This project enables students to actively engage in constructing and observing ecosystems, facilitating an authentic understanding of ecological interactions and matter cycling. Through daily hands-on activities and peer collaborations, students explore 7th and 8th grade science standards while honing critical competencies such as effective communication, problem-solving, and self-directed learning. As they co-design and experiment with their terrariums, students will not only gain content expertise but also reflect on their learning journey, culminating in a community exhibition to demonstrate their findings and predictions about ecosystem dynamics over time.

Students will explore and identify the abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems through hands-on terrarium creation, facilitating real-world understanding of ecological relationships and interactions. By developing hypotheses, students will predict changes in their ecosystems over time, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Alongside this, collaborative group work and reflection will strengthen their communication and self-directed learning capabilities, while connecting science standards with authentic community experiences.

Throughout the project, students will create individual or group terrariums and maintain an observation journal to record daily findings and reflections. These journals are integral for documenting changes, interactions, and hypotheses grounded in real-time ecological observations. By the end of the project, students will present their findings during the Friday exhibition, showcasing both their terrarium and the insights gained through collaborative investigation and critical thinking.

Begin by having students brainstorm and share what they know about ecosystems, focusing on both living and nonliving components. Introduce the concept of constructing terrariums as miniature ecosystems by showing examples and discussing the processes involved. Facilitate a brief neighborhood exploratory walk, encouraging students to gather materials they might use, fostering excitement and curiosity about their project. Back in the classroom, hold a collaborative discussion on their observations and ideas, leading into the project's essential question and their initial hypotheses.

At the end of the week, students will showcase their terrariums and the data they've collected during a class presntation. The exhibition will include stations for soil testing and discussions on ecological concepts, highlighting the connections within each terrarium's unique ecosystem.