Life Inside A Dome

Life Inside A Dome
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Many people have wondered: will humans ever live on other planets besides the Earth?

Other planets, like Mars, are very different from Earth.

To live somewhere like Mars, we would need a dome, sealed off from the outside world. That way we could breathe oxygen and stay warm.

Scientists came up with an experiment to see if people could live sealed off from the outside world, just like they would have to do on Mars. Nothing could come in or out of the dome. They built a giant dome in the desert where a group of people would live for 2 years.

Here’s a real photo of “Biosphere 2” in Arizona:

DISCUSS:

What would you put into a dome if you were going to be sealed off from the outside world?

If you’re sealed off, what problems do you expect you’d need to solve?

In today's activity, you are a scientist working for Biosphere 2.

There are many problems to solve to survive in the dome! Other scientists are making sure that the Biosphere has water, heat and enough oxygen to start out.

Your job is to make sure there’s enough food. While you can bring some food into the dome at first, you’ll run out eventually. So you’ll need to figure out what organisms you should bring inside so that you can keep eating for a few years.

Get a See-Think-Wonder chart to record your ideas.

THINK-PAIR-SHARE:

Take a close look at Biosphere 2. What do you notice about the structure? What features of Biosphere 2 will help you grow food?

Record your answers in the SEE column of your chart. Talk to your partner about them and then share your ideas as a class. Your teacher will add your ideas to the class chart.

THINK-PAIR-SHARE:

What do you think will be hard about growing food for 2 years? What risks can you identify?

Record your answers in the THINK column of your chart. Talk to your partner about them and then share your ideas as a class. Your teacher will add your ideas to the class chart.

THINK-PAIR-SHARE:

What questions still need to be answered about Biosphere 2 in order to grow food there?

Record your answers in the WONDER column of your chart. Talk to your partner about them and then share your ideas as a class. Your teacher will add your ideas to the class chart.

Now it's time to do some investigations! During the next six Mysteries, you will explore how living things depend on one another for their nourishment. You will use this information to support, add to, or change your biosphere model. At the end of the unit, you will use your biosphere model to decide if a Mars ecosystem plan would successfully keep humans alive.

Have fun, and stay curious!

You've completed the introduction to the anchor phenomenon!

Be sure to keep each student's "My Biosphere" model accessible. They will use it in the Unit Connection after each Mystery.

Teach Mystery 1 next: Why would a hawk move to New York City?

Image & Video Credits

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Other
Approaching the Hills by Image used under public domain: NANA, Cornell,JPL , used under Public Domain
Biosphere 2 by Image used under public domain: Daderot
Boy holding up blank paper by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Moonborne
Fresh bread isolated by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Simm49
Green butter lettuce by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Boonchuay1970
Ice dome design by Image used under public domain: NANA, Cornell,JPL
Jack Russel and Rottweiler by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: SikorskiFotographie
One red apple on a white background by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Igor_Shevchenko
PPPencil02 by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: JohannPoufPouf
Piece of cheese isolated by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Azure1
Sliced chicken blub sandwich by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Michael C. Gray
Tomatoes, whole and a half by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Tim UR
Turkey deli cut isolated on white by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Kelly vanDellen
Credits

Featured Reviews

“The children had fun finding things to go into the Biosphere that would last for two years. Great discussions.”
· Denise · Teacher
“This lesson was a dynamic. The students really enjoyed it and it allowed them to think.”
· Canica · Teacher
“Students loved planning for life on another planet. The level of engagement during this lesson was great. ”
· Robin · Teacher
“I loved that this was just the kids thinking. It felt like a great way for them to tie the big picture together at the end. Awesome work. ”
· Sheryl · Teacher
“The kids were really excited about the idea of living on Mars. We had a writing assignment in which they had to persuade me to hire them to live in Biosphere II, and they had some amazing and thoughtful answers. Way to get the kids excited about this unit! ”
· Heather · Teacher
“My students loved it! They had some great conversations to get them thinking about the key ideas in the unit.”
· Tracie · Teacher
“The conversations were awesome. The kids learned a lot about where their food comes from.”
· Melany · Teacher
“I like the idea of having a theme throughout that ties or is revisited at the end of each lesson.”
· Maureen · Teacher
“I liked how the students had to use critical thinking to come up with living organisms to populate their biosphere.”
· Louis · Teacher
“The students really got into the topic. Great discussions!”
· Judy · Teacher
“We loved it. Great discussions and it clearly sets the stage for what we'll be thinking about all through the Unit. It shows how little we know about even what is a plant and what is not and whether or not plants are even living. Good info for teachers on where the students are with their knowledge to start out. ”
· Deborah · Teacher
“Loved using this as our anchoring phenomenon! We are going to get simulated martian soil and experiment: grow lettuce in martian soil and earth soil and compare the results. We will research the makeup of both soils and compare. ”
· Lisa · Teacher
“This is great! the phenonmenon is a great start to the investigations.”
· Christina · Teacher

Activity Prep

Print Prep
Note: This lesson is part of this unit’s Anchor Layer. If you have the Anchor Layer turned on, we recommend teaching all lessons in the remainder of this unit in order.

The anchor phenomenon for this unit focuses on attempts to grow food in an enclosed ecosystem. Students generate observations and questions about the phenomenon and create an initial design solution to growing food inside a dome for two years.
Preview activity
Biosphere Bites worksheet 1 per student
See-Think-Wonder worksheet 1 per student
Web of Life Teacher Guide teacher-only resource 1 per class
Prep Instructions

Before starting this lesson, review the unit Teacher Guide for an overview of the Web of Life Anchor Layer.

In the Unit Starter, students are introduced to the unit anchoring phenomenon, growing food in an enclosed ecosystem. In the activity, students create a design solution to growing food in a dome for two years. They support their solution with an ecosystem model. Students will re-visit their solution and model after each Mystery to add new information to it.

It is important to encourage students to recognize that even if they don't know the perfect answer yet, they are going to learn a lot throughout the unit and have an opportunity to change or add to their first model.

Step 1: Set up your classroom

Set up your classroom by creating a class "See-Think-Wonder" chart (the student version is linked below). We recommend using chart paper, or a space on your board that won't be erased since you will revisit it throughout the unit.

Step 2: Print out worksheets

Each student needs a:

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Ecosystems Anchor Phenomenon: Life Inside A Dome

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