Worm Composting Bin
30 min
8+
What Will You Learn?
Learn how to make a worm composting bin, which is a great way to turn kitchen scraps into fertilizer for your garden.
Add Holes in the Bins
Step 1
Dill holes in the bottom of one of the bins. This will allow the processed fertilizer to fall through and be collected in the lower bin.
Step 2
Drill holes along the top section of that same bin you just drilled in Step 1. This will let air come in when the two bins are nested together.
Step 3
Drill more air holes in one of the bin lids. You won’t need the other lid but it will be good to keep around if you need to seal the collection bin for transportation.
Set up the Bins
Step 4
Put the drilled bin inside the solid collection bin. Fill the bottom 2–3 inches of the bin with shredded newspaper.
Your bins are now ready for worms to move into!
What's Next?
Food Source
Find a good source for worms and add them to your bin. By feeding them kitchen scraps and the occasional newspaper, the colony will take care of itself and produce plenty of fertilizer for your garden.
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Materials:
- 2 plastic bins with lids that will nest inside each other
- Newspaper
- Drill
Maker Camp Project Standards
Based on NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
NGSS MS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
- MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
NGSS HS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
- HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
- HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
- HS-ETS1-4. Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.
NGSS 3-5.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
- 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
