At the end of Ecocolumns, my students graph their data and answer questions as a group. Here is an example of the questions they answer.  This year, my students filmed their answers on Flipgrid.  For props, they used their ecocolumns, graphs and an optional small white board.

Soil and Water measurements

Choose 2 of the following questions to discuss and answer with your group. One person from your group will record your discussion on the answer sheet.

1. Look at your plant height graphs (including elodea). Discuss what happened with your various plants over time and the possible reasons for the changes.
2. Look at your water pH graph. Discuss what happened with pH over time and the possible reasons for the changes or lack of changes.
3. Look at your water dissolved oxygen graph. Discuss what happened with DO over time and the possible reasons for the changes.
4. Look at your water Nitrite/Nitrate graph. Discuss what happened with these measurements over time and the possible reasons for the changes.
5. Look at your soil measurements: Temperature, pH, fertility.  Discuss what happened with these measurements over time and the possible reasons for the changes.

Adjustments, Observations, Error and Design

Choose 2 of the following to discuss and answer with your group. A different person from your group will record your discussion on the answer sheet.

1. Discuss 2-3 adjustments. How did they improve your ecocolumn?
   
2. Discuss your observations. What were the most significant observations? Why?
3. Discuss mistakes and errors that were made during the ecocolumn lab and how they influenced the lab.
4. Discuss how each of the chambers in the ecocolumn affected the other chambers.

Science Practice: Asking Questions

Science is all about asking questions. In fact, there is an important article in The Journal of Cell Science entitled “The Importance of Stupidity in Scientific Research” by Martin A. Schwartz in which he outlines how real scientists don’t know the answers to many questions, but they ask a lot of questions in order to consider pursuing a line of research.

Write down 5 questions about your ecocolumn that you don’t have the answers to, but that interest you.

Ecocolumn Articles

Student directions for building ecocolumns.

To read about building ecocolumns, go to these posts: Cutting and filling bottles, planting seeds and taking data , adding bugs, worms and leaf litter, and building the aquatic chamber.

Read about where to find funding for supplies.