On Earth Day, the grade 5 science classes set up the following experiment using 3 bottle biology terraqua columns from earlier in the year. The experiment is based on a suggested activity, Polluting Your Planet, in the Junior Master Gardener Teacher Guide.

The bottle represented the Earth. Earth is a closed system that includes the following:

1. atmosphere – the gases that surround the earth (the air around the plants)
2. lithosphere – the solid part of the earth including the soil (the soil in the top part of the bottle)
3. hydrosphere – the water on earth (the water in the soil and in the lower part of the bottle)
4. biosphere – the living things on earth (the plants in the soil and in the water)

Purpose - To investigate the effects of pollutants on the biosphere.

Sample Prediction - from 2 students in the class.

Student 1

1. salt water  - It will stay alive.
2. oil – It will die.
3. acid rain – It will die.

Student #2

1. salt water – will affect the water under it. The plant will survive but it will kill the one on top
2. oil – Death for all !!!
3. acid rain – will burn the leaves and kill the plants

Materials

1. 3 bottle terrarium – each with water and a plant in the lower section, a plant and soil in the top section
2. salt solution (1 Tablespoon in 2 cups of water to represent incorrect fertilizer applications)
3. oil (3 tablespoons of motor oil to represent pollutants from fossil fuels)
4. vinegar solution ((half vinegar and half water to represent acid rain)
5. plastic bags to seal each of the bottle containers.

Procedure

1. Pour salt water solution on the soil in bottle #1.
2. Pour oil on the soil in bottle #2.
3. Spray vinegar and water solution on the plant and soil in bottle #3.
4. Enclose the top of each bottle terraqua column with a plastic bag, so each bottle represents a closed system with atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere like the Earth. Seal the bag.
5. We left the plants for 2 weeks and made observations at the end of the time.

Sample Student Observation - from the same 2 students.

Student #1

1. Salt water – no effect on plant in the water but only a couple leaves left.
2. Oil – The plant on the top is dying slowly but did not affect the plant in the water.
3. Acid rain – Both plants are slowly dying.

Student #2

1. salt water – it sucked up all the moisture from the leaves
2. oil – leaves are losing their color and gradually falling off and dying
3. acid rain - killed every thing!!!!!!!!!

Sample Student Conclusions - from the same 2 students.

Student #1: All liquids effect the out-of-water plants, but not all liquids effect the plant in the water.

Student #2: Pollution can kill every kind of plant, so do God’s will and stop polluting!!!!!

Earth Day Experiment

(See directions for building a bottle biology terraqua column.)