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Make a Water Cycle Science Terrarium & Miniature World | In The Real Wonderland

With stories, play, hands-on creativity, gardening & imagination, we'll create a miniature world terrarium for our dinosaurs, fairies, animals, Minecraft, or toys while learning about water cycle science. This is a play-based, interest-led class, suitable for homeschool and unschooling learners | Co-op Discounts Available | Neurodiverse, Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Gifted Inclusive.
Alice Campbell
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(188)
Class

What's included

Homework
1-2 hours per week. This is a flex class, meaning that there are no "live meetings" and activities are completed independently at home. The expected length of time for these activities will vary depending on each child's own interests and attention. As a general guide, the terrarium-building component of the class will take most children between 20 - 30 minutes. However, this may be extended depending on the child's interests, using the extension activities and prompts.
Assessment
This class is a FLEX class, and families may choose to explore the materials independently. However, children may also choose to share their creations and discoveries in the classroom where I will provide personalised feedback. In this context, I do not use tests or other standardised approaches to assessing children's progress. In this age group, testing it is not developmentally appropriate and in some cases may be psychologically and academically harmful. Instead, I provide feedback to actively contribute to each child's learning in ways that are meaningful for them. To do this, I make observations that specifically relate to the child's development and interests, in relation to the learning outcomes of the class (see above). I then routinely provide feedback to children. This may consist of: ~ positive affirmation (e.g. "I really liked the way you communicated your idea with that creation"); ~ positive reflection (e.g. "I wonder how you came up with that idea?"); and/ or ~ positive stretching (e.g. "I wonder if you could show that idea in other ways?). This is a wholistic approach to assessment. The child's response to my feedback helps me understand of "how far" they have travelled in their learning, and then "what comes next" in their learning. I welcome questions and inquiries from parents about their child's learning progress.

Class Experience

US Grade Pre-Kindergarten - 2
Beginner - Advanced Level
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱. 🐇

The live version of this class has been taken by over 50 learners ranging in ages from 3 to 10 years old, and received 30 five-star parent reviews. Now, the class is available in FLEX format! This means you can take the class in your own time, and integrate it with your own homeschool curriculum, or use it to extend your in-person school learning. A flex enrolment also means that you do not have to worry about cancellations: the minimum number for this class is one...if your child is enrolled, it will go ahead! 

𝗠𝘀. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗼𝘀. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗻 - 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘚. (𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵)

𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆-𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗸𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱!𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘊. (𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵)

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲! 𝗠𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 (𝟰.𝟱) 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻, 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻! 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱, 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱, “𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆?” 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆. 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀, 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱! 𝘝𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢 𝘊. (𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵)

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Class Description

What sort of world would your little dinosaurs, minions or kitty-cats love to live in? Will your world have a magical faraway-tree? Or will you re-create the layers of Minecraft deep in the earth? Maybe you will even bury some gems and treasures! In this class, children will create their very own terrarium, making a miniature world for their favourite characters and stories. 

In this class, we will make a closed terrarium. This is a type of mini-world forest that has a lid, so water is constantly evaporating, condensing, and precipitating. A terrarium, brought to life by a child's imagination, is a wonderful way for children to watch, see, feel, discover and wonder at the way water continuously moves around our ecosystems. This class uses a teaching approach known as "fictional science" or "scientific playworlds", which helps young children develop high-level STEM skills through imaginative play, art and story-telling. Research shows that, unlike circle time classes, this interest-led and play-based approach increases memory retention of science, maths and language concepts, and promotes children's longer-term interest in STEM (Chung, 2016; Fleer, 2017; Williams, 2010). 

The class includes an exploration of background knowledge and vocabulary, step-by-step workshop on how to build and care for your terrarium, and a range of extension/ exploration activities. 

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Class  Format: FLEX
This is a FLEX class, meaning that there are *no* live meetings. On the course start date, you will receive access to a range of educational materials that you can follow along with at your own pace and in your own time. The materials will continue to be available for 30 days after the class ends, giving you plenty of time to explore the activities and learning...and to follow your own discoveries! 

The materials you will receive in this class include:

𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝟭: We start our learning with a reading of a picture-book story of daring and adventure, to help introduce some of our important concepts and spark our imaginations. The use of stories in this way, allows us to explore and play with vocabulary and background knowledge, in ways that are engaging and promote thinking and conversation (rather than "lecturing at" children). Importantly, this approach enables children to understand material more deeply, because they are more easily able to integrate it with their existing knowledge and experiences: rather than having to "absorb" a range of abstract facts. 

𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝟮: After our storytelling we will get "hands-on". Children will be invited to create their very own rain/ water-cycle terrarium! We'll use our scientific imaginations to plan, plant and ponder ideas about our miniature earth-in-a-jar. Step-by-step instructions and demonstration are provided in a relaxed format that encourages children to question, explore, and reflect on their own interests and ideas, and to link these to the bigger science concepts of the class. 

𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝟯: Once your terrarium is ready, we will share some information about ways we can keep it growing and healthy. This video also includes suggestions, prompts and ideas for extending your learning; observing the water cycle as the terrarium changes and grows; as well as transferring our observations to the water cycle on our planet! 

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: Because it is living and lasting, a home-made terrarium can inspire children to continue discovering, asking, and learning long after the class is finished.  A variety of resources (adaptable for different ages) will be provided to support children to follow and explore their changing miniature world. These are included in an observation journal with prompts and questions to support scientific thinking through written and/ or artistic exploration and suggested extension activities. 

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Discounts:

If you wish to access the materials as a homeschool or co-op group, please contact me for discounted pricing. I am very happy to provide a good discount for multiple/ group bookings (4+). I deeply appreciate your respect of the work, effort and resources I have used to bring this material to you, by registering each child in your co-op or group who wishes to access the material 💚.


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Classroom  Interaction:

Families can choose how they wish to engage with the materials in this class. The resources can be used to support independent or home-education study, and integrated into other curriculum. Alternatively, learners may like to share their creations and discoveries in the classroom, and respond to our interactive prompts and discussion questions, for a more interactive experience. 

Please view the "Learning Goals" section below, to read more about the underlying concepts and skills that children will gain in this class.
Learning Goals
The intended learning outcomes for this class are aligned with the Australian and UK early years curricula. They are also consistent with the preschool/ early years curricula for NZ, China, Korea and most European countries. This class utilises the Michigan Essential Literacy Practices Framework, and the Mathematics Learning Trajectories. 
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Intended Learning Outcomes

1. I can begin to make predictions about the water-cycle in a terrarium, and communicate these using language or other representations. 
2. I can make connections between my terrarium and more general concepts and processes about the water-cycle in the environment. 
3. I can use representations to help organise and communicate my ideas, thoughts and concepts.
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Most children will need assistance to prepare and set-up prior to hands-on component of the class. This will typically take around 10 minutes. Depending on their age, as well as executive function/ language/ planning and sequencing skills, some children will benefit from additional support to follow the steps in the terrarium-making process This class includes a strong focus on children's hands-on participation and agency. I suggest having a large tray, towel or sheet to ensure easy clean-up following the class. Children should wear clothes that you are comfortable if they get messy or stained.
Supply List
ESSENTIAL materials include:

A CLEAR CONTAINER FOR THE TERRARIUM
The main requirements are that it needs to be able to be sealed with a lid or plastic food wrap/ rubber band seal. It should also be wide enough at the top for your child to fit their hand inside for planting. 

You can use a fancy terrarium jar if you like. But for beginners I suggest using something recycled from the home or from the dollar store, for example:
- a glass/ mason jar with a lid, 
- an old fish tank/ bowl, 
- a 2 or 3 litre soft drink (soda) bottle with the top cut off (save the top, and use it as a lid)
- recycled food packaging (clear plastic)

TERRARUM MATERIALS
- small stones or pebbles 
- charcoal (this helps stop bacteria, and is usually available from most nursery stores sold as “horticultural charcoal”)
- potting mix
- moss (this can be purchased from a nursey in the form of “sphagnum” moss)
- 1 - 2 small plants to fit inside your terrarium. For this project, little baby ferns or vines would be ideal (the water cycle won't be quite as obvious if you are using succulents or cacti). **A full list of suggested plants will be provided on enrolment. 

GENERAL SUPPLIES
- A cup or large spoon (to pick up and move materials)
- A bottle of water.

MINI-WORLD DECORATIONS
- Most children love making "mini worlds" in their terrarium. Having a few plastic dinosaurs, fairies, or jungle animals to decorate offers an extra way to engage! Children can also use Minecraft or Pokémon characters, or even "natural" materials such as feathers and shells.
 1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined May, 2020
5.0
188reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
I am a Masters-qualified Early Childhood teacher, with specialisations in Inclusive Education. I also hold a Bachelor of Nursing, and have over 30 years of experience in designing and delivering early childhood (0 - 8 years) programs, and I have received numerous awards for designing immersive early childhood development, learning and mental health programs and for excellence in practice. I am an experienced clinical/ and field supervisor (social workers, teachers, nurses). I have completed specialist and postgraduate  Teacher training in Talk for Writing, Play Therapy/ Therapeutic Play, Sand Play, DIR-Floortime,  Neurosequential Development, and Hanan Speech interventions. 

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Live Group Class
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$8

for 1 weeks
1 week

Completed by 4 learners
No live video meetings
Ages: 4-9

This class is no longer offered
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