Worms consume and recycle organic material. In this article you will see how easy it is to set up and maintain your own indoor family or classroom worm bin. It’s engaging, educational, fun, and yes…creepy and crawly!

Your children will discover how to keep, feed and maintain worms while having numerous related science projects throughout the year.

Keeping a worm bin can strengthen children’s problem solving skills and scientific methodology practice. The end result of having an indoor worm bin is harvesting the worm castings…the greatest natural fertilizer.

Let’s get started.

ORGANIC MATTTER: Anything made of living or once-living animals or plants. This can include paper, cotton socks, hair clippings, eggshells, wooden rulers, dead animals, corn husks, and leaves. IDEA: Have your children go around room and label items as organic or inorganic. Discuss what things are made from and what makes it “organic”.

PEOPLE PRODUCE GARBAGE: Approximate 600 pounds of solid waste per year! An estimated 10%-20% is organic waste and can be recycled into a rich source of nutrients for plants and trees using vermi-composting (composting with worms!). IDEA: Chart how much garbage your household/classroom produces per day, week, and year. How much of that garbage is organic? Start weighing and keep track. What can your home/class do to recycle or cut down on waste?

WORMS EAT ORGANIC MATTER AND HELP PLANTS GROW:
Worms eat and digest organic matter, burrow through the soil, and leave behind castings (manure) – a super source of nutrients for plants and trees. This is a SLOW-release, organic fertilizer, that will not burn plants.

Within the gut of a worm, soil and decomposed organic material are mixed. The sand or soil in the worm’s gut helps break down the organic particles and is mixed together with microscopic bacteria, fungi, and mold. When the worm excretes the castings (manure) the microorganisms in the castings add to the health of the soil. They are all held together in a sheath that acts like a binder and dissolves slowly over time as food for plants. Cool.

SOME WORM FACTS:
No worm diseases are communicable to humans
Worms have no bones, eyes, arms or legs
Worms are hermaphroditic – having the reproductive parts of both the male and female.
In the wild, worms can consume up to their own weight in organic food every day.
Eisenia fetida –the preferred composting worm, known as the red worm, is top feeder staying less than 12 inches below the ground. Worms breathe through their skin.
Worms need a great deal of moisture but can’t swim.
Worms are nocturnal – and for a good reason. Direct sunlight can kill them in less than three minutes.
The first 1/3 of a worm’s body contains most of the vital organs – the rest 2/3 of a worm are the intestines.
Salt is harmful, even fatal to worms.
Worms can’t hear but they respond to vibration, light, and temperature.
Adult Red Worms have between 80-120 circular rings on its body.
Setae, little hair-like legs help the worm tunnel, move and grip onto objects. Satae is made from same thing as fingernails called chitin.
Worms have 5 hearts (more to love!)
Worms have a mouth but NO teeth. Repeat – NO TEETH!
The worm produces enzymes which act as both insecticide and antibiotic for the worm.
These are passed on to the plants as they absorb the worm castings. Worms and plants have a symbiotic relationship. DISCUSSION: What other animals have a symbiotic relationship?