Setting Up an Earthworm Observatory

Here is an interesting and educational activity that your nature-loving kids will "dig" and one that may leave you squirming. You can teach your kids about how earthworms live and how they help people by digging in the dirt by setting up a worm observatory. It is not hard and requires very few items to get started.

First, you will need a few supplies. Gather up the following:

2 cups of dark soil

10 earthworms (see below for information on how to find earthworms)

1 quart sized wide mouth jar

Cheesecloth

Large bowl

1 sheet of black construction paper

old spoon or small shovel

1 tablespoons of old fashioned oats

rubber bands

sand

water

Earthworms are plentiful wherever the earth is dark and moist. They like to live in places were it is cool, dark and moist. If you want to find worms in your own backyard or neighborhood, those should be the first places you look. Before you start digging a bunch of holes in the ground, first carefully check under rocks, logs and dead vegetation. Chances are, you will find all you need there, especially after a good rain. Just remember to be careful when turning over rocks and logs. Wear gloves and turn them AWAY from you. If earthworms live there, you might also find a snake or two. If you do not have any luck there, you can also dig in soil that is cool and moist. Try the soil under a tree. Be careful when you dig and sift through the dirt. Put some of the soil in a bucket and place any worms you find in inside. You will also have an easy time finding earthworms after it rains. Look in your yard and in the street where water might be standing. If all else fails, you can always buy some live worms from a bait shop.

Now that you have found your earthworms, you are ready to make a place for them to live. First, you will want to prepare the soil. Pour the dark soil into the bowl and add water a little at a time until it is moist. You do not want to make mud, you just want the soil to be damp. Pour half of the moistened soil into the jar then add the sand and then the rest of the moistened soil. Add the oats on the top. This will give you three distinct layers in your jar.

Now, place your worms in the jar and cover with a small piece of cheesecloth. Use the rubber bands to secure the cloth to the jar. You then want to provide your earthworms with a dark environment. Wrap the black construction paper around the jar and secure with the rubber bands. Place the jar in a cool place and then you can begin your observations.

It is always interesting to see what the worms do each day. Each day for one week, remove the paper and observe your worms. Make sure you replace the paper each time you observe.

Over the week, you will find that your worms have burrowed into the soil leaving tunnels. You will also see that when you started, you had three layers of soil. Now the soil is mixed. That is because the earthworms loosen the soil as it moves. Make sure that you release your earthworms when your experiment is over in a cool, moist location.

Why earthworms? Earthworms are very interesting creatures and your child can learn a lot by watching this little critters. When the earthworms tunnel in the soil, they help circulate and aerate the earth. In fact, many gardeners love to add earthworms to their garden. In addition, the earthworms eat the vegetation and this is key in composting. They help break down bacteria in compost piles. A large population of earthworms can also help fertilize the garden and can actually help control the weeds.

There are great benefits of earthworms, so the next time you are looking for a fun activity with your child, consider making an earthworm observatory.