What can we learn about diversity in our ecosystem by examining and comparing different sites, one cubic foot at a time? The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's educational web page Biocube: Life in One Cubic Foot (which accompanies an ongoing exhibit of the same title at the museum) is a resource designed to help science educators facilitate student exploration of this question. On this site, visitors can learn about the current Biocubes exhibit, which emerged from a partnership between a group of Smithsonian scientists - including biodiversity scientist, Chris Meyer -and photographer David Liittschwager. Liittschwager and this team of scientists set up one hollow cube around the world and examined and photograph all the species that appeared in this cube throughout the day. These gorgeous photographs were featured in National Geographic and, eventually, published as a book. On this website, educators can find lesson plans and teaching resources to lead their own biocube projects in the science classroom. This site also contains an online interview with Meyer and a link to an article in Smithsonian that features Liittschwager's photographs.
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