Discover Earth Let the earth be your classroom! Key Stage 2 Resource Pack

When can do the survey? Northern hemisphere:

Sign up before 30th June 2017

Report back the results: 31st July, 2017

Project Aims

1. To map the abundance of earthworms across the UK.

2. To better understand the ecosystem services provid-ed by earthworms.

The EWW method can be used to...

What is EWW?

The Idea

The students use a simple method to dig two shallow

pits in two different habitats in their school grounds or

other green space and count and categorise the

earthworms that they find. Part of the survey requires

them to do a mustard test and vinegar test, the first

which encourages deep living earthworms to the

surface, the second tests the soil PH. Students also

categorise the soil type, texture and using the attached

soil chart, to determine the soil carbon content.

The survey method was developed and tested by

scientists from both sides of the Earthworm Watch

team, both at Earthwatch Institute and The Natural

History Museum, London. The survey method allows

scientists to monitor earthworm diversity and

abundance, as well as soil carbon content. This will allow

scientists to study the link between earthworms and the

ecosystem services that they provide and soil health.

To understand the abundance

of earthworms in soils.

To understand how earthworm

activities benefit biodiversity

and wider environment e.g.

soil productivity.

Educate students about the

importance of soils, soil

health issues and wider

biodiversity in the soil.

In the curriculum

How long does it take to

complete the survey?

Teacher prep time: 1 hour

Class time to complete survey: 1—1.5 hours

Where do you do the survey?

You can do the survey in any green space as long

as you have permission from the landowner.

Suggestions include:

Gardens

Parks

Allotments

School Grounds

Nature Reserves

Curriculum Links: Science

Plants; animals including humans; rocks; living

things and their habitats; evolution and

inheritance; working scientifically.

Key learning outcomes

By taking part in Earthworm Watch, students undertake real scientific research and learn about:

The biology, ecology and ecosystem services provided by earthworms.

The function of earthworms along with fungi, bacteria and invertebrates in soil decomposition.

That earthworms and soils play an important role in storing carbon and impact on global climate.

The scientific process.

That science is fun and is a creative process.

The principal focus of science teaching in lower key stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their

scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through exploring, talking about,

testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living

things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions,

relationships and interactions. - National Curriculum, Science, 2013.

Year 3:

Plants:

Students should explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water,

nutrients from soil, and room to grow) and how they vary from plant to plant.

Animals including humans identify that animals, including humans, need the right types and amount of nutrition, and

that they cannot make their own food; they get nutrition from what they eat

identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support,

protection and movement.

Rocks

compare and group together different kinds of rocks based on their appearance and

physical properties and recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter.

Year 4

Living things and their habitats recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways.

explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living

things and in the local and wider environment.

recognise that environments change and this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.

Animals, including humans

construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey.

Science National Curriculum

KS2 Year 3 & 4

KS2 Year 3 & 4

English In years 3 and 4, pupils should become more familiar with and confident in using

language in a greater variety of situations, for a variety of audiences and purposes, including

through drama, formal presentations and debate. Reading books that are structured in different

ways and reading for a range of purposes. Retrieve and record information from non-fiction.

Maths Pupils should develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including simple fractions

and decimal place value. Teaching should also ensure that pupils draw with increasing accuracy

and develop mathematical reasoning so they can analyse shapes and their properties, and

describe the relationships between them. They should make connections between measure and

number and use measuring instruments with accuracy.

Geography

Understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the

world, how these are interdependent and bring about spatial variation and change over time.

Are competent in geographical skills needed to collect, analyse and communicate with a

range of data gathered through fieldwork that deepens understanding of geographical processes.

Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical

and quantitative skills and writing at length.

Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the

local area using a range of methods and digital technologies.

describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes

and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle.

Art Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences. To create

sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.

IT Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science,

including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. Can evaluate and apply IT

including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems.

Other National Curriculum subjects

KS2 Year 5 & 6

The principal focus of science teaching in upper key stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a

deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring

and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena. They

should encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to

understand and predict how the world operates. Pupils should draw conclusions based on their

data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and

understanding to explain their findings.—National Curriculum, Science, 2013

Year 5

Living things and their habitats

describe the differences in the life cycles of a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird

describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals.

Guidance:

Pupils should study and raise questions about their local environment throughout the year. They

should observe life-cycle changes in a variety of living things, for example, plants in the

vegetable garden or flower border, and animals in the local environment. They should find out

about the work of naturalists and animal behaviourists, for example, David Attenborough and

Jane Goodall.

Year 6

Living things and their habitats

describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common

observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences, including micro-

organisms, plants and animals

give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics.

Guidance:

Pupils should build on their learning about grouping living things in year 4 by looking at the

classification system in more detail. They should be introduced to the idea that broad groupings,

such as micro-organisms, plants and animals can be subdivided.

Science National Curriculum

KS2 Year 5 & 6

Through direct observations where possible, they should classify animals into commonly found

invertebrates (such as insects, spiders, snails, worms) and vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles,

birds and mammals). They should discuss reasons why living things are placed in different groups.

Students might find out about the significance of the work of scientists such as Carl Linnaeus and

work scientifically by using classification systems and keys to identify some animals and plants in

the immediate environment or research unfamiliar animals and plants from a broad range of

other habitats.

Animals, including humans

describe the ways in which nutrients and water are transported within animals, including

humans.

Evolution and inheritance

identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways

and that adaptation may lead to evolution.

Working Scientifically (Years 5 & 6)

Students should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills:

planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising

and controlling variables where necessary

taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and

precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate

recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels,

classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs

using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests

reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships

and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays

and other presentations

identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

Science National Curriculum

KS2 Year 5 & 6

English During years 5 and 6, teachers should continue to emphasise pupils’ enjoyment and

understanding of language, especially vocabulary, to support their reading and writing. Pupils’

knowledge of language, gained from stories, plays, poetry, non-fiction and textbooks, will

support their increasing fluency as readers, their facility as writers, and their comprehension.

Pupils’ confidence, enjoyment and mastery of language should be extended through public

speaking, performance and debate.

Maths Students should develop their ability to solve a wider range of problems, including

increasingly complex properties of numbers and arithmetic, and problems demanding efficient

written and mental methods of calculation. Teaching should also ensure that pupils classify

shapes with increasingly complex geometric properties and that they learn the vocabulary they

need to describe them. Students should be fluent in written methods for all four operations, of

long multiplication and division, and in working with fractions, decimals and percentages

Geography

Understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the

world, how these are interdependent and bring about spatial variation and change over time.

Are competent in geographical skills needed to collect, analyse and communicate with a

range of data gathered through fieldwork that deepens understanding of geographical processes.

Communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical

and quantitative skills and writing at length.

Use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the

local area using a range of methods and digital technologies.

describe and understand key aspects of: physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes

and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle.

Other National Curriculum subjects

KS2 Year 5 & 6

Art Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences. To create

sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.

IT Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science,

including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. Can evaluate and apply IT

including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems.

Useful websites about Earthworms and soil health:

Earthworm Watch

www.earthwormwatch.org

Research behind Earthworm Watch—Natural History Museum, PREDICTS project.

www.predicts.org.uk/pages/earthworm-watch.html

The Earthworm Society of Britain

www.earthwormsoc.org.uk

Science Learning Hub - New Zealand

www.sciencelearn.org.nz/topics/earthworms

OPAL— UK Earthworms

www.opalexplorenature.org/earthwormguide

Garden Organic

www.gardenorganic.org.uk/earthworms

Earthworms as food: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/fun-facts-and-articles/features/worms.aspx

Other National Curriculum subjects

Research Kit

What will I need for my class to take part in the experiment?

What we can provide:

Earthworm Watch Instruction booklet/recording form

Soil & earthworm chart

Gloves

Mustard

Vinegar (source own mustard powder and 15ml vinegar if downloading pack)

What you will also need:

Suitable clothing for outdoor work

Two different habitats in your garden, park or local green space

a pen/pencil

A bag or tray for your soil

Spade or Trowel

Two 500ml bottles of mustard water (make this by adding 15g or a heaped

tablespoon of powdered mustard to 500ml of tap water)

A bottle of clean water

Two plastic containers to store earthworms

Survey Method See tips and tricks for

completing this

survey on the next

page.

Ensure you have suitable outdoor clothing dependent on the time of year and if ground is

too wet, it is too cold or the ground is too frozen to dig, wait until conditions improve.

Make sure you and your students wear suitable warm and wet weather clothes when

surveying outdoors and light clothes, bring water and wear sunscreen during hot weather.

Make sure you have ensure you have permission from the land owner and the site has at

least two different habitats e.g. lawn, flowerbed, vegetable bed. You may wish to conduct

the experiment again so the more habitats the better.

Before you start, double check you have all the equipment you need and accurately

describe location, date and survey group as this is as important as the earthworm data.

You can conduct the experiment more than once, but we require one set of data submitted

per collection event on a given day for Earthworm Watch.

Make sure you have a watch.

Pouring clean water over any earthworms collected will make it easier for identification.

It’s essential that the two soil pits within each survey are completed by the same people.

This ensures consistency of data collected between the two soil pits within each survey.

You can split tasks between the school groups - for example - recording site information,

digging the soil pits, collecting the earthworms, categorizing the earthworms, measuring

the soil properties, putting the earthworms and soil back into the pits.

Make your activity go further by encouraging students to take part in Earthworm Watch at

a different site such as their garden at home or a gardening club activity and you could

provide students with additional take-home materials.

Survey tips and tricks

Health & Safety Guidelines

It is important that teachers and group leaders should take into account the following safety guidelines when conducting Earthworm Watch with their students: 1. Ensure you have visited the research site before bringing any students and have risk assessed it for potential hazards such as safe access to dig for earthworms and take note of slippery slopes/riverbanks, harmful/stinging plants, exposure to sun or inclement weather, etc. If you discover glass or other sharp objects stop and find another site. 2. Ensure you have permission from the land owner. 3. Please read the survey and health and safety instructions carefully before you start. The survey should take less than an hour. 4. Make sure that all participants are appropriately briefed on potential hazards and how to mitigate these prior to engaging in the research activities. 5. When working outside, use this helpful code to help your students remember how to stay SAFE: Spot – spot the dangers Advice – follow safety signs and advice Friend – stay close to a friend, teacher or family member Emergency – shout for help and know the correct emergency number to call 6. In order to provide adequate supervision, a ratio of teachers/adults to students (at maximum) of 1:10 is recommended. 7. Ensure you and/or your students cover any open wounds on your hands and wash hands before eating afterwards. 8. Ensure students are monitored at all times, especially when digging for earthworms. 9. Be careful not to disturb local wildlife. 10. The mustard and vinegar included in the pack are not for human consumption.

Data Collection

The interactive online map gives an overview of all contributions by citizen scientists around the UK.

When data is submitted by your students it will be added to the map so you can track your involvement

and see where else the survey is being completed.

What happens to the data you send in?

The data collected is available for scientists from Earthwatch and the Natural History Museum to

understand more about earthworm diversity, abundance and their ecosystem services.

The data will be used by scientists, nature conservation organisations, scientific institutions to seek

initiatives to improve soils for earthworms.

The data can be tracked on the interactive online map: http://www.earthwormwatch.org/earthworm-

and-soil-data

Earthworm Watch &

The Sustainable Development Goals

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

On 25 September 2015, the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Development Agenda

titled Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Sustainable Development Goals are a set

of seventeen aspirational "Global Goals" with 169 targets between them. The Goals and targets will stimulate action over the

next fifteen years in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet.

Earthworm Watch and the SDG’s

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and

promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote

sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable de-

velopment and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture

of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of

culture’s contribution to sustainable development

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and

its impacts..

13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate

change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of

terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and

reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

15.3 By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affect-

ed by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral

world.

Background information

What is climate change?

Climate change is a large-scale, long-term shift in the planet's weather patterns or average temperatures. This has been

attributed to global green house emissions, particularly carbon dioxide caused by human activity.

Earthworm Watch is studying the relationship between earthworms, soil health and the extent to which earthworms store

carbon. Earthworms feed on and store decaying organic matter that is full of carbon and is returned to the soil. Soils store

up to 4 times as much carbon than all the trees and plants on Earth. Earthworms can play an important part in reducing

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is contributing to climate change.

What is decomposition?

A leaf falls from a tree, onto the ground and turns into soil. The soil provides nutrients to the tree, which thereby can

form new leaves. Decomposition, that is decay, occurs in between, when the “decomposers” – organisms such as

mites, earthworms, fungi and bacteria in the soil – eat up the organic matter and turn it into nutrients (a process

called mineralization) and soil. Through decomposition, plants and small soil organisms are provided with food to

grow and thrive. During decomposition, the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the atmosphere.

This gas can be taken up again by plants, thereby closing the carbon cycle. However, carbon dioxide is a so called

greenhouse gas, as it’s concentrations in the atmosphere determine global warming.

The tiny decomposers in the soil depend on different factors in their environment as they do not have a thick skin or

cloths to help them to, for instance, have a constant body temperature. Therefore, decomposition is slower in cold

climates and faster in warmer climates. This also means that in colder climates, less carbon dioxide will be released

into the air and more is stored in the soil.

What is soil carbon and why are earthworms important in the process?

Soil carbon means the amount of stored carbon in the soil through the process of decomposition. Earthworms and

other decomposers consume organic matter which contains carbon, breaking it down into smaller pieces that are

then further decomposed by bacteria and fungi. This releases nutrients into the soil that were previously locked up in

the organic matter, enriching the sediment and providing a healthier home for plants. By carrying organic material

into the soil earthworms also ensure that the carbon it contains stays below ground, reducing the amount of carbon

dioxide released into the atmosphere.

For lots more information and fun facts visit: www.earthwatch.org.uk/teachearth

Earthworms and soils resources

Earthworm & Soils Resources

Earthworm Society of Britain (ESB)

Learn more about earthworms, how to identify them and become an Earthworm Recorder.

www.earthwormsoc.org.uk

There is a great video explaining why earthworms are important: www.earthwormsoc.org.uk/earthworm-

information/earthworm-information-page-3

Earthworm Watch website: www.earthwormwatch.org/

You can download recording sheets and ID / soil guides from here. Plus you can watch the how to video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PphVVaqsNGY

Radio 4 Programme

Interview with Emma Sherlock (Curator of Free-living worms and sponges at the Natural History Museum, Lon-

don and Chair of the Earthworm Society of Britain)

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b079r52y

Emma Sherlock also talking about Earthworms on BBC Springwatch

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZHTerOJYMA

EcoSapiens – Why are earthworms important? www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFKaD6NFjDQ

World Earthworm Charming

World earthworm charming competitions information found here:

www.wormcharming.com/

www.atlasobscura.com/places/world-worm-charming-championships

www.wormcharming.co.uk/index.html

Ten books about earthworms happybrownhouse.com/10-books-about-worms

Earthworms and soils resources

Earthworm & Soils Resources

Earthworm information www.earthwormsoc.org.uk/earthworm-information (ESB)

Useful information www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/worm/Resources.html (Journey North)

Earthworm resources www.sciencelearn.org.nz/topics/earthworms (Science Learn)

Save Our Soils www.soilassociation.org/our-campaigns/save-our-soils (Soil Association)

Food for Life http://www.foodforlife.org.uk/schools (Soil Association)

Soils Portal www.fao.org/soils-portal/en/ (Food and Agriculture Association of the UN)

In The News

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/earthnews/6254335/Earthworms-come-out-above-humans-and-dinosaurs-in-

table-of-top-100-species.html

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/04/massive-earthworm-called-dave-wriggles-his-way-into-record-books/

Activities

Art related Earthworm Activities www.kidactivities.net/post/Worms-for-Fun!.aspx

Create a space for earthworms www.earthwormwatch.org/conservation-activities

Build a wormery www.verticalveg.org.uk/how-to-make-your-own-wormery (Vertical Veg)

www.gardenorganic.org.uk/sites/www.gardenorganic.org.uk/files/resources/fflp/A53-Using-wormeries.pdf

(Garden Organic)

Create your own earthworm Terrarium

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWF6nlhJRtQ

snailsandslugs.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/terrarium

Make an origami earthworm www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgQvNEbvfMM

The World Beneath Our Feet (Scottish Government)

owlscotland.org/images/uploads/resources/files/World_beneath.3May16web.pdf

Young Soil Explorers soils.org.uk/young-soil-explorers (British Society for Soil Science)

Painting with Soil opal.cc.ic.ac.uk/sites/default/files/7/file/Painting-with-soil_0.pdf (OPAL)

Get in touch! Earthwatch Europe

Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road

Oxford OX2 7DE, United Kingdom

Email: education@earthwatch.org.uk Phone: 01865 318825

eu.earthwatch.org

www.earthwormwatch.org

Earthworm Watch is a collaboration between the Natural History Museum and Earthwatch Institute in association with the Earthworm Society of Britain.

@Earthwatch_Eur