Science Smarts: Big-time stuff in tiny places

By Patty Rooks on June 7, 2025.

The weather has been so beautiful lately and I am just loving being outside! I must admit though, you just never know what you may encounter outdoors this time of the year. Yesterday, I was walking across the sidewalk and to my surprise, something jumped across my bare foot.

Needless to say, we have a new addition to our family now… Mr. Ribbbits, as he is fondly known as has joined us today (likely only for a day or so before he hops away). This really got me to thinking though; with our busy lives we miss so much of our surroundings each and every day. There is so much to explore and learn right in front of us. This week, I wanted to show you that even the teeniest of spaces have so much to offer and for us to learn about. Let’s get started!

*Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.

Materials

• Plastic ice cream lid or Frisbee

• Magnifying glass

• Science notebook

• Pencil

• Backyard or park

Procedure

1. In your backyard or park, find a nice area that you would like to investigate further.

2. Gently place the lid on the ground.

3. Push the lid into the ground so you can see the ring it forms in the soil or grass.

4. Leave the lid there for about five minutes. Try to be patient and leave it undisturbed for a little while.

5. Return and slowly lift lid.

6. Write down all of your observations in your science notebook.

7. Use the magnifying glass to get a really close look. Note everything that you see (dead or alive). Be sure to check under the grass, plants, rocks and even gently dig under the surface of the soil.

8. Think about how the things contained in this ring are related. Do the insects you found rely on the plants? Are some of the insects predators? How are the insects and plants adapted to the environment Is there any garbage? How might this affect all of the plants, insects and animals?

9. Once you have finished at this location, try another spot.

10. How do the two environments compare to one another?

What is going on?

What you are looking at is a mini ecosystem. An ecosystem is all of the living and non living things in one particular space. Ecosystems are often studied by scientists in order to learn more about nature and environments. Even the tiny little ecosystem you studied can tell us a great deal about the health of the environment. Every single thing in the ecosystem affects every other thing regardless of living or dead. If there is a problem in one part, the entire ecosystem will be affected. Because of this, we need to ensure that we do our absolute best to protect every ecosystem no matter the size!

Calling all educators – booking for our Hands on Learning Kits for the 2025-26 school year will open up June 1 – you can book for the entire year if you have your planning ready. Email your requests ASAP as it is first come first served. As well, keep reading here as there will an exciting announcement on a new hands on offering for the Junior High Classroom thanks to the generous support of TC Energy!

Patty Rooks, senior scientific consultant PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community.” Praxis has moved! We are very fortunate to be located in the Community Futures Entre Corp Building at #202 556 Fourth St. SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 0K8. For all your science needs, please email praxis@praxismh.ca.

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