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Animal Behaviour. Picture from wikimedia commons. Aims. Provide inexpensive ideas for simple, effective animal behaviour experiments in the classroom Illustrate links to the curriculum Encourage the use of living organisms in schools
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Animal Behaviour Picture from wikimedia commons
Aims • Provide inexpensive ideas for simple, effective animal behaviour experiments in the classroom • Illustrate links to the curriculum • Encourage the use of living organisms in schools • Demonstrate ideas with animals that are very easy to maintain in schools
Okai- so you might not have these...... Picture from wikimedia commons
But anyone can have these............. Pictures from wikimedia commons
But anyone can have these............. Picture from wikimedia commons
The experiments • Brine date • One good turn deserves another..... • Is she bean choosy? Pictures from wikimedia commons
Using live animals Pictures from wikimedia commons www.sserc.org.uk
Health and safety • Risk assessments – SSERC 5 step template www.sserc.org.uk • Hand washing
Curriculum links Advanced Higher Biology • Optional unit – Animal Behaviour • Advanced higher project
Curriculum links Intermediate 2 Biology Higher Biology Unit 2. Genetics and Adaptation Variation Selection and speciation Unit 3. Control and regulation Physiological homeostasis Population dynamics Unit 2. Environmental Biology and Genetics • Ecosystem • Factors affecting variation in a species - Natural Selection Unit 3. Animal physiology • Control of the internal environment • Sensory mechanisms and processing of information
Curriculum links Curriculum for Excellence Biodiversity and interdependence EO’S SCN 3-01a – I can sample and identify living things from different habitats to compare their biodiversity and can suggest reasons for their distribution SCN-3-02a – ....and I can demonstrate my understanding of why plants are vital to sustaining life on Earth SCN 4-01a – I understand how animal and plant species depend on each other and how living things are adapted for survival. I can predict the impact of population growth and natural hazards on biodiversity
Learning in the sciences will enable me to: • Develop curiosity and understanding of the environment and my place in the living, material and physical world • Develop the skills of scientific inquiry and investigation using practical techniques • Develop an understanding of the Earth’s resources and the need for responsible use of them • (from intro statements, CfE)
Brine Shrimp Success • Light bank/ source • Time to grow up algae • Keep algae stock tank • Pea green or clear tank? • Alternative- dried food • Sand/shell for shrimps • Temp. and salinity for maximum growth • Set up around 5/6 weeks before practical • Overfeeding
Brine shrimp lessons Lesson 1 – Background, observation and notes, segregation. Lesson 2 – Gender check, set up mate choice experiments with controls. Lesson 3 (2-4 days later) – Results and discussion. Alternative approach/ to confirm results – measuring size of natural mate-guarding pairs
Initial observations • Are all the brine shrimps the same size? • Do they all swim singly? • Can you distinguish males from females? • In a mate-guarding pair which sex is in front and which behind? • Females are distinguished by egg sacs halfway down the body. Are all females egg sacs the same size? If not why might this be? • What are the characteristics of males? What do you think the claspers do? • Make a hypothesis as to why the males and females are clasped together for about three days around the time of mating. It is not only that they mate during this time!
What do Brine shrimps fancy? Hypothesis – brine shrimps choose their mates by size Two experimental approaches • Mate choice experiments • Measuring mate-guarding pairs
Mate choiceHypothesis – brine shrimps choose their mates by size N.B. Note condition of female egg sac size and colour.
Further Briney activities.... • Bottle ecosystems • Speedy shrimps • Brine Shrimp Ecology by • Michael Dockery • Stephen Tomkins
One good turn.............. Turn alternation in woodlice
If a slater is forced to make a turn, at its next turn does it turn the same (S) or opposite (O) direction? B A C G D H Alley blocks F I K J L N M
Is she bean choosy? Seed beetles, callosobruchus maculatus
Keeping seed beetles in school • Straightforward • Low maintenance • Fluon is your best friend
Ask the beetles questions? • Do females prefer mung/adzuki/black eye beans/ peas? • Do they prefer ‘clean’ beans? • How quickly can they walk? • Can they walk faster horizontally or vertically? • Do they prefer light or dark? • Will they lay on beans with the testa removed?
HMIe- A portrait of current practice in Scottish schools • Are motivated and enthusiastic about learning which in turn impacts positively on their wellbeing • Achieve success in practical and research tasks, problem solving, data analysis and evaluation, discussion and debate • Develop the scientific values of respect for living things • Have an enthusiasm for collaborative learning and group tasks