Excellent resources, adaptable for younger grades

While some of the content in this resource is definitely more appropriate in a high school setting, it could be adapted to work with upper elementary and middle school students as well. I ag... See More

While some of the content in this resource is definitely more appropriate in a high school setting, it could be adapted to work with upper elementary and middle school students as well. I agree with one of previous reviewers that I would probably omit fish from the bottle with younger students, but I think overall this is an excellent resource, especially with providing a visual example for what the bottle would look like, along with written instructions, because it gives teachers an idea for what the project should look like before it is assembled.

Integrated Science Lesson

I really like how this activity integrates the concept of Earth Systems Science with an open and inquiry based activity. While this lesson is described for a high school setting, it could b... See More

I really like how this activity integrates the concept of Earth Systems Science with an open and inquiry based activity. While this lesson is described for a high school setting, it could be easily adapted to fit into a middle school or even elementary school setting with enough teacher support. In the middle grades, I would provide students with the material and general instructions to how to complete the ecosystem. However, prior to completing the activity, I would require my students to conduct research - hands on as describe in this article, and through the Internet. I would encourage them to research what would be the ideal animal for a contained ecosystem, what are the food and habitat requirements for different potential insects/animals, how will they water the plants within a closed system are some of the questions I would encourage them to find answers prior to beginning. This activity could also include a writing element, as students can journal to document their research and/or even write an expository essay describing their design and discussing the effectiveness of their plan/design. Overall, I like the idea of including this as activity as a culminating project in an environmental or ecology class/unit.