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Discover how organisms in a terrarium depend on each other and their environment. Learn about germination, plant growth, and set-up procedures for a thriving terrarium ecosystem.
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Questions??? • What organisms live in the environment? • How do the animals depend on the plants for their needs? How do the plants depend on the animals? • How do the plants depend on microorganisms in the soil? • What nonliving things do the plants and animals depend on? • How did the living things you observed get food, shelter, water, and protection?
Questions??? • What is a terrarium? • “Terra” is Latin for Land • A Terrarium is a container used to grow plants or hold small insects/animals. • What is germination? • When a seed sprouts and starts to grow. The seeds will only grow if they are planted properly today. Don’t plant too many or plant them too deep. • How do plants grow? • Plants take water and carbon dioxide and turn it into food when they are in sunlight. This is called PHOTOSYNTHESIS.
Procedures • Remove the cap from the bottle. • Place a square piece of fiberglass screen over the mouth of the bottle. Secure the screen with a rubber band. Place the band on the neck of the bottle to hold the piece of screen in place. • Stand the bottle, neck down, on a plastic cup. One partner will need to hold the terrarium steady. The other can put in the items. Be sure to take turns. • Add one plastic cup full of gravel to the terrarium.
Procedures • Add two plastic cup full of soil on top of the gravel. Try not to muddy the sides of the terrarium as you work. • Divide the surface of the terrarium soil into four equal parts using two toothpicks. Each part will hold something different.
Procedures • Bird’s eye view of your terrarium set up • Label each section of your terrarium with an “M” for mustard seed, “A” for alfalfa, and “G” for grass. Mustard Seed Alfalfa Rye Grass
Predictions • Which seeds do you think will germinate (sprout) first? • What will the sprouts look like? • Do you think every seed will germinate? • Will the dead plant material change? Will the rock change? • Why will these plants be important to the terrarium once we add animals to it?
Hopefully in a few days you will have some growth in your terrarium! What does a plant need to grow?