Students in Mr. Leve’s fifth grade class began their ecosystems unit in science recently. To kick off the unit, the students built their own terrariums. Terrariums are indoor garden containers with plants growing inside them. The containers Mr. Leve’s students used are clear plastic with small holes in them to allow heat and light to enter and to confine and control moisture.Terrariums can be built for many different purposes including: decoration, plant propagation, or scientific observation.
Mr. Leve’s class constructed their terrariums for the purpose of making scientific observations. After a week of nurturing and growing, students closely observed the progress of their terrarium and compared the growth density and heights of plants to those of other groups. Next, the students discussed possible reasons for the differences between groups. The students are having a blast learning about terrariums and taking care of their plants.
If you are interested in creating your own terrarium, they can usually be set up in under an hour with a few inexpensive materials. A terrarium can provide hours of joy and is a simple way to spruce up any living space…..even for people who consider themselves as “plant challenged.”