Biology/Life
Sciences
Standards
•(BLS) 1.a, 6.b, and 8.a.
•(AG) C 9.2 and D 3.2.
•(Foundation) 1.2 Science, Specific Applications of Investigation and Experimentation: (1.a) and (1.d).
•(Foundation) 5.0 Problem Solving and Critical Thinking: (5.3).
Agriculture
Standards
Name___________________
Date____________________
Let’s Go Fishing!
Purpose
The purpose of this lab is to evaluate the effect of temperature change on goldfish. i
Procedure
Materials
1. Live goldfish
2. Paper towels
3. Petri dish
4. Microscopes
5. Microscope slides
6. Warm water
7. Ice
8. Medicine dropper
9. Thermometer
Sequence of Steps
1. Remove a goldfish from an aquarium that has been kept at room temperature and gently lay on
a microscope slide. Wrap the fish and slide together with wet paper towels. Leave the head and
tail fin of the fish uncovered.
2. Place the wrapped fish in a petri dish, spread the tail fin and place a slide over it to hold it down.
3. Position the petri dish on a microscope and focus on the tail membrane.
4. Observe the blood vessels in the tail and record observations.
5. Add water to the paper towel to keep the skin and tail moist.
6. Replace the slide covering the tail with an ice cube for about one minute.
7. Remove the ice cube, replace the slide, and observe the tail of the fish through the microscope.
Record observations.
8. Replace the slide covering the tail with a piece of cotton that has been soaking in warm water.
Leave the warm cotton covering the tail for about 1 minute.
9. Remove the cotton, replace the slide, and observe the tail of the fish through the microscope.
Record observations.
10. Return fish to aquarium.
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LAB C-7
Summary of Data Collected
Water Temperature
Arteries Size
(small, medium, large,
enormous)
Rate of Blood Flow
(increased or decreased)
Room Temperature
Cold
Warm
Analysis
1. How does cold temperature affect the rate of blood flow?
2. How does warm temperature affect the rate of blood flow?
3. What other body activity of a fish could be affected by temperature changes and how?
4. How does natural selection determine the survival of groups of fish in different water
temperatures?
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LAB C-7
5. How does homeostasis help fish adapt to minor temperature changes?
6. During the stages of human hypothermia your arms will burn and become numb and you will
lose function. Why might our bodies do this?
7. Why might the fish growth rate be manipulated by temperature changes and yet as humans
Californians (warmer climate) are not larger people than Nevadans (cooler climate)?
8. Suppose our school wanted to start an aquaculture program. With our agriculture dept
aquaculture tank, what conditions can we control to ensure rapid growth of our trout farm?
How can we (LIST) control these factors? (Be creative, we need good ideas!)
i
Albisu, A. (2008).Let’s go fishing. Spring Creek High School, Spring Creek, NV
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LAB C-7