Created by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

Brief Description: Students hear a story about worms and observe real worms.

Objectives:

• Introduce students to the importance of worms and their role in decomposition
• Students compare the basic needs of plants, animals and humans
• Students make observations of worms using descriptive words and measurement
• Students create their own story of a worm’s life

Materials: Wiggling Worms at Work by Wendy Pfiffer (or other worm book), worms, and journal.

NC Standard Course of Study Goals:

Science –1.01, 1.02, 1.03

English Language Arts –2.07, 4.06,

Healthful Living –1.03, 1.04

Math –2.01

Getting Started / Procedure

1. Have students compare the basic needs of plants, animals and humans and how one might help the other. Discuss what lives in the soil and how each of those things may help or hurt the plants that grow there. Read Wiggling Worms at Work by Wendy Pfiffer, or another book that addresses the role of worms in the soil.
2. Talk to students about “observations” and have students think of reasons why you might observe something. Students will observe worms to learn about how they look, feel, smell, and move. Use this as a chance to introduce the lifecycle of a worm how they help breakdown decaying materials and aerate soil.
3. Each child should have at least one worm that they can observe - they should record descriptive words in their science notebooks. Give students rulers to try to measure their worm with.
4. If time allows have students create a story about the life of a worm.

Extensions:

• Worm books.
• Start a worm bin and have students observe worms over time.
• Make a worm pie – all the things that worms may like to eat, and put it in a worm bin or in the garden.
• Change the words of a song to tell the story of worms.