Creating a bioactive habitat with students can give them a window into the natural world while easing the upkeep for class pets and plants.
Bioactive terrariums and aquariums are self-contained ecosystems, including soil and microorganisms, and a balance of plants and animals. Many class pets—fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates among them—can be housed in bioactive enclosures closer to their natural habitats than standard pet cages, and they offer more opportunities for students to study natural processes and life cycles.
“Teaching [students] about what does this animal look like in the wild—their natural habitats, their natural food sources and behaviors—can really be interesting and then mimic those conditions so that these animals are happy and healthy in their classroom habitat,” said Amy Hrin, a vice president of program development at the American Humane Society. “It’s such a great tool to develop the human-animal bond in educational settings and helping improve the life of students through caring for animals.”
Class ecosystems can be used for laboratory experiments, research, creative writing papers, and even drawing and other art projects. And bioactive terrariums can be an option for teachers in districts with limitations on touching classroom animals.
Bioactive habitats can range from a moss-filled Mason jar of garden roly-polies to a 50-gallon rainforest tank of tropical vines, snakes, tree frogs, and millipedes. They are limited only by the ecosystem a teacher wants to recreate. Here’s how to think about your terrarium.
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