Dampen a paper towel and lay it on a tray. Lay a live earthworm on the paper towel and make careful observations. Draw a picture of the earthworm in a science journal. Use a ruler to measure the length of the earthworm. Determine and label the front and back of the worm. Use a magnifying glass to look more closely at the earthworm and to count the number of ridges on the earthworm's body.
Hypothesize if worms prefer a moist or dry environment. Dampen several paper towels and use them to cover half of a large plastic tray. Cover the other half of the tray with dry paper towels. Gather 10 earthworms and gently place five on the damp half of the tray. Place the other five worms on the dry half of the tray. After one minute take a count of how many worms are on the moist part of the tray and how many are on the dry half. Record the results. Observe and record the results again after three minutes and again after five minutes. After completing this, gently collect all of the worms and return them to their natural habitat outside.
Use a large clear plastic tub and fill with a combination of soil, leaves, grass clippings, newspaper and fruit and vegetable peels. Stir the mixture up and add a cup full of earthworms. Place the lid on the tub and observe the mixture for several weeks. Allow students to remove the lid and record observations of the mixture. Poke gently at the compost with a shovel to uncover the earthworms. Students should hypothesize as to what is taking place as the material becomes compost and what role the worms play.
Hypothesize if worms prefer the light or dark. Dampen several paper towels and use them to cover a large plastic tray. Take 10 earthworms and gently place them on one end of the tray. Shine a flashlight at the opposite end of the tray. After one minute take a count of how many worms have wriggled toward the light and how many have stayed on the darker part of the tray. Record the results. Observe and record the results again after three minutes and again after five minutes. After the five minutes are up, gently collect all of the worms and return them to their natural habitat outside.