Lesson 6: Let’s Build an Earthworm House

 Preparation

Equipment

• Newspaper
• Gardening gloves
• Large containers
• Compost
• Watering can
• Kitchen scraps
• Composting worms

 Lesson Plan

Tuning In

• Students watch and listen to the What’s the Deal With Worm Farming? video on YouTube. At the end of the video, ask the students:
  • What rooms do earthworms need in their house?
  • What do earthworms need to feel happy?
  • Why do earthworms need shelter?
• Explain to the students that there are many different types of earthworms. Reinforce that composting worms help to fill the soil with goodness by chewing up old scraps of fruit and vegetables and making them small enough so that plants can use them to grow.

Teacher Instruction

• Remind the students of what is needed by all living things to survive (air, shelter, food and water). Explain to the students that living things choose a place to live that meets these needs.
• As a class, brainstorm and record the particular needs of earthworms. This list might include:
  • air
  • food
  • water (moisture)
  • darkness
  • a cool temperature.
• Project the How to Build an Earthworm House Project teaching resource on the board and read through the instructions as a class. Show the students the materials and equipment needed. Reinforce the concept of creating a home with different levels and explain how the earthworms can use the holes to move between the levels.

Guided/Independent Learning

• Split the class into two groups and set up two activity stations. Explain to the students that they will take part in both activities, swapping places after ten minutes.
• Activity Station 1 – Ask the students to draw and label a picture of an earthworm farm in their workbooks or science journals. Encourage them to include the different levels, as well as any other additional details that demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of earthworms and their needs.
• Activity Station 2- Ask the students to observe and participate in the construction of an earthworm house. (Note: These can be sourced from your local gardening supplies store.)
• Monitor and support the students as they complete the activities. After ten minutes, swap the groups over so that they can participate in both activities.

Wrapping Up

• Encourage the students to evaluate whether the earthworm house that has been constructed meets the needs of an earthworm. Use the list of earthworm needs created earlier in the lesson to assist in making this decision.

 Differentiation

Extending Students

• Encourage more capable students to add greater detail and additional labels to their drawings of an earthworm house.

Supporting Students

• Allow less confident students to seek assistance from a more capable peer when drawing their earthworm house.

 Assessment Strategies

Suggested Assessment Strategies

• used strategic whole class or individual questioning
• observed student participation during learning activities
• recorded student progress on a checklist
• annotated student work samples
• collected and reviewed student work samples
• facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
• encouraged student self-reflection
• administered formal assessment tasks.

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