Snail habitat

Summary

Students collect materials needed by snails to survive and set up a snail habitat

Science content

Biology: Features, Adaptations of Living Things (K, 1, 3, 7)

Biology: Life Cycles (2)

Biology: Food Webs, Ecosystems, Biomes (3, 4)

Science competencies (+ questioning + manipulation + others that are in every activity)

Planning/conducting: planning investigations (3 up)

Processing/analyzing: experiencing and interpreting the local environment (K up)

Evaluating: inferring (3 up)

Lessons activity is in

Snail study and habitat

Materials

Aquarium or other glass tank
Area of school grounds to collect sand, soil, leaves, grass, twigs
Snails - most easily found in the fall and spring, when it is not too hot or too cold

Procedure

Students go outside to collect materials for the snail habitat:
sand for the bottom of the habitat (to hold water)
soil (for hiding in)
leaves and grass (for hiding in and eating)
sticks (for climbing on)

Back in the classroom, each student adds their item to the terrarium while saying what the snail needs their item for.
Start by adding sand to the tank, and add water to it to make it moist. Then add soil, moistening it if necessary. Then add leaves, grass and twigs.

Watch the tank carefully, for what the snail eats and does not eat, then add more plant items that are eaten.
Make sure the tank does not get hot (keep away from heaters), and do not keep snails too long indoors.

Grades taught

Gr 1

Gr 2

Activity