Name______Date______Per ____
Pillbug Lab
Pillbug Pre-lab Questions: Using the pillbug information sheet provided, answer the following pre-lab questions in COMPLETE SENTENCES.
1. How are pillbugs classified? ______
2. In two or three sentences, describe the appearance of a pillbug.
____________.
3. Describe an ideal pillbug habitat. ______
____________.
4. What are two significant contributions that pillbugs make towards their environment?
______
______.
5. Describe where you will find and how you will collect your pillbugs for this lab.
______
______.
Purpose: Using the background information above, design an experiment to investigate the following question: What is the response of a pillbug to an environmental variable of your choice?
Hypothesis: (Prediction and Reason)
______
Materials: List the materials you will need to do your experiment. (You must add any other materials you used i.e. dirt, bark, black paper, etc.)
· Microscope
· Tape
· Scissors
· Two Petri dishes with small rectangular pieces (doorways) cut out of each Petri dish so as to allow access to and from each Petri dish.
· Stop watch
· _____ pillbugs
·
Variables:
Controlled variables ______
Manipulated variable ______
Responding variable ______
Procedure:
1. Obtain two preassembled choice chambers.
2. Prepare your choice chambers by: ______
3. Position an even number of pillbugs in the middle of the Petri dishes.
4. When your timer is ready, pull the blue doors in front of the chambers. Record time 0 when the blue doors are removed.
5. Record pillbug movement observations in data table along with how many pill bugs are on each side of the choice chamber every minute for a total of 20 minutes. Continue to record even if all pillbugs move to one side or stop moving.
6. Graph the number of pillbugs in each chamber for the allotted twenty minutes when the experiment is completed.
7. Clean up lab area when finished. Place pillbugs in designated area.
Data table for pillbug environment response: Use the following data table to record your results.
# of pillbugs in…Time (min) / Observations/Behavior
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Identify which of your data above is qualitative.
Identify which of your data above is quantitative.
Observations: Make a detailed sketch in pencil of your pillbug. Be sure to properly label everything; for example: legs, body, antennae, eye, head, etc. Include a title/label for your drawing. Be sure to include the magnification from your microscope.
Title:______Magnification:______
Graph the # of pillbugs: Be sure to title, label the axis with proper units shown, make a key, and use up the entire graph. (Responding Variable is the Y-axis; Manipulated Variable is X-axis)
How can you be certain the results of your experiment are reliable?
What did you do to make the results of your experiment valid?
Conclusion
In your conclusion be sure to:
· Answer the experimental question.
· Include supporting data from the Pillbug Environmental Response Data Table. (one from each extreme; High/Low data point)
· Explain how these data support your conclusion. (subtract your data for a comparison to help you with your reasoning)
· Provide a scientific explanation for the trend in the data. (use evidence from pre-lab questions)
Question: What is the response of a pillbug to an environmental variable of your choice?
______.
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