• Terrarium: A usually transparent enclosure for keeping or raising plants or small animals indoors.

• Nutrition: The sum of the processes by which an animal or plant takes in and utilizes food substances.

In this unit, students will compare the components of a food web and terrariums, while exploring the characteristics of an appropriate biological model. Students will:

• construct their own terrarium using plant seeds, pebbles, soil, and a two-liter plastic bottle.

• understand what terrariums need in order to survive.

60 minutes/ 1-2 class periods

Technology Tools to Get Teachers Started

Materials:

• copies of the My Terrarium worksheet (see S-4-3-1_My Terrarium Worksheet in the Resources folder)

• copies of the Science Journal questions (see S-4-3-1_Science Journal in the Resources folder)

• markers, crayons, or colored pencils

• enough two-liter bottles for each student in the class

• potting soil

• scissors

• tape or large rubber band

• seeds

• pebbles

• small paper cups

• tape

• sticky notes

• index cards

• construction paper

• markers

• four computers

(Strategies: Explicit Instruction, Scaffolding)

W:       In this lesson,students create a terrarium in class. Emphasis is on the following vocabulary: terrarium and nutrition. Students are provided with oral and written directions to assist them in constructing their terrariums. At the end of the day’s lesson, students take their terrariums home. At home, students must recall what they learned about plant survival in order to care for their terrariums. After a month, students are expected to bring their terrariums back to school to show how much they have grown. All students with a vibrant and well-cared-for terrarium receive a certificate.

H:        Students design their own terrarium. Their designs should be colorful and creative. After students have finished designing their terrariums, the designs can be posted around the room.

E:        To provide real-world experiences, the class views terrarium examples on the following Web site: http://www.terrariums.org/terraria/index.html. This gives students the opportunity to see more complex terrariums and gets them excited about the chance to create their own terrariums.

R:        Students take their terrariums home. They should review and reflect on what their plant needs in order to survive.

E:        The teacher hands out sticky notes to students so they can write a question they still have about terrariums. The teacher reads the questions and has the class answer as many of the questions as they can.

T:        Students create terrariums, which is a hands-on activity for kinesthetic learners. Students are also provided with a model of a terrarium, so they can see what their final product should look like. Printed and oral directions are given to students to help them create their terrariums, which is beneficial to visual as well as auditory learners. The teacher also has the option of allowing students to complete this assignment in small groups or individually, which provides for peer tutoring.

O:        The teacher provides opportunities for students to move from guided activities to independent application through viewing a terrarium, viewing more advanced terrariums on the Web site http://www.terrariums.org/terraria/index.html, asking any remaining questions they have about terrariums, and creating a terrarium they will care for at home.

Teacher Note: Approximately one month before the lesson, build a terrarium following the instructions you will provide to students (see S-4-3-1_My Terrarium Worksheet in the Resources folder). This terrarium will not only serve as a model, but will also give your students a sneak preview of what their terrarium will look like after a month. To make your terrarium more interesting, add decorative rocks, small animal figurines, small bridges, or even mirrors to look like ponds.

A week before: Ask students to bring in empty two-liter soda bottles.

In this lesson, students will create their own terrariums in class. Emphasis is on the following vocabulary: terrarium and nutrition. At the end of this lesson, students will have a terrarium they will take home and care for using what they previously learned about plant needs for survival.

Begin this part of the lesson by giving each student a copy of the My Terrarium worksheet (see S-4-3-1_My Terrarium Worksheet in the Resources folder). Show students the terrarium that you made the month before. Give students about 15 minutes to plan and draw how they would design their own terrarium. Their designs should be colorful and creative. After students have finished designing their terrariums, the designs can be posted around the room.

To provide real-world experiences, have the class view terrarium examples on the following Web site: http://www.terrariums.org/terraria/index.html. This will give students the opportunity to see more advanced terrariums and get them excited about the chance to create their own. Explain to students that their terrariums will be less complex than the ones they see on the Web site. Project this Web site on your projection screen or on a SMART Board in your classroom. As a class, look through the Web site to see the different varieties of terrariums. Before logging off the Web site, have students vote on their favorite terrarium among the following models: Victorian, Contemporary, and Traditional.

Depending on the number of empty two-liter bottles, students can either complete this assignment in small groups or individually. Each student or small group will need a pair of scissors, six to ten seeds, pebbles, tape, a small paper cup, and a copy of the My Terrarium worksheet (see S-4-3-1_My Terrarium Worksheet in the Resources folder).

Procedure:

• Have students begin by using a marker to draw a line around the base of the bottle about six inches from the bottom.

• Then they cut the bottle along the line with a pair of scissors.

• They may need to punch a hole in the bottle before they can begin cutting. (Advise students to be careful with this step in order to avoid injury.) Encourage students to check off each step in the directions after they have completed it.

• Students should place a handful of pebbles in the bottom half of the bottle. The pebbles should be about 1 to 2 inches deep. (Explain to students that the pebbles allow excess water to flow to the bottom of the bottle, which prevents the soil from getting muddy.)

• Next, students should place about two inches of soil in the bottom half of the bottle using their paper cup. (Inform students that the soil is important because it supplies the plant with the nutrients it needs to grow.)

• Depending on the number of seeds you have for the entire class, have students plant about six to ten seeds. Have students fill their paper cups half way with water and then lightly pour the water over the seeds they just planted.

• Once students have completed the last step on the My Terrarium worksheet (see S-4-3-1_My Terrarium Worksheet in the Resources folder), they will come to you to get assistance with closing their terrariums.

• To close them, gently press the sides of the bottom portion of the bottle inward so the top portion is able to fit over the bottom portion.

• Squeeze the two portions together gently to form a tight seal.

• A large rubber band or masking tape can be used to seal any gaps that may have formed.

Next, hand out sticky notes to each student and ask students to write a question they still have about terrariums. Their questions might be in reference to how to care for their terrariums at home. They can place their written questions on the chalkboard. Before closing the lesson, read the questions and have the class answer as many questions as they can in the time remaining.

Closing Activity

Engage students in a class discussion on a plant’s needs for survival. Write the word nutrition on the board. Ask students to give their definition of what the term means. Ask students to recall how a plant receives the nutrients it needs. (The plant’s roots bring nutrients from the soil and the stem brings the nutrients to the other parts of the plants.) Have students answer the following prompt in their science journals (see
S-4-3-1_Science Journal in the Resources folder):

“People need nutrients in order to survive. Why do you think nutrients are so important to the growth of a plant? How well do you think a plant would grow without nutrients?”

Writing Rubric for Closing Activity

Give students the opportunity to bring the terrariums back in a month to show how well their terrariums have grown. While students are caring for their terrariums at home, they should continue to reflect on and provide what their plants need in order to survive. When students bring their terrariums back to school, give a certificate to any student with a vibrant and well-cared-for terrarium. Certificates for any occasion, can be found at the following Web site: http://www.certificatestreet.com/templates/education/3/education.html

Extension:

• Have students create a set of simple directions explaining how to make a terrarium, using their own words. Students should also include instructions for how to care for their terrarium and what plants need in order to survive. The directions should include illustrations in color.

• Hand out an index card to each student. Have students write the title, “Caring for Your Terrarium” at the top. Begin a discussion with the class about what type of attention their plants will need at home. Ask students to recall information on what plants need in order to survive. Based on this information, have students create three tips they will use at home to make sure their plants are healthy. Tailor your teaching to students’ answers to ensure the understanding of all students.

• ·         http://www.merriam-webster.com/ Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

• http://www.terrariums.org/terraria/index.html Terrarium Museum
• http://www.certificatestreet.com/templates/education/3/education.html Certificates