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Developing the culture: The magic worm farm

Shirley O’Neill

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What is a worm farm??

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Why have a worm farm at school? http://www.playbasedlearning.com.au/tag/worm-farm/ See Croydon West

Primary "The worm farm is a simple and easy way to

transform fruit and vegetable scraps into rich fertilizer for the garden”. http://www.lakesmail.com.au/news/local/news/general/bunnings-back-to-school-for-worm-farm-lessons/1854821.aspx

North Lakes Primary School http://www.deakin.edu.au/arts-ed/education/sci-enviro-ed/video/video_files/video13.php

Monash Primary – measuring worm growth!

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Worm farm products

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Using the products productively

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Vermaculture

Language and concepts for a sustainable lifestyle

Relevance to everyday living on a long term basis

Continuity of learning and built-in practice

Raising issues vital to society and the world today.

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Grasping the cycleHealthy nutrition

Encourage fruit and vegetables

Castings out . . .

Organic matter goes in . . .

Liquid fertiliser out…

Worm farm

Healthy plant growth

Encourage sustainable living/recyclingNatural link to plant and animal life cycles

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State and local government sites are promoting worm farms – Why?

Your worm farm purchase may be subsidised by your council because it helps:

reduce waste that goes to landfill

decrease greenhouse gas emissions

reduce the use of chemical fertilisers

reduce water usage.

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Key concepts

Waste disposal

Recycling

Organic matter

Composting

Greenhouse gas emissions

Ecological footprint

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Monitoring and measuring

We need food for the worms! Two major questions: What are we eating – what scraps/waste can worms have (and why)?

What happens inside the worm farm?

Using the products – experiments about plant growth. What happens to plants that have worm fertiliser and castings compared with those that don’t?

Why haven’t I had to buy more worms over three years?

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Observing, categorising and generalising

Sorting and directing waste to the appropriate bin

Working out the optimum conditions for plant growth

Exploring worms as invertebrates, categorising different kinds of worms

Worm community behaviour

Research worms - http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/tech246.html

Bizarre deep-sea worm linking vertebrates & invertebrates found

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Learning through real-life meaningful experiences

Worms are invertebratesPores on the skin cover its body with slime. This slime keeps the worm clean, makes it slippery and kills germs.

Worms don’t have eyes

Worms breathe through pores in their skin

Worms can sense vibrations, light and temperature

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Learning through real-life meaningful experiences

Dilute worm fertiliser with water 1:10

Add a small amount of castings to potting mix and place as top dressing around the base of existing plants

Check how empty your garbage bin is once you start your worm farm – up to 50% of household waste can be composted.

Research question – what is the overall impact of everyone in Australia disposing of their organic waste via a worm farm? What about your impact?

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http://www.forlandsandwaters.org/programs/roommates.htmhttp://www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/documents/

Worm_Farms_fact_sheet.pdfhttp://www.allaboutworms.com/category/garden-wormshttp://www.livinggreener.gov.au/waste/kitchen-food-waste/start-worm-farmhttp://www.worms.com/benefits-of-vermicomposting-2.html

Valuable web sites

http://www.greenlanediary.org/

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What do you call it when worms take over the world?

Why did the worm cross the playground?

What kind of worm do you use for maths? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0lQ0bdcjfY&feature=related

What was the worm doing in the cornfield?

Don’t forget your worm jokes!

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MenuAll vegetable scraps

Potato peelingsApple cores

Tea bags***

Pumpkin peelings and seedsEgg shells

Hair trimmings*****Paper

Celery tops

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In the bin

True green

Garbage helps your garden grow

Young children and the environment: Early education for sustainability

Books at Book Garden