Everyone LOVES Earthworms!

We know that many scientists like to observe plants and animals in their natural habitat. Unfortunately, we can't see what is happening underground ... or, can we?

Try This!

Use these 3 steps to build your worm bin:

Gather the materials listed in the materials list.
Place a layer of pebbles in the bottom of the jar.
Begin filling the jar with soil. Stop when the layer of soil is 4 or 5 inches deep.

Your earthworm habitat is almost ready. Now it's time to find and add the earthworms!

One way to find earthworms is to look for castings. Castings look like small pellets. Some people say they look like small bunches of grapes.

Gather these Materials:

large glass
jar
black construction paper or cloth
small shovel
(something to dig with)
small pebbles
moist soil
table scraps (fruit peelings, coffee grounds, pizza crusts, etc.)
magnifying glass
journal (printed from this page)

When you find a place where earthworms live, carefully dig until you find a worm or two. Then, take a minute to observe the earthworms in their habitat?

Can you find their mouths?
How long are they there?
What food source are they using?
What is in their environment?

This would be a great time to make a sketch of an earthworm. You can label it later. You will also want to write down other questions you have about earthworms so you will remember to find the answers!

Now it's time to add the earthworms to your jar. Carefully put the earthworms on top of the soil. In time, they will burrow their way through the soil.

Next, place some table scraps on top and add another thin layer of soil. You will know when to stop adding soil when it is thick enough to cover all of the scraps.

Wrap the jar with black paper or cover it with a black cloth (including the top). Make sure that you allow your earthworms a way to get air! Keep the soil and scraps moist. When you see that the earthworms have recycled the scraps ... add more!

Observe the earthworms for a couple of weeks. Keep track of how much you feed them, their burrowing patterns, and any other habits that you see.

When you have finished your observations, return the earthworms to where they were found and clean out the jar.

Wait! You aren't finished yet! Look at all of the information you wrote down and all of the sketches you made. Write a short summary of what you observed and learned. Research the answers to any questions you have. Then, share what you have learned with a friend!

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