Ravian Mhe Biton

Activity No.1
Bowl of Colorful Beads
Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:

 Describe how population growth affect the ecosystem.

 Define the term “carrying capacity”.
Materials:
Bowl (700ml)
Water
Water beads (200 pieces)
 Water beads are easy to find. You can buy some in gen. merchandise in
your town or even in stores.
Procedures: (To be performed individually)
A. Put the dehydrated water beads into the bowl.
B. Add water until the bowl is almost full, set aside. (After 4 to 6 hours, see the
result.)
C. The teacher can prepare and perform the activity ahead of time before the class.
D. Show to the students the finished experiment of the bowl with water beads
soaked into it.
E. Let the students look and analyze the result.
Questions:
1. What happened to the water beads after 4 to 6 hours of soaking in a bowl
of water?
2. Did the bowl accommodate all of the water beads?

3. Did the water beads grow for the same size?

4. How the activity related to the topic? (Population Growth and Carrying
Capacity of Ecosystem)

Conclusion:
Soaking water beads in the bowl of water within a few hours will make the
water beads grow. The water beads will not grow for the same sizes and others
may fall out of the bowl because the bowl is too small for all of the water beads.
Like in an ecosystem, there will always be population growth. Abrupt population
growth will affect the biodiversity and stability of organisms in an ecosystem.