Michael Kosko
2016
Chicago, IL
Al Raby High School
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Kosko’s innovative teaching idea, “Bottle Ecosystems,” is focused on helping environmental science students understand the energy and chemical transfers that exist in an ecosystem. During this project, students will create their own ecosystems using two, two-liter bottles – one filled with water and sea life, and the other with dirt, worms and succulent plants. Students will observe their creation on a weekly basis by collecting data on pH, dissolved oxygen, and nitrogen content. Students at Al Raby High School will be able to observe first-hand interactions between different organisms in an ecosystem and the flow of energy and chemicals between these organisms.