CNE Elementary students have been making use of our school garden for class projects and investigation. Recently, our fifth grade students utilized the garden and its new composting bins as they learned about vermicomposting, which is decomposition induced by a variety of earthworms.
In order to complete this project, students kept a vermicomposting bucket in the classroom. That’s right -- they kept a bucket of worms in the classroom! While some students started out squeamish about the worms, they grew to love them as they learned about the benefits they can provide our world.
Students also read about seeds and how to plant them before they planted seeds that would be successful in a fall garden. Students also began collecting fruit and vegetable waste from our daily lunches to add to the composting process. Then, students added the worms from the classroom vermicomposting bucket to the outside garden composting bin.
Our school garden was provided last spring by CNE Cares, a non-profit organization in the Clermont County area that has partnered with CNE to create a network for those in need of support in our community. So far, not only have our fifth grade gardeners and composters been benefiting from the garden, but the local wildlife has been, as well!
