Students are introduced to earthworms and the important role that they play in the ecosystem. Students will investigate a number of interesting physical adaptations of the Australian earthworm species and use their findings to construct a blueprint of their own superhero earthworm. Students justify their design choices and reflect on how closely their design mimics real earthworms.

Earthworms might all look the same, but that’s because most people haven’t taken the time to get to know them. With thousands of species around the world, they come in many shapes and sizes. Victoria is lucky to have the biggest species in the world – the giant Gippsland earthworm. It can stretch up to 1-2 metres! In the Wet Tropics World Heritage area in north Queensland lives the Big Blue Earthworm.

Earthworms are happiest in moist soil, surrounded by dead plants. They are found in soil, leaf litter and under stones and logs in most habitats. They are most abundant in rainforests (wetter & heavily vegetated), but can survive in most places with damp soil.

Most earthworms only dig deep underground if they want to avoid a drought or a freeze. Otherwise they prefer the top metre or so of soil, which is full of decomposing leaves, roots and manure (which they love).

Native Australian earthworms are often eliminated by the clearing of natural vegetation, and many introduced species (primarily from Europe) dominate disturbed habitats, such as suburban gardens and farms.

Earthworms clean up decaying matter and turn it into glorious rich soil for plants to thrive in. They are nature’s best fertilisers, making nitrogen, potassium, sand and other substances usable by plants.

You will receive a teacher guide with follow-up activities.

No prior knowledge is required.

In this program students will:

• Discover the important role that earthworms play in the environment
• Investigate a number of physical adaptations in Australian earthworm species
• Use their findings to construct a blueprint of their own superhero earthworm
• Justify their design choices
• Reflect on how closely their design mimics real earthworms
• Discover how different parts to a worm’s body link with their functions
• Understand the meaning of the term decompose
• Learn the life cycle stages of earthworms
• Learn how they can identify and help earthworms in their backyard

In this video conference students will:

• Observe various Australian earthworms including the Giant Gippsland earthworm
• Observe live earthworms under a microscope
• Identify and label the earthworm’s body parts on a diagram
• Draw & modify their own super earthworm either on an IPad (using Seesaw or Explain Everything app) or on paper or using plasticine (for tactile learners)
• Sing and move to the Worm song & Wonderful Wiggly Worms song

Science: Science understanding

• Living things have characteristics that distinguish them from non-living things and things that were once living, including fossils (VC2S4U01)
• Plants and animals have different life cycles; offspring are similar, but not identical, to their parents (VC2S4U02)
• Consumers, producers and decomposers have different roles and interactions within a habitat; food chains can be used to represent feeding relationships (VC2S4U03)

Science: Science Inquiry

• Observations, findings and ideas can be communicated for an identified purpose and audience by using scientific vocabulary and digital tools as appropriate (VC2S4I06)

Arts: Visual Arts

• Use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and meaning (VC2AVA4C01)