20

Lesson 20 of 84 · Waves

Experiment30 XP

Biodiversity and Ecosystems

🧪Lab Brief #20

Biodiversity and Ecosystems.

🎯 Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

⚡ The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

🤯

Mind = Blown

🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.

🔮

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

What You'll Learn

Biodiversity—the variety of life in an ecosystem—makes ecosystems more resilient. Loss of biodiversity from human activities threatens ecosystem stability worldwide.

Key Words

  • amplitude
  • reflection

Materials Needed

  • cardboard
  • tape
  • scissors

Safety First

  • Dispose of materials properly after the experiment.
  • Handle glass items carefully to avoid breakage.
  • Do not mix unknown chemicals together.

Steps

Step 1Read

Study the diagram and label the parts you recognize.

Step 2Do

Build a simple seismograph using a pen, cup, string, and paper. Shake the table and record the marks. Can you detect bigger vs. smaller shakes?

Step 3Observe

Compare the before and after states.

Step 4Record

Write your conclusion: did the results match your hypothesis? What would you change next time?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is refraction?

🌍

Where you see this in real life

This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

🏆

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.

👨‍👩‍👧

For the dinner table

What's the most surprising thing you learned today?

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

Share card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

🖨️

Checkout complete lesson on Waves for 7th Grade

Get the full Waves track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

View in Shop

Your Cart (0)

Your cart is empty

Browse our shop to find activities your kids will love