​Adopt-a-Worm Classroom Composting Program

Red wiggler worms are looking for new homes in preschool through 6th grade classrooms in Kitsap County! These worms are more than just classroom pets-- they are super garbage eaters and science teachers. 

Composting Worms in your Classroom

 Why adopt?

In the words of Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus, "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!"

Worms composting is all about learning through exploration. There is no single "right way" to worm compost-- you'll figure it out over time and the worms won't mind your mistakes in the process. They are resilient creatures.

Teachers who adopted worms during the 2016-17 school year connected the following concepts to worm composting:

• Waste reduction / sustainability / caring for the Earth
• Food webs / decomposers / ecosystems / habitats
• Needs of plants and animals / life cycles
• Responsibility / classroom jobs / teamwork

• Caring for animals                    

 Is your classroom ready for composting worms?

Requirements

• Students care for and interact with the worms regularly.
• If you need help, please ask the educator! Mistakes will be made-- it's OK.
• Return the bin before the summer or request to keep it during the summer.
• Return the bin if it's not being used.
• Don't release worms outside or in a garden. They are not a species of worm that thrives in gardens.

Other considerations

• Will you need to ask permission from administration to keep live animals?
• Will you have a steady supply of fruit and vegetable scraps to feed the worms?
• Freezing, blending, or chopping food scraps helps the worms eat faster, which prevents insects and reduces potential for odor. Will you have time to help students do one of these?
• Is there a place at your school where you can get shredded office paper for bedding material?

 Supplies needed

Provided by the classroom

• Fruit and vegetable scraps from the cafeteria, staff break room, or students' homes. Around 2 lbs per week.
• Shredded paper for bedding, as needed. Do not use shiny paper, envelopes with plastic windows, or any paper containing plastic.
• Blender or cutting station for preparing the food, a sink for cleanup.
• Tools or containers for collecting food scraps and feeding worms (bucket, food container, tongs).

Provided by Kitsap County

• One pound of red wiggler worms
• Worm bin made from a plastic container.
• Measuring cup for feeding.
• Magnifying lenses and placemats, if requested.
• On-call assistance by email. Just ask!
  
• Books and curriculum, if requested. 

 Request a worm bin

Fill out the online adoption application to request and schedule your adoption day. Your students can help!

Program staff will contact you to schedule your adoption day. 

 Make a feeding plan

Under-feeding is better than over-feeding!  Before adoption day, talk with your students about a feeding plan. Here are two examples:

Cafeteria Plan

Every Tuesday, the third grade class takes a bucket to the lunchroom. When they are done eating, they put their banana peels, apple cores, and other non-edible fruit and veggie scraps into the bucket. A classroom helper brings this bucket back to the classroom. The class weighs out approximately 2 pounds of food. An adult chops the food into smaller pieces and the students feed the worms.

Next Tuesday morning, the students check whether the worms have finished (or mostly finished) last week's meal. If they have, the students feed them the same amount as last week. (Or try a little more to see if they can handle it!) If the food scraps are still mostly visible, the students feed the worms less than last week.

Break Room Plan

The 4th grade class has asked the adults in the staff room to put their fruit and veggie scraps into a special container in the freezer. They trained the adults and also made a reminder sign. On Wednesdays, a volunteer from the class goes to the staff room to check that the adults have remembered to do this! On Fridays, a volunteer collects the container from the freezer. The class measures out approximately 2 pounds of food. An adult chops the food into smaller pieces and the students feed the worms.

Next week, the students do the same thing. Before feeding, they check to see whether the worms have finished (or mostly finished) last week's meal. If they have, the students feed them the same amount as last week.  (Or try a little more to see if they can handle it!) If the food scraps are still mostly visible, the students feed the worms less than last week.

 Poster showing what worms can and cannot eat.

 Adoption day!

Wednesdays or Thursdays, minimum 45 minutes.

On adoption day, students will look for clues inside the worm bin to figure out "what types of waste do you put in the worm bin?" They will also receive an adoption certificate and other materials.

If you cannot keep a worm bin for an extended period, a limited number of worm bins are available for short-term loan. Does not include an educational lesson.