Garden Lessons: Worms! (1st & 2nd Grade)

Grade(s): 2nd

Lesson Objective(s): Students will read about changes worms create in soil & see the changes that worms make in soil between a 2 weeks.

Ohio Curriculum Standard: Living things cause changes in it’s environment, Basic needs of living things

Supplies Needed

• Book: “Wiggling Worms at Work” by Wendy Pfeffer

• 6 shallow bins filled with worms & soil (at least 8 worms per bin)

• Chalkboard or whiteboard (teachers should have in classroom)

• Poster that reads “WORMS…” at top

• Hand lenses or magnifying glasses (25)

• Worm-friendly compost & shredded newspaper

• pieces of small cheese cloth

• 30 paper plates

• Spray bottle with fresh water

• Hand sanitizer

• Harmonica

Introduction (10 mins):

• Explain Topic: Worms. Write “Worms” on large sheet. Ask class the following questions, kids take turns raising hands:

  • What letter does the word “Worm” start with?

  • Has anyone ever played with worms before?

  • Where do we usually find worms?

  • If you’ve touched worms before, What do worms feel like?

  • Where do worms live?

  • Take answers & record these observations on the sheet (ex. Find in garden/grass, slimy, live underground)

  1. Read “Wiggling Worms At Work” Book

     • Pause to record more observations/things we’re learning about worms on the “WORMS” poster

     • Emphasize that we like worms in our garden because they eat our scraps & their worm castings” (worm poop) is really good for our soil.

  2. Review rules about touching worms

     • Worms are living things. How do we treat living things? How do we not treat living things?

     • All worms stay on tables, either in their worm box or on a paper plate. They don’t go on their ground, in pockets, on bodies, etc. We only touch worms with our hands. 

     • We don’t put worms in our mouths

     • We don’t throw, tear, rip, squeeze, or hurt the worms

     • Only allowed to touch/observe one worm at a time

Activity (15 mins)

• Students go to tables/stations. Volunteers can pass out 1 worm bin to each table/station & 1 plate & 1 hand lense to each student

• Can touch, feel, play, explore worms. 

  • Use hand lenses

  • As students make observations about the worms, write them on the “Worm” sheet

    • Ex. Worms are made up of different parts, all worms have a big chunky ring part in the middle, worms are soft

• After 5-10 minutes, worms & any soil goes back in their boxes. Students & volunteers clean up any tables. 

Wrap-up (5 Mins):

• End on Carpet

• Show students the two jars- one with worms, leaves, soil, + food scraps, one with only leaves, soil, + food scraps. Make predictions on “WORMS…” poster, what do you THINK will happen?

  • Ex. worms will eat the food scraps

  • Worms will create tunnels

Classroom Extensions:

Before or After: Read ANY book about worms, like “Diary of a worm.” The more comfortable students can get with the idea of worms, the better!