Download Discovery Lab - Summit Hill Elementary PTO

5th
Discovery Lab
Grade - “Alive and Classified!”
Lab Leader Information
Welcome students into lab and have them put on lab coats and sit down at tables in their
assigned groups.
Introduction:
Today’s lab is called “Alive and Classified.” If an organism is alive and scientists
know about it, it gets named and classified—or put into certain groups to be studied.
About 350 BC in Greece, a famous scientist, teacher, and philosopher called Aristotle
classified living things into 2 kingdoms “plants” and “animals.” Thanks to the microscope
and many other scientific discoveries today we classify living things into 5 kingdoms which
you will learn about at Station #1. You will learn about organisms that you can see at that
station also about organisms which you need a microscope to see.
All living things are made up of cells. Some organisms are only made of only one cell,
others like humans are made of trillions of cells. At Station #2 you will learn about plant
and animal cells and what is the same and different about them. You will also make a
colorful drawing of a cell.
At Station #3 you are going to learn about animals that do not have backbones. There are
a lot of different kinds of invertebrate and after this lab you should be able to name a
few. You will also get to take a look at and study a live invertebrate and need to be careful
with it.
After looking at animals without backbones you are going to learn about animals that do
have backbones at station 4. You are also going to make an edible vertebrate!
We will spend 12 minutes at each station and rotate when I ring the bell.
Conclusion:
Have students answer the following questions:
1. Name the five kingdoms of living things. (Monerans, Protists, Fungi, Plants, Animals)
2. What is an example of a Moneran? (Bacteria)
3. What is an example of a Protist? (Algae or Amoebas)
4. What is an example of a Fungi? (Mushrooms, Yeasts, Molds)
5. What is a microbe or micro-organism? (Living things that can only be seen with the
aid of magnification.)
6. What is an example of a friendly microbe? (Yeast, bacteria in dirt, vaccinations)
7. What is an example of a harmful microbe?
(“Germs,” athletes foot bacteria)
8. What is the difference between a plant cell and an animal cell? (Plant cell has a cell
wall and chloroplasts—an animal cell does not.
9. Does a plant cell have a cell membrane? (Yes)
10. What is Osmosis? (The movement of water and dissolved materials/diffusion in and
out of cells through the cell membrane.)
11. What is an invertebrate? (Animal without a backbone.)
12. Name some examples of invertebrates. (Sponges, worms, insects.)
13. Do earthworms have segments? (Yes)
14. What is the dorsal side of the worm? (The underneath part.)
15. What is the ventral side? (The top of the worm.)
16. What percentage of animals on Earth have vertebrate? (3%)
17. What are the 5 different groups of animals with vertebrates? (Mammals, Birds,
Fish, Amphibians, and Reptiles.)
Note that the Discovery Lab would not be made possible without the PTA and adult
volunteers.
Have students thank the adult volunteers.
Have students return lab coats to the back of their chairs and line up.
Give teacher bags of edible vertebrate and an evaluation form.
BEFORE THE CLASS COMES IN:
1. Put mushrooms (that are in refrigerator) at Station 1 as a “Fungi.”
2. Turn on microscopes at Station 1.
3. Put 4 cups of water at Station 2.
4. Put soft eggs and 1 regular egg (from refrigerator) at Station 2.
5. Turn on microscopes at Station 2.
6. Get out 8 large earthworms at Station 3 and rinse them off. Put them in a
small container so they are ready to be looked at by students.
7. Turn on magnifying glass at Station 3.
AFTER ALL CLASSES LEAVE:
1. Put mushrooms back in refrigerator.
2. Put all eggs back in refrigerator.
3. Return worms to bin and make sure worm bin &/or box is closed.
4. Turn all microscopes and magnifying glass off.
5. Turn off one set of lights.
6. Keep room temperature at moderate temperature for plant and worms.