By: Patrick Troyer, Paulding SWCD
Recently, students at Antwerp Elementary turned to the worms and learned all about vermicomposting and got to see how it all works. The first question that you like many of the students had was what vermicomposting even means. How does it work? Is there a lot of work involved? Why would anyone want to do it? These questions and many more were answered for the students as part of this program.
The term vermicomposting comes from “vermin” which is the Latin name for worms and then it is combined with composting to get vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is the art of allowing worms to take organic material (fruits, vegetables, leaves, grass, etc.) and turn it into a nutrient rich natural fertilizer that we all can use in our home gardens. The Paulding Soil & Water Conservation District has two worm bins that can be brought in for presentations. Vermicomposting uses worms to help break down these organic materials recycle the nutrients from them to create a valuable fertilizer than can be used on our plants and in your gardens. This practice involves the use of red worms as they are the most productive when it comes to compost production.
Students then learned about some of the characteristics of red worms which are the type of worms used in the compost bin. Red worms thrive best in the first several inches of the topsoil directly beneath decaying organic material. The first question that students were asked was if worms can breathe in and out like we do to get their oxygen. Worms take in oxygen through their skin by soaking up water through the soil! Do worms have eyes? Worms also do not have eyes but utilize sensors on the side of their heads that allow them to detect between light and dark. That was a hotly debated question with the students with a 50/50 split of those saying yes and those saying no. Red worms do not like light and have an instinct to dig into the soil to get away from the light.
A big focus of the 1st grade level is the four essential needs of living organism. Students were questioned on the four essential things which all living things need to survive which are: food, water, shelter, and space. Red worms used in composting are rather picky eaters on what they like. Worms are also living organisms and require the same needs, but organisms will differ based on how they get those needs and how they are provided. Students learned that worms in the compost bin like to eat vegetable waste such as carrots, lettuce, beans or peas along with non-citrus fruits such as apples, grapes, bananas, plums, peaches, and pumpkin.
Composting worms also like to eat crushed egg shells, coffee grounds, tree leaves, and grass clippings. This was a big shock to many of the students as they never would have given it a thought that worms would eat such items! They all like to eat eggs for breakfast and their parents drink coffee, creating plenty of food to provide for the worms! Among the items that composting worms are unable to digest include citrus fruit, meat, dairy, and cooking oil because these materials have chemicals on them call preservatives that give off an odor that the worms do not like.
Once worms digest their food, they need to get rid of their waste and release castings or their poop which is the compost that is received from the worms. It is very high in nutrients and very beneficial for gardens and plants. Students also learned that worms need to stay moist in order to take in oxygen but that too much water in their environment can drown them. Red worms also like to live in colonies and will often congregate around a food source. There can be as many as 1,000 worms in a pound!
Students then received instruction on how they too can have a worm composting bin. All that is needed is two storage totes (12-15 gallon), 4 wooden blocks (4 inches high), soil, shredded paper for bedding, and of course some red worms. Then everyone learned the song “Nobody Likes Me, Guess I’ll Go Eat Worms” song and watched a video called “Herman the Worm” to review everything covered about the worms. After learning about vermicomposting, students had the chance to observe and handle red worms that are actively turning our food waste into fertilizer.
Each student received their very own worm to handle and were given the task of writing a “Worm Biography” where they gave their worm a name, its color, length, and a few things that their worm likes to eat as mentioned in the presentation. The creativity of the students was quite impressive! Everyone had the chance to share their story in front of the class and show what they learned about their worm friend! After the biographies were written, students embarked on a “Worm Relay” where they became birds and were given the task of transporting as many worms (pipe cleaners) into their bird nests (2-liter bottle) using their beaks (clothes pin) in one minute as they possibly could. Two students competed at a time to see who could get the most worms in their nest.
Does this program sound like something that would interest your school group, nature enthusiast group, or other public group? If you would like the “Vermicomposting” presentation for your classroom, group, or organization, contact Patrick Troyer at the Paulding SWCD at 419-399-4771 or patrick.troyer@pauldingswcd.org! We would love to come and share this great information with your group!
