Are you ready to create and watch an entire ecosystem unfold in front of your eyes? In this class, you will not only set-up such an experimental ecosystem, you will learn how to analyze what is happening. The ecosystem of choice here: Microbes. They are everywhere - on your skin, in your gut, in the oceans and also in mud. They are diverse - some degrade carbon, some are able to do photosynthesis. They impact the environment that they live in. They actively participate in the cycling of nutrients in the environment. They are pretty magical, if you ask me! In this class, you will observe the emergence of a diverse microbial biosphere from just a puddle of mud. This experiment is centuries old and helped scientists learn a great deal about the importance of microbes in the environments. Let me introduce you to the Winogradsky column! This class covers the intersection between the principles of microbiology and ecology. It is designed to be a hands-on experience where classes provide information to make sense of the observations that you make on your own pet ecosystem.