Characteristics of Life Lab (Do meal worms exhibit characteristics of life?)
DATA
Cellular organization groups: Do meal worms have cellular organization?
3rd period—
Introduction
Animal cells are tiny units that have a dark spot in center called a nucleus. We
saw these in the intestines of worms and in mashed up mealworms. We
examined photos of cells in animal intestines and free animal cells in the book.
They looked like this:
The dark purple spots are nuclei in side by side cells.
cells from skin—epithelial tissue—dark nucleus
Hypothesis
If meal worms have cells, then we when we look in the microscope, we will see
units with nuclei (that look like the pictures of animal cells in our biology text
book ). A nucleus is the part of animal cells where DNA is kept
Procedure
Observe slides of meal worms in microscope. Use high magnification and a
microscope to look at a slice of a meal worm gut or at separated meal worm
skin, or at a freshly mashed up mealworms stained to show nuclei if they are
present. Look for structures that look cell the pictures of animal cells.
Conclusion
Our hypothesis was supported because when we looked at the worm parts with
the microscope, we did see tiny objects that looked like the pictures of animal
cells in the text book.
Growth and Development Groups: Do mealworms grow and develop?
3rd period
Introduction
Growth is getting bigger. Development is changing as you age. Insects go
through stages of development from eggs to pupae to larvae (worms) to
beetles.
Hypothesis
If meal worms grow and develop, then we will see different sizes and stages.
Procedure and results
Measure meal worms with a ruler. We found 1, 1.5, and 2 cm long worms.
We sorted through the creatures in the meal worm container (where they’ve
lived for over a year) and looked at them with a microscope. We found pupae,
small and large worms, and beetles.
Conclusion
Meal worms do grow and develop because we saw different sizes (evidence of
growth) and different stages (evidence of development).
Response to stimuli and homeostasis groups: Do meal worms respond to
stimuli so that they can maintain homeostasis?
3rd period group
Introduction
Homeostasis keeps organisms in balance. One balanced condition is
temperature. Inside an organism’s body, the temperature needs to stay the
same. When it is low, organisms have too little energy to start chemical
reactions. When it is warmer, they have more energy to start chemical
reactions. Moving requires chemical reactions, so when its colder cold-blooded
animals like mealworms move slower.
Hypothesis
If mealworms have respond to stimuli, then when they are moved from an ice
cold environment to a very hot environment, they will respond by changing from
being still to moving rapidly. If they have homeostasis, if they get too hot or too
cold, they’ll die.
Procedure
Several meal worms were kept inside a containers surrounded by ice for several
minutes, until they stopped moving. Then, the same container was floated in a
bath of nearly boiling water.
Results
When moved out of hot water back to ice, if the worms had only been left a few
seconds, then they gradually slowed down and finally stopped moving. Then,
when the dish was moved back to cold water, they moved rapidly, even flipping
around in the dish. If they weren’t removed from the hot water in a short time,
they stopped moving permanently. They seemed to have died.
Conclusions
Our hypothesis was supported. Worms do seem to respond to homeostasis
because they increase movement when warmed up, but decrease movement
when cooled down. They seem to need homeostasis, because if they are
heated more than a few seconds, they die.
Evolution & adaptation groups: Do meal worms evolve and adapt?
3rd period
Introduction
Evolution is change over time leading to adaptation. Adaptation is when
evolution leads to a group of organisms becoming better suited to their
environment. Adaptations to different conditions can split a group of organisms
into more than one species. They will be similar, but different according to
adaptations to different environments.
Hypothesis
If meal worms have evolved, then we should find that similar but different
species of meal worms exist on earth.
Procedure
We read the packet for the lab to find out that there are at least two different
species of meal worms: One develops into brown beetles and the other into
black beetles. gathered data on whether there are more than one species
(there were at least two). Also, observed that they can be dormant in cold
weather since our background data showed they live where winters are very
cold.
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Metabolism Groups: Do mealworms have metabolism?
4th period
Introduction:
Metabolism includes all the chemical reactions that happen inside an organism.
It requires energy so that chemical reactions can start, but also so that
molecules can be built. It requires matter, from food, to provide atoms to make
molecules. Waste is produced from undigested food..
Hypothesis
If mealworms have metabolism, then they will eat food and produce wastes.
Results
Mealworms were observed eating and to release feces (poop).\
Conclusion
Meal worms do have metabolism.