Soil and Worm Composting

Resources Needed

• An internet connected computer, a printer, pencil, paper or notebook, magnifying glass, and your imagination. 

• You may want to have your own compost bag (see materials and directions below) with worms to study.

• Other materials will be needed if you want to create your own compost bin at home with your family.

Activity 1: The anatomy of a worm.

Just like we have names for the different parts of our body so does a worm. 

• Draw a worm in your notebook and label all the parts you know. For example where is the worm's head. 

• After you draw your picture and include the parts click here to explore the parts of a worm's body with Herman.

• Eddie the Earthworm can show you his parts, too. 

• Make another drawing below your first one and label it according to what you just learned.

• Click here to play a game to see what you know.

Activity 7: Make your own compost bag to study.

         Collect your materials 

• a medium sized Ziploc style bag

• a hole punch

• 1 cup of damp soil (you can take it out of your home flowerbed) 

• some food that a worm would like (see Worm Deli for ideas)

• 3-5 worms (you can get them from your flowerbed or buy them at a bait store with mom or dad's help)

Observe your materials

• Use your magnifying glass to look at your soil. 

• Draw a picture and color it to show what you see right now.

• Do the same thing with your worm food.

• How does the soil feel? Record your ideas in your notebook.

Assemble your compost bag

• punch 4-6 holes in the top half of your Ziploc (near the zipper)

• fill the bottom of the bag with the damp soil

• add worm food

• carefully transfer worms into your compost bag

• close zipper on bag carefully

Maintain your compost bag

• Keep the soil moist (not wet) with aged water (water you let sit out in an open container overnight from the faucet to get rid of the chlorine).

• Store your bag in a cool, dark place.

Observe your worms at work

• Watch the worm food in your bag and write in your notebook about what is happening. 

• Include drawings as well as writing about what you are seeing. 

• After 3-4 weeks you will notice major changes in the worm food.

• Remove some of the soil and look at it with a magnifying glass. Record what you notice.

• Compare your drawings now to the ones you made a the beginning of your study.

• Write about what you notice.

• How does the soil feel now? Record your ideas in your notebook.

Activity 9: Congratulations! You're a certified wormologist! Click on Herman to print out your certificate