1515

Vermicomposting Classroom Activities

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Vermicomposting ProjectActivities

BrainstormingA. Student groups brainstorm "What

is vermicomposting?" Record ideasof each group for sharing.

After sharing, provide definition sostudents can compare with theirideas. (Vermicomposting is asystem that uses redworms toprocess/eat kitchen waste,resulting in worm castings that arerich in nutrients and can be usedas fertilizer for plants).

B. Student groups brainstormquestions they have about vermi-composting. Have the groupsshare and list the most commonquestions. Assign each group toresearch assigned questions fromthe list and share with the class.

PreparationA. Assign roles to students such as

planners, bedding collectors,bedding preparers, feeders, wormkeepers, etc.

B. Students draw a diagram of theworm bin from an overhead view.Students divide bin into sectionsand number the sections. Studentsuse this diagram for placing foodwaste in different sections of thebin. This will enable students tokeep track of where and when thefood waste is placed.

C. Provide an overview of tasks to becompleted in building andmaintaining the worm bin.

ResearchA. Give pairs of students materials

that an earthworm processes toproduce worm castings (soil, sand,newspaper in very small amounts,and grass clippings). Have themexperiment with these materials tosee if they can produce somethingsimilar to castings. Have studentsshare the results of their experi-ments.

B. Assign teams to think about andthen draw an illustration of thevermicomposting cycle (building abin, preparing the bedding, addingthe worms, adding the food waste,harvesting the castings, fertilizingthe garden, growing vegetables,eating the vegetables, feedingvegetable waste to the worms).Assign students to think about thecycle and identify additional possi-bilities for expanding the cycle(e.g., rabbits in cages above theworm bins being fed lettucegrown from castings, rabbitdroppings and lettuce waste feedearthworms).

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RecordkeepingA. Discuss with students how to use

a thermometer. Have studentspractice recording temperatures.Assign students to record temper-atures in worm bin, maintain a logof temperatures. Have studentsgraph temperatures over a periodof time.

B. Have students measure andrecord amount and types of foodgiven to the worms. Have studentsgraph amounts of food over aperiod of time. Ask students toidentify foods that are easy/hardto vermicompost based on theirobservations.

ObservationA. Assign pairs of students to observe

the activity of the worms whenfood waste is buried. Studentsrecord their observations in theirjournals and share with otherstudents in their group.

B. Pairs of students collect a smallsample of composted materialfrom the worm bin to observeunder a magnifying lens. Studentsrecord their observations in theirjournals and share with otherstudents.

AssessmentA. Have students discuss these

questions with a partner and thenshare their ideas with the class."What does "closing the loop"mean to you?" "How do wormsclose the loop?" "Why are wormsimportant?"

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Warming Up To WormsPlace your worm on a damp paper towel where you can observe it.

1. What color is the worm?

2. What shape is a worm? Describe it.

3. How does the worm’s skin feel?

4. Is there a difference between the top side and bottom side of a worm?(Turn the worm over.) Describe what each side is like.

5. Can you tell which is the front end of a worm and which is the back end?How do you know?

Name _____________________________

Adapted from AIMS Education Foundation, Critters, 1992.

Set Up Record Sheet

Date set up __________________________________________

Initial weight of worms ________________________________

Type of bedding ______________________________________

Size of bin ____________________________________________

Classroom size ________________________________________

Garbage burying locations: Label the worm bin so you can keep track of where and when you are feeding the worms.

Harvest ResultsDate harvested________________ No. of days total ________

Worm weight__________________________________________

Calculate the following from the Feeding Record Sheet:Total weight buried garbage ____________________________

Weight uneaten garbage________________________________

Average oz. buried per day______________________________

Average temp._____________ Temp. range ________________

Feeding Record SheetDate # oz. food Total # oz. Temp. Water (# pints) Burying location # Type of food

to date

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Worm Population Count

We started on_____________________with approximately _______worms.(date)

On _______________________ there were _______ worms.(date)

1. Are there more or less? ________________________

2. Why do you think the number of worms changed?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3. What did you observe about the contents of the worm bin?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

4. What do you think the worms like to eat? Why?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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Adapted from The Reasons for Seasons, by Linda Allison. Yolla BollyPress/Little, Brown, and Co. Boston,1975.

Worm WalkWhen a worm wants to move forward, its powerful musclescontract and it squeezes itself around the middle (sort oflike when you squeeze a tube of toothpaste). The worm’sfront gets long and thin and burrows ahead. Then anotherset of muscles squeezes and makes the worm fat. It pushesits setae (bristles) down and grips the burrow while the rearsection catches up with the front section.

Worms can force their way through soft earth; they must eattheir way through harder soil. Eaten earth passes throughtheir intestines and is deposited on the ground’s surface ascastings.

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Red Worm ObservationDraw a picture of a red worm. Can you label the parts? (head, tail, mouth, segments, band)

Draw lines pointing to the parts and write the names on the lines.

Write three observations about the worm.

1. ________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________

Name _____________________________

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Collector Name _____________________________

Recorder Name _____________________________

Reporter Name _____________________________

What Does Your Worm Prefer?

1. Light or dark?____________________________________________________

2. Wet or dry?______________________________________________________

3. On top of soil or underground? ____________________________________

Developed by Betsy Weiss

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Lab ActivitiesThe following lab activities provide anengaging opportunity for students tolearn about the important role wormsplay in nature. The primary goal of theactivities is for students to perform theexperiments and draw their own conclu-sions. As an extension, you may want tohave students design their own experi-ments using the scientific method—posing an idea, forming a hypothesis,constructing an experiment, analyzingresults, and presenting conclusions.

To address the negative attitudes towardsworms, present the lab activities as anopportunity to learn more about acreature that is vital to recycling nutrientsin the soil and helping us to grow nutri-tious food. You may want to pair squea-mish students with others who are lessconcerned about working with theworms.

Tell students that while working with theworms they should keep them moist byplacing them on a moist paper towel orin a petri dish with water. Explain tostudents that the worms breathe throughtheir wet skin, and therefore must bekept moist.

Following the lab descriptions are samplestation cards. You might want to setthese labs up at stations and havestudents rotate through. Allow studentsample time to observe and record theirfindings for each lab activity.

1. Tell the students they are goingto observe the red worms living inthe compost bin. Ask, “What doyou know about redworms?”“What do they do?” “Where dothey live?” “What do they eat?” While many students are familiar withworms, most have not taken the oppor-tunity to observe them closely. Liststudents’ responses and refer back tothem as they learn more about theworms. Redworms (Eisenia foetida), alsocalled manure worms or red wigglers,are the type of worm used in wormcomposting systems because they arelitter dwellers requiring organic materialto live, they tolerate a wide range oftemperatures, and they do not requirelarge amounts of soil for burrowing.

Have students use a hand lens toobserve the worms. To find out which isthe front end, students should observehow the worm moves and which endleads the body. When the worm movesthe front (head) end usually goes first.Another distinguishing feature is theclitellum, the swelling or band which isusually distinguished by its lighter color,is nearer to the front end.

2. Are worms sensitive to light? Doworms have eyes? Darken the room and ask a student toshine a beam from a flashlight coveredwith red cellophane on a worm. Sinceworms, like many nocturnal animals, arenot sensitive to light from the red end ofthe spectrum, the worm will probablynot react to the light. When the cello-phane is removed, the worm will react tothe light by turning away. Have students

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repeat the experiment with a number ofworms and record their findings in theirLearning Journals. As a variation, set upthe experiment with the worm in a dishthat is partially covered so the worm hasa dark place to retreat to.

3. Do worms have favorite colors? To test a worm’s response to lights ofvarious colors, shine a flashlight througha prism so it casts a spectrum on a whitesheet. Place a worm in the spectrum. Theworm should crawl away from the bluelight and through the red. Remindstudents about the red cellophane onthe flashlight. Are the two responsesconsistent with each other? How do theyfit in with the environment in whichworms live?

4. Do worms like water? On a piece of paper place a drop ofwater. Place a worm near the water drop.The worm should crawl to the water.Students could also do the experiment ina box to block out the light.

5. When two worms are placed inthe same area, will they movetogether or stay apart? Place two worms in a container with acover to block out the light. The wormsshould move towards each other. Havestudents discuss reasons the wormsmight move towards each other. Possibleideas might include that the worms areseeking moisture or they are looking forcompanionship, etc.

6. What is the average length of aworm?Place a worm on a damp paper towel,straighten out the worm, and measure itwith a ruler. Have students measure anumber of worms and calculate theaverage length. Students should note theaccuracy of measurement shouldincrease by measuring a larger numberof worms versus only a few.

For younger students, have themmeasure “gummy” worms to gain experi-ence with measuring and recording data.Variables affecting the length of a worminclude how old it is, how well fed it isand if its body has enough moisture.

7. Does a worm move forwardsor backwards or both? Place a worm on a moist paper towel.Using something soft such as a paintbrush or leaf touch the end of the worm.The worm will move both forwards andbackwards. Worms move throughcontracting and relaxing their muscles inwaves, alternating between circular andlong muscles. Contraction of the circularmuscles forces the worm’s body forward.Then, the long muscles contract, drawingthe tail end of the worm towards theskinny front end. When the long musclescontract, the circular muscles relax,causing the worm to become thick. Tokeep from skidding during movement,tiny bristles called setae act as brakes tohold part of the worm’s body against thesurface. The worm moves forward andbackward in similar ways.

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8. Can a worm feel?Place a worm on a moist paper towel.Using a feather and then a leaf, touchthe worm and observe its reaction. Theworm will respond to touch. This experi-ment demonstrates that worms havesenses. Students may garner respect forthese creatures rather than squishingthem on the playground or tossing themin the air.

9. How do worms find food? This is a physical education activity. In alarge area set up a maze or obstacletrack. Explain to students they are nowredworms, therefore they have no eyes,legs or arms. They must make their waythrough the maze to get to their destina-tion or food source. At the conclusion ofthe activity have students discuss theirobservations.

Station #

Does a worm sense light?Do worms have eyes?

40

40

Station #

Do worms have favorite colors?

41

41

Station #

Does a worm like water?

42

42

Station #

What happens when twoworms are placed in

the same area?

Will they move together orstay apart?

43

43

Station #

What is the average lengthof a red worm?

44

44

Station #

Does a worm move forwards, backwards,

or both?

45

45

Station #

Can a worm feel?

46

46

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Humus Layer

Macrobes

Microbes

Fungi

Bacteria

Actinomycetes

LIFE

DEATH

DECAY

REBIRTH

Soil and Decomposition

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Fungi andBacteria

DescriptionStudents compare the growth of fungiand bacteria in different environments.

ObjectiveStudents observe growth of fungi (yeast)and the effect of bacteria as organicmatter is decomposed.

Grade2-6

TimeOne 30-minute period, one 15-minuteperiod and observation periods over twoweeks.

MaterialsTwo slices of bread for each group ofstudents

Two lemons or oranges for each group

Several bananas

A knife for you to cut the bananas

Six plastic bags for each group

Twist ties for each bag

One-half teaspoon of yeast for eachgroup

Cotton balls

Masking tape

Water

A warm dark place to store things fortwo weeks

A refrigerator or cool place to storethings for two weeks

Background InformationFungi and bacteria are essential to thedecay of plant material. Fungi andbacteria are decomposers working at themicroscopic level to help plants breakdown into their basic elements.

Moisture and darkness encourage rapidgrowth of fungi and some bacteria. Bothof these factors help fungi and bacteriathrive.

PreparationDecide on a warm, dark place for bags tobe kept during the experiment.

ProcedureDay One

1. Ask the students how they thinkplants decompose and what factorseffect decomposition. What conditionsdo they think are the best to helpplants decompose?

2. Explain that they are going to testhow environmental conditions effectdecomposition. Provide each groupwith six plastic bags and enough tiesto secure them, two slices of bread,two oranges or lemons, and twopieces of banana.

3. In each of the two bags have thestudents place a slice of bread. Oneslice should be wet but not soggy.

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Nothing should be done to the otherslice. Ask the students to seal bothbags with ties. Place the bag with themoistened slice in a dark warm placeand the other bag in the refrigerator,or a cool place.

4. In each of the other two bags, place apiece of banana. In one bag pour halfa teaspoon of yeast on the bananaand mark this bag with a “Y.” Placeboth of these bags in a warm, darkplace.

5. Rub the oranges or lemons on thefloor to pick up bacteria and let themsit out in the air for one day.

Day Two

6. Place each orange or lemon into abag. Add a cotton ball moistenedwith water to one of the bags. Tieboth bags closed. Place the bag withthe cotton ball in a warm, dark placeand the other bag in a cool spot.

7. Have the students hypothesize whatwill happen to each of the items.What will the yeast do? What affectwill temperature and light have?

During The Week8. Twice during the week have students

observe each bag and record theirobservations on the worksheet.

After One Week9. The bread and banana should be well

on their way to decomposing. Allowthe students to observe the structuresof mold and the decomposition ofthe bananas with a hand lens.Students can draw what they see ontheir worksheet, or on separatesheets of paper. What has the yeastdone to the banana? What role doesmoisture play?

Note: The oranges or lemons may take aweek or longer to turn into bluish-greenfuzz balls. If so, continue the experimentan extra week.

ExtensionBake yeast bread. The yeast are fungithat are alive. The fungi eat the honey ormolasses in the dough and give offcarbon dioxide as a by-product. Thecarbon dioxide gets trapped in the net ofgluten fibers and causes the dough torise.

Source: Alameda County Home CompostEducation Program, 7977 Capwell Drive,Oakland, CA 94621, (510) 635-6275

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Bread

Date Wet/Warm Dry/Cool

Fungi And BacteriaWorksheet

Oranges/Lemons

Date Wet/Warm Dry/Cool

Bananas

Date Wet/Warm Dry/Cool

Name ________________________

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Skin Deep

DescriptionStudents bury fruit cut into different sizepieces in either a worm compost or abackyard compost bin and recorddecomposition rates.

ObjectiveStudents will see that cutting up organicmaterial speeds decomposition bycreating more surface area for decom-posers to feed on. Students will see howskin acts as a protective covering to keepmicroorganisms out.

Grade 2-8

TimeOngoing project

Materials• Four whole fruits of the same type

(e.g., four apples, melons, ortomatoes)

• A cutting knife

• A compost system to bury the food in(if you do not have a compostsystem, food can be buried 10 inchesin fertile soil)

• Popsicle sticks

• Journals

Procedure1. Use one corner of your compost bin

to bury the food.

2. Prepare the four pieces of fruit: leaveone intact with the skin unbroken,puncture the skin of one with a knife,cut one in fourths, and chop the lastone into many small pieces.

3. Bury each of the fruits in the compostor the ground and mark with alabeled popsicle stick.

4. Dig up and check weekly.

5. Record the rate at which each fruit isdecomposing in relation to theamount of surface area available fordecomposers to feed off of.

6. Record where the decomposition hasstarted and what part of the fruit it isspreading to.

ExtensionGraph the relationship between thenumber of pieces the fruit was cut into,and how many weeks it took tocompletely decompose. Repeat theexperiment with another type of fruit andcompare results. Find examples in natureof the same materials decomposing at

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different rates due to differences insurface area.

DiscussionWhich would decompose faster, a 200-pound log or 200 pounds of small twigs?In what situations would it be reasonableto buy large expensive equipment anduse fossil fuels to chop organic materialsinto smaller pieces? What was the differ-ence between the fruit with the skinintact and the one with a puncture in theskin? How does skin act as a protectivecovering? When humans get a cut whyshould they clean it and cover it as soonas possible?

Source: Marin County Office of WasteManagement, 3501 Civic Center Drive,Room 403, San Rafael, CA 94903, (415) 499-6647

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Dirt for LunchDescriptionStudents track the food in their lunchesback to the earth.

ObjectiveTo illustrate that all our food comes fromthe earth and that healthy food dependson healthy soil.

Grade 2-6

TimeOne class period

Background InformationMany children do not understand that allof our food including animal productsand processed foods originates from theearth’s soil. Soil is made up of fivecomponents: sand, silt, clay, organicmaterial, and soil organisms. Differentsoil types have different proportions ofthese components. In general, soils highin organic material house large numbersof soil organisms and are very fertile. Soilorganisms are classified as decomposerssince they eat dead organic material.Organic material is anything composedof or derived from living organisms.There are many decomposers. Some wecan see like worms, sow bugs, andbeetles, but most, like bacteria and fungi,are too small for our eyes. A tablespoonof healthy soil can contain many billionsof bacteria and fungi.

MaterialsStudents’ lunches

Journals

Procedure1. In their journals, have students list

everything they are having for lunch.

2. Inform students that no matter whatthey have packed for lunch, ultimatelythey are eating dirt.

3. Challenge students to name a food intheir lunches that did not come fromdirt.

4. Help students figure out the ingredi-ents in different foods and, as a class,trace each food’s origin back to theearth.

5. Use a tuna fish sandwich for anexample.

The bread came from wheat grown inthe dirt.

Pickles are preserved cucumbers grownin the dirt.

Lettuce was grown in the dirt.

Mayonnaise came from eggs, that camefrom chickens, that ate grains grown inthe dirt.

Tuna living in the ocean eat smaller fishthat eat zooplankton that eat phyto-plankton, which need nutrients from thedecomposed bodies of dead plants andanimals accumulated on the ocean floorand brought to the surface by currents.

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Extension

Make posters and pins that say, “I EatDirt, Ask Me How.”

Source: Marin County Office of WasteManagement, 3501 Civic Center Drive,Room 403, San Rafael, CA 94903

(415) 499-6647

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Growing PlantsWith Compost

DescriptionAn experiment to observe how plantsgerminate and grow with varyingamounts of compost.

ObjectiveTo see if adding compost to the soil hasan effect on the sprouting of seeds andthe growth of plants.

Grade2-8

TimeOngoing project

Background InformationAdding compost to the soil can increasethe soil’s ability to hold water. Inaddition, compost can add nutrients tothe soil. This helps the plants in yourgarden to grow. On the other hand, it isdifficult for seeds to sprout in purecompost. In fact, sensitive seeds mayeven be killed by a fungus if you try tosprout them in compost. This problemoccurs most often when the organicmaterial is not completely broken down.

MaterialsFour flower pots or cups with drainageholes

Gravel for drainage

Compost

Perlite

Seeds (bean, pea, radish, or lettuceseeds work well)

“Growing Plants With Compost Record”

Pencil

Scraps of paper or cardboard

Procedure1. Put 1 inch (2.5 cm) of gravel in the

bottom of each of the flower pots.Label the pots 1 to 4.

2. Fill pot 1 with 100 percent compost.

3. Using a measuring cup or otherplastic cup, measure part compostand an equal amount of perlite. Mix

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the compost and perlite togetherthoroughly. Fill pot 2 with this 1 to 1compost-to-perlite mixture.

4. Using a measuring cup or otherplastic cup, measure one partcompost and three parts perlite. Mixthe compost and perlite togetherthoroughly. Fill pot 3 with this 1 to 3compost-to-perlite mixture.

5. Fill pot 4 with 100 percent perlite.

6. Plant three to four seeds of the samespecies in each pot. Bean seeds arefast growing and easy to observe.

7. Water your seeds following theinstructions on the package. Makesure you add the same amount ofwater to each pot.

8. After four or five days, your seedsshould have sprouted. Count thenumber of seeds that have sproutedin each of the four pots. Record thenumber of seeds that have sprouted.Thin the extra plants so you have oneplant in each pot.

9. Follow the growth of your plants forfour to five weeks. Once a week,measure the height of the plant ineach pot. Record the height of theplants. Note if any plants die.

10. After five weeks, count the number ofsurviving plants. Compare the numberof surviving plants in the differentmixtures of compost and perlite. Thenmeasure the height of the plants.

Note: To be more scientific, you maywant to have more than one pot for eachof the four compost “treatments.”

ExtensionsRepeat the experiment with a differentkind of compost (vermicompost orbackyard compost) and note any differ-ences.

This experiment can also be done in agarden bed by mixing different measuredamounts of compost into the soil andplanting the same seeds in each bed.

Source: A Cornell Cooperative ExtensionPublication, Composting: Waste toResources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY,14850, (607) 255-5830

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Growth Pot Number

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Growth Pot Number ______________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Growth Pot Number ______________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Growth Pot Number ______________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Date__________ Height__________

Growing Plants With CompostPlant species: ________________________

Date planted: ________________________

Sprouting pot number: ________________

Plant: ________________________________

Date: ________________________________

Number of Seeds Sprouted1

2

3

4

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Decomposer TagDescriptionStudents play a freeze tag game wheredeath tries to tag and freeze the nutrientsin plants and animals. The decomposersunfreeze the nutrients trapped in deadbodies, allowing them to return to thecycle of life.

Grade: 2-6

Time: 20-30 minutes

Materials: Two light colored and onedark colored bandanas.Procedure1. One student is “Death” and wears a

dark colored bandana.

2. Two or three students are decom-posers and wear light coloredbandanas. All other students areplants or animals.

3. Death kills plants and animals bytagging them. If plants or animals aretagged, they are frozen in place untilone of the decomposers unfreezesthem by running around them threetimes. The decomposers unfreeze theplants and animals as fast or fasterthan death freezes them.

4. The game has no natural end. Youshould let students play long enoughto experience the concept, and stopthe game well before students getexhausted and/or lose interest.

VariationTo demonstrate that life would stopwithout decomposers recycling deadthings, you can allow “Death” to tag andfreeze the “Decomposers” along with theplants and animals. The game, and lifeon Earth, ends when everyone is frozenexcept “Death.”

Source: Marin County Office of WasteManagement, 3501 Civic Center Drive,Room 403, San Rafael, CA 94903(415) 499-6647

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I Can Compost...DescriptionIn this game students call out somethingthey can compost before the person inthe middle tags them. This game can beplayed indoors or outdoors.

ObjectiveStudents review what they can compost.

Grade1-8

Time20 minutes

MaterialsA ball or other object to toss.

Procedure1. On the board or in their journals,

students list as many items aspossible to compost.

2. To start the game everyone stands orsits (if indoors) in a circle.

3. A person calls out something that canbe composted and the person’s namewho the Koosh ball (or any otherappropriate object) is being tossed to.

4. Once students get the hang of it, putsomeone in the middle of the circle,whose goal is to tag the person withthe ball before it is tossed. If tagged,that person changes places with theone in the middle.

5. To make sure all the students get aturn, students can sit down after theyhave named something they cancompost and tossed the ball toanother student.

ExtensionA song, rap, or poem can be created outof the list of what can be composted.

Source: Marin County Office of WasteManagement, 3501 Civic Center Drive,Room 403, San Rafael, CA 94903(415) 499-6647

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2. Down goes the first one,Down goes the second one,Oh, how they wiggle and squirm,Long, thin, slimy ones,Short, fat, juicy ones,Itsy-bitsy, fuzzy-wuzzy worms.

3. Up comes the first one,Up comes the second one,Oh, how they wiggle and squirm,Long, thin, slimy ones,Short, fat, juicy ones,Itsy-bitsy, fuzzy-wuzzy worms.

Nobody likes me, Evrybody hates me,

Guess I’ll go eat worms, Long, thin, slimy ones,

Short, fat, juic-y ones, Itsy-bitsy, fuzzy-wuzzy worms.

Nobody Likes Me