Activity 2:  Classroom Ecosystem (GLEs:  1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 15, 18, 21, 50, 54, 70)

CC:  Students will set up a classroom terrarium and aquarium - each will constitute a separate ecosystem. Students will also establish smaller terrariums in plastic bottles that will be used in their investigations. Resources, ideas, and directions for these can be found in textbooks, trade books, science kits, and Bottle Biology available online at http://www.bottlebiology.org or http:www.bsu.edu/eft/ecosystems/activities.html.  (*This link is an original link from the Comprehensive Curriculum which does not work. The following link from the original website contains information referred to in the activity: http://www.bsu.edu/ourlandourlit/Environment/ecosystems.html). Tips for setting up a classroom aquarium can be found at http://www.tetra-fish.com/. A classroom aquarium and terrarium allow the student the opportunity to observe larger animals, such as toads and frogs, which cannot be used in the smaller plastic bottle setup.

CC:  Students should be asked to identify the living and nonliving elements in each ecosystem and identify the importance of each to the system. Students will develop a graphic organizer, such as a web or chart, for the aquarium with the two beginning branches being living and nonliving. Use this same activity with the terrarium. The teacher will facilitate a discussion that enables students to make the connections among the biotic and non-biotic elements and emphasize the dependence of living things on non-living matter. A brief discussion of the role of decomposers will lead the students to become aware of the function of these organisms in renewing the non-biotic components of the ecosystem. The students will write journal entries reflecting on the interdependence found in ecosystems.

Samples of graphic organizers are attached.

Inspiration Template - "Living or Nonliving"

Inspiration Template - "Living vs. Nonliving Venn"

Kidspiration Template - "Journal Entries"

Other suggested websites: