Students develop a hydroponics system and compare the growth of plants with and without soil. Students then add fish to create a full aquaponics model, demonstrating the movement of matter within an ecosystem.
Students observe organisms growing over time in their ecosystem model and reflect on the flow of energy and matter that made that happen.
Through exploration of the hydroponics and aquaponics systems, students investigate ecosystem connections between the cycling of matter and energy transfer.
Below are some modifications to convert hydroponic into an aquaponics system. This can be done in a series of lessons and activities to build understanding of NGSS grade 5 performance expectations: 5-LS1-1: Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water. and 5-LS2-1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment The activity below draws from the content in the page Materials for Plant Growth and Ecosystem Cycling and is modified from the activities: Build a Hydroponic System and Aquaponics in a Bottle. |
Materials cycle through an ecosystem that allows the plants and animals to survive and grow (Fig. 1).
Can plants survive and thrive without soil? How does matter cycle through the ecosystem?
Build your own hydroponic system that can be converted into aquaponics!
Note: Hydroponics is the method of growing plants in water (without soil). In comparison, Aquaponics is a system that combines aquaculture (the growing of aquatic animals, like fish, snails, clams, etc.) in combination with hydroponically grown plants.
This teacher guide follows the procedure written here and in the student worksheet with additional instructions and guidelines. We highly recommend starting this activity by introducing the Phenomenon, Inquiry, and Guiding Questions from the top of this webpage. |
Hydroponics
Aquaponics additions
Teacher Recommendations:
Important Note to the Teacher: Invasive species concerns: It is important to dispose of organisms (plants, fish, snails, etc) properly so that native habitats are not harmed. Return organisms to the place wher you caught them, but do not release organisms bought from the pet store into the natural environment. The release of pet store guppies is likely the reason for their presence in Hawaiian streams and their negative impact on native species: See DLNR page on guppies for more info. Please see http://www.habitattitude.net/ for guidance on aquarium disposal. Care of living organisms: This activity involves observation and experimentation with small fish, which are vertebrates. Consideration of proper, humane care of vertebrates is important. Provide explicit guidance for students to develop an understanding of and value for life and living organisms. The guppies must be provided with appropriate daily care so that they remain healthy during the course of the experiment and should not be subjected to pain or discomfort. Students need to be supervised by a teacher that understands the safe and responsible use of animals in the classroom and who understands and follows Hawai‘i Department of Education policies and other relevant regulations. Teachers must develop and implement a plan for the future care of the fish and other organisms following the study. Proper care of small fish, like guppies includes: These recommendations can be viewed in the attached pdf below:
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Matter | An organism requiring food, which it gets by eating other organisms. | |
Consumer | An organism, often bacteria, fungus, or invertebrate, that breaks down waste from other organisms and converts it . | |
Decomposer | Organisms that use energy from the sun and matter in air and water to grow. | |
Primary Producer | Any substance that has mass and takes up space by having volume. |