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Caring for Earth

A Box of Worms

A Box of Worms
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 3 to 4
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   2.75

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    container, especially, rack, catalog, bits, minutes, order, kinds, towel, coffee, moment, course, soil, patch, anymore, large
     content words:    Earth Day

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Other Languages
     Spanish: Una caja de gusanos

A Box of Worms
By Mary L. Bushong 		  
1     "Mom," said Trevor, as he watched his mother finishing up the dishes, "Why are you washing out those cans?"
 
2     "I am getting them ready to put into the recycling box," said Mom as she shook out the remaining water and set the can in the draining rack.
 
3     "Why do you wash them? I thought they were just garbage," said Trevor.
 
4     "Well, they are garbage to us, because we don't need them anymore. I wash the cans out so they won't attract bugs," said Mom. "Just because we can't use something doesn't mean it has no value. These cans could be melted down to make new cans or other things."
 
5     "I didn't think of that," said Trevor. "Is that why you save out all the cardboard and newspapers too?"
 
6     Mom nodded. "That is also why I save all those vegetable bits. I use them all in our garden patch out back."
 
7     "Our teacher at school was telling us about projects other classes have done for Earth Day, and she asked for suggestions for our class. I couldn't think of anything. Do you have any ideas?" asked Trevor.
 
8     Mom wiped her hands dry on the hand towel and thought for a few minutes. "I saw an article in a magazine about worm boxes and thought it might be something you would be interested in. "
 
9     "Worm boxes? What good would a box of worms do?" asked Trevor.

Paragraphs 10 to 23:
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