It's a Small World After All! (Pond Microcosms)

It's a Small World After All! is actually two activities in one inquiry. In How Much Biodiversity Exists in a Pond Microcosm? students use microscopes to investigate the diversity of life that exists in pond water. In What Is the Effect of Rice on Microcosm Biodiversity? students conduct a controlled investigation to study the effect of a pollutant (rice) on a microcosm ecosystem.

Note: The best time to start this inquiry is either September or May, when pond ecosystems are at their most active levels during the school year.