AQUAPONICS

S T E M

Teacher Guidelines ▶ pages 1 – 2

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Instructional Pages ▶ pages 3 – 6
Activity Page ▶ pages 7
Practice Page ▶ page 8
GRADE Homework Page
Answer Key
▶
▶
page 9
pages 10 – 11
 Classroom Procedure:
1. Ask students: What would you do if you had to grow your
own food, and lived near water, but had no land to raise
the plants?
2. Allow for responses and discussion. Some students may
respond, “eat fish only”, but remind students they must
also think of ways to grow food plants. Ask students if they
think the water could be used in some way.
3. Allow for responses and discussion. Students may
brainstorm ideas using the lake’s surface or underwater
planting. Tell them to think outside the box. After a
discussion, introduce Aquaponics.
4. Distribute Aquaponics STEM content pages. Read and
review the information with the students. (Either use an
aquaponics system set up in the classroom, or present
one of the resource videos to students as a
demonstration with the content.) Save the final question
for the lesson closing. Use the additional resources to
enhance understanding.
5. Distribute Activity page. Read and review the instructions.
Distribute supplies. Students will cut apart the pieces for
an aquaponics system, draw in missing pieces (such as
return pipes, etc). They are to draw in the arrows and use
text to describe the steps of aquaponics.
6. Once completed, allow students to share with a partner.
Circulate through the room, checking for understanding.
7. Distribute Practice page. Check and review the students’
responses. Students correct false statements.
8. Distribute the Homework page. The next day, check and
review the students’ responses.
9. In closing, ask students: Imagine yourself growing foods
for your family using an aquaponics system. What would
be most enjoyable about the work? What would be least
enjoyable?
10. Allow for responses and discussion for both parts of the
question. Ask students to think about a larger use of the
system, not from a small tank.
Approximate Grade Level: 5 – 6
Objectives: The students will be able to define
aquaponics, identify and explain the steps in
aquaponic systems, and list the advantages
and disadvantages of aquaponics.
State Educational Standards*
NGSS.4-LS1-1
NGSS.5,5-PS3-1
NGSS.5-LS1-1
Class Sessions (45 minutes):
At least 2 class sessions.
Teaching Materials/Worksheets:
Aquaponics content pages (3), Activity pages
(2), Practice page, Homework page
Student Supplies:
Construction paper, scissors,
glue/tape, handouts
Prepare Ahead of Time:
Copy handouts.
Options for Lesson: Students may work in
pairs for the activity. If aquaponics system is
being used in the classroom, students draw an
image of the system instead of cutting apart
the pictures. Students research other systems
used for growing plants as alternatives
for traditional farming. Students research
the history of agriculture, aquaculture, and
hydroponics. Use pH paper to test water and
other liquids. Invite a greenhouse owner to
the class or other expert to speak with the
class about planting alternatives.
*Lessons are aligned to meet the education objectives and goals of
most states. For more information on your state objectives, contact
your local Board of Education or Department of Education in your state.
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 Teacher Notes
The lesson can be easily used in conjunction with a lesson related to the environment or ecosystems.
Aquaponics is a relatively new concept, though it has been used in the ancient past, students should be
intrigued with such a unique system for growing plants. It is highly recommended the teacher obtain one of
several commercial aquaponics systems available for purchase. The additional resources includes links to
commercial sites, and the videos are useful for other classrooms.
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Water and Plants and Fish
There is plenty of water in the world. In fact, about
71% of the earth’s surface is covered in water, and
the remaining 29% is land. The water sources
include oceans, lakes, streams, ponds, rivers, and
more. In addition, there are nearly a half-million
plant species in the world and thousands and
thousands of fish species. Finally, there are millions
of other kinds of living organisms from a single-
celled organism called a microbe to the largest
animal in the world, the 98-foot blue whale.
All the water and land, the plants and animal
species, both in and out of the water, make up one
giant ecosystem called Earth. An ecosystem is a
community of plants and animals that survive as
they interact with each other. All living organisms
rely on each other in an ecosystem, whether it is
the size of the earth, as big as a rainforest, or a
small ecosystem under a rock.
It usually takes just three things for a species to survive in an ecosystem: water, food, and light. Few species
may not need light, but without light, the food used for survival could not grow. In addition, nutrients are
found in food to keep living things alive, both plants and animals. Even the waste of a species can eventually
provide nutrients for a living organism.
The world is connected through its living things, the water, and the land. Throughout history, humans have
understood this connection. In ancient times, there were no food processing plants, grocery stores, or
any other of the modern conveniences people enjoy today. When people needed food, they had to grow it
themselves, either on land, or sometimes even on water as part of a system called aquaponics.

Aquaponics History
The word aquaponics is a newer word, only dating back to the 1970s, but the concept has roots in ancient
history. Aquaponics is a system combining the habitats of fish or other organisms that live in water with the
growth or farming of plants. In the system, the plants and fish relay on each other. A system like
aquaponics may have first been used about 1,000 A.D., when the Aztecs raised plants on rafts sitting atop
the surface of a lake. They had a system of agricultural islands called chinampas, which included networks
of canals and artificial islands. They cultivated the crops on the islands using the nutrient-rich mud and
water from the canals.

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In the early Aztec systems, the artificial islands rarely moved, and the nutrient-rich waste materials were
obtained from the canals and then manually added to the plants above for irrigation.

Imagine soilless plants growing in your bathtub full

of water. You add nutrients to the water, which the
plants use for growth. And since there is a light in
the bathroom, the plants have everything it needs
for their growth. However, if you were to add living
organisms to the water, which help provide nutrients
for the plants, it would be an example of aquaponics.
Sounds simple, and for the most part, it is.
Other examples include the cultivation and farming of rice
paddy fields in South China, Thailand, and Indonesia.
The waste from the fish was converted and used to help
the plants receive the nutrients they needed. Modern
aquaponics works much the same way.

Aquaponics Today
When you hear the term aquaponics, it is related to a combination of two other types of growing systems:
• Aquaculture: This is fish farming. As you know, agriculture is farming, or growing plants in acres
and acres of soil, but aquaculture is the breeding, raising and harvesting of plants and animals in
water environments such as ponds, rivers, lakes, or oceans. Today, fish farming is used to raise
salmon, carp, tilapia, and other species of fish.
• Hydroponics: This is growing plants without soil. The plants do not receive nutrients like “regular”
plants, but the nutrients come from the water. An example is algae, which grows on the surface of water
receiving its nutrients from the water. No soil is necessary.
Modern aquaponics (note the combination of
aquaculture and hydroponics) combines the two
systems into one single, unified or integrated system.
The plants are not grown in soil, but grow in various
types of rocks or gravel., though in some systems,
grow freely in the water. The nutrients for the plants
come from the fish below the growbed, the place
where the plants grow.
The nitrogen cycle is a major part of the system.
The waste from fish, food waste, and other plant/

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animal based material in the water will produce ammonia. The ammonia is toxic to the fish and plants, but
bacteria (microbes in the water break down the ammonia and change it into nitrite. However, nitrite can
kill the fish, but the bacteria then breaks down the nitrite into nitrate, also toxic to fish, but it is taken up by
the plants in the growbed. The water becomes clean again, and the cycle continues.

The plants benefit because they receive nutrients. The fish benefit because the water is cleaner.

The following steps further explain how aquaponics works using a tank, pump, and growbed.

1 Fish in a tank eat and they produce waste. The ammonia is produced by the waste.
The waste will eventually be used as food and nutrients for the plants.

2 Through the nitrogen cycle, the waste is converted to fertilizer and nitrogen for the
plants. The process is also called nitrification.

3 The nitrogen and solid fish waste is pumped to the plants in the growbed above the wate .
The plants use the nutrients for continued growth.

4 The water pumped into the plants is then filtered and cycled back to the tank below.
The oxygen-rich water has been cleaned and there is very little waste.

The same system is used with larger bodies as well, including the use of aquaponics commercially. The first
large-scale aquaponics facility in the United States was established in the 1980s, in Amherst, Massachusetts.
At one time, sand was used in the growbeds but now gravel is used.
The advantages of aquaponics outweigh the disadvantages, but it is considered by large-scale aquaponics
users. Since aquaponics has recently been introduced as a method for growing plants, the future holds
much promise as more research and development is taking place to increase its use throughout the world.

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 Advantages
• Conserves water, plants receive nutrient-rich water, no toxic run-off
• Only about 1/10 of the water is used verse traditional soil-based gardening or farming
• It is a natural ecosystem, no chemicals or pesticides; and less pollution
• The growth rate of plants increases and have better nutritional value
• The system requires less work than traditional farming
• Can be used almost anywhere there is water; set up in cities or other places usually not
associated with plant growth; less space is needed

Of course, with everything in society there are also downsides or disadvantages.

Disadvantages
• Somewhat limited to the types of plants that can be grown, such as root plants
• The cost can be higher versus traditional farming, but it is usually recovered
• Electricity cost may increase because of the pumps, but clean energy such as wind or solar pow-
er may be used
• Error-rate cold increase causing problems, such as fish overcrowding, inaccurate water testing
for chemicals, insufficient waste clearing

Though there are some disadvantages, it is important to remember that aquaponics systems are
relatively new and there is research taking place to address them.
Many experts believe that aquaponics is efficient and sustainable. Better food techniques will be needed
in the future as the population grows and land becomes less available for growing plants. Aquaponics is
environmentally friendly and could easily satisfy the needs of people throughout the world in every climate.

Imagine yourself growing foods for your family using an aquaponics

system. What would be most enjoyable about the work? What
would be least enjoyable?

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 Activity Name __________________________ Date _________

Instructions: Make a simple aquaponic model.

Supplies:
• One or more Mason jars (8oz. to 12 oz.) or large clear plastic cups
• Potato—white or sweet potato
• Toothpicks
• Water
Directions to make an Aquaponic Model
1. Take a small white potato* that will fit into the mouth of the jar.
Stick four toothpicks into the sides of the potato.
2. Place the white potato with the toothpicks into the jar. About ¼
of the potato should be above the rim of the jar and ¾ of the
potato in the jar.
3. Fill the bottom of the jar or cup with water to cover the bottom
portion of the potato.
4. Place the jar in a cool, dark place for about 7 to 10 days. You should see sprouts
form on the potato.
5. Once you have sprouts, move the potato to a sunny window and watch it grow!
*If you use a sweet potato….
1. Find a sweet potato that will easily fit in the jar. You will not need to use the tooth-
picks. Then, place the sweet potato in the jar.
2. Add water covering about ¾ of the potato in the jar.
3. Place the jar in a window with sunlight.
4. Check the water daily as water evaporates. You want to have the wa-
ter level in the jar covering about ¾ of the potato at all times.
5. In about 15 to 20 days, you should see vines with leaves beginning to grow.

Student Note: In an actual aquaponic

model, plants grow in a large aquarium.
The aquatic animals like fish supply the
nutrients, and the plant purifies the water.

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 Practice Name __________________________ Date _________

Match the definition with the correct term.

1 A system combining the habitats of fish with plants A Agriculture
2 Growing plants without soil B Aquaculture
3 The first substance result from the breakdown of ammonia C Aquaponics
4 Ancient civilization which may have first used aquaponics D Aztec
5 Another term for the breakdown of nitrogen-based substances E Bacteria
6 A system of agricultural islands used by the Aztecs F Chinampas
7 A single-celled organism G Ecosystem
8 Found originally in South China, Thailand, and Indonesia H Growbed
9 Traditional farming with soil I Hydroponics
10 Community of plants and animals that survive as they interact J Microbe
11 The result of nitrite following its breakdown by bacteria K Nitrate
12 Fish farming L Nitrification
13 A major part of an aquaponics system M Nitrite
14 The place where plants grow in the aquaponics system N Nitrogen cycle
15 A microbe in water that breaks down ammonia O Rice paddies

Tell whether each statement is true (T) of false (F).

16 Three things are needed for species to survive: water, food, and light.
17 Fish farming is used to raise sharks, whales, and dolphins.
18 Plants in an aquaponics system receives nutrients from soil.
19 Instead of gravel, sand was once used for aquaponics growbeds.
20 Modern aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics.
21 There are no disadvantages to using aquaponics for growing plants.

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 Homework Name __________________________ Date _________

Place the steps of an aquaponic system in correct order. #1 and 10 is given. Use 2 – 8.
1 The fish in a tank eat.
A Once pumped to the growbed, the plants absorb the fertilizer and the water.
B Nitrite can kill the fish, so it is converted by bacteria into nitrate.
C The water is filtered and cycled back to the tank.
D The fish produce waste.
E The plants use the nutrients to help them grow.
F The nitrate is converted to fertilizer and pumped to the growbed.
G Ammonia is produced by waste, and then bacteria breaks it down changing it to nitrite.
H The water is cleaned by the plants.
10 The cycle begins again.

Review each statement. Tell if it’s an advantage of aquaponics (A) or traditional farming (F).
1 Root plants such as potatoes, beets, carrots, and others can be grown.
2 There is a conservation of water as it can be recycled.
3 It is a natural ecosystem without pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals.
4 Initially, the cost is considered low.
5 The plants grow faster and have a higher nutritional value.
6 There is less pollution produced and its better for the environment.
7 The cost of electricity is reasonable.
8 The plants may be grown in urban areas such as cities, and in many other places.
9 Less of a chance for errors during the preparation and cultivating of the plants.
10 Less manual labor involved.

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 Practice Answer Key
Name __________________________ Date _________

Match the definition with the correct term.

1 C A system combining the habitats of fish with plants A Agriculture
2 I Growing plants without soil B Aquaculture
3 M The first substance result from the breakdown of ammonia C Aquaponics
4 D Ancient civilization which may have first used aquaponics D Aztec
5 L Another term for the breakdown of nitrogen-based substances E Bacteria
6 F A system of agricultural islands used by the Aztecs F Chinampas
7 J A single-celled organism G Ecosystem
8 O Found originally in South China, Thailand, and Indonesia. H Growbed
9 A Traditional farming with soil I Hydroponics
10 G Community of plants and animals that survive as they interact J Microbe
11 K The result of nitrite following its breakdown by bacteria K Nitrate
12 B Fish farming L Nitrificatio
13 N A major part of an aquaponics system M Nitrite
14 H The place where plants grow in the aquaponics system N Nitrogen cycle
15 E A microbe in water that breaks down ammonia O Rice paddies
Tell whether each statement is true (T) of false (F).
16 T Three things are needed for species to survive: water, food, and light.
17 F Fish farming is used to raise sharks, whales, and dolphins.
18 F Plants in an aquaponics system receives nutrients from soil.
19 T Instead of gravel, sand was once used for aquaponics growbeds.
20 T Modern aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics.
21 F There are no disadvantages to using aquaponics for growing plants.

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 Homework Answer Key
Name __________________________ Date _________

Place the steps of an aquaponic system in correct order. #1 and 10 is given. Use 2 – 8.
1 The fish in a tank eat.
A 6 Once pumped to the growbed, the plants absorb the fertilizer and the water.
B 4 Nitrite can kill the fish, so it is converted by bacteria into nitrate.
C 9 The water is filtered and cycled back to the tank.
D 2 The fish produce waste.
E 7 The plants use the nutrients to help them grow.
F 5 The nitrate is converted to fertilizer and pumped to the growbed.
G 3 Ammonia is produced by waste, and then bacteria breaks it down changing it to nitrite.
H 8 The water is cleaned by the plants.
10 The cycle begins again.

Review each statement. Tell if it’s an advantage of aquaponics (A) or traditional farming (F).
1 T Root plants such as potatoes, beets, carrots, and others can be grown.
2 A There is a conservation of water as it can be recycled.
3 A It is a natural ecosystem without pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals.
4 T Initially, the cost is considered low.
5 A The plants grow faster and have a higher nutritional value.
6 A There is less pollution produced and its better for the environment.
7 T The cost of electricity is reasonable.
8 A The plants may be grown in urban areas such as cities, and in many other places.
9 T Less of a chance for errors during the preparation and cultivating of the plants.
10 A Less manual labor involved.

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