Worm Your Way Out of This

COLLECTION

UPPER ELEMENTARY | SCIENCE

Students will explore waste diversion techniques like composting and discover how worms can be an integral part of the process. As an extension, the class can make a worm bin.

Concepts: Protecting the Environment

Essential Questions

Where does our garbage go?
What are some ways to divert organic waste?
How can worms contribute to our garden?

Standards Addressed

Focus

Life Science
- S3L1c. Students will identify features of animals that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.
- S3L2b. Students will identify ways to protect the environment (conservation of resources, recycling of materials).
Math
- MCC3MD4. Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch.

Explorations in this Collection

Exploring Worms

Review Decomposers

Understanding Organic Waste

Recommended Resources

Educators

Waste Diversion
- “Where Does the Garbage Go” by Paul Showers
Time Lapse Videos of Decomposition
- 8 Week Time Lapse Video of Wormery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2vGlSNbPYQ
- Time Lapse of Fruit and Vegetable Decomposition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0En-_BVbGc
- 39 Day Time Lapse of Compost Heap:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYssw7gvD_s
Earth Worms
- Soil Invertebrates: http://ei.cornell.edu/teacher/pdf/D%26R/D%26R_Soil_Invert_ID.pdf
- Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
- FAQ’s About Worms: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/search/Worm.html
- Worm Digest: http://www.wormdigest.org/content/view/35/2/
- Earthworm Sampling Methods: http://www.nrri.umn.edu/worms/research/methods_worms.html
- Vermicomposting classroom activities: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Education/Curriculum/Worms/98Activities.pdf
- http://www.nrri.umn.edu/worms/identification/ecology_groups.html
- http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/worm-species.html
- http://www.nrri.umn.edu/worms/downloads/identification/ecological_groups.pdf
- http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/wormanatomy.html