What We Do Know
Heading into a lesson plan all about worms, had me squirming!
What I knew (or remembered) of worms was quite the obvious; they were long, tubes of wiggling ickiness, that I would prefer to stay deep underground, far from my thoughts.
Despite my opinion of worms though, I knew there was so much science, math, and more that I just couldn't ignore...
Worms!
What We Needed To Know
I was going to have to warm up to worms, in order to get us ready for a week full of fun and engaging worm activities, games, and creations that would get our learning off the ground-
or in it, rather.
So I rolled up my sleeves, and gathered my facts on worms. Once I did, I was reminded of the vital role these annelids play in our world, and while maybe not the most pleasant to look at, I could certainly respect, learn, and teach about these important creatures.
If you have a worm lover in your family, or a worm lesson wiggling your way, here's some great facts to get your learning growing!
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5 Amazing Facts About Worms
They Wiggle, But Why?
A worm's body is made up of many segments, each of which can move independently. Similar to an accordion, the contracting muscles create shape changes all over its body. This great design allows the worm to push through the soil effectively, and work more easily through small spaces. Taking a closer look at a worm's body, you'll find an important feature, called setae. These hairs help the worm grip the soil, not only in order to move, but in order to resist being pulled out of the ground by predators.
There Are Three Worm Groups.
Worms can be classified into three primary groups; Epigeic, Endogeic, and Anecic.
Epigeic worms are top soil dwelling worms, that feed on rotting plants and other decaying materials. These types of worms are smaller, and remain close to the surface.
Endogeic worms burrow deeper and feed on mineral soil rich in organic matter. Their burrows consist of semi-permanent branching tunnels around 20cm in depth.
Anecic worms are deep dwellers, that live in permanent vertical burrows up to six feet deep! They coat their burrows with mucus to prevent soil from caving in. These types of worms, such as night crawlers, are grow very large, up to 8-15 cm long and pull decaying surface matter down into their burrows.
They're Everywhere!
Worms live on every continent, with the exception of Antarctica. Going further though, for every acre of land, there are approximately one million worms! It's wild to think that nearly every step we take, we're walking on top of a worm world below!
Pushing With Purpose.
While they may not look very fast, worms can dig at remarkable speeds. A small earthworm can dig 0.2 cm per second. That may not seem like a whole lot, but that works out to 27 feet per hour! A medium-sized worm can work even faster, averaging 185 feet per hour!
Along with all this digging and wiggling, worms provide a great service to the soil by breaking up the soil, which allows much needed air and water to reach the roots of plants.
Important Role To Play.
Besides being nature's cultivators, they have a vital role to play within our food chain. Several different animals feed on worms; such as snakes, moles, skunks, and toads. Even the foods we eat, such as chickens, rely on worms as part of their nutrition. Though small and largely hidden, without these key players, the food chain would be greatly impacted without worms.
There's Still More Learning To Dig Into!
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