Exploration of Worms in the Garden
Ages 2 and up (many 30-45 minute sessions)
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Objectives:
- To observe worms and learn about their role in the garden.
Materials:
- Shovels or trowels
- Buckets
- Magnifying lens
- Worms, worms, and more worms
Set up:
Before starting this activity look for worms in the garden. This may require a night search or setting aside worms found in the compost or compost bin.
Part One:
Show the worms to the children, preferably outside in the garden. Let them handle the worms gently. Most children love to handle worms. They are very interesting creatures. Explain that worms have setae instead of legs. Worms have an anterior (front/mouth) and a posterior (anus) end. Identifying the front of a worm may be difficult, but their clitellum is usually closest to the anterior part of the worm.
Part Two:
Explain to children that worms have a beneficial role in the garden. They help aerate the soil and add natural fertilizer with their castings. They also help to decompose organic material such as grass clippings, leaves and food items put into a compost bin. Why might we want the soil to be aerated and fertilized? A well-aerated and fertilized soil helps plants grow. Let the children explore their own answers through investigations. Garden Crafts for Kids as well as Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots have small activities around worms as well as compost bin construction ideas (see our book list).
For more information check out “The Adventure of Herman the Worm” at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms
Questions to ask:
- What do worms do in the garden?
- What do you think the lines are on the worm?
- What do worms eat?
- What is a casting?
- Are worms boys or girls?
Sarah, Tyler, and Emma Hillary’s Conversations while exploring worms
Sarah: Emma Hillary, I have some fancy paper and a fancy pen. I am hoping you can draw me a picture of where worms go when they go under the ground.
Emma Hillary: (begin to draw a long line) this is the worm.
Emma Hillary: (draws a triangle shape)
Tyler: Tell me about this.
Emma Hillary: This is the worm house. This is where they play.
Tyler: They play?
Emma Hillary: Yep. (she begins to draw the two square shapes )
Tyler: Tell me about these.
Emma Hillary: These are worm skates.
Sarah: Worm skates?
Tyler: Worms can’t skate; Only people Silly goose
Emma Hillary: They can skate; Worm’s skate silly goose.
Tyler: They can’t go skating; Silly goose.
Emma Hillary: Silly munchkin
Emma Hillary: I need to door. A door for them. (Two doors-later she explains one is the front door and one is the side door. She also draws a square shape on the left. She later explains that it is a garage.)
Emma Hillary: (Draws a circle around the entire drawing.) They can skate like this. I drew a circle.
Sarah: Tyler I am hoping you can draw me a picture of
where the worms go when they go under the ground.
Tyler: (Begins to draw a spiral).
Sarah: Tyler can you tell me about your drawing?
Tyler: I’m drawing, umm (continues to draw).
Sarah: You’re drawing what?
Tyler: A rainbow. I build a tree
Tyler: (Draws a long line in dots).
Sarah: Tell me about this.
Tyler: This is a worm, and these are the people.
Sarah: what people?
Tyler: The worm people.
Sarah: I wanted to talk to you about the worm skates again.
Tyler: Worms don’t skate.
Emma Hillary: But we need to talk about it Tyler.
Sarah: Why can’t the worms skate?
Tyler: Because they don’t have feet.
Sarah: Do you hear what Tyler is telling you?
Emma Hillary: Worms can skate.
Tyler: They can’t!
Emma Hillary: But Tyler, the crawl with skate on. They crawl on them. They pretend to skate.
Sarah: Do you remember what you told me about worms and feet?
Tyler: Skates don’t stay on with no feet.
Emma Hillary: Oh.
Glossary:
Clitellum: the light colored section or band on the worm’s body that secretes a slime that helps a worm move through soil.
Setae: tiny hairs on each segment used to move through soil. The setae are the reason it’s hard to” pull” worms from soil.
Aerate: Add air too.
