On September 26, 1991, four women and four men entered the scientific experiment, Biosphere 2; the doors were sealed for two years in order to study the interactions of a biosphere. In the activity, scholars explore biospheres by building one of their own. Learners write hypotheses, gather all materials, build the biosphere, and collect data for one month to determine if their hypotheses were correct.

Concepts

biodiversity, the biosphere, ecosystems

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

science

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• Set up and briefly discuss biospheres at the beginning of a unit on ecosystems, biomes, or environmental issues and conclude the unit by analyzing the data collected

Classroom Considerations

• Due to costs, teachers may want to set up one terrarium per class instead of one per two students
• Set up takes one day and then groups monitor terrariums, collecting data for one month
• It is the seventh activity in a series of 10

Pros

• Includes assessment for oral report
• Contains follow-through and extension activities

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.6-8.7