Building a Vermicomposter

Elementary, Middle

Description

Building a Vermicomposter is one of the action projects available through EcoLeague, a youth empowerment program that engages teachers and students in community and school-based environmental action projects. This comprehensive resource provides teachers with a variety of hands-on learning activities which include building a vermicomposter that uses red wiggler worms to transform organic waste that would normally be sent to the dump, into a natural fertilizer.

This easy to use resource includes ideas for in-class activities, step-by-step directions of the action day, as well as follow-up and extension activities.

Students engage in a variety of hands-on activities in the classroom allowing them to:

  • learn about the advantages and disadvantages of composting
  • learn how their city disposes of waste and identify ways to reduce solid wastes at school and at home
  • evaluate their own waste by determining how much of their lunch waste is recyclable, organic and garbage
  • build their own vermicomposter in order to reduce organic waste going to the landfill
  • observe, draw, label and measure the worms
  • create a mindmap about their vermicomposter
  • explore the diverse reasons to care about worms

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General Assessment

Themes Addressed

Relevant Curriculum Units