Take one carton of worms per classroom. Two students per one worm The worms are in the refrigerator in the workroom. Keep worms refrigerated if stored at home. Transport worms in provided cooler bag OBJECTIVES Worms to the Wise To Learn: Why Earthworms are important in the garden Earthworm body parts and their functions How to handle Earthworms in a safe manner PPT 2 * If the ppt is not working, use the Objectives poster from the bag. Explain objective. Tell the students you will check they have learned the objectives after the presentation. Read the story book Wonderful Worms Ppt 3 Read Wonderful Worms - copy in Kit Kdg to 2 nd Grade Students MAY be seated on the floor or remain at desks and you can read the book from the book or from the ppt. 3 rd to 5 th Grade NO PPT *You may read the book Wiggling Worms - copy is in the kit Why are worms important? Nature s Plows / Gardener s Friend Dig tunnels to - air the soil, - passages for water - passages for roots Fertilize soil/castings Loosen soil Eat decaying matter Ppt 19 Ensure the students understand that earthworms are NATURE S PLOW/nature s shovels. They create tunnels in the soil by burrowing and swallowing the soil. Roots and water travel easily along these tunnels. Tunnels aerate and loosen the soil. Earthworms eat decaying/organic matter in the soil. Eg. leaves, fruit or vegetables. Earthworm castings (poop) is excellent fertilizer/nutrients for the soil. August 2015 Page 1 of 7
Where do Earthworms live? Underground in the top 18 inches of Soil. In the darkness. PPT 20 Earthworms only live in about the top 18 of the soil and like to be in the dark. They may live a little deeper in the winter when the soil is cold. They live in moist soil and where there is dead plant material to eat. What do worms eat? Organic Matter remains of plants and animals. Help to decompose matter. Produce fertile Castings Earthworm Enemies Ppt 21 Earthworms eat ORGANIC MATTER (remains of plants and animals) They help to break down/decompose matter. Earthworms swallow soil when they burrow. The soil and organic matter pass out the body - called CASTINGS/poop. This manure is left along the tunnels as the worm moves. Roots of young plants can easily feed of the moist nutrients in the castings. Because of this burrowing worms turn over the soil - NATURE S PLOWS Ppt 22 Earthworms do have enemies. Birds, moles and fishermen are enemies. BUT WHO ARE THEIR BIGGEST ENEMIES? August 2015 Page 2 of 7
Earthworms BIGGEST ENEMY People spraying Insecticides/Chemicals Ppt 23 WE ARE THEIR BIGGEST ENEMIES - by spraying insecticide (chemicals) on to the land. As the earthworms live close to the surface the chemicals soak into the soil, killing the earthworms. There can be over one million earthworms in one acre of land. One acre is about the size of a football field without the end zones! Different Kinds of Worms Round worms, Flat worms & Ribbon Worms Colored worms Ppt 24 There are over 12,000 different kinds of worms - round worms, ribbon worms, flat worms and segmented worms. And there are many colors too. There are insects that are called worms, such as apple worms, inchworms, tomato worms etc. They are not really worms as they all have little legs and are caterpillars. Smallest Size of Earthworms Largest Ppt 25 *Use the 9ft string in the kit to demonstrate 9ft in length. Common earthworms can grow to be ½ inch long or 6 inches long. THE GIANT AUSTRALIAN EARTHWORM is a segmented worm that grows to be over 9 feet long and weigh as much as 1.5 pounds. You can hear gurgling sounds coming from the ground as they move through the soil, processing about 1/2 to 1 times their body weight in dead organic material per day. August 2015 Page 3 of 7
Examine Canadian Giant Nightcrawler Ppt 26 * Diagram is in the kit Let us study a GIANT CANADIAN NIGHTCRAWLER. Note the SEGMENTS - ring-like ridges along the body. The flatter end is the tail. The round pointed head end with the CLITELLUM (only in adults) closest to the head. Anatomy Canadian Giant Nightcrawler Ppt 27 * Picture is in the kit Study the anatomy of a Nightcrawler. It has a CLITELLUM - band aid/ rubber band closest to its head, indicates the worm is an adult. It has a SIMPLE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM, with 5 HEARTS pumping blood along a ventral and dorsal vessel along its body. It has a small central brain with a simple nervous system. They feel vibrations as you run over the ground. How do Earthworms move? Wiggling their way through soft soil. Swallowing soil when soil is packed hard. Using Setae along their body. Ppt 28 *May demonstrate this with the slinky found in the kit. Earthworms move by stretching and shrinking - they have two sets of muscles - circular and longitudinal. It is easy for them to move through soft moist soil. They swallow the soil when it is hard and compacted, making a tunnel to move along. They use SETAE to grip and help them move. August 2015 Page 4 of 7
How does and Earthworm move? Ppt 29 *Picture is in the kit Earthworms need to grip as they move along. The have two rows of SETAE along the underneath of their body. These are microscopic bristles that help anchor and control the worm when moving through soil. The bristles hold a section of the worm firmly into the ground while the other part of the body protrudes forward. Earthworms feel the vibrations of the earth above them as we run over the ground. Mouth of an Earthworm Prostomium Ppt 30 *Picture is in the kit The first segment of the earthworm is its mouth. It has a flap of skin over the mouth called a PROSTOMIUM. This is where the earthworms taste buds are positioned Why is an Earthworm Moist? Ppt 31 Earthworms do not have lungs. They breathe through their skin. They absorb oxygen through their moist skin straight into the bloodstream. If the earthworm is in too much water (after rain) they burrow to the surface. Their skin is very sensitive to the sunlight and they prefer to be underground in the dark. When we see dead earthworms on the sidewalk after rains - it may be their skin has dried and the sun has scorched them. August 2015 Page 5 of 7
Equipment to examine the Earthworm Ppt 32 * All items are found in the kit. A copy of Worm Song is in the kit. Describe the set of equipment to examine the earthworm. (One set between two students.) A plastic dish with a little water, craft stick, hand lens, paper towel and laminated ruler. Do not pass out flashlight at this point, wait till there is less excitement! You may sing the Worm Song. Lollipop Lens Ppt 33 * Lollipop Lens in kit Explain use of lollipop lens. Instruction is in notebook and kit. Examine an Earthworm BE GENTLE WITH THE EARTHWORM Feel the worm s SETAE Does the worm have a CLITELLUM? Does the worm like the LIGHT? Why is the worm s skin moist? Measure how long the worm can stretch. Measure how short the worm can be. Look for the worm s intestine Ppt 34 Place worm in petri dish. Squirt the worms with water to remove soil - worm bath! And explain what they have to look for. When you have the students attention, hand out flashlight and demonstrate holding the flashlight UNDER the dish to look at worms intestines. And shine the light on the worms head with the black paper covering the remaining part of the body - shows worm retreats to dark. August 2015 Page 6 of 7
Worm Watching Do you see the swollen band, called the CLITELLUM on the worm? Is the clitellum closer to the head end (anterior) or to the tail end (posterior)? Do you see the worm s mouth? How long is your worm? And when it contracts and when it extends? GENTLY pull the worm backwards between your fingers. Can you fell the SETAE? Does the worm feel slimy? Place the black paper over the worm expect its head and shine the flashlight on its head. Does it move to the dark? Shine the flash light through the bottom of the dish. Can you see the intestines? Ppt 35 *Worm Watching Guide in the kit Data sheet of Worm Watching to allow 3 rd to 5 th Grade students to record information. CLEAN UP - worms to container, materials to kit, have students wipe out the dish with paper towels. OBJECTIVES Worms to the Wise DID WE LEARN: Why Earthworms are important in the garden Earthworm body parts and their functions How to handle Earthworms in a safe manner Ppt 36 Review objectives Ppt 37 Tell the students they will get a certificate with Master Gardeners information. Thank you for being such great students. Be sure to collect all materials, the thumbdrive and evaluations from the teacher. Complete MG evaluation forms with your assistant. RETURN KIT CLEAN AND DRY to the office. Worms may be put in the compost bins at the office or taken to your garden. DO NOT RETURN TO REFRIGERATOR. August 2015 Page 7 of 7