Science Domains: Earth & Space Sciences, Life Science
NGSS Standards: MS-ESS2-1, MS-LS1-6, MS-LS2-1, MS-LS4
Project
Science Domains: Earth & Space Sciences, Life Science
NGSS Standards: MS-ESS2-1, MS-LS1-6, MS-LS2-1, MS-LS4
Download the project poster as a PDF. The project poster includes a description of the challenge, learning goals, and a list of materials and references.
Download The Poster (PDF)This project transforms an outdoor campus space into a living fossil garden that allows students to investigate plant evolution, ecosystem interactions, and environmental conditions through hands-on scientific inquiry. Using ancient plant lineages such as cycads, ginkgo, ferns, and horsetails, students explore how modern “living fossils” connect to organisms found in the fossil record and what they reveal about past environments on Earth. Environmental sensors from Voyager 2 pocket labs allow students to collect real-time data on light, temperature, and humidity to analyze how physical conditions influence plant survival and ecosystem stability. An indoor BiOrb ecosystem model provides a controlled environment where students can replicate investigations related to photosynthesis, energy transfer, and
ecosystem dynamics when outdoor conditions are not suitable. Together, these experiences integrate biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science concepts while giving students authentic opportunities to practice observation, data analysis, and scientific modeling.