Celebrate spring with composting in this hands-on garden activity that brings reading, writing, and science curricula together for elementary school students.
Gardening is one of the few subjects that can make students enjoy mud nearly as much as the flowers. Help students to understand how soil is created and recycled by creating a worm composting habitat.
Materials: One or more large terrariums, plain potting soil, food scraps (fruit and vegetable peelings, breads, beans, etc.; although worms can eat animal products, the resulting smell would be a problem), night crawlers (get these at a feed store or bait shop), plastic gloves, aprons to protect clothing, rubber cement glue, enough black construction paper to cover the outside of the terrarium, several desk lamps
Content Areas: Natural Science, Reading, Writing,
Activities:
- Read Linda Glaser’s books, Wonderful Worms and Compost! Growing Gardens from Your Garbage to the class.
- Follow the reading with a class discussion. What is recycling? Why do you think that worms sometimes considered to be nature’s recyclers? Make sure that students understand that a worm can turn almost any plant or animal material into new, rich soil that makes great plant food! Kids will enjoy the idea that “worm poop” makes good plant food! (Key vocabulary words: habitat, recycling, soil)
- Have students don aprons and plastic gloves.
- As a class or in small groups with adult supervision have students alternate several layers of soil with thin layers of food scraps, grass clippings, or dead leaves.
- Lightly water the soil.
- Next have students take turns putting worms into the terrarium(s) and watch as the worms bury themselves into the dirt.
- Have students individually record what they see in the terrarium by writing or drawing in a science journal.
- Finally, spread rubber cement glue around the edge of the terrarium, and use it to stick the black construction paper around the sides. The dark paper will prevent light from inhibiting the worms from going to the area nearest the glass.
- Wait one week.
- Place the desk lights over the terrarium so that they shine on the top of the soil. This will encourage the worms to bury themselves deeper in the soil and, potentially, allow one or more of them to end up near the glass for viewing.
- After several minutes remove the black paper and have the students draw in their journals the changes that have taken place in the terrarium.
- Cover the terrarium again. Check back weekly for the duration of the gardening theme unit to allow students to record their observations.
For more multi-disciplinary gardening activities for elementary students, go to Cross-Curriculum Flower Activities.
