Teachers TryScience

Prep for Session #1

1. Purchase worms
2. Cut 4 inch x 4 inch sheets of paper (enough for every student)
3. Collect magnifying glasses and rulers (enough for students or group to share)
4. Cut 3 inch pieces of string to measure worms (enough or each student) or have students measure and cut the string to add an independant math component
5. Prepare worksheets to pass out to appropriate students
6. Prepare vocabularly to share with students: clitellum (saddle), mucus (slime), mouth, anterior, posterior, castings, bristles, segments, wet, soil, environment

Session #1

1. Pass out magnifying glasses to class.
2. If this is students first experience with magnifying glasses, have students observe their fingernails with the lens. Have students hold the magnifying lens on top of their fingernails, and explain that when the magnifying lens is placed on top of an object it appears the same size. Now have students raise their magnifying lens about 3 inches, their fingernails will appear larger. Lastly, have students hold the lens close to their eye and they will see that if they raise the lens too close to their eyes their fingernails will appear blurry.
3. Before handing out the worms, have a discussion on: How should the worms be handled? How will we keep them from falling? What are some of the things we should never do? You may want to review the following video on Asking Good Questions.

   Asking Good Questions
   
   

4. Hand out the 4x4 inch paper with a worm on it. Have students use the magnifying lens to observe the worms.
5. Draw a picture of a worm on the board to aid students and to list things they observe about the worms.
6. Pass out worksheets for beginner, emergent and advance students as well visual handout for beginner students.
7. As students notice the body of the worms (e.g., the rings on the body), have a student read a corresponding page from Tunneling Earthworms by Suzanne Paul Dell'Oro (e.g., the rings on the body are called segments).
8. Have students continue to point out their observations. Can students find the worms eyes? Do they have any?
9. Continue passing the book as students make more observations, with each student reading one page aloud at a time. Remember to stop and have students find each body part on the worm.
10. While continuing to read the book, students will complete the appropriate worksheets. By the end of the book, students will have identified the mouth, bristles, segments, anus (castings), clitellum, mucus (slime).
11. Collect the magnifying glasses and pass out the string and markers. Direct students to measure the worms. Because the worms are constantly moving, students will use string to measure the worms. Students should leave the worm on the paper and place the end of the string at the head of the worm and position the string along the body to the end of the worm. Students should use the marker to color the string at the end of the worm.
12. Students will now take their string and line it up against the ruler to see how long their worm is.
13. Pass around a flashlight. Have students briefly shine the light on the worm. What happened? Do the worms like the light? Students should observe that worms do not like the light. In the next class, students will think about how to create an indoor habitat for the worms.

Prep for Session #2

1. For visuals in making a habitat go to: http://www.diylife.com/gallery/create-an-earthworm-habitat/769754/
2. Print out beginner, emergent, advanced review/assessment worksheets
3. Print out worksheets for beginner/emergent and advanced students
4. Collect empty soda cans (These can be collected from students prior to the lesson.)
5. If using a 2 liter soda bottle, cut off the top 3 inches of the bottle in order to have a wide opening.
6. Prepare separate containers of gravel, soil, sand, leaves, small twigs, used coffee grinds, egg shells, and newspapers for each group
7. Collect enough rulers and markers for each group
8. Provide cheese clothes or aluminum cut to cover the opening of the 2 liter soda bottles and rubber bands to hold in place.
9. Collect sheets of large construction paper to fit around soda bottles and tape to secure it.

Session #2

1. Pass out beginner, emergent, advanced review/assessment sheets to students.
2. Have a discussion about worms and what students remember from previous session. Where do worms live? When do you see worms? What do you need for your habitat?
3. Break students into groups. You may want to view Groups video below.

   Group Work video
   
   

4. Have groups name their habitats.
5. Hand out supplies of bottles, cans, gravel, sand, soil, strips of newspapers, coffee grinds, egg shells, spray bottle, cheese cloth and rubber band to each group of students.
6. Each group will place the soda can upside down in the middle of the large jar or 2 liter soda bottle. This will allow the worms to burrow near the sides of the bottle and enable students to see their movements.
7. Each group will measure 2 inches from the bottom of the soda bottle and mark a line on the bottle.
8. Students will choose what to put into their habitat. You can guide students that it should be something hard to drain/catch excess water.
9. Students can choose between, gravel, egg shells, and twigs.
10. Students will pour their selection into the bottle up to line. The gravel/egg shells/twigs are used to catch excess water.
11. Have students measure 4 inches from the top of the gravel, egg shells, or twigs and mark a line, and continue to fill the container to the line with their next selection: soil, sand, coffee grinds, strips of newspaper and leaves. Students can use more than one of the selected items to put in their habitat.
12. Ask students what can they put on top of the next layer to keep out any light. Have extra twigs, leaves and strips of newspapers available.
13. Next emphasize that worms need to be wet to live. What can they use to make the habitat moist? Students will use the spray bottles to make the habitat moist.
14. Lastly, students will place worms into the habitat and observe what happens. Hand out worksheets.

Remember that worms do not like light and once they are finished observing they need to cover their habitat with construction paper and keep in a cool dry place. These habitats should be used for a day or two and are not to be permanent homes for the worms. If you would like to keep worms long term, please see extension lesson on Teachers TryScience called Breakdown: Composting with Earthworms! Please also see extension for a fun activity called Dirt Dessert!