Students dig into research for Earth Day essays

Lind-Ritzville Middle School students celebrated Earth Day by writing informative essays about composting and fertilizer made with the help of red worms.

Jennifer Anderson, Language Arts teacher for third, fourth and fifth grade students created the project and required students to research composting and red worms using online resources.

Anderson planned a field trip to John Claypool’s worm farm and community garden for a more hands-on research tool for the project. During their language arts class, each grade level ventured to Claypools garden where they witnessed the life stages of the worms and process of the fertilizer made by them.

Claypool spent time with each grade level to explain the process of growing worms and their benefits for the earth. Claypool educated the Language Arts students on the life cycle of worms and difference between red worms and night crawlers. Each student was given a small bag of fertilizer made by the worms.

Students expressed the hands on research had helped retain the information needed for the informative five paragraph essay.

All grade levels were able to touch the creatures, which, students claimed to be their favorite part.

All classes enjoyed the field trip and most memorable experiences from the informative research included a large clump of dirt that when broke open exposed many red worms inside and a shaking machine that separated the fertilizer from the red worms.

The students expressed their amazement of the amount of food the red worms require to eat. In comparison, students explained if they were to eat like the worms, they would require over 100 sandwiches in one day, which they found truly amazing for the creatures.

When asked their plans for the fertilizer, most students showed excitement and honor in sharing the samples with family and fellow community members who enjoy horticulture. A few students plan to keep the fertilizer until the perfect plant is found.

Students also expressed their excitement to share information and benefits of composting with their family members using coffee grounds, leftover fruits and vegetables and grass clippings.