The Living Soil Hello, my name is Harry the earthworm. I’m now on vacation, so I will show you how my friends and I help the soil. One thing first, I’m going down to bedrock for vacation!!!

Earthworms Worms like me help increase air and water in the soil. When we eat we leave behind casting which is good fertilizer. If there are 500,000 worms in an acre of soil, they could make 50 tons of castings. That’s like 100,000 coffee cups filled with castings. Well that is how I help. How do you?

Bacteria Hello, my name is Bob the bacteria. This is how I help the soil. The type of bacteria I am is a decomposer. I break down dead plants and animals. Some of my friends help fertilize the soil with nitrogen for plants to use. Bye!

Millipedes I help the soil by eating dead organisms. I eat, then I give nutrients back to the soil. I forgot to tell you, but my name is Matthew the millipede. Thanks for stopping by.

Fungi My name is Fenton the Fungi. I do many things to help the soil. I decompose dead matter. We always attack plants, and let nutrients go to plants by making wood rots in the wood.

Moles I’m almost back from vacation.. I just met Milly the mole. I, Milly help the soil by eating harmful insects. We mix up humus and other nutrients. That’s how I help. How do you help?

Snail Hello, my name is Sally the snail. I help the soil in some ways. So listen up!!! I eat soil by eating litter of the ground. I put nutrients back in the soil. Bye, never come again or I will eat you little Earthworm.

Well my vacation is over. I will be hunted by fish again. Well, bye, everyone.

resources m/imghp illinois.edu/soil/ nest BY: Graham Eddy 6 th grade WSMS