Vermicomposting (Grades 3-5)
Students create a worm bin which will serve as a basis for investigations about ecosystems, life and nutrient cycles, and decomposition.

Background
Lesson Activities
Recommended Companion Resources
Credits
Author
Debra Spielmaker and Lynn Wallin | Utah Agriculture in the Classroom
Standards
Texas Content Area Standards
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ELA: 4.110.6.b.1
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking- oral language. The students develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion.
- ELA: 4.110.6.b.1.D: work collaboratively with others to develop a plan of shared responsibilities
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Social Studies: 3.113.14.c.4
Geography. The student understands the concepts of location, distance, and direction on maps and globes. The student is expected to:
- Social Studies: 3.113.14.c.14.D: interpret and create visuals, including graphs, charts, tables, timelines, illustrations, and maps
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Social Studies: 3.113.14.c.15
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
- Social Studies: 3.113.14.c.15.D: express ideas orally based on knowledge and experiences
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Social Studies: 4.113.15.c.21
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
- Social Studies: 4.113.15.c.21.C: express ideas orally based on research and experiences
- Social Studies: 4.113.15.c.21.D: create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies
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Social Studies: 5.113.16.c.25
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
- Social Studies: 5.113.16.c.25.C: express ideas orally based on research and experiences
- Social Studies: 5.113.16.c.25.D: create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies
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Science: 3.112.5.b.1
Scientific and engineering practices. The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:
- Science: 3.112.5.b.1.A: ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations
- Science: 3.112.5.b.1.B: use scientific practices to plan and conduct descriptive investigations and use engineering practices to design solutions to problems
- Science: 3.112.5.b.1.E: collect observations and measurements as evidence
- Science: 3.112.5.b.1.F: construct appropriate graphic organizers to collect data, including tables, bar graphs, line graphs, tree maps, concept maps, Venn diagrams, flow charts or sequence maps, and input-output tables that show cause and effect
- Science: 3.112.5.b.1.G: develop and use models to represent phenomena, objects, and processes or design a prototype for a solution to a problem
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Science: 3.112.5.b.2
Scientific and engineering practices. The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs. The student is expected to:
- Science: 3.112.5.b.2.C: use mathematical calculations to compare patterns and relationships
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Science: 3.112.5.b.3
Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to:
- Science: 3.112.5.b.3.A: develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models
- Science: 3.112.5.b.3.B: communicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats
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Science: 3.112.5.b.5
Recurring themes and concepts. The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines. The student is expected to:
- Science: 3.112.5.b.5.A: identify and use patterns to explain scientific phenomena or to design solutions
- Science: 3.112.5.b.5.D: examine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system
- Science: 3.112.5.b.5.E: investigate the flow of energy and cycling of matter through systems
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Science: 3.112.5.b.12
Organisms and environments. The student describes patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within environments. The student is expected to:
- Science: 3.112.5.b.12.A: explain how temperature and precipitation affect animal growth and behavior through migration and hibernation and plant responses through dormancy
- Science: 3.112.5.b.12.B: identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain and predict how changes in a food chain such as removal of frogs from a pond or bees from a field affect the ecosystem
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Science: 4.112.6.b.1
Scientific and engineering practices. The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:
- Science: 4.112.6.b.1.A: ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations
- Science: 4.112.6.b.1.B: use scientific practices to plan and conduct descriptive investigations and use engineering practices to design solutions to problems
- Science: 4.112.6.b.1.E: collect observations and measurements as evidence
- Science: 4.112.6.b.1.F: construct appropriate graphic organizers to collect data, including tables, bar graphs, line graphs, tree maps, concept maps, Venn diagrams, flow charts or sequence maps, and input-output tables that show cause and effect
- Science: 4.112.6.b.1.G: develop and use models to represent phenomena, objects, and processes or design a prototype for a solution to a problem
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Science: 4.112.6.b.2
Scientific and engineering practices. The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs. The student is expected to:
- Science: 4.112.6.b.2.C: use mathematical calculations to compare patterns and relationships
-
Science: 4.112.6.b.3
Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to:
- Science: 4.112.6.b.3.A: develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models
- Science: 4.112.6.b.3.B: communicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats
-
Science: 4.112.6.b.5
Recurring themes and concepts. The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines. The student is expected to:
- Science: 4.112.6.b.5.A: identify and use patterns to explain scientific phenomena or to design solutions
- Science: 4.112.6.b.5.D: examine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system
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Science: 4.112.6.b.11
Earth and space. The student understands how natural resources are important and can be managed. The student is expected to:
- Science: 4.112.6.b.11.B: explain the critical role of energy resources and how conservation, disposal, and recycling of natural resources impact the environment and modern life
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Science: 4.112.6.b.12
Organisms and environments. The student describes patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within environments. The student is expected to:
- Science: 4.112.6.b.12.C: identify and describe past environments based on fossil evidence, including common Texas fossils
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Science: 4.112.6.b.13
Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures that function to help them survive within their environments. The student is expected to:
- Science: 4.112.6.b.13.B: differentiate between inherited and acquired physical traits of organisms
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Science: 5.112.7.b.1
Scientific and engineering practices. The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:
- Science: 5.112.7.b.1.A: ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations
- Science: 5.112.7.b.1.B: use scientific practices to plan and conduct descriptive investigations and use engineering practices to design solutions to problems
- Science: 5.112.7.b.1.E: collect observations and measurements as evidence
- Science: 5.112.7.b.1.F: construct appropriate graphic organizers used to collect data, including tables, bar graphs, line graphs, tree maps, concept maps, Venn diagrams, flow charts or sequence maps, and input-output tables that show cause and effect
- Science: 5.112.7.b.1.G: develop and use models to represent phenomena, objects, and processes or design a prototype for a solution to a problem
-
Science: 5.112.7.b.2
Scientific and engineering practices. The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs. The student is expected to:
- Science: 5.112.7.b.2.C: use mathematical calculations to compare patterns and relationships
-
Science: 5.112.7.b.3
Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to:
- Science: 5.112.7.b.3.A: develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models
- Science: 5.112.7.b.3.B: communicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats
-
Science: 5.112.7.b.5
Recurring themes and concepts. The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines. The student is expected to:
- Science: 5.112.7.b.5.A: identify and use patterns to explain scientific phenomena or to design solutions
- Science: 5.112.7.b.5.D: examine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system
-
Science: 5.112.7.b.11
Earth and space. The student understands how natural resources are important and can be managed. The student is expected to design and explain solutions such as conservation, recycling, or proper disposal to minimize environmental impact of the use of natural resources.
- Science: 5.112.7.b.11: Earth and space. The student understands how natural resources are important and can be managed. The student is expected to design and explain solutions such as conservation, recycling, or proper disposal to minimize environmental impact of the use of natural resources.
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Science: 5.112.7.b.12
Organisms and environments. The student describes patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within environments. The student is expected to:
- Science: 5.112.7.b.12.A: observe and describe how a variety of organisms survive by interacting with biotic and abiotic factors in a healthy ecosystem
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ELA: 3.110.5.b.1
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking--oral language. The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion. The student is expected to:
- ELA: 3.110.5.b.1.D: work collaboratively with others by following agreed-upon rules, norms, and protocols
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ELA: 3.110.5.b.7
Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed. The student is expected to:
- ELA: 3.110.5.b.7.F: respond using newly acquired vocabulary as appropriate
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ELA: 4.110.6.b.7
Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed. The student is expected to:
- ELA: 4.110.6.b.7.F: respond using newly acquired vocabulary as appropriate
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ELA: 5.110.7.b.1
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking--oral language. The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion. The student is expected to:
- ELA: 5.110.7.b.1.D: work collaboratively with others to develop a plan of shared responsibilities
-
ELA: 5.110.7.b.7
Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed. The student is expected to:
- ELA: 5.110.7.b.7.F: respond using newly acquired vocabulary as appropriate