Noke, noke, neke, neke, nuku, nuku, nā. Even worms are doing their thing for the environment. Students search for worms, create their own mini worm farm to take back to school and learn how to care for these amazing creatures.

Kids with worms

Book a Learning Through Action school programme

Risk analysis and management information (RAMS) will be sent out once a programme booking is confirmed. If you require this at any other stage please email LTA@ccc.govt.nz or contact us.

Book a programme

Programme overview

A programme aimed at junior students to discover the important role worms can play in our waste management system.

Year level 0 to 4
Curriculum level 1 to 2
Availability Year-round
Times 9.30am to 11.30am or 12.30pm to 2.30pm
Sites EcoDepot/EcoDrop Metro Place Bromley or Curator's House Botanic Gardens 
Cost Free
Number of students Maximum of 30
Requirements Each student needs to bring a 1.5 or 2 litre plastic bottle ready for reuse. Closed-in shoes must be worn.

Key concepts
  • Sustainability
  • Personal and social responsibility for action
  • Waste hierarchy
  • Natural cycles for dealing with waste
  • Worm farming
  • Organic waste

Lesson description

Students will discover the magic of worm casts — the result of busy worms transforming our food scraps into great compost for our soils.

During this programme, students will also discuss the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling.

Specifically designed for young children, this guided process will help students build a worm farm, fill it with some wriggly new workers and learn how to care for these amazing creatures back at home or school.

Learning outcomes

We are learning to:

  • Show how to reuse household materials to create a simple and temporary worm farm.
  • Understand and describe how worms recycle food waste and other organic materials that can then be used to grow new plants.
  • Identify actions we can take to encourage better use of organic resources.
  • Explain at least one way that we can reduce waste we produce.

Key competencies

Using language, symbols and texts

Students will use oral, written and visual texts to interpret key vocabulary and concepts; to identify worm habitats, and to understand basic worm care.

Thinking

Students will use creative, critical and meta-cognitive processes to follow instructions; to problem-solve and to expand knowledge of worms, worm farms and worm care.

Managing self

Students will manage their learning and think and act independently.

Participating and contributing

Students will contribute to expanding group knowledge by understanding basic worm care and husbandry so as to help care for worms back in the classroom.

Relating to others

Students will work collaboratively and supportively to complete tasks; take turns and support their classmates.

Achievement objectives

 

Curriculum area

Strand and level

Objective

Science

Pūtaiao

Nature of Science

Levels 1 and 2

Investigating in science

Communicating in science

Participating and contributing

Living World

Levels 1 and 2

Life processes

Ecology

Technology 

Hangarau

Technological Practice

Levels  1 and 2

Planning for practice

Technological Knowledge

Levels 1 and 2

Technological systems

Nature of Technology

Levels 1 and 2

Characteristics of technology Characteristics of technological outcomes

Social Sciences

Tikanga ā-Iwi

Levels 1 and 2

Participating in groups

Economic roles

Health and Physical Education

Hauora

Levels 1 and 2

Collective action

Healthy environments