Unit Overview

• The study of plants and animals in Terrariums or Vivariums provides students with the opportunities to observe three different environments: woodland, desert, and tropical.  
• Students will assist in building and furnishing three simulated habitats with living organisms.  
• Students will observe the growth and interactions of plants and/or animals, introduce variables, and study the effect of variables on living organisms. The teacher may choose to add animals to the terraria, thus turning the terraria - environments for plants to vivaria - environments for plants and animals.  
• Humane treatment of animals should be stressed throughout the following learning experiences.

**This kit can only be ordered September-November, and April-June due to the availability of the plants.  Live feeder crickets will be shipped twice weekly to feed vivarium animals.  Please call us as soon as your animals arrive to receive feeder crickets.  Crickets will only be shipped until December for Fall requests and June for Spring requests.  Aquariums are used for this kit.  You may already have aquariums stored at your school, if not please contact us to request them.

Manuals, Inventory, and NYS Correlation Downloads

• The teacher manual, student manual, inventory sheet, and kit correlation are available online for download. 
• Please make sure you have adobe acrobat reader downloaded and installed on your computer to view online manuals.

Terrariums and Vivariums Manual                                                                    Terrariums and Vivariums Student Manual                                                               Terrariums and Vivariums Inventory Sheet
Terrariums and Vivariums Correlation

Digital Resources

Click here for Digital Resources

BOCES ISS Resources

Distance Learning   Environmental Education    Media Services  

Online Terrariums and Vivariums Teacher Training

• Please make sure you have the latest version of windows media player downloaded and installed on your computer to view online teacher training. 

Online Terrariums and Vivariums Training (Coming Soon)

Scheduling and Science Kit Ordering Information

• This unit may take from five to ten weeks to complete depending upon the goals of the teacher and interests of the students.
• Teachers in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties request the kits from us, and the couriers deliver the kits to the schools.  Teachers have up to six weeks to complete each of the learning experiences.  Once the teachers complete the learning experiences provided with the math and science kits, the kits are then sent back to us so we can refurbish them and send them out again when they are requested.  **If you need additional time to complete your kit, please contact 716-376-8272 so we can accommodate an extension. 

**Missing Items: If the kit you requested has missing item(s), please contact 716-376-8272. We will send missing item(s) out to you as soon as possible.  

• Do you want to book this kit? There are several ways to order science kits.  Ways you can order are:

MediaNet: Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES Media Library - Terrarium and Vivariums      Phone: 716-376-8272   Fax: 716-372-0621   Email: leigh_leyva@caboces.org or mst_kits@caboces.org                                                                                                       U.S. Mail: C/A BOCES – Math, Science, & Technology Department at Allegany, 1825 Windfall Road, Olean, NY 14760