

e. Post test will be distributed to see if learning occurred.

f. Attendees will be given access to an online Moodle course

2. Attendees log in to the moodle course

a. A video instruction on how to prepare food scraps will be provided

b. Additional video on soil anatomy will be provided

 c. Students may participate in online forums with suggested discussion topics from

instructor.

d. Instructor will provide feedback in forum discussions.

3 Students meet two weeks later at a commercial composting site for 6 hours

a. Tour of composting site

b. Questions and Answers session

c. Food provided for lunch break

d. Return to share stories of what they learned from having a worm compost bin the

past two weeks

e. Help peers troubleshoot/share experiences

f. Complete Feedback Survey

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

List of Major Deliverables

PowerPoint presentation 1-introduction to worm composting

Pre and post test for first day of presentation

Physical materials to construct worm bins (plastic containers, newspaper, worms, wood,

screws)

Setup Moodle Course

Video on extended learning of worm composting and how to apply the casting to garden

PowerPoint presentation 2- Soil health biocycle

Video on Soil health

 Construct forums

Reading list of books and articles to enhance the learning experience

Exam on soil health

Development Plan

This course would take place over three weeks. The end result would be free worms and

free compost bins in addition to a great education on soil health. They would leave the workshop

with a worm compost bin they prepared themselves. The course would meet for 6 hours one day,

with an online asynchronous moodle course component. Learners would then meet again 21 days

later to visit a large scale commercial composting facility and also to discuss any trouble

shooting they had the first three weeks with their worm compost bin at home. The online moodle

course would contain follow up videos on how to maintain the worm compost bin, next steps to

take now that they have it at home, information on the science of soil, and provide forum

discussions where attendees could help troubleshoot any problems they were having.

Implementation Plan

This course would be taught by a master composter who completed their training through

the UCCE. Master composters are required to volunteer 25 hours a year to educate the

community on composting and are also required to complete 15 hours of continuing education

to maintain their master status. The UCCE would provide the appropriate training for the moodle

sections of this course to meet the continuing education needs of the organization. The UCCE

provides monthly training to all master composters at no cost. Master composters are already

trained to give presentations and live demonstrations to large groups of community members.
 Three instructors would be asked to work with this cohort of learners. Since volunteers

need to complete their 25 hours, it should be easy to find qualified individuals to facilitate the

course. The type of instructor that would be best for this course would be someone who has had

a lot of hands on experience building and maintaining worm compost systems and is technically

savvy to keep the conversation on the topic going remotely.

EVALUATION

Formative Evaluation

A formal evaluation for this course will be delivered via email three days after the course

concludes. For the particular section of the course on Browns and Greens, there will be two

practice activities and two testing activities within this particular unit. This will allow the

instructor to see who was able to retain the information presented in the lesson after learning and

practicing.

References

Cooper, R. (2014, August). California University integrates composting education. BioCycle,

55(7), 39.

Johnson, H. J. (1995, January). Backyard composting education programs. BioCycle,

36(1), 75.

Zbinden, M., Ludvik, A., & Duame, J. (2016, May). Plate To Garden Compost Program.

BioCycle, 57(4), 18.

Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Title slide Screen #: 1
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Title and image only no
content.

Text to appear on slide:

Introduction to Composting: Browns and Greens
Created by Melissa Solorzano
Developed by (Your Name Here)
Naviga1on:
Automa)cally goes to the next
slide

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Does the )tle slide need audio to say the the name of the )tle?
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Ready to compost Screen #: 2
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Illustra)on of a yard with a
compost bin
Picture of a yard and compost bin. When
maybe the bin opens and you see the browns
and greens.

Naviga1on:
Arrows for next slide, pause
buFon.

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
In the previous unit you learned about the importance of compos)ng. Now we are going to take a closer look at what to put in your bin
for op)mal compos)ng. To ensure your compost bin works properly, there needs to be a proper balance of carbons or browns and
nitrogen or greens. We will take a look at a few examples of each. At the conclusion of this unit you should be able to separate your
organic materials into browns and greens. There will be an ac)vity and quiz that will be completed in this unit.
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Carbon Nitrogen ra)on Screen #: 3
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Closer look at a compost bin
with browns and green.
Illustra)on of Layered cross
sec)onal look at the ra)o.

Naviga1on:
Arrows for next slide, previous
slide and pause buFon.

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
All organic materials are composed of both Carbon (c) , Browns and Nitrogen (N), greens. To make certain your organic material converts
to compost correctly, there is a proper propor)on to maintain called the carbon to nitrogen ra)o (C:N)
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: What are Browns? Screen #: 4
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Image of materials that make
of carbon rich materials that
can be composted. Facts- large
numbers to highlight these on
Image of carbon rich material: screen
Newspaper or other paper, brown leaves, etc..

Naviga1on:
Same as previous slide

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Carbon rich materials are also known as the browns in compos)ng. Examples of these items might be newspapers, dead leaves in your
yard or the lint from your dryer. Too much carbon can cause the compost process to be o balance and will slow down the breaking down
of the materials in your compost.
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: What are Greens? Screen #: 5
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Illustra)on of items high in
Nitrogen

Illustration of coffee grinds, fresh grass clippings,

fresh cut leaves of flowers or trees, food scraps

Naviga1on:
Same as previous slide

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Materials containing Nitrogen in your household are the greens. These are your fresh food scraps like a banana peel, fresh grass
clippings or coee grinds. If you put too many Nitrogen items in the compost, your compost pile will start to smell. A good rule to follow
is to include about to of nitrogen rich materials.
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: What to avoid Screen #: 6
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Slide shows sor)ng
compostable and non-
compostable items. Illustra)on
of materials to avoid pu^ng in
Sorting trash and bin. Image of trashcan and compost bin. your compost bin.
The items below appear on the screen and then go to the Compostable serve ware such
as compostable plas)c cups,
trash can or compost bin. etc.. (I thought the items could
appear as the person men)ons
them on screen)
Compost bin, fruits, veggies, paper.
These go to the trash can: Naviga1on:
Meat
Dairy
Fatty Food Waste such as cooking oils
Whole eggs (Egg Shells are ok)
Human or Pet feces Reviewer comments:
Treated Wood
Diseased Plant Leaves

Audio:
Now that youve learned about browns and greens, lets gure out what goes in your compost bin and what goes in the trash.
There are some materials you want to avoid pu^ng in your compost bin. This includes dairy, cooked foods, oils and meats. While these
materials can be composted they are not recommended for home compos)ng systems. This is because they can contaminate the
compost material spreading disease through the soil that can target humans, animal and plants. They also may aFract unwanted criFers
like rodents.
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Ac)vity/quiz 1 Screen #: 7
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Drag and drop prac)ce on
what goes in the compost bin.
There will be a mix of items
that are ok for the bin and
Compost bin and trash can with some items that never should
items to drag and drop in each. be used. There will be
immediate feed back and it
can be repeated as much as
they would like.

Naviga1on:
Submit buFon.

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Lets prac)ce. Can you put the appropriate items in the compost bin and trash can.
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Layering your stored materials Screen #: 8
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Onscreen Text chart: (this could be simplified) Diagram/anima)ons of how to
layer your C:N ra)on (Leave
MATERIAL C:N RATIO this screen up to allow users
Corn stalks 50-100:1 )me to review, so force users
to use the arrow to con)nue
Fruit waste 35:1 to the next screen)
Grass clippings 12-25:1
Hay, green 25:1
Leaves, ash, black elder and elm 21-28:1
Leaves, pine 60-100:1 Naviga1on:
Leaves, other 30-80:1 Arrows for next slide, previous
slide and pause buFon.
Manure, horse and cow 20-25:1
Paper 170-200:1
Sawdust 200-500:1
Seaweed 19:1 Reviewer comments:
Straw 40-100:2
Vegetable waste 12-25:1
Weeds 25:1
Wood chips 500-700:1
Audio:
Now that you have learned about browns and greens, its important to know the proper carbon to nitrogen ra)o. Listed in this chart are
the average carbon to nitrogen ra)o for these materials. The overall perfect ra)o of the compost should be 30:1 30 carbon to 1 part
nitrogen.
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Layering your stored materials Screen #: 11
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Diagram of layered carbons and nitrogens Diagram/anima)ons of how to
layer your C:N ra)on

Naviga1on:
Arrows for next slide, previous
slide and pause buFon.

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Its important to have alterna)ng layers of carbons(browns) and nitrogens (greens) in your bin. If you add too many carbons, it will slow
the ac)vity in your compost and take longer for the materials to break down. If you add too many nitrogens, you risk making the compost
too hot. It may also begin to smell as ammonia will become present. There is no odor in a well balanced compost bin.
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Final Quiz Review Screen #: 12-14
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Multiple choice practice Quiz: Text based prac)ce quiz with
feedback.

What is the proper ratio of carbons to

Nitrogen?

Why is it important to balance your compost

with browns and greens? Naviga1on:
Next arrow and submit buFon
If your compost has a smell to it, what might
be the problem?

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
No Audio unless need to read the text ques)ons
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Quiz results Screen #: 15
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Photo of a happy compost bin/pile Text based quiz results

Naviga1on:
Return to beginning of lesson.

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
You now have all the tools you need to set up a successful compost bin. Please con)nue to this chapters test
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Ac)vity/quiz 1 Screen #: 16
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Drag and drop test on what
goes in the compost bin. There
will be a mix of items that are
ok for the bin and some items
TEST:Compost bin and trash that never should be used.
can with items to drag and drop
in each. This will have different
items from the practice

Naviga1on:
Next buFon

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Can you put the appropriate items in the compost bin and trash can. You will have one aFempt at this.
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Ac)vity/quiz 1 Screen #: 17
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Test

TEST:
Fill in;

What is the proper carbon to

nitrogen ratio?
Naviga1on:
Submit buFon.

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Project name: Introduc)on to Compos)ng: Screen 1tle: Ac)vity/quiz 1 Screen #: 18
Browns and Greens
Graphic info:
Test results

Test score

Naviga1on:
Next buFon

Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Project name: Screen 1tle: References Screen #: 17

Graphic info:
Text only slide
On screen Text:
References:
http://cesantaclara.ucanr.edu/
Home_Composting_Education/

http://www.compostinstructions.com/all-about-carbon-
and-nitrogen-materials/ Naviga1on:
None

https://web.extension.illinois.edu/homecompost/
science.cfm

More to come!
Reviewer comments:

Audio:
Reference List