Plastic to Compost: The Darkling Beetle Taster Class

A 30-minute interactive sustainability workshop for KS1 & KS2 students

 

Session Overview

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Our 30-minute Taster Class brings sustainability and science to life right in your classroom.
Through engaging demonstrations and hands-on learning, pupils explore how Darkling Beetles can consume plastic waste and convert it into biodegradable compost, highlighting nature’s role in recycling and environmental balance.

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What We Cover

• 🌍 Introduction to Oils: How oils are formed and their role in making plastics.

• 🧪 Plastics in Everyday Life: Identifying common uses and discussing their environmental impact.

• 🪲 Beetle Demonstration: See Darkling Beetles in action as they break down plastic.

• ✋ Interactive Experience: Pupils can observe and handle beetles and larvae under supervision.

 

Curriculum Links

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Key Stage 1 – Science

• Everyday Materials: Identify, compare, and describe the properties and uses of materials.

• Living Things and Their Habitats: Explore living and non-living things and how habitats meet the needs of organisms.

Key Stage 2 – Science

• Living Things and Their Habitats: Understand how environments can change and affect living things.

• Properties and Changes of Materials: Compare and group materials, including biodegradable substances.

• Evolution and Inheritance (Upper KS2): Explore how organisms adapt to their environment.

 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, pupils will:

• Understand where plastics come from and how they affect the environment.

• Recognise the potential for natural solutions to modern waste problems.

• Develop curiosity and care for living things through close observation.

• Gain insight into sustainability, recycling, and biological processes.

 

Practical Details

🕒 Duration: 30 - 45 minutes
🏫 Location: Delivered in your classroom
👩‍🏫 Suitable for: KS1 & KS2 pupils
👐 Hands-on Component: Safe interaction with beetles and larvae (optional)

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