The Red Wriggler Teaching Manual:
A Teacher's Resource for Ecology Education
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The first thing any red worm compost book will tell you is that the basic red worm has many different names—red wriggler, red wiggler, manure worm, tiger worm and brandling worm. The name it isn't called is nightcrawler. Red worms are composting worms, and they turn organic garbage into a manure called castings so high in nutrients it is now known as "black gold." The red worm must have a constant supply of organic material—manure, decomposing fruits and vegetables, leaves, grass, newspaper, cardboard, etc., in order to live. The nightcrawler tunnels around in the soil making it easier for roots to grow and absorb water and nutrients.
The vital role the red worm can play in creating healthy soil provides important course material in ecology education—and thus the development of The Red Wriggler Teaching Manual. The lesson plans it provides can be adapted to all age levels, from elementary school to college. They ground the student in the three basic reasons why the red worm's star is rising, which are as follows:
(1) The fact that one can recycle with red worms has become a matter of interest to both environmentally-conscious citizens and pioneers in solid waste management. (2) Concern about damage to the environment and public health resulting from the extensive use of agricultural chemicals has generated new interest in the "natural way" of raising crops. (3) The demand for organic produce—because of its superior taste and nutritional values—has risen by 20% per year since the 1990s.
The Red Wriggler Teaching Manual uses the red worm to show students practical ways in which they can participate in improving the health of the earth and in turning organic waste into our most valuable natural resource. The manual also grounds them in the worldwide movement toward organic agriculture, in which the United States could play a much larger role.
Click here for statistics on Worldwide Organic Production.