Learn

If you’ve ever tried to watch worms slithering around in their underground habitats, you know how difficult that can be. Here is an easy way to observe them looking for food and hard at work mixing the soil. Be sure to ask an adult to help you with this project.

• Glass jar, quart size or larger
• moist soil
• uncooked oatmeal
• teaspoon
• moist sand
• worms
• hammer
• large nail
• dark cloth

1. Put a 1-inch layer of moist soil into the jar.
2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of oatmeal on top of the soil.
3. Add a 1-inch layer of moist sand.
4. Repeat this process until there are only about 2 inches of open space left in the jar, with the last layer being soil.
5. Place about 20 worms in the jar.
6. With the help of an adult, punch holes in the jar lid with the hammer and nail. (Do not punch holes into the lid when it is on the jar!)
7. When the holes are completed, put the lid on the jar.
8. Cover the jar with the dark cloth.
9. Place the worm farm somewhere that is not in direct sunlight.
10. After a week, remove the dark cloth and see how the worms have mixed the soil and sand while searching for food.

To keep your worms healthy and happy

• Always keep them moist
• Be careful not to make the soil too wet or your worms will drown
• About every 6 weeks add a small amount of oatmeal for your worms to eat.