Latin School of Chicago

Wonders of Worms In February, Juliana Reese-Clauson���s sixthgrade science class received a very important ���Even students who delivery: 8 pounds of writhing, squiggling worms. As part of their unit on invertebrates, were initially hesitant the students were about to embark on their about the worms own composting effort. Their goal: to transform a pile of garbage into dirt. have taken real ���It was one giant mass of worms,��� said Reese-Clauson, who is herself an avid ownership over their composter. She introduced the project for the composting bins. first time after having kept a small worm compost It is great to see ���I alwaysin her science room for several years. wanted to find ways to get the kids them so invested.��� more directly involved.��� When one of her former students who had volunteered to help ��� Juliana Reese-Clauson, out with the small bin asked for a worm sixth grade science teacher composting kit for Hanukkah, Reese-Clauson was inspired to move forward. Her mission was for the sixth graders to have a very hands-on experience. They constructed the composting bins by drilling holes in large plastic containers, adding screens and then selecting the bedding material from the school���s recycling collection. With the help of the cafeteria staff, who save and separate food waste to support the project, students collect eggshells, coffee grounds, and fruit and vegetable peels for their worms. They even named the composting section of the science room ���The Worms of Waverly Place.��� Throughout, the sixth graders engaged in the scientific process. They started by adding equal masses of worms, bedding and water to the bins. Next, they decided on a consistent percentage of each food scrap to feed them. They regularly measure the temperature of the bins and check the moisture and pH levels. They search for and count cocoons, look for changes in the habitat, and collect and enter data on laptops. ���Even students who were initially hesitant about the worms have taken real ownership over their composting bins,��� she says. ���It is great to see them so invested.��� To ReeseClauson, this means that her students are not only interested in what they are doing but that they are eagerly participating in perhaps the most important part of the scientific process: close and careful observation. In the coming weeks, Reese-Clauson hopes that the class will begin to see the bedding transform to dirt. Before the end of the year, she would like to collect enough compost to add to the vegetable gardens on Latin���s green roof and maybe ��� if all goes well ��� eventually end up as vegetables in the cafeteria. ���Ultimately, it would be so exciting for the kids to see this process come full circle,��� Reese-Clauson says about the potential for the project. However, watching her sixth graders happily handling the wriggly creatures as they updated their data one recent morning, it was clear that they were fully embracing ReeseClauson���s mission of teaching hands-on science. Reese-Clauson with student and worms. 26 Latin Magazine

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