Wonder Worm!

True, worms do not possess the powers of superhuman strength, indestructible bracelets, or star-spangled underwear. 

By all outward appearances, worms are meek and unassuming--sedate, even.  It is only in the classroom that their superpowers are revealed. 

Why wait for Superman when there's . . .
Wonder Worm!  Able to cultivate curiosity (and wonder) in a single lesson!  They're engaging.  They're exciting.  And they're noisy.  (Well, children with worms are noisy.)





We began this lesson with a short story about worms from More Everyday Science Mysteries.  The children then brainstormed a list of what we already "know" about worms:

"Worms are underground and slimy and the dirt gets on them and they blend in and hide from animals that want to eat them."
"They eat dirt."
"They're good for fishing."

"They poop out soil."

"They have protein in them. You can eat them."  ("How can you eat worms?"  Another child, "They're just like spaghetti!")
"They live in the dirt so they won't dry up."
"They come out when it's raining so they don't dry up."

"They die in water because they can't breathe."

"They eat the same thing they poop."
"Birds eat worms."

"Worms don't like light."

Next, we briefly reviewed what scientists do:
"They look carefully." "They observe."

"They use tools."  When prompted to think of some, the children suggested magnifying lens, microscope, measuring tape, graduated cylinder, beaker, balance, gloves, goggles, and apron (along with rugs on which paleontologist diggers lie and trowels).

"They measure stuff."

"They record."

"They draw pictures."

"They find stuff."  "They collect stuff."

"They think about things."

"They do experiments."

"They ask questions."
"They make a hypothesis--what they think will happen about the question."

"They dissect.  They take things apart."

Finally, I asked the children, "How could we find out more about worms?"

"We could look on the internet."

"We could look in a book."

"We could get some real worms and look at them."

It was then that I revealed Wonder Worm in all its super-science glory.  "Well, it just so happens that I have some real worms today for you to look at.  You are going to act as scientists and observe them."

Smiles and squeals of excitement.

"Oh! Yes!" 

"Cool!"

"Do we each get our own worm?"

I think I know how Oprah felt when she distributed extravagant give-aways on her "Favorite Things" episodes.  "You get a worm!  And you get a worm!  And you get a worm!  Everybody gets a worm!"


There's a Book for That!
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
Wiggling Worms at Work by Wendy Pfeffer
Dirt by Steve "The Dirtmeister" Tomecek
Kids Discover: Soil