Exploring Decomposition and Rot
Over five weeks, the children explored the science of decomposition through a hands-on experiment.
We placed a pumpkin inside a sealed jar and observed what happened over time. Each day, the children eagerly checked on the jar, noticing and discussing the changes they could see.
As the weeks passed, the pumpkin began to change color, grow mold, and slowly broke down into mush.
The children were fascinated by these changes.
"Mush" became a favorite word, and they often talked about how the pumpkin was getting softer, smellier, and more broken down.
We learned that water and worms help break things down, and that mushrooms often grow in rich soil created from decomposing plant life. The chilaren made connections between the pumpein experiment and what they were seeing outdoors, deepening their understanding of how rot and decomposition are part of nature's cycle.
This investigation showed strong engagement, curiosity, and scientific thinking. The children were excited to observe real change over time and developed a growing awareness of how living things return to the earth and help new life grow.
