The Biosphere Challenge

What can we learn about natural processes by creating and

manipulating our own closed ecosystems?
Biosphere Do Now
 Imagine you are a spider living in a sealed glass container.
Write down a list of things you think you would need to
survive and reproduce OR draw and label what your ideal
container would look like. How long do you think you could
survive for?
 Challenge #1: Create whatever you think has
to happen to sustain multiple generations of
invertebrates for as long as possible in a
sealed container.
Materials (per pair)
-1 sealable glass terrarium
-natural materials and organisms
of your choosing!
Parameters
1. You will have one class period to
gather materials from outside.
2. Your biosphere should include at
least 8 individual invertebrates of
your choice. They do not all have to
be the same, but there should be at
least two of each species.
3. You can add as much water to your
biosphere as you would like.

How will you provide your living things with enough food, air, and water in a
sealed container? (Hint: Consider the role of plants and soil in living systems)
What did you create?

 Write a summary of your biosphere that includes the following:

 3-5 sentences summarizing what you included and why

 Think/Pair/Share the following with a different partner:

 predictions about how your biosphere will change over the course
of the project
 questions you have about interactions in your biosphere
 Any concerns you have about the survival of your
biosphere’s plants and animals
Observe your Biosphere
Use your C02 meter to record daily temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, and any
changes that occur every day over the next two weeks. Do you notice any trends
in your data?
Challenge #2: Biosphere Swap!

 At this point, you have a pretty good handle on your own biosphere. Now it’s
time to figure out what is going on in your classmates’! You will have one class
period to observe another group’s biosphere and record the following:
 A list of living species (Use ID books if necessary!)
 a list or diagram summarizing how the components of their biosphere are
connected
 5 differences and 5 similarities between their biosphere and yours

 You may open their terrarium to monitor temperature and C02, but
should not alter their biosphere in any other way!
Challenge #3: Carry out an experiment in
your biosphere
 This can look like the following:
 Add or remove materials
 Manipulate temperature or CO2
 Create a disturbance/weather event
 You decide!

You will have one class period to design your experiment and submit it for
teacher approval, and one week to carry it out/make observations. You will be
writing a formal lab report so remember to keep track of your hypothesis,
methods, materials, and results!
Challenge Board- Pick a challenge below as
your final project for this unit.
What would your biosphere
look like if you were a
student in another state or
country? Design a new
biosphere based on any
ecosystem of your
choosing.
If you were a science teacher,
would you assign your class the
biosphere challenge? Write an
essay about why or why not,
and any changes you would
make to this unit.
Write a news article about
the biosphere challenge for
the school paper. Interview
your teacher and at least 3
of your classmates and
include photos.
Create an illustrated field
guide of at least 5 living
things in your biosphere
and facts about their life
history.
Make a short film about
your biosphere that
explains what you put in it
and why, and any updates
on the project so far.
Create your own challenge!
Write one paragraph
proposal about what you
would like to do and why,
and submit it to your
teacher for approval.
Design a biosphere themed
board game that teaches
your classmates about
ecological processes.
Write and perform a song
about your biosphere. This
can be an original or a
parody.
Adapt the biosphere
challenge for younger
students! Design an activity
to teach 3rd graders about
what we’ve learned in this
unit.