Carolina Curriculum: GEMS > Kits for Grades K-5

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Expanded view of the Terrarium Habitats Kit

GEMS^® Terrarium Habitats (Grades K–6)

GEMS Terrarium Habitats for grades K-6 offers students the opportunity to explore a world of earthworms and insects, seeds and plant roots, tunnels and burrows that can be found beneath the surface of the ground. Students explore soil—it’s colors, textures, odors, and the tiny familiar living things that it contains. An optional activity for older students allows them to actually see the composition of soil. Students then go on to build their own habitat, building a mini forest using soil and a variety of natural items, such as leaves, bark, bird seed, and plants.

Students observe living animals such as earthworms and pillbugs and them add them to their terrariums. The observation continues as the students begin to notice things that are changing in their terrariums. Did the isopods have babies? What happened to the dried leaves? Where did these white eggs come from? They notice that the seeds may have sprouted.

Throughout the activities students journal their observations, and drawings record daily changes. These observations will allow your students to see firsthand the role animals play in the process of decomposition.

Benefits of using this kit:
	Introduces foundational science concepts that lead to student success
	Strongly aligned with multiple state standards and the National Science Education Standards and Bench Marks for Science Literacy
	Provides clear step-by-step instruction, assessment suggestions, literature connections, and ideas for further instruction

Goals Standards In the Kit Pilot this Kit Support

Goals of Terrarium Habitats
	Students articulate that an animal’s habitat provides air, water, food, and shelter.
	Students articulate that an animal’s habitat provides air, water, food, and shelter.
	Students can explain how small animals that live in the soil help break down plant and animal materials to return the nutrients to the soil.
	Students improve their ability to make careful observations.
	Students are able to identify changes that occur in the terrarium and can determine when those changes are part of a larger cycle.

National Standards addressed by Terrarium Habitats:

	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives Standard, K–4: Changes in environments.
	Life Science Standard, K–4: Organisms and their environments.
	Earth and Space Science Standard, K–4: Properties of earth materials.
	Inquiry Standard, K–4: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.
	Unifying Concepts and Principles: Systems, order and organization; Evolution and equilibrium; Evidence, models and explanation.

In the Kit:
The unit kit comes with a Teacher's Guide, a Teacher's Pack containing: copy masters, MSDS sheets, matrix of provided materials where used and materials needed but not supplied, and materials needed for a class of 32 students.

Try the Carolina Curriculum Pilot Program
What’s the best way to learn about STC Program®, Building Blocks of Science™, Math Out of the Box®, or GEMS Kits®? Pilot a unit in your school or district!

Here's how it works:

	Complete the pilot information request form.
	You choose a lead teacher(s) to pilot the units.
	Carolina ships the selected unit kit(s) to your school/district.
	At the end of the pilot, you can purchase one of the unit kits for 10% off the catalog price!

Contact our Sales Staff
Carolina’s Curriculum Sales and Services group provides districts and schools that are evaluating curriculum with samples, professional planning, and implementation assistance. Our staff includes in-office curriculum account managers and regional sales managers in the field. Click here to contact the account manager and sales manager for your school district.

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All Carolina customers have their own customer service representative, determined by state, to meet their specific needs. Click here for customer service representative contact information.

Technical Support
With Carolina's technical support staff, you have access to knowledgeable professionals with expertise in many areas of the sciences. Call 800-227-1150 (8 am to 5 pm ET) or email curriculum@carolina.com and trained staff will answer your questions about a Carolina Curriculum product or provide additional information.


	Terrarium Habitats Kit This Kit comes with a Teacher's Guide, an information packet, and the materials needed for a class of 30.

	Terrarium Habitats Kit Teacher's Guide Additional Teacher's Guides are available if you need them.

	Terrarium Habitats Kit Refill Pack This set replenishes the consumable materials in the Kit.