Have students download Yucky's video of a baby worm being born, then look at books from your school or public library which depict a worm's life cycle. At Yucky's Worm World , students can see footage and read clever interviews with an earthworm, leech, planarian, tapeworm and a bearded worm. Each one has a name and is interviewed in character to help with classification. Invite students to write a realistic skit or story drawing on the Yucky worms and their characteristics. Students are always welcome to share their writing by posting in the Worm World Forum .
Worms aerate the soil with their constant squirming and nourish it with their castings.
If you have only one computer in your classroom, try projecting on a large screen so the class can read together, or have the students rotate turns in groups of three or four. Directions are included. To extend your students' knowledge, check out these Web Sites and resources . For kindergartners and first graders, integrate some large motor skills by imitating the movements of a worm on the floor or putting on a shadow puppet play about the work worms do. Try reading the ever-popular The Magic School Bus Meets the Rot Squad , by Joanna Cole or any of the related books suggested in the Teacher's Guide.