Weekend science lab – We used our empty soda bottles to make 2 closed mini-ecosystems, with guppies and aquatic plants in the bottom, and crickets and worms in the top. (We wanted to add freshwater snails to the bottom and pill bugs to the top, but couldn’t find either during our last-minute hunt for supplies. If I find snails this week I think I’ll untape the bottom and add them.) This closed system means it’s fully self-contained and no maintenance is required. We set the ecosystems by a sunny window and photosynthesis can happen, setting things in motion! The water will evaporate to the top to rain down on the soil, helping the grass to grow and the dead leaves to decompose, which feeds the crickets and worms. There will be plenty of oxygen from the plants, and the algae that will grow will feed the fish. After our lab, Ray took the time to explain to the girls (and to me too) how photosynthesis and this particular ecosystem works. This was NOT a part of our science curriculum for the semester, but I’ve been wanting to do this project all summer and had to get it in!
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 04:25:27 +0000