Ecosystem in a bottle

Growing a self-sustaining plant ecosystem in the classroom is a fun and hands-on way to teach students about ecosystems as well as the water cycle. To complete this experiment you will need clear plastic 2 liter bottles, seeds or small plants, soil, water, scissors, and tape.

Don't let the title, DIY 2-Liter Bottle Ecosystem Project scare you. This activity is fun and intriguing for the home or a science project!

Add caption It's beginning to feel like Spring in Pennsylvania, and with it comes our state tests and just beyond...my favorite teaching of the ENTIRE year...ecosystems and biomes. I just LOVE nature and last year I jumped our third graders in with both feet and we made a huge mess in my room for two days and assembled fully self-contained terrestrial and aquatic biome bottles. This project has allowed me to connect so many things I love--big projects, my aquarium past, kids, parents, plants…

Our most recent science unit is an exploration of ecosystems. We learned there are 4 parts to an ecosystem: animals, plants, decomposers, and non-living things. These bottles contain all four parts including water, soil, grass, fish, snails, gravel, worms, and a water plant. Our bottles have been self sustaining. For two weeks we haven't had to feed the animals or water the plants, and everything is still alive. Take a look:

Engage your students with these 10 ecosystem project ideas for your elementary science class and grab a FREEBIE to get started!

Ecosystem in a Bottle: Im Sadie Kariko, and the project I chose to do was the soda bottle ecosystem. My goal is to have the ecosystem thrive all together. I got to choose between a closed and open ecosystem. The closed ecosystem has to work all together, while an open ec…

With an Ecosystem in a Bottle Science Experiment for Elementary Students and Middle School Students and even High School Students, you will be building a terraqium column which will allow you discover the relationships between living organisms, and their environment.

Ecosystem in a bottle.

Biome in a bottle, ecosystem in an envelope, habitat in a handbag…what on earth? This hands-on long term terrestrial and marine or freshwater biome research project will have student thinking about where they live – the organisms that surround them and the environment they live in. Dive in to get started on this interactive in-classroom habitat experiment! After the open or closed biome is created, students will collect data on how organisms interact with one another and monitor changes over…

It’s that time of the year to get dirty and grow things! But not everyone has the space or time for their own backyard garden. With this fun activity, kids can plant their own miniature garde…