Animal Behavior
- A. Question to Answer - Which cell will most (more than half) of the Pill Bugs migrate to?
- B. Brief activity description
- Open inquiry activity the students observe the behavior of an organism with various environmental terrains OR
- Open inquiry activity in which the students observe an organisms behavior with the effects of color and/or light intensity
- Technology-none
- C. Special safety concerns/precautions
- i) We do not recommend releasing any laboratory animal into the wild, and especially not invertebrates that are not native to the environment.
- ii) Adoption is the preferred disposition for any living animal.
- iii) If the isopods must be euthanized at the end of study, follow one of these procedures:
- Put them into a container or bag and freeze for 48 hours.
- Place the organism in 70% isopropyl alcohol for 24 hours.
- iv) A deceased specimen should be disposed of as soon as possible. Consult your school’s recommended procedures for disposal.
- v) In general, dead insects should be handled as little as posible or with gloves, wrapped in an opaque plastic bag that is sealed (tied tightly) before being placed in a general garbage container away from students.
- D. Learning Objectives
- Inquiry objectives: Reframe a question to define and normalize variables then collect, organize, graph explain data/evidence, justify a conclusion
- Structured objectives: Review the Scientific Method/Process and review the concepts of an experimental variable vs. control
- E. Equipment needed for one lab group
- F. Required materials for one lab group
- I) Variation of Environmental Terrain
5-10 Terrestrial Isopods, Pill Bugs 87W5528 2 oz./ea. Sand, Soil, Gravel Set 45W1990 2 oz. Sphagnum Peat Moss 20W3921 - II) Variation of Color/Light
5-10 Terrestrial Isopods, Pill Bugs 87W5525 1 (4″ x 4″ square) Red Cellophane, 20″ x 60″ Sheet 15W9884 1 (4″ x 4″ square) Green Cellophane, 20″ x 60″ Sheet 15W9885 1 (4″ x 4″ square) Blue Cellophane, 20″ x 60″ Sheet 15W9986 1 (4″ x 4″ square) Amber/Yellow Cellophane, 20″ x 60″ Sheet 15W9987 - Optional Materials
1 (4″ x 4″ square) Assorted Color Construction Paper 15W9841
- I) Variation of Environmental Terrain
- G. Timeline Guidelines
- Prep Time -
- I) Gather materials – 10 minutes
- Cutting 4″ x 4″ squares of cellophane/construction paper – 15 minutes
- Instructions to class – 5 minutes
- Data Collection and Analysis – 30 minutes
- Clean-up and Disposal – 10 minutes
- H. Suggested Data Collection Sheet
Sand Soil Coarse Gravel Sphagnum Peat Moss Trial #1 (5 minute observation) Trial #2 (5 minute observation) Trial #3 (5 minute observation) - OR
-
Red Green Blue Yellow Trial #1 (5 minute observation) Trial #2 (5 minute observation) Trial #3 (5 minute observation) - I. Diagrams/Background
- Armadillium sp. “Pillbugs” are distinguishable from Sowbugs by their habit of rolling up like pills when threatened.
- Conglobation is the name of rolling into a ball shape.
- J. Standards addressed (National Science Education)
- SCIENCE AS INQUIRY STANDARDS
- I) A1 – Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
- II) A2 – Understanding about scientific inquiry
- LIFE SCIENCE STANDARDS
- C3 – Behavior of organisms
- SCIENCE AS INQUIRY STANDARDS
- K. Related Kits and Products
Ward’s Introduction to Experimental Design and Data Presentation 36W6014 Ward’s Introduction to the Scientific Method Lab Activity 36W1228 Ward’s Sci”Ant”ific Method Lab Activity 36W6222 Ward’s Animal Behavior Lab Activity 87W3530 Myth Buster’s Animal Behavior DVD 195W9101 Betta Behavior Lab Activity 36W1120 Animal Behavior Combination AP Lab #11 36W7143 - L. Related Questions include:
- Do you think the pH of the soil will affect the cell selection process by the Pillbug?
- If the colored cellophane and construction paper are the same color, what affect does the light intensity have on the Pillbugs selection of a cell?
- A comparison of what other variables would you like to test?