School is out for the SUMMER, but the rain doesn’t stop!
Take advantage of that soggy ground and gather up some earth worms!
Check out the following activity on Clover Connections!
Click the link for the full activity with more experiments!
The Wonderful World of Worms
By Ronda Williams, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development/CED, Darke County (OSU Extension)
Objective
- Increase awareness of the natural environment
- Become aware of the role earthworms play in plant and soil
health
- Learn about the behavior characteristics of worms
- Learn the basics of composting with red wiggler worms
Group Size : 6-8 children per adult volunteer
Time Frame : This lesson is designed for a group meeting between 30 and 60 minutes
Worm Experiments
You will need:
- Red Wiggler Worms
- Flashlights (one per group)
- Sandpaper (one small square per group)
- Paper Towels (one damp paper towel per group; one dry
paper towel per group)
- Vinegar (a small amount)
- Spray bottle filled with water
- Hand wipes (one per participant)
Before conducting the worm experiments with your group, go over some basic worm facts. This will help them to understand some basic worm behaviors. Distribute the Worm Observation Chart and ask each participant to make their predictions as to what the worms will do during each experiment. After each experiment is conducted, ask the participants to record what the worms did during the experiment. Were the participants’ predictions correct? For best results, divide your group into teams of four or five participants. Give each group two worms on a damp paper towel. Announce that members do not have to touch the worms if they do not want to. Worms should be handled gently, and participants should not “pound” on the table or talk in loud voices as the worms are extremely sensitive to vibrations.
Experiment #1 – Which texture appeals to worms?
Give each group a piece of sandpaper. Instruct them to position their worms so that they are
half on the sandpaper and half on the paper towel. Watch what happens.