Life in a Jar
Drill
• What are the conditions on earth that make
life possible? Name at least four.
Drill
• If a person were to go to Mars,
would the spaceship have to act
as a mini-biosphere? Justify your
answer.
The Earth is considered a
biosphere because it is basically a
small island of life in the vast
emptiness of space. What do you
think “biosphere” means?
Safari Montage clip- The Earth:
Biosphere 2
• http://10.4.1.240/?a=303&ch=6
Objective:
• The student will be
able to construct a
mini-biosphere in
order to analyze
the interaction of
matter and energy
within an
ecosystem.
On page 1 of your IN, write “Life in the
Mini-Biosphere” as the title. (Table of contents)
• Divide page 1 into three, horizontal sections.
• Write down then answer the following
questions for each of the three sections.
– Section 1: Brainstorm with a partner the needs
required to sustain life. List them.
– Section 2: Predict how the materials needed to
sustain life may become limited in a closed
system.
– Section 3: Predict how matter and energy will
interact within the mini-biosphere model.
Read “Making the Mini-Biosphere”
• What will we be doing?
• How is what we are constructing a
biosphere?
• Why can’t we let any air go in or out?
• Answer last prediction on page 1
Materials
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clear plastic 2-liter soft drink bottles, 2
sterile sand or gravel, (0.7 L)
topsoil, (1 L)
1 small plant
beaker, 400 mL
graduated cylinder, (100 mL)
scotch tape
scissors
ruler
water, 60 mL
Paste the reading “Matter and Energy
in an Ecosystem” on page 2 of your IN.
Read “Matter and Energy in an
Ecosystem”
Title page 3, “Flow of Matter and
Energy.”
Copy the following diagram on the top
half of page 3 of your IN and answer
the question below in complete
sentences.
C
A
B
• Determine if the diagram
on the left best represents
the flow of matter or the
flow of energy in an
ecosystem. Justify your
decision.
Why does the diagram BEST
describe the flow of __________ in
an ecosystem and not the flow of
__________ in an ecosystem?
• Which words are missing?
On the second half of page 3, title the
section “Analysis” and answer the
following questions in complete
sentences.:
1. Identify the matter in your mini-biosphere and
then classify them as either living or nonliving.
2. Identify the energy source for your minibiosphere.
3. Describe how matter and energy will interact
within the mini-biosphere. Provide examples to
support your response.
Do Journal Reflection on page 4.
• Paste worksheet and answer for homework.