Lesson Name:
Building a Garden Terrarium
Summary:
Students will build a terrarium using either a large baking pan
with a clear plastic lid or a 2-Liter bottle. Both terrariums will
illustrate the water cycle as well as give students an idea about
how plants reproduce and what kind of things they need in order
to survive. The student’s miniature garden will provide a handson experience that directly relates to gardening and landscaping.
Objectives/ Standards:
The students will…
1) Understand the water cycle and explain how it works
2) Identify soil layers and the soil particles that make up soil texture
3) Understand the type of environment living things need to survive
4) Demonstrate different ways of propagating plants (seed, cuttings, etc.)
Background:
A terrarium is a miniature garden grown inside a covered glass or
plastic container. It is a low maintenance way to incorporate plants into your
classroom and an excellent tool for teaching children about the water cycle as
it demonstrates evaporation, condensation and precipitation. In the presence
of light and heat, water evaporates from the plants through transpiration and
from the soil. Since it is an enclosed environment, when the water vapor hits
the side of the container, it condenses. Once enough water accumulates or the
temperature decreases, the condensation will then precipitate down the sides
of the container back into the soil. This simulates the water cycle taking place
all over the world (figure 1).
It is important to choose hardy plants for your terrarium that can
withstand a lot of moisture as well as indirect sunlight. These plants can
include indoor shade plants (Swedish ivy, Pothos, Begonias, Spider Plants,
African Violet, Jade, etc.) or a number of common herbs.
Plants can be transplanted, grown from seed, or propagated from
parts of an existing adult plant. Propagating plants can be a fun, hands on
activity for students to learn different ways in which plants can reproduce.
Techniques for stem, leaf, and root cuttings are shown below (figure 2)
Figure 1:
Figure 2:
Grade Level: 3-8
Duration: 1 hour
Indoor/Outdoor/Both
:
Vocabulary:
 Water Cycle
 Evaporation
 Transpiration
 Condensation
 Precipitation
 Terrarium
 Plant Propagation
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Materials:
o Large Aluminum
Pan w/ clear lid or
recycled 2 Liter
bottle
o Tape
o Potting Soil
o Seeds
o Gravel
o Activated Charcoal
o Toothpicks
o Small popsicle sticks
o Sharp knife or
cutters
o Plants
o Markers
o Trowel
o Plastic Container
Notes:
Essential Questions:



How does the water cycle work to provide water for living things?
What kind of environment provides for certain plants to survive?
What are three different ways in which plants can reproduce?
•
What things are important to consider when planning a garden?
Some materials can be
collected from outside
although collections can lead
to mold and fungi
contaminations within your
terrariums
Set-up:
Have materials out and ready to use for the students. If they are making soda bottle terrariums,
workstations can be set up for each student or pair. Include all materials at each station.
Procedure:
Lead-In
• Discuss the water cycle with a diagram on the board
• Play the water wonder water droplet game to increase understanding
• Tell students that they will demonstrate the water cycle while creating a tiny landscape of living things.
The Activity:
1. Fill the bottom of your pan (or soda bottle) with ½ inch of pea
gravel for proper drainage. This mimics the bedrock of soils.
2. Pour approximately 2 inches of potting soil on top of the gravel. The
moisture of the soil is important. The soil should cling together well
when squeezed in hand but should not drip.
3. Add a few granules of activated charcoal and mix with the soil. This
helps filtering of the water and removes unpleasant odors from the
terrarium.
4. Weather permitting; take students outside to collect additional
materials for their landscapes and collect soil to perform “Shake,
Rattle, and Roll” activity (details below).
a. Have students collect landscape decorations
(rocks, wood chips, etc.)
b. Find an ideal herbaceous or soft wood plant
and describe and demonstrate propagation for the
students. Allow students to take their own stem cuttings.
5. Return inside and perform “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” by adding water
to a jar of collected soil and shaking it vigorously. Observe the jar as
the soil separates into layers. Leave to observe periodically.
6. Return to Terrariums and hand students a planning sheet for their
small garden. Show them the herb and grass seeds available as well
as the items collected outside. Give students a few minutes for
planning and go over their illustrated plans. Discuss proper
planting procedures for seeds, cuttings, and transplants.
7. After planning, students can design their mini garden landscape
based on their plans and planting skills.
8. Plant names can be written on small Popsicle sticks for
identification.
9. Cover the terrarium with the plastic lid and seal with tape. Set
aside and observe each week.
Wrap-up
• Lead a discussion on how the small terrarium is like our earth.
• Talk about important skills that the students used that could be used in gardening,
landscaping, and habitat restoration.
• Urge students to take any chance they can to observe both the separating soil and their
growing terrariums.
Assessment

Verbal assessment of essential questions and answers

Students will note techniques that worked in their terrariums and brainstorm ways
to improve their landscapes.
Extensions
A. Mold and Fungi Terrariums
B. In the spring, use a terrarium to produce a small herb garden while using garden
space outside for vegetables and native plants.
C. Create experiments by constructing a control terrarium while changing variables of
alternate terrariums. Have students inquire about how plants will grow best and test
their inquiries.
Relevant Books:
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Other Relevant Activities/ Games:
 Gas Gobblers
 Flower Stretch
 Water Flows, soil goes (erosion activities)
 Gallon Greenhouse
 Garden Planning and Restoration Activities