Download Discovery Lab - Summit Hill Elementary PTO

5th
Discovery Lab
Grade - “Alive and Classified!”
Station 1:
The 5 Kingdoms
Objectives: Students to name and describe the 5 kingdoms of living things.
Students to know how micro organisms benefit or harm other organisms.
Background Information:
All living things are classified into 5 Kingdoms:
1. Monerans – one celled, no cell nuclei, some make there own food, some feed on living or
once-living things. Example: bacteria
2. Protists – most are one celled, make their own food or feed on living or once living
things. Examples: Algae, amoebas
3. Fungi – most are many celled, absorb food from other living things or dead things such
as logs. Examples: mushrooms, yeasts, molds
4. Plants – many celled, make their own food. Examples: trees, flowers, grasses, ferns,
mosses
5. Animals – many celled, feed on living or once living things. Examples: spiders, birds,
frogs, monkeys
Activity #1:
Ask the students what is a “living thing?” Is a rock alive? Why not?
A living thing has 6 characteristics:
1. The ability to grow and change
2. Reacts to its environment
3. Needs food or an energy source
4. Takes in gases
5. Can reproduce
6. Has one or more cells
This station is set up into 5 mini stations, one per kingdom. Each kingdom is represented.
Review the kingdoms listed above and point out information on posters.
Have the students write down the name of the kingdom and write their observations about
what they see. Then have the students move to the next kingdom and repeat the process.
After all the students have observed the representatives of each kingdom have them
write and discuss their findings.
Ask about their findings for each kingdom:
How many cells does each organism have? One? Thousands? Billions?
What do you think each organism eats?
What does each organism react to?
What organisms are simple? What organisms are more complex? Why do the think
that?
Activity #2:
Talk specifically about micro-organisms.
Micro-organisms or “microbes” are living things that can only be seen with the aid
of magnification.

They can be single-celled or multi-cellular.

They require food, air, water, ways to dispose of waste, and an environment that
they can live in.

They are found in all 5 of the kingdoms of life.

They are found all over the world even in extremely cold and hot places.

Some microbes are producers – they make their own food from simple substances,
usually using sunlight like plants do.

Some microbes are consumers-eating other organisms to get their food.

Micro-organisms are classified by their shape, structure, how they get food, where
they live and how they move.

Most microbes are NOT harmful.
Get out micro-organism cards. Have students read one at a time and as a group determine
if they are “beneficial” (friendly) microbes or “harmful” microbes.
5th
Discovery Lab
Grade – “Alive and Classified!”
Station 2:
Plant Cells vs. Animal Cells
Objectives: Students to know parts of plant and animal cells. Students to know that
plant cells have a “cell wall” and chloroplasts, animal cells do not. Students to draw,
color, and label a picture of a cell. Students to know what “osmosis” is.
Background information:
All living things are made of cells. The simplest organisms such as bacteria are only single
cells. Humans are made of trillions of cells. An organism with many cells usually has many
different kinds of cells. For example, plants have cells that take in water from the soil,
protect the plant, and make food. Animals have muscle cells, blood cells, nerve cells and
many other different kinds.
Similarities between plant cells and animal cells:
Nucleus – Organelle (smaller structure in cell) that controls what the plant or animal
cell does and contains chromosomes
Cell Membrane – Covering that holds the cell together, that acts as a filter letting
some particles in and some out (like water or sugar)
Cytoplasm – Jellylike substance that contains chemicals to keep the cell functioning
Vacuoles – organelles that store food, water, or waste
Mitochondria – organelles that release energy from food
Structures that only plant cells have:
Cell Wall – Rigid layer that supports and protest the plant cell
Chloroplasts – Organelles that make food from the plant cell
Activity #1: Talk about cells—plant and animal cells. Demonstrate Diffusion and
Osmosis.
Note the poster about plant cells and animal cells. Take a look at the plant and animal cell
models.
Read above information to students.
Diffusion is when lots of particles of a substance in an area move to an area where there
are fewer particles of the substance.
Materials are constantly moving in and out of cells. The movement of water and dissolved
materials/diffusion in and out of cells is called Osmosis. For example the oxygen in a
red blood cell diffuses out of the cell to body cells that don’t have as much oxygen.
Osmosis does NOT require energy from the cell—it happens automatically.
Demonstrate diffusion and drop a couple of drops of food coloring into a small, glass
container of water. Note that the food coloring diffuses to the surrounding water so it is
in equal concentration throughout. By the end of each group’s rotation the water will be
pink because the food coloring has diffused throughout the water.
Osmosis when the cell membrane lets water and materials diffuse in and out. Molecules
move from where the substance is more concentrated to where it is less concentrated (in
or out). This process does not require energy. Different membranes allow more or fewer
molecules in.
Demonstrate osmosis: There are two eggs in a jar of water that no longer have shells.
The eggs were placed in vinegar and their shells dissolved. What is left are the eggs
surrounded by their cell membrane. If they didn’t have the cell membrane holding them
together they would be a blob of egg! The students can gently touch the egg.
The cell membrane has let in water so the concentration of water molecules is the same
inside the egg as outside of it in the cup. This is OSMOSIS!
Activity #2: Draw and Label Cells
Have the students sit at individual microscopes. Each microscope has plant cells and animal
cells to look at.
Have each student draw and color one of the cell(s) they see on a separate piece of paper.
Have them title their cell and label the parts of the cell. These should be works of art!
Have them draw large cells that fill up the piece of paper.
Have them share their drawings.
Note the visual differences between the plant and animal cells.
Activity #3: If there is time talk about chromosomes and DNA:
Inside the cell’s nucleus are thread-like strands called chromosomes. Chromosomes are
made up of a chemical called DNA which forms a chemical code. This code determines the
shape and function of a cell. It also determines when a cell will divide. When a cell divides
the new cell needs a copy of the chromosomes. Cell division is called mitosis. Your body
has about 3 billion cells forming per minute!
Before mitosis occurs the nucleus makes a copy of its chromosomes. The new
chromosomes separate from the old ones and the cell membrane pinches in the middle and
one cell becomes two. Both cells have the same shape and function. An example of mitosis
is creating new skin cells to replace older cells. Or when you are growing and getting
bigger. Regeneration is rapid mitosis—like a lizard growing a new tail or a star fish
growing a new arm.
5th
Discovery Lab
Grade – “Alive and Classified!”
Station 3:
Invertebrate Animals
Objectives: Students to know what “invertebrates” are and give descriptions of
specific examples. Students to observe a live, common invertebrate: an earth worm.
Background Information:
A backbone is called a “vertebrae.” Animals without backbones are called “invertebrates.”
Invertebrates make up 97% of the animal population on earth. Vertebrates account for
only 3% of the animals on earth!
Different kinds of vertebrates include:
Worms: cold-blooded animals (their body temperature adjusts to the temperature of
their environment) that have soft bodies with sections
Echinoderms: cold-blooded animals that have bodies with rough skin and sharp spines
Mollusks: cold-blooded animals with a soft body and sometimes a hard shell
Arthropods: cold-blooded animals with jointed legs
The largest group of invertebrates is the arthropods which includes insects. Insects make
up about 75% of all known animal species.
Activity #1:
Review the poster of invertebrates and read the above information.
Ask the students if these animals don’t have backbones, how do they keep their shapes?
Most have skeletons that form hard outer coverings or at least are “thick skinned.”
Observe the different specimen of invertebrates. Use magnifying glasses. Have the
students look at all of them.
Assign each student one invertebrate to report on. Have them write what it is and what
its physical make-up is. Is it made of one cell or billions of cells? Does it have a tough
outer skin? How would it move if it was alive? Where is its mouth? What do you think it
eats?
Activity #2: Observing Live Earthworms
Earthworms are in the segmented worm phylum called “Annelida.” Leeches and marine
worms are also in this phylum.
Earthworms hunt for food at night and thus are also called “night crawlers.” They make
tunnels in the earth and eat their way through the soil. They eat decaying plant and
animal material.
Place one live earthworm on a paper plate per student. This is NOT a dissection activity.
See Earthworm anatomy mat.
Have students find the “mouth” of the worm which has a fleshy overhang above it called
the “prostomium.”
Note the many segments or “septa” of the worm.
The “dorsal side” is the top rounded side of the worm. The “ventral side” is the
underneath part of the worm and is flatter. The “clitellum” is the middle, swollen region of
the worm. It is also called the girdle, band, or saddle.
Inside the head end of the worm are its circulatory system, nervous system, and
reproductive system.
In the head of the worm are the beginnings of the digestive system. Food is sucked into
pharynx then into the esophagus. The gizzard grinds it up with the help of soil particles.
Digestion and absorption take place in the intestine. Any remains pass out through anus.
Their poop is called “castings.”
Earthworms are very flexible and move efficiently. Their body wall has muscles that go
around it (circular) and down its body (longitudinal). With these muscles the worm can
extend itself forward holding on with its setae, and lift itself up by anchoring its back
setae.
Worms can regenerate some lost or injured parts depending on where it was cut. The tail
can grow back. But a tail cannot grow a new head.
(If your students can handle this, there are accompanying photos.)
Earthworms have both ovaries and testes. Two worms put their clitella together and pass
sperm to each other. Later a hardened cocoon forms on the clitellum of each of the
worms. Eggs with sperm are released into the cocoon as the worm backs out of it. The
cocoon closes at both ends then egg fertilization takes place. One to several worms hatch
about 3 weeks later.
Cocoons are about the size of grains of rice.
5th
Discovery Lab
Grade – “Alive and Classified!”
Station 4:
Animals with Vertebrates
Objectives: Students to know what “vertebrates” are and what the 5 groups of
vertebrates are, along with descriptions of each. Students to make edible
vertebrate.
Background Information:
Animals are classified into two groups: invertebrates and vertebrates.
Animals with backbones are vertebrates and make up 3% of all the animals on the earth.
There aren’t as many vertebrates because they are usually larger than invertebrates and
need more space. They also have more limitations on what environments they can live in
and are available.
Vertebrates are the most advanced organisms on Earth. They are smart because they
have advanced nervous systems. A goldfish might not seem really smart but compared to
an earth worm it is like Einstein.
Read the information below about the 5 different groups of animals with vertebrates
And review the poster about vertebrates.
Animals with Vertebrates are classified in 5 different groups:
Mammals: warm-blooded animals (have constant body temperature) that have hair or fur,
are born alive, and produce milk for their young
Birds: warm-blooded animals that have feathers and lay eggs
Fish: cold-blooded animals (have body temperatures that adjust to the temperatures of
their environments) that have scales, gills, and fins and lay eggs
Reptiles: cold-blooded animals that have scales, lungs, and lay eggs
Amphibians: cold-blooded animals that have smooth skin and can live on land or in water
Activity #1:
Talk about the 5 groups.
Ask: “How are they all the same?” They all have backbones.
Ask: “What makes each group different?”
Taxonomy is the study of the classification of animals. Give each student a copy of the
Classification Key for Vertebrates. Using the large, colored cards with pictures of
animals show the students how to use the key in determining what type of vertebrate each
animal is. For example the questions should lead you to know a parrot is a bird. There are
small cards for each student to try on their own.
“The system of classification used by all biologists today is based on a hierarchical scheme
devised by Swedish naturalist Carl von Linné (often Latinized to Carolus Linnaeus). In the
10th edition of his Systema Naturae (published in 1758), Linné listed every type of animal
known to him, organizing them into groups based on overall similarity. The Linnaean system
consists of seven major categories, called taxa (singular: taxon, meaning "rank"). Arranged
from the broadest, most inclusive category, to the narrowest, most exclusive category,
these taxa are:”
KINGDOM,
PHYLUM,
CLASS,
ORDER,
FAMILY,
GENUS,
SPECIES
When scientists discover a new organism they need to classify it. They do this by asking
questions like “Is it single or multi-celled?” “Do its cells have cell walls?” “Does it have a
vertebrate?” “Does it lay eggs?”
Give each student a “Simple Classification Key for Vertebrates.” You may want to use a
large card of an animal and determine what group (or phylum) the vertebrate belongs in.
Then the students can use the small cards and do the exercise themselves.
Ask them: “What other questions could this key include?”
Activity #2: Make an edible vertebrate.
Give each student a clean napkin to work on.
Make a “back bone” or vertebrae using hard ring candies, soft ring candies, and pipe
cleaners. The pipe cleaner represents the nerve column. The hard candies represent the
bones or vertebrae, and the soft candies represent the discs in between.
Give each student 1 pipe cleaner, 5 hard ring candies, and 4 soft ring candies.
1. Have students bend the pipe cleaner in half and make a “knot” at the bent end.
2. Have the students put on 5 pieces of the hard candies.
Ask: “Does it bend?” NOT very well.
3. Then have them put on a hard candy first alternating with a soft candy.
Ask: “Now is the backbone flexible?” YES thanks to the soft discs. We wouldn’t be
able to bend over without them.
If you are an organism you can’t just have nerves hanging out along your back. They need
support and protection. Together the bones and discs create vertebrate or backbones to
protect the nerves that go to the brain (which is protected by a skull.)
Note model of human skeleton.