Squirmin' Worms

For this phase of the lesson, the groups will conduct four experiments with the earthworms. They will then share either results with the class. Data collection sheets for each individual lab can be found in the attachments. If students use notebooks (as suggested at the beginning of this lesson), they should use the handout as a template for their data collection in their notebooks. Otherwise, students can write on the handouts. Students should be collecting data and making observations for each experiment.

Light Investigation: How Do Earthworms React to Light?

To conduct the lab, students need the following supplies:

• Earthworm chamber (shoebox or plastic container with lid)

• Paper towels

• Black construction paper

• Scissors

• Tape

• Light source (flashlight or lamp)

• Earthworms (3 per group)

Students should set up the earthworm chambers similar to the one below if they are using a lamp:

If you are using a shoe box or containers without lids and flashlights, you can use the set up below:

• After students have prepared the earthworm chamber, they can place two earthworms on the midline of the container (or where the dark side of the chamber meets the light side).

• Allow the earthworms to rest for 10 minutes and have students examine the chamber and document any movement or non-movement the earthworms made.

• Write down observations and tally the worms' behavior.

Temperature Investigation: How Do Earthworms React to Different Temperatures?

Students will be placing earthworms ona single paper towel with the followingtreatments at separate times andexamining earthworm movement.

Students should have these supplies:

• Earthworm chamber (shoebox or plastic container with lid)

• Paper towels

• Access to tap water

• Access to hot water or a microwave to heat wet paper towels

• Access to a freezer or access to paper towels that have been wet and frozen. It only takes 5 minutes for them to freeze enough for the purpose of this activity

• Earthworms (3 per group)

Students should set up their earthworm chambers similar to the one below:

1. Paper Towel/Tap Water

• Students should moisten a paper towel using tap water at a cool temperature.

• Then students can place their earthworms directly on the paper towel to observe anddocument their movement during a five minute period.

• As in the picture above, the earthworms will probably stay on the towel.

• Then students should remove the paper towel, the earthworms from the chamber, and prepare the next trial.

2. Paper towel/Frozen

• Students should moisten a paper towel and place it in a freezer or retrieve paper towelswhich have already been prepared by the teacher.

• Each paper towel should be flexible enough for a student to bend it up and down. You will know they are at the right temperature if they are bendable.

• Then students can place their earthworms directly on the paper towel, observe, anddocument their movement during a five minute period.

• The earthworms will probably stay on the paper towel, butmovement will be more limited than when they were placed on the tap water paper towel. (The body temperature for the worms will drop when they are on the frozen paper towel, decreasing their movement)

• Then students should remove the paper towel and the earthworms from the chamber.

3. Paper towel/Microwaved or using hot water

• Students should moisten a paper towel and place it in the microwave for no longer thanone minute or dip it in hot water, wringing out the excess moisture.

• The paper towel should be hot but not so hot the student cannot touch it or carry it totheir earthworm chamber.

• Then student groups can place their earthworms directly on the hot paper towels and observe, documenting their movement during a one to two minute period.

• As in the pictures below, the earthworms will probably try to move off of the papertowel as quickly as possible. They may move under it or just off of it seeking refuge from the heat.

• Then students should remove the paper towel and the earthworms from the chamber.

Vibration Investigation: How Do Earthworms React to Vibrations?

Students should have these supplies:

• Earthworm chamber (shoebox or plastic container with lid)

• Paper towels

• Tuning fork (if possible)

• Earthworms (2 per group)

Students should set up the chamber similar to the one below:

• Once students have the chamber set up, they can place earthworms on the right hand side of the container.

• If using a tuning fork, hit it against a hard surface and lightly touch it to the bottom of the chamber directly underneath the worms.

• If not using a tuning fork, lightly and quickly tap the bottom of the chamber.

• Even if the worms move away from the source of the vibrations, keep tapping the chamber in the same spot.

• Observe the earthworms' reaction for 2 minutes.

• The earthworms will probably move around the chamber trying to escape the vibrations. At the very least, they will move away from the source of the vibrations.

• Remove the worms and prepare for the next experiment.

Odor Investigation: How Do Earthworms React to Odors?

Materials:

• Earthworm chamber (shoebox or plastic container with lid)

• Paper towels

• Vinegar

• Dropper of some sort to place drops of vinegar on a paper towel

• Earthworms (3 per group)

Place several drops of vinegar on one paper towel, either on the left or the right side of the chamber.

• Once the chamber is set up, students should place the worms in the middle.

• Place a lid on the chamber and wait 10 minutes.

• Remove the lid and document any movement or non movement the worms made.

Prepare a poster to share data

After the experiments are conducted and the data gathered, students should display their results from each experiment. To ensure students collect appropriate data, each poster should be based on the handout for each experiment. Each experiment needs its own data table, so each poster should have four data tables on it. The posters MUST have data tables like the ones in their handouts with specific numbers so that the worms' behavior can be quantified as a class. The posters can be made on oversized Post-its, bulletin board paper, or any medium large enough so the class can easily use it to collect data.

After all the posters are complete, students should do a Gallery Walk and gather class totals for each experiment. The data sheet for gathering class-wide data is attached, but again, it would be best if students used their notebooks. After the gallery walk, the class will come back together and have a discussion about their findings. Be sure to have groups who observed different data than everyone else explain how theirs was different, and why they think it may have been different.