This science unit taught me a lot about ecosystems, photosynthesis, and how living things work together. One thing I felt really confident in was the Ecosystem in a Bottle project.
I had already done something like it before, so I already understood how plants, water, sunlight, and animals help keep the ecosystem alive. It was easier for me to explain how everything worked together and what would happen if one part changed. I also liked building the bottle because it was fun and interesting to watch over time.
One thing I struggled with was learning the roles in ecosystems. I mixed up producers, consumers, and decomposers because I forgot which job each one had. I also had a hard time understanding how energy moves through a food chain. Some of the notes were confusing at first, but the class activities helped me understand it better later on. I also learned a lot from the photosynthesis labs and the pond simulation. These activities showed me how plants make their own food using sunlight and why plants are important for life. Overall, I think I got better at understanding ecosystems and how all living things depend on each other.
this is my original design for the ecosystem bottle