This is a fun, educational and inexpensive project that demonstrates how earthworms move about in the soil. Earthworms are very helpful in gardens because they move about and all air and water to reach all parts of the soil, which is beneficial to plant roots.
Materials for the project:
* Large glass jar with a lid
* Hammer and nail
* Soil
* Sand
* Oatmeal
* 2 or 3 earthworms
* Black construction paper
Directions:
1. Add some water to the dry soil and sand, just enough to make them moist.
2. Pour about 1 inch of soil into jar. Sprinkle on a teaspoon of oatmeal. Cover with about an inch of sand. Repeat layers until you are within about 2 inches of the top of the jar.
3. Poke a few holes in the lid of the jar.
4. Place worms in jar and secure lid.
5. Wrap construction paper around jar to provide a dark environment for worms. Place in dark place, out of direct sunlight.
6. In a week or so, remove the paper and check out what the worms have been up to! They should have made tunnels through the sand and soil, looking for the food (oatmeal)... just like worms do in our garden soil, mixing and airating.
Maintenance:
* Every week, add a little water to the jar to keep it moist.
* Every six weeks, add a teaspoon of oatmeal for food.
* When the kids are done enjoying the farm, simply dump out in your garden and allow the worms to aerate your soil.
