Ecosystem+in+a+Bottle

** Materials: **
2 Liter soda bottles, potting soil, packaging tape, scissors, grass seed, flower seeds, cotton string (wick), water, drilled soda caps, crickets and cricket food (optional).

Website with picture of a bottle ecosystem []

** Activity Plans: **
1. Introduction to ecosystems Ecosystem- all living and non-living things in a given area and interactions between them.

Explore what living and non living things are with the students

2. Ask them what living and non living things would they need to make a small ecosystem in a bottle?


 * Water, sunlight, nutrients from soil
 * Crickets will need oxygen given off by plants, water, food

Their challenge: To construct an ecosystem that is able to thrive. What interactions in the ecosystem need to take place? (gas exchange for plants, sunlight-photosynthesis, water, soil and drainage, etc.)

3. Construct ecosystem in a bottle
 * Use assembly line style for youth to get each part for their ecosystem
 * Youth will need help cutting their bottles (may want to pre-cut bottles)
 * Youth will need help fitting bottles together

4. Where should bottles be kept to be sure the plants will grow?
 * Bottles can be kept in crusade leaders office with a lamp left on over night if possible.
 * Students can check their ecosystems throughout the week and keep track of progress.

** Helpful Hints: **
- Pre-cut the soda bottles before the students start this activity. - Rinse out the soda and peel off the labels of the soda bottles before they start. - If you are adding crickets, put the crickets in before you tape the bottle shut. It is hard to put the cricket through the top of the bottle but it is possible. - May sure you put a piece of egg carton in the ecosystem with the cricket.