Pennsylvania Terrariums Lesson Plan PURPOSE: PA Terrariums is intended as a self-guided
lesson that students and parents will primarily complete on
an independent basis by walking through direction stations
to build a terrarium. Through the lesson, Students will learn
about the various plant life in the Deer Valley and extended
Pennsylvania areas. Each student will then have the
opportunity to construct their own terrarium using
common wildflower seeds. Through this construction,
students become aware of the elements of a terrarium, basic
life support systems for plants, and the important role the
water cycle plays in nature. The teacher will also emphasize
the importance of leaving nature as we find it and not disturbing the delicate balance of an
ecosystem.
LEARNING TARGETS: I can...
1. identify the elements of a terrarium
2. understand the role of the water cycle
3. understand how a terrarium functions as a self-contained ecosystem
4. identify various plants native to the Deer Valley area
5. create a terrarium
6. properly care for the terrarium
7. reflect on the importance of respecting the balance of nature
8. reflect on the benefits of creating and possibly transplanting a terrarium
MATERIALS:
•
two-liter bottle (collected and cut appropriately at school prior to the trip)
•
cup for water
•
4-inch planter pot
•
plant and flower identification guides
•
garden trowels
•
soil
•
gravel
•
wildflower seeds
•
electrical tape
•
labels with student names
•
wildflower flag stakes
•
game answer cubes
•
scissors (several pairs)
•
1staidkit
•
bucket of water
•
cardboard boxes for transport
•
plant trivia question list
•
lesson posters
PROCEDURES:
1. Introduction: Teacher should review the meaning of the lesson title
(Pennsylvania= Penn’s Woods / Terrarium= land environment). The teacher
should then discuss the elements of the terrarium and refer to the water cycle
poster. Teacher can ask student volunteers to explain the cycle, being sure to
highlight and explain essential terms (evaporation, transpiration, condensation,
and precipitation).
2. Build: Direct the students and parents to the Terrarium Building stations.
Briefly explain the procedures that they will go through 10 stations to build their
terrariums. Each station has the materials needed, as well as pictures to model
expectations. There will be (2) sets of stations to work through, so encourage
everyone to work on both sides of the tables. Here is what is posted at each
station:
Station #1:
• Find the pop bottle with your name.
• Tear the tape off as best as you can and place it in the garbage.
• Grab a green plastic pot and center your name label on the side.
Station #2:
• Fill gravel up to the bottom line of your pot (first line up from the bottom of the
pot).
Station #3:
• Fill dirt to a finger width below the rim of your pot (the rim is the ledge).
Station #4:
• Slowly pour 50 mL of water in your pot. (BE CAREFUL! The water will drip
through your pot.)
• Hold your pot over the green bin until it does not drip any further.
Station #5:
• Put a pinch of seeds on top of your dirt. Be sure to spread them out! Hint:
Think carrying capacity – too many seeds will cause your
terrarium not to grow!
Station #6:
• Fill dirt to the rim of your pot. Be sure not to have dirt above the rim.
Station #7:
• Place any acorns, twigs, leaves, or rocks in your terrarium. Be creative!
Station #8:
• Place your bottle so it is completely inside your pot and hold it in place for a
parent or adult to tape into place. Go around your bottle one time with the tape
(you may need to push the tape down along your bottle and pot).
Station #9:
HOLDING YOUR TERRARIUM ON THE BOTTOM, Find your learning
group box and carefully place your terrarium inside the box. BE CAREFUL not
to tilt your terrarium!
Station #10
• Copy the ways to care for your Terrarium on pg. of your Earthwarden Journal.
3. Once students begin finishing, encourage the students to do the following:
• Read the PA Terrariums pages in your Earthwarden Journal and record what you
would like to remember about this lesson.
• Go back and update any notes in your Earthwarden Journal from earlier today or
yesterday.
• Look at any of the Terrarium posters that are hanging up near the Terrarium
station.
• Sit and relax!
4. Game - After all of the students have finished, using the Plant Questions provided, lead a quizgame testing students on their knowledge of plants using the game answer cubes and plant trivia
question list. Parent volunteers will be needed for scorekeeping and judging. These are M/C or
T/F questions, and the teacher can select teams accordingly.
5. At the end of the session, remind students of their next location.