Ant feeding habits are wide and varied. ANTS IN MOTION explores these varied habits with experimentation and activities appropriate for a wide range of grade levels. The investigative, hands-on approach is inquiry-based and is in line with National Science Educational Standards.
KEYWORDS: ants, NSES, inquiry, insects, animal behavior, constructivist
lab
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* Effectively use the scientific method
* Maintain a group of living organisms
* Observe aspects of ant behavior and anatomy.
* Design experiments with control groups, dependent, and independent
variables.
* Create extension investigations from their results.
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Useful Pre-Lab Discussion Questions:
Phase 2 - Creating a
Hypothesis
At this point in the investigation, it is beneficial for students to
make careful observations of ant behavior. The ants may be brought
into the classroom in ant farms or other containers that allow for easy
observation. Students are also encouraged to take some time and observe
ants in their natural environment.
Ant farms may be constructed from the directions in the materials section. Each ant farm will be large enough to house 30 small to medium ants (between 4-6 mm). Most student groups will need 5 to 10 ants for their investigations. After the ant farms are up and running, it is good to have the students do research and revisit the original pre-lab questions, adding more questions and answers to the list. There are many different types of ant farms depending on material availability, research needs, and cost. Here are a few ant farm links.
Split the class into project teams and ask them to choose one question to investigate from the list of questions the class has generated. It should be a question that they think that they can answer by using a scientific experiment. Encourage students to choose a wide variety of questions and let them know that they may change their minds once they have begun to learn some things about ants. Once students have chosen a question, allow them time to research the answer to that question. This research can be done independently as a homework assignment or with explicit teacher guidance, depending on the class and the research experience of the students. After they have some basic knowledge, help students form a hypothesis for their question.
Click HERE
for an example of a hypothesis.
Phase 3 - Experimental Design:
Testing the Hypothesis
At this point, student groups should have a problem,
have done some research and have a well designed hypothesis. This
is the time for the students to create their experimental designs to test
their hypotheses. There are several lead-ins that may help students
create a step-by-step procedure for their experiments (extra
activities link). Be sure to have students write out a
detailed experimental design in their work groups. Students will
need to understand specific concepts such as control
group, independent variables and dependent variables. Make
sure that the groups include a control in their experimental design and
are realistic about the materials that they will need to complete their
investigation. WARNING!! Ants have a mind of their own,
so students must develop experiments based on behaviors they have already
observed. It is suggested that students investigate the ants in their
own environment.
The instructor needs to guide and approve experimental
designs.
Click HERE
for an example of an experimental design.
Phase 4- The Experiment
Trouble shoot the student performance of the experiments. Encourage
students to modify rather than give up.
Phase 5- Recording, reporting
and analyzing results
Guide students in creation of tables and graphs. Allow students
time to analyze data.
Click HERE
for an example of a data table and graph.
Phase 6- Discussion and conclusions
Students should explain how data supported or refuted their hypothesis.
Teachers should encourage their students to develop alternative conclusions
from their results and discuss sources of error.
Click HERE for an example of a possible discussion and conclusion.
Phase 7: Lab Report
Students may include the following parts in their laboratory reports:
It is suggested that the students have an ant
farm in the classroom in order to observe ant behavior. Materials
and Equipment for student group experiments will vary.
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It is important that the teacher has some basic background knowledge in these areas before beginning this unit.
A. The scientific method
C. Ants - click any of the following for ant background information
ANT BEHAVIOR LAB
Have you ever seen ants on the sidewalk? Have you ever seen ants in your house? Have you ever had ants in your pants? How did these ants know exactly where the food was? How did they know where you put your favorite Halloween Candy?
In this lab, you have the opportunity to CHOOSE your OWN QUESTION to explore about that most familiar and lovable of insects, the ANT!!!!
PHASE 1. WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
Before we get started, let's see what you know about these critters.
With your partner(s), choose 8 questions from the following list to answer about ants, their relatives, and their behavior. Add two original questions to answer created by your group.
PHASE 2 - Creating a Hypothesis to top
Pick up an ant farm from the supply area.
Carefully observe the behavior of the ants
in the ant farm/container.
Add information you learn from your observations to your answers from Phase 1.
In your project team, choose one (1) question to investigate from the class list of possible questions. Focus on one question at a time.
WRITE YOUR QUESTION HERE:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
From your question/problem statement, write a possible answer to the question (i.e., a HYPOTHESIS).
WRITE YOUR HYPOTHESIS HERE:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
PHASE 3 - Designing the experiment and testing the
Hypothesis
What is the independent variable for your experiment?
____________________________________________________________________________________
What in the dependent variable for your experiment?
____________________________________________________________________________________
What are the other variables that need to be controlled in your experiment?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Briefly describe your control group set up.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Create an experiment to test your hypothesis. Provide details of that experimental design below.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
List the materials that you will need.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Show the design and materials list to your teacher before performing the investigation.
Teacher signature to continue ___________
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PHASE 4: Do experiment
If you encounter difficulties, modify the experiment and continue on.
PHASE 5: Record, report and analyze results
Create a table to record your ants' activities.
If applicable, create a graph comparing your results of the experimental
group versus your control group. Write a summary statement for each table/graph.
PHASE 6: Discussion and conclusions
Explain the data collected. Did data support or refute your hypothesis?
Why or why not?
What other factors may have affected the results? Explain three (3)
ways to improve your experimental design.
PHASE 7: Lab Report
Include the following parts in your laboratory report:
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Some interesting quotes about ants:
The insects make up more than 99% of all animal species.
[T]he ants . . . range 20,000 or more species strong from the arctic circle to the tip of South America. In the Amazon rain forest they compose more than 10 percent of the biomass of all the animals. This means that if you were to collect, dry out, and weigh every animal in a piece of forest, from monkeys and birds down to mites and roundworms, at least 10 percent would consist of these insects alone. Ants make up almost half of the insect biomass overall and 70 percent of the individual insects found in the treetops., They are only slightly less abundant in grasslands, deserts, and temperate forests throughout the rest of the world. (Wilson, E.O., 1992, p.5)
Workers foraging around their nest are not merely insects searching
for food. They are a living web cast out by the superorganism, ready
to congeal over rich food finds or shrink back from the most formidable
enemies. Superorganisms can control and dominate the ground and treetops
in competition with ordinary, solitary organisms, and that is surely why
ants live everywhere. (Wilson, E.O., 1992, p.6)
| Ruth Baldivia | Denver, CO |
| Ian Bleakney | Oakland, CA |
| Janice Chen | Glen Head, NY |
| Robert Furtado | Austin, TX |
Glossary of terms:
1. Arthropods - paired jointed appendages.
2. Control Group - Controlled experiments are designed to study cause and effect. There must be a standard to which the experimental data can be compared. A control group is free of any change - free on the independent variable.
3. Controlled Variable - Only the independent variable is changed in an experiment. All other factors must be kept constant and are called "Controlled Variables."
4. Dependent Variable - You change one factor to observe what will happen to something else. That "something else" is the Dependent Variable, or the effect. What are you observing as an effect in this experiment?
5. Hymenoptera - a homometabolous group (complete metamorphosis), no legs on the larval form, exarate pupal form ( free legs) and a cocoon. 2 pair of membranous swings, hind wings smaller than the forewings.
6. Hypothesis - Lets say your group has a certain idea about how water temperature will affect the goldfish's respiratory rate. Formulating a hypothesis allow you to test that idea. A hypothesis is usually written in the form of an "if___then___" statement so it can be tested. Writing the hypothesis in this form allows you to identify the variable you want to purposely cause to vary and the effect you want to observe.
7. Independent Variable - In science experiments, you often vary one factor to observe what will happen. The factor you vary is called the Independent Variable.
8. Insect - Any organism that has 3 body sections, 3 pairs of legs and/or wings.
9. Mandibles - Jaw structures (mouth parts) www.icaen.uiowa.edu/~djtack/ant.html
10. Pheromones - chemical messages secreted by organisms as a form of communications i.e.. food finding, mate finding.
11. Stridulation - sounds made by an ant rubbing body parts together, act as a form of communication
12. Theory - a hypothesis supported by experimental evidence.