Ecosystems in a Bottle

A student favorite that I have used for years and "tweaked" to fit the ecosystem or life cycle of creatures to fit the season or unit! This article presents detailed instructions, material ... See More

A student favorite that I have used for years and "tweaked" to fit the ecosystem or life cycle of creatures to fit the season or unit! This article presents detailed instructions, material ideas and a simple rubric. After you've made one - think big! Students love to stack layers of soda bottles: crickets or mealworms, and seeds on top of pond water with small plants and a tiny goldfish.

My Own Ecosystem

This detailed and comprehensive description of a biobottle for use in a unit on ecosystems gives very structured procedures, materials, a rubric, and safety advice. For a teacher nervous abo... See More

This detailed and comprehensive description of a biobottle for use in a unit on ecosystems gives very structured procedures, materials, a rubric, and safety advice. For a teacher nervous about giving the students much control over their work (and that the work is messy), this is a comforting article from two clearly experienced teachers. For a teacher used to making his or her own way, this method brings to mind many adaptations to consider, while adhering to the general outline and having much of the footwork already described. My only hesitations are that it is somewhat acceptable that some of the organisms will die in the bottle. I know that many small insect, spiders, and various invertebrates have relatively short life spans anyway, I would make a point of engaging the students in a discussion of the ethics involved.