Kindergarten

Vermicomposting with red wigglers in the classroom is a natural fit for the Kindergarten program. The dominant take away message for kids when first introduced to vermicomposting is “worms eat our garbage and then poop” (giggle, giggle :)). What better way to engage a child in the classroom than by discussing poop! Vermicomposting is an age appropriate, relevant, tangible, thought provoking and environmentally conscious teaching tool. An in-class vermicomposter promotes learning by tapping into children’s natural sense of curiosity and their desire to explore and inquire. Incorporating such a tool in the classroom allows children to gain insight and knowledge about the world around them through play, inquiry and exploration.

The following table serves to provide insight, guidance and suggestions of how an in class vermicomposter can meet the specific objectives of The Kindergarten Program (Ontario 2016). For demonstration purposes, only, a selection of overall expectations have been extracted from The Kindergarten Program (Ontario 2016), Appendix: Overall Expectations With Related Specific Expectations p.306-318 and highlighted in the following table.

Overall Expectations and Related Specific Expectations (p.306-318)	How an in-class vermicomposter supports The Kindergarten Program.
Communicate with others in a variety of ways, for a variety of purposes, and in a variety of contexts (p.306-307) 1.6 1.7 1.8	Develop communication skills by observing, exploring and discussing life in your in-class vermicomposter. Learn, develop and use vocabulary specific to vermicomposting, science and the environment. Learn to ask meaningful questions for a variety of purposes (to obtain information, to learn something, to satisfy curiosity, etc.) while exploring and discussing life in your in-class vermicomposter.
Demonstrate independence, self-regulation, and a willingness to take responsibility in learning and other endeavours (p.307) 2.2	Broaden and challenge students’ comfort zones in the process of building a home for and feeding and attending to the needs of (and maybe even touching or holding) the red wigglers in their in-class vermicomposter.
Demonstrate an awareness of their own health and well-being (p.308) 6.1 6.2	Your in-class vermicomposter is the perfect tool to promote healthy eating. Like people, red wigglers require nutritious food to survive and thrive. Remind students regularly that the worms eat the classroom food waste (garbage). By bringing healthy snacks to school, students will, in turn, provide healthy garbage/snacks for their worms.
Participate actively and regularly in a variety of activities that require the application of movement concepts (p.308-309) Develop movement skills and concepts as they use their growing bodies to move in a variety of ways and in a variety of contexts (p.309)	What better inspiration than the class’ wee red wigglers when it comes time to, “shake your sillies out”. Need I say more? Let your imagination be your guide on this one!
Use the processes and skills of an inquiry stance (i.e. questioning, planning, predicting, observing, and communicating) (p.311) 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4	An in-class vermicomposter is a phenomenal tool for developing the tools for scientific exploration and inquiry! It is a living, breathing, changing, tangible, relevant and current teaching tool which students can manipulate and observe directly. Students will: make and record observations pose a question / state a problem develop hypotheses explore and discuss possible solutions perform research draw a conclusion communicate their findings be part of a team of researchers listen and learn from their peers observe the entire life cycle of a worm
Use problem-solving strategies, on their own and with others, when experimenting with the skills, materials, processes, and techniques used in drama, dance, music, and visual arts (p.316) 23.4	Once again, let your imagination be your guide on this one. Some suggestions include: Draw on the knowledge learned while exploring the in-class vermicomposter to “build” a model of a red wiggler. Use simple craft materials such as pipe cleaners and beads to complete this task. Use a variety of visual arts tools to create a visual representation of the life cycle of a red wiggler as observed in your in-class vermicomposter.
Use technological problem-solving skills, on their own and with others, in the process of creating and designing (i.e. questioning, planning, constructing, analysing, redesigning, and communicating) (p. 316) 24.2 24.3 24.4	The process of assembling their in-class vermicomposter supports and inspires inquiry based learning. In my experience, thoughtful questions are posed and often answered by the students themselves during this process. A hands on (and in!) approach to learning yields incredible results, particularly at the kindergarten stage of development.
Demonstrate an understanding of the natural world and the need to care for and respect the environment (p.318) 29.2 29.3 29.4	An in-class vermicomposter teaches students how to manage and divert the organic waste generated by their class. The red wigglers in their in-class vermicomposter will literally eat the classroom organic waste/garbage and turn it into rich compost. An in-class vermicomposter allows students to participate in and gain first hand experience and knowledge of this process by observing this transformation and the entire life cycle of a red wiggler first hand! An in-class vermicomposter is a living breathing, ever changing mini ecosystem. It can be used to observe and discuss the interaction and interdependence of a variety of co-existing organisms. Students will learn that vermicomposting is an effective way to be responsible contributing members of a community while respecting and caring for the environment.

The Kindergarten Program (Ontario 2016), Appendix: Overall Expectations With Related Specific Expectations

Grades 1-8

The following table serves to provide insight, guidance and suggestions of how an in-class vermicomposter can meet the specific objectives of The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Science and Technology, 2007. For demonstration purposes, only, a selection of specific expectations from The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Science and Technology, 2007 have been highlighted in the following table.

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The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8, Science and Technology (2007)
G r a d e 1	Understanding Life Systems Needs and Characteristics of Living Things	1.1 Identify personal action that they themselves can take to help maintain a healthy environment for living things, including humans (p.45) 2.2 Investigate and compare the basic needs of humans and other living things, including the need for air, water, food, warmth, and space, using a variety of methods and resources (p.45) 3.7 Describe how the things plants and animals use to meet their needs are changed by their use and are retur1ned to the environment in different forms (p.46)
	Understanding Structures and Mechanisms Materials, Objects, and Everyday Structures	1.1 Identify the kinds of waste produced in the classroom, and plan and carry out a classroom course of action for minimizing waste, explaining why each action is important
G r a d e 2	Understanding Life Systems Growth and Changes in Animals	1.1 Identify positive and negative impacts that animals have on humans (society) and the environment, form an opinion about one of them, and suggest ways in which the impact can be minimized or enhanced (p.59) 2.3 Investigate the life cycle of a variety of animals (e.g. butterflies, frogs, chickens), using a variety of methods and resources (p.59) 2.4 Observe and compare changes in the appearance and activity of animals as they go through a complete life cycle (p.59) 3.2 Describe an adaptation as a characteristic body part, shape, or behaviour that helps a plant or animal survive in its environment (p.60) 3.3 Identify ways in which animals are helpful to, and ways in which they meet the needs of living things, including humans, to explain why humans should protect animals and the places where they live (p.60)
G r a d e 3	Understanding Earth and Space Systems Soils in the Environment	1.1 Assess the impact of soils on society and the environment, and suggest ways in which humans can enhance positive effects and/or lessen or prevent harmful effects (p.80) 1.2 Assess the impact of human action on soils, and suggest ways in which humans can affect soils positively and/or lessen or prevent harmful effects on soils (p.80) 2.4 Investigate the process of composting, and explain some advantages and disadvantages of composting (p.80) 3.3 Describe the interdependence between the living and non-living things that make up soil (p.81) 3.4 Describe ways in which the components of various soils enable the soil to provide shelter/ homes and/or nutrients for different kinds of living things (p.81)
G r a d e 4	Understanding Life Systems Habitats and Communities	2.4 Use scientific inquiry/research skills (see page 15) to create a living habitat containing a community, and describe and record changes in the community over time (p.86) 3.1 Demonstrate an understanding of habitats as areas that provide plants and animals with the necessities of life (p.86) 3.3 Identify factors (e.g., availability of water or food, amount of light, type of weather) that affect the ability of plants and animals to survive in a specific habitat (p.86) 3.4 Demonstrate an understanding of a community as a group of interacting species sharing a common habitat (p. 86) 3.9 Demonstrate an understanding of why all habitats have limits to the number of plants and animals they can support (p.86)
G r a d e 6	Understanding Life Systems Biodiversity		2.2 Investigate the organisms found in a specific habitat and classify them according to a classification system (p.113)
G r a d e 7	Understanding Life Systems Interactions in the Environment		2.2 Design and construct a model ecosystem (e.g. a composter, a classroom terrarium, a greenhouse), and use it to investigate interactions between the biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem (p.127) 2.3 Use scientific inquiry/research skills (see page 15) to investigate occurrences (e.g., a forest fire, a drought, an infestation of invasive species such as zebra mussels in a local lake or purple loosestrife in a wetland habitat) that affect the balance within a local ecosystem (p.127) 3.1 Demonstrate an understanding of an ecosystem (e.g. a log, a pond, a forest) as a system of interactions between living organisms and their environment (p.127) 3.2 Identify biotic and abiotic elements in an ecosystem, and describe the interactions between them (p.127) 3.3 Describe the roles and interactions of producers, consumers, and decomposers within an ecosystem (p.127) 3.5 Describe how matter is cycled within the environment and explain how it promotes sustainability (p.128) 3.7 Explain why an ecosystem is limited in the number of living things (e.g. plants and animals, including humans) that it can support (p.128)

The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Science and Technology, 2007