Marine Phylum Lab

This blog entry will address our experience during our Marine Phylum unit.

Introduction: There are nine types of marine Phyla. These are Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Mollusca, Nematoda, Arthapoda, Echinodermata, and Chordata. Porifera refers to sponge-like creatures. Cnidaria are creatures such as coral, sea anemones, and jellyfish. Platyhelminthes are flatworms and tapeworms. Annelida refer to earthworms and leeches. Mollusca include clams, oysters, snails, slugs, octupi, and squids. Nematoda are hookworms and roundworms. Arthapoda include lobsters, crabs, and shrimp. Echinodermata are creatures such as starfish and sea urchins. Chordata refers to fish.

Which Phyla are most represented in quantity at the tide pools? I hypothesize that Mollusca will be present the most at the tide pools. According to the data my group collected; my hypothesis is supported. We found a lot of Pipipi, Mollusca, at the tide pools.

Possible sources of error are: Measuring incorrectly, counting incorrectly, and not collecting data at random times.  Also, we did not get a chance to get data from a fifth quadrat placement, which can change our average.

This was an ejoyable unit in our science class. We go to spend time outdoors while we were collecting data and doing our lab. It was a nice change of pace from our usual indoor experiences. I think I improved my global awareness skills because being outdoors at the tide pools and learning about the different marine species made me more concious of what to look out for at the beach. I also feel I improved my information and research skills because it was our job to indentify the marine phylum before we collected our data and we had to research the phylum to discover what it was and what it looked like.  It was overall an enjoyable lab and it was nice to get some fresh air!

Geocaching, geocaching, geocaching...

  

Geocaching is an outdoor, treasure hunt activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate the treasure (caches). After you have recorded your name in the geocache container, you may take the 'treasure', but you have to leave something of equal or greater value. Anyone can use their GPS device to seek a geocache, locate it, and share their story on the geocaching website. To learn more about geocaching, visit: geocaching.com

If there is one thing every student in my class has learned, it is that the GPS is extremely beneficial to our society.
Location- the GPS allows us to determine a location.
Mapping- the GPS allows us to determine a location and then map out it's surroundings precisely.
Navigation- the GPS can direct you from your present location to somewhere else.
Tracking- the GPS allows you to track something as it moves. 
Timing- the GPS satellites synchronize the GPS clocks on ground, keeping our clocks accurate.


My Personal Geocache Hunting Experience-
Our class, divided up into two teams, began a geocaching battle. The team to find the most caches in the allotted time was the winner. Our teachers drove us around while we navigated our way to a cache. We took turns navigating and nagivating was probably my favorite thing about the unit. Our first geocache hunt, my team found one cache and our second geocache hunt my team found three caches. It was a fun day and a cool and rewarding way to end the unit.

  

  

                                           

Termivation (Termite Observation)

   Our termite observation began when Makena Mason visited us from University of Hawaii. We created a termite habitat in a jar that contained 120 grams of silica sand, 18 ml water, douglas fir wood and, of course, termites. We observed them for weeks, updating our observations in a journal.

  The observations differed a lot from the first to the final one. It began smoothly, the termites settling into their new home, creating tunnels and being very active. The sand was moist from the water we had put it. The second week was similar; the termites continued creating new tunnels and the holes in the wood was becoming prominent. The sand was becoming to look less damp and more dry. Our observations were put on pause during a school break and when we returned, two weeks later, we did one last observation. Initially we thought that the termites had died from a student shaking the jar, but were relieved to see that they were just being very still. Termite activity has greatly decreased. There were many more holes in the wood and in the sand, though the sand had become very parched and had a somewhat crumbly appearance. 

This termite unit definitely took up the majority of the quarter, but now we can all say we are well educated on the matter of termites. I enjoyed this unit basically because I enjoy becoming familiar with a specific study and knowing everything I need to know about it. My favorite part of this unit was doing the "Sharing Knowledge" project with Holly and presenting it and realizing how much I have learned. My least favorite part was... I really can't think of anything that I really disliked about this unit. It was a pretty successful, learning wise, unit. 

Gut Protozoa Lab

Termite gut through a microscope

Chelsea and Kainoa trying to extract the termite's gut from its body

Kainoa looking at the termite gut through the microscope

Chelsea attempting to pull the termite

s guts from its body

-Symbiosis is the living together of two dissimilar organisms in a beneficial relationship.


-The termite needs help digesting its food (wood). The protozoa living in their gut help them to digest their food by producing acetate. In return the protozoa gets food and nice, warm place to live.

-After collecting our materials and setting up, we began the procedure. First we dissected the termite by grabbing the thorax and the head with forceps. After we located the tip of the abdomen and then the termites gut. Pull the termites gut out, but if you are like my group it may take a couple times. 
Then we put the termite's gut into the saline solution on the microscope slide and put a cover slip on top. 
Then we observed our termites gut under the microscope, collecting any necessary date and filling out the lab worksheet.

-The lab started a bit frustrating. Our group had trouble extracting the termite gut from its body so Mr.Margraff had to help us. Once we got it right and looked into the microscope, everyone was in awe. We were having fun and shocked at what we were seeing. It was kind of amazing, how something that small can be so significant.