KId Kamp-PONDS-Week #2

I know I have been seriously behind in blogging.  I can't believe this week has gone by so fast.  I am still working on a reflection of last week's Kid Kamp.  I want to get that out, but I think that might be a reflection for 2 weeks at this point.

Well, we did ponds this week.  I got these great printables from Home School Creations.  Wonderful stuff.  I got many of my theme ideas from there.  My daughter and I, while my sons were napping, started doing Part I to the ponds pack.  She finished the whole thing in no time.  I 3-hole punched the pack and put it in a 3-hole punched manila folder.  I used brass fasteners to secure it.  She loved it.  She colored it and decorated it and had a blast.

Inside were many math and literacy activities.  She loves to do workbooks so this was good fun for her.  Sorry no pix.

On Monday afternoon, the 2 kids and I went to the library and got a bunch of books on ponds.  My husband did all of that reading to them before they went to bed at night. They really had fun going and picking out books.  And the librarian was great.  We told her what we were looking for and she brought us to a whole section on ponds.

On Tuesday, we built our ecosystem.  This is so unbelievably cool.  I think I am more impressed with it than my kids are.  We got the idea from Cranberry Corner.  She also suggests a link to Scribbit with more detailed instructions.  We used both.

What you need
* 3 clear 2-liter emptied & cleaned soda bottles (you need 3 for each system you create)
* clear packing tape
* fish gravel
* water
* dechlorinator
* rubber band
* small piece of netting or pantyhose (I used a ped from the shoe store)
* soil
* small fish, snails, and other small animals (we used shrimp & a loach, but he passed)
* aquatic plants like anachris
* crickets, potato bugs and earthworms
* sticks, dried leaves
* seeds or small plant

We cut the bottles so we will have three levels (basement=pond life, coupler and top level=earth level). 

* Basement level--cut off top (not too much--you want a deep basement)

* Coupler--top and bottom cut off (this will fit between the other 2 levels to allow air to circulate between them)

* Earth level--cut off just the bottom...but keep it!  This needs to be re-attached.

In order: earth level, coupler and basement

BASEMENT

• Add in gravel to basement level
• Add the plant
• Pour in water along with the dechlorinator 
• Add in your pond creatures (we got small gold fish, shrimp, and 2 snails)

EARTH LEVEL

• Place the netting around the mouth of the bottle and secure it with the rubber band
• Holding the bottle upside down, so that the mouth is now on the bottom, add in gravel for drainage
• Add in the soil
• We added in some chive seeds because that was what we had on hand.  But you can add in a plant or other seeds.
• My kids found small sticks and dead leaves to add in

Then the bug hunt began.

We moved my planters around and found a couple of earthworms to add.  I had to do some serious searching to find potato bugs.  Had to dig up my slate slabs for them.  I figured trying to catch crickets would be impossible, so I bought them at the pet store.

• The bugs were added 
• Place the original bottom of the bottle (now the top) in place and tape it on

COUPLER

• Place the earth level inside the coupler and seal with tape
• Place this whole unit on top of the basement level
• Secure with tape BUT make sure you fold the tape over so you can easily remove it if need be

I have had to re-tape that section a million times.  We have had several casualties since the ecosystem began.

Our shrimp and one of the snails.  Sadly, this shrimpy did not make it through the night.  

So far on our journey, I have made a few trips to the pet store to replenish our lost friends.  To date, we have lost one shrimp, one goldfish and one loach, which is a small eel-like creature.  I was very sad to lose the loach as the pet store associate informed me that they truly enjoy eating poop.  I thought he would be a great addition to our ecosystem.  He will be missed.

As of this moment, surviving, we have 2 goldfish, 2 snails, 2 shrimp and an algae eater in the pond level.  As for the earth level, I can't see in there for the condensation is so thick, which is what we want.  I still have no chive sprouts.

All are harmoniously living together, which is the point of an ecosystem.  I will keep you updated on it.  TTFN.