Q.U.E.S.T.-driven Earthworm Study
Supplies:4–6 Earthworms for each small group to study, paper towels, magnifying glasses, water droppers, blocks or other classroom supplies to use as obstacles
Lesson 1: Introduce Q.U.E.S.T. Time: 30 minutes I introduced each stage in the Q.U.E.S.T. format to allow my students to see the big picture, gain an initial understanding of the scientific process, and see a general map of where the unit would lead them in their learning. I also explained to my students that they would help create a unique outdoor study once a guiding testable question had been established.
Lesson 2: Know-Wonder-Learn (KWL) Time: 30 minutes I asked my students to share what they knew or wondered about earthworms, and record their answers on a large KWL chart. This exercise served as a pre-assessment of their initial learning, and it was later compared with a post-assessment. I then read picture books on earthworms; showed earthworm videos; and taught anatomy, habitat requirements, survival needs, how they move, and their environmental benefits. This allowed me to explore my students’ personal curiosities based on earthworm observations, which led me to explaining how questions can lead to investigations — Why do I always see earthworms and snails on sidewalks after a heavy rain? — before asking my students to draw earthworms in their habitats.
Lesson 3: Questions and observations (Q.U.E.S.T) Time: 45–60 minutes
It is advisable to conduct small-group observations of live earthworms before creating questions. To begin, my students generated two guidelines to assure the safety of the earthworms: 1) Watch earthworms and don’t
touch them too much; and 2) If an earthworm is about to fall off the table, let it slide onto your hand and place it carefully back on the table. Following a 15–20-minute observation session, I had my students draw and record their observations in their science journals and record earthworm questions such as, Why are some earthworms reddish-brown and others are brown, grey, or pink? Why do some go crazy and flip out and some hardly move? and Why do some pile on top of one another and some are alone?
Lesson 4: Uncover comparative questions (Q.U.E.S.T) Time: 30–45 minutes
Personal curiosities based on observations and questions can lead to investigations and answers. Begin by modeling and identifying required elements for comparative questions. I led with, “I wonder if the earthworms would stay on a damp paper towel longer than a dry one. Is this a question that
compares at least two different things? Is this a question we can measure?” To the latter two questions, one of my students exclaimed, “Yes! You could put one under a dry towel and one under a
damp one, and see which one comes out first!” Another student remarked, “Maybe you should put like two or three since you might have a lazy one!” Another still asked, “What if they all stay there?” “Good point!” I said. I explained how a timeframe, such as three minutes, could be used to determine the start and end
time for each observation, and then whatever happened would be data we could use, even if the worms seemed to do “noth- ing.” We discussed crafting questions that compared at least two different things, and were suitable for testing a hypothesis, while also being measurable, observable, and testable with available resources.
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