Observation 2

Data recorded: 

• Daphnia: about three visible (look like they grew)
• The rest possibly died or are hiding inside the rocks
• See image 1 ------------>

                                       

• Elodea: Tips are “eaten” off
• There are fiber-like strands growing from the bottom of the Elodea.
• <-------------See image 2

• There is one seed budding. 
• See image 3  ------>                 

                                          

• The top of our ecosystem is very moist, which is evidence of condensation and that the cloth wick is working.
• Water looks clearer than in our first observation.
• Snails look the same size as on the first day. 
• The soil moved (elevation changed), it looks more slanted. 
• There is a slight, barely noticeable, change in water level.
• <-------------- See image 4

Our reflection on the scientific process we learned about:

When observing and recording data, we learned that it is important to pay close attention to every detail and to record as many changes and observations as possible. This way we can accurately track the changes that occur in our ecosystem and be able to understand (and not miss out) on why or what could have caused these changes. Also, having our previous data in hand makes it easier for us to compare any changes and know what data to look for and track.

Our reflection on the scientific content we learned about: 

We learned that to be able to maintain a sustainable ecosystem there must be a cycle present in which one resource (or organism) could benefit and contribute to the survival of other resources (or organisms). For example, the cloth wick serves to absorb some of the water at the bottom of our ecosystem and it transport that water to the soil at the top. This process allows for condensation to occur and for our seeds to receive water and germinate.

Our reflection on the ecosystem in terms of our own teaching:

Ecosystems, we came to realize, can implement much discussion in a classroom. For example, tracking the Daphnia in our ecosystem we noticed that some were missing. Teachers could raise  open-ended questions such as, “What do you think happened to the Daphnia?”, “Could they be hiding in the pebbles?”, and “If they did die, why do you think that was?” As time progresses, teachers could implement different science lessons into what the children are discovering and instead of looking at the ecosystems like one single project, it can be seen as the base of many different valuable and meaningful science lessons.