Are Earthworms Evil? A Short Course Delivered to RI High and Middle School Science Teachers

Post date: Aug 19, 2011 8:31:51 PM

LSEM alumna and Westerly High School science teacher Heather Taylor (BS '00) and Jose Amador teamed up to deliver a two-and-a-half day short course entitled "Are Earthworms Evil?" to nearly 30 high and middle school science teachers from throughout Rhode Island. This hands-on course, designed to get students to develop their science inquiry skills, is part of the RITES (Rhode Island Technology-Enhanced Science) Program, funded by the National Science Foundation. The investigation involved design and implementation of experiments to evaluate the effects of earthworm invasions of temperate forests on litter mass and carbon dioxide flux. The short course was delivered in late July at the University of Rhode Island and in mid-August at Rhode Island College.