Hello! This is a simple candy forest ecosystem. This is for a project for my grade 7 class! I hope you have fun building this, Good Luck! **Keep in mind, the picture above does not include everything. Please read the supplies, Thank you.**

Supplies

Black Marker
Large Piece of Styrofoam
20+ pieces of tootsie rolls
Green gummy worms
Empty Shoe Box
Scissors
Exacto Knife
Blue Acrylic Paint/ Brushes
Green Pop rocks/ small green rocks
*Optional* Toy Forest Animals
Medium Sized rocks (not big)
Rular
Blue M&m's

Step 1: Measuring

For this step you'll be needing:

Ruler
Shoe Box

For step one we will be measuring the, Length, and the Width of our shoe box. **Everyone Will have a different shoe box so there for their length and width won't be the same as yours.** Make sure to write your width and length down on a piece of paper, as we will be needing it in the next step.

Step 2: Measuring/Cutting

For this step you'll need:

Marker
Your measurements from the last step
Ruler
Exacto Knife
Styrofoam

Use you measurements from the last step to make a square on your large piece of Styrofoam. ( For me the top, and bottom is 29cm, and my left and right are 26cm) The Square/ Rectangle should look like the third photo above. Next, use your exacto knife to cut the square/ rectangle out of the large Styrofoam, once you have done that gently place your piece of Styrofoam in your shoe box, like in the 5th photo.

Step 3: Gluing the Rocks

For this step you'll need:

Medium Sized rocks (I had some laying around in my backyard)
Glue Gun

First, lay out your rocks like the first picture. Then individually glue each rock in it's place. (look at the 3rd photo).

Step 4: Getting the Base of the Trees

For this step you'll be needing:

Toothpicks
Tootsie Rolls

Using your toothpicks plot down were you want your trees to be. After you have done so, puncture the toothpicks through the tootsie roll, it should look like the final photo once you have done so.

Step 5: Adding Leaves

What you'll be needing for this step:

Green gummy worms
Scissors
Toothpicks

Take your Scissors and gummy worms and cut the partition from the other color (only if you have another color). Then cut the green parts in half (look at 4th image), and puncture it with a toothpick. If your scissors are strong enough try cutting the excess Part of the toothpick of. (Look at 5th image), If your scissors are not strong enough use your hands to snap it in half. After you have done that, Puncture your gummy worm into the tootsie rolls. (look at 6th image). Then repeat it all around (look at 7th image).

Step 6: Adding a Dead Branch

For this step you'll be needing:

Toothpick
1 Tootsie Roll

The pictures tell everything you need to do for this step. Take your toothpick and puncture it through the Tootsie roll. (Look at 2nd picture). Then snap/cut off you the side of the toothpick NOT being used. (look at 3rd picture). Then place the dead branch where ever you would like.

Step 7: Painting the "sky"

For this step you'll be needing:

Thick paint brush
blue acrylic paint
water

For this step you'll be painting the back board of the shoe box. I used a thick brush because it would take less time to paint the back board. (apologies for the lack of photos on this step).

Step 8: Adding the "grass"

For this step you'll be needing:

small green pop rocks/ small green rocks

This is a simple step, all you have to do is spread the pop rocks. (look at the photos for an example).

Step 9: Adding the "water" (last Step!)

For this step you'll be needing:

Blue m&m's

Add the blue m&m's to the area surrounded by rocks. (look at photos). **OPTIONAL you can add small little toy animals to give it an actual ecosystem vibe**