Earthworm hotel
It’s checking in time at the earthworm hotel. There are 4 available rooms – which will your wriggly guests decide to stop in?
You will need
- 1 x Shallow Gratnells (F1) tray with lid – or more if working in groups
- Gratnells 4 section insert
- Plastic or paper disk, approx. 7cm in diameter
- Soil plus 3 other substrates (e.g play sand, stones, rotting leaves, fresh leaves, bark chipping, etc.)
- Trowels and pots for collecting worms
- Hand lenses
- Sieve and bucket
What to do
- Start by preparing the ‘rooms’. Fill each section of the insert with a different substrate, one of which should be soil. The substrate should be level with the top of the insert. Give each room a few sprays of water.
- Add your disk to the centre of the tray. This will be your hotel reception.
- Discuss what might happen when the worms are introduced.
- Now collect the worms. Worms should be moved with care to avoid injuring them. Aim to collect at least 6 worms for each tray.
- Take a few minutes to observe the worms using hand lenses. Which end is the front? What other features can be seen? How do they move?
- To introduce the worms to the hotel, place them on the disc in the centre of your tray.
- Cover the tray with the lid and leave for 30 minutes away from direct sunlight.
- Times up! Open the lid and have a look. Are any of the worms visible? Carefully search for the worms, one room at a time. A sieve may be useful if you are using sand. As each worm is located, record where it was and gently remove it. The results can be used to see if there was a preferred substrate.
- Discuss the findings. Did each group have similar results?
- Following this investigation, the worms should be carefully placed back in the habitat they came from.
At the end of this activity, pupils should be able to
- Identify which substrate worms prefer to live in and give reasons for their decision.
Curriculum Links
Key Stage 1 – Working Scientifically
- Setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests
- Recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts and tables
- Using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.
Living Things and their Habitats
- Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants.
Health and Safety
As with all Gratnells Learning Rooms What’s In My Tray Activities. You should carry out your own risk assessment prior to undertaking any of the activities or demonstrations.