Life Science in Action at St Mary of the Assumption

By Douglas J. Heckler

If you know a St. Mary of the Assumption second grade student, ask them about their Eisenia Fetida Farm. Commonly known as Redworms, Red Wigglers, and panfish worms, these worms are adapted to and thrive in decaying vegetation as they go about their work of vermicomposting (the process of turning vegetative waste into deep rich humus).

 The 400 worms they started with when the study began are living in the classroom environment in a terrarium of sorts under a shade to restrict light. The students have already learned that too much moisture is detrimental to the worms, but they have now gotten the living conditions stabilized and the worms are happily going about their business. Students feed the worms once a week with melon, apple and banana peels, and tea leaves. They have also learned that the worms have no teeth, ears, or eyes, that each worm has both male and female reproductive organs, and that worm castings are very good nutrients for soil. They will be putting all their facts together in a booklet documenting their findings. One thing they have yet to discover is that these worms have an anti-predator adaptation that allows them to exude a pungent smelling liquid when they feel threatened.

Daily, the students log the moisture content and any observations that they make toward learning how an ecosystem works through observation of living and non-living parts of the system under the scope of Life Sciences.

Young Artists Compete

St. Mary of the Assumption School students competed in the recent Van Wert County Student Art Exhibit at the Van Wert County Apple Festival held Oct. 18-19.

Under the tutelage of art instructor Mary Minnig, grades 1-3 entered projects of Stabiles inspired by Alexander Calder. Stabiles can best be described as static “mobiles” in which the members do not move. The 4-6 grade students entered Dale Chihuly-inspired sculptures, made of plastics instead of the blown glass which Chihuly is noted for. A series of two-dimensional artwork was entered also.

Overall, St Mary students  in grades 1-3 won first place in 2-D and first and third in 3-D categories, in grades 4-6 they took second in 2-D work and first and third again in the 3-dimensional category.