Families can follow this project to create their own mini-ecosystem. The project comes from the Science and Everyday Experiences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science e_SCrt (www.delta see.org).

Materials:

• Empty 2-liter bottles (or a really big jar with a cover)

• Pebbles

• Soil (potting soil or soil from your yard)

• Water

• Any kind of plants or grass (roots and all)

Directions:

1. Collect small rocks and plants (roots and all) from your backyard, a park or a field. You may also find some tiny insects that live on the plants and rocks.

2. Make sure you have a good container. If you use a 2-liter plastic bottle, have an adult cut it in half the long way. Lay it on its side to make a long, flat terrarium.

3. Cover the bottom of the terrarium with pebbles for drainage. Cover the pebbles with about 2 inches of soil. Pat the soil a little bit.

4. Now it’s time to landscape. Water the soil until it is damp. Then make holes in the soil for the plants to go in. Put the plants in and pat the soil around them. Add other natural items. Water everything lightly.

5. Cover your terrarium with a lid or plastic wrap. Poke one or two holds in the top. Put the terrarium in a bright spot, but not in direct sunlight. You should be able to see water droplets on the inside of the lid after the first day or so. If not, sprinkle some more water inside the terrarium.

More about ecosystems:

When animals and plants can live together for a long time, an ecosystem is “stable.” If there isn’t the right amount of light, warmth, food and water, and the organisms begin to die, the ecosystem is “unstable.” How long did your ecosystem stay stable?