Vinegar Eel LAB
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
The vinegar eel -- turbatrix aceti:
-harmless roundworm
-live in acidic oceans and lakes
-1 to 2 mm long
-points at both ends
-smooth, slender body is nearly transparent
-is possible to see its internal organs
-one of lowest animals to have digestive tract complete
with mouth and anus
-multi-cellular, large enough to be seen with the naked eye
Vinegar Eel LAB
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
-eels have muscles the whole length of their body and move
through the vinegar with powerful whip like motions
-females are larger than males
-females give live birth—about 45 every 8-10 days
-life cycle of a vinegar eel is about 10 months
Vinegar Eel LAB
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
-The eel spends its entire life in
unpasteurized vinegar, a very acid
environment.
-We use pasteurized vinegar at home, so
we do not see vinegar eels in our vinegar.
-Pasteurization is a process of heating the
liquid to a high temperature to destroy
microbes.
-It produces sterilized vinegar, which
completely eliminates the possibility of
our finding these eels on our kitchen
shelf.
COMPLETE PRE-LAB
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
COMPLETE pre-lab requirements
READ through LAB requirements FIRST!!
Use your lab write-up handout as a resource.
IDENTIFY:
1-factor/material to be tested
2-Question
COMPLETE PRE-LAB
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
1-PRE-LAB PROCEDURES
-SCIENTIFIC METHOD components
2-PRE-LAB PROCEDURES
-COMPLETE procedures prior to LAB class period
-procedures should FLOW from one step to the next
-include important details
-instructor should be able to perform lab based on
information in the PROCEDURES
PRE-LAB REVIEW
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
PROBLEM/QUESTION:
DV
IV
Does the ________
affect the ________?
HYPOTHESIS:
IV
If the ________
then the _________
DV
IV- ___________________
Pollutants
DV- ________________________
vinegar eel’s response
LAB GROUPS: (5 min)
COMPARE PRE-LAB information for group concesus
PEER REVIEW PRE-LAB PROCEDURES
PRE-LAB REVIEW
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
CONSTANTS:
amount pollutant, amount vinegar eel suspension, same eel
population, time observed, microscope/power, …
EXPERIMENTAL GROUP:
Eels w/pollutants A & B added
CONTROL GROUP:
Eels w/NO pollutant added
COMPLETE PRE-LAB
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
3-MATERIALS
-vinegar eels
-microscope
-well slides / spot plates
-droppers
-
GATHER MIMATERIALS
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
MICROSCOPE
-----------------------------------Turn the ocular lenses to LOW power (short lens)
-Raise the stage to its highest position
-Adjust the eyepiece so you can easily see
-PLUG IN / TURN ON MICROSCOPE
-----------------------------------
Collecting
thea vinegar
Preparing
controleel
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
AT THE CART-1-DRAW up small amount of vinegar from the jar with eels
2-Place 2 drops of vinegar eel solution into the center of well
3-RETURN any vinegar left in the dropper to the vinegar eel jar
– Gently drop it close to the surface of the water
RETURN TO LAB STATION-4-OBSERVE the normal movement of eels under the microscope
*LOW POWER ONLY
-pay attention to vigor of wriggling and organism’s progress as it
moves forward
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
Observing hints vinegar eels
-LOOK for eels at the edge of the sample
[eels do not like the light]
-Once you have found eels moving, focus in and move the slide/plate to
locate moving eels
TIP: Try blocking some of the light with your hand
EEL DRAWING - LAB
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
-DRAW and DESCRIBE (qualitative)
-Include comments on size and movement
-DETAILED drawings, include ENTIRE VIEWING AREA
CLEAN-UP
Microworlds Lesson Fourteen: Looking at Living Things: Vinegar Eels
1-Rinse off slide in sink with clean water
-place upside down on paper towel for drying
-do NOT rub with paper towels
2-turn off and replace microscope (back of station)
-wind up cord!!
3- WIPE down lab station