Worms to the Wise
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
• To Learn:
OBJECTIVES
Worms to the Wise
• Why Earthworms are important in the
garden
• Earthworm body parts and their
functions
• How to handle Earthworms in a safe
manner
Read the story book
“Wonderful Worms”
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
August 2015
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.
Ppt 3 Read “Wonderful Worms” - copy
in Kit
Kdg to 2nd 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.
3rd to 5th Grade NO PPT *You may read
the book “Wiggling Worms”- copy is in
the kit”
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.
Page 1 of 7
Worms to the Wise
Where do Earthworms live?
Underground in the top 18 inches of Soil.
In the darkness.
What do worms eat?
• Organic Matter – remains of plants and
animals. Help to decompose matter.
• Produce fertile “Castings”
Earthworm Enemies
August 2015
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.
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?
Page 2 of 7
Worms to the Wise
Earthworms BIGGEST ENEMY
• People spraying Insecticides/Chemicals
Different Kinds of Worms
• Round worms, Flat worms & Ribbon Worms
• Colored worms
Size of Earthworms
• Smallest
August 2015
• Largest
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!
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.
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.
Page 3 of 7
Worms to the Wise
Examine
Canadian Giant Nightcrawler
Anatomy
Canadian Giant Nightcrawler
How do Earthworms move?
• Wiggling their way through soft soil.
• Swallowing soil when soil is packed hard.
• Using Setae along their body.
August 2015
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.
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.
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.
Page 4 of 7
Worms to the Wise
How does and Earthworm move?
Mouth of an Earthworm
Prostomium
Why is an Earthworm Moist?
August 2015
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.
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
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.
Page 5 of 7
Worms to the Wise
Equipment to examine the
Earthworm
Lollipop Lens
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
August 2015
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.
Ppt 33 * Lollipop Lens in kit
Explain use of lollipop lens. Instruction
is in notebook and kit.
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.
Page 6 of 7
Worms to the Wise
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
3rd to 5th 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
Ppt 36
Review objectives
• 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 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