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Description

Earthworms are harmless creatures that carry out a very useful job in the garden. They burrow through the soil and mix together minerals that the plants require. See how quickly it takes worms to mix up the soil with this fun experiment.

Resources

A jam jar
Sand
Soil
Brown paper
Tape or rubber bands
Small leaves
A few earthworms

Instructions

Take a clean jam jar and fill it with alternative layers of moist soil and sand. Each layer should be nice and level before you add the next. You could use the bottom of a cup to help press each layer down.
Put a few small leaves on to the top surface layer.
Now wrap the sides of the jar with brown paper, and secure it with tape or bands. The brown paper will help the earthworms feel more at home in the dark and reduce the chances of the soil becoming too dry. You will also get more of a surprise when you remove the paper!
Find a few earthworms and place them in the jam jar. Don't put the lid on the jam jar as the earthworms need air to breath just like us humans!
Keep the jam jar in a cool, dark place. ensuring that the layers are kept moist by sprinkling a few drops of water on from time to time. (Don't make the soil too, wet however.)
After a week carefully remove the brown paper. You will notice that the earthworms have started to mix the layers together as they burrow through them. They will also have pulled the leaves beneath the surface. In the garden earthworms pull the leaves down into the soil, and use them as food.
After you've finished the experiment, return the earthworms to where you found them, so they can continue to carry out their good work.

Tags

• Bugs and Insects
• experiement
• garden
• low cost
• mini beasts
• Nature Observation
• recycling
• Wildlife
• worms

Badge Links

• Exciting Experiments - Experiments
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