Name_____________________________________Date__________________Period___
Termite Trails
Scientific Method
PROBLEM:
Materials:
What happens when a termite is exposed to different types of ink on paper?
Petri dish, Papermate ballpoint pen, rollerball pen, termites, other pens and pencils,
colored pencils, and scissors
Procedure/Experiment:
1. Cut a piece of paper to fit the inside of your Petri dish. Use a PENCIL to trace your petri dish
on the paper.
2. Draw a figure eight on the paper with the Papermate ballpoint provided (go over it several times
with the pen) and place the paper in the petri dish.
3. Using the paper circle, carefully scoop ONE termite on the paper and observe its behavior.
Record your BASELINE DATA in the data table below.
4. Repeat steps 1-4 using a different pen.
BASELINE DATA: Observations of a Termite when Exposed to a Papermate Pen
Type of Writing Instrument
Response (+) No Response (o) Avoidance (-)
5. Now suggest a HYPOTHESIS to be tested in the experiment. REMEMBER: A hypothesis
must be a TESTABLE explanation. You cannot test in our lab what a termite likes, is attracted
to, smells, or prefers in our lab room. You can only test what you can SEE the termite do. Also,
we cannot test the chemicals or smells of the ink in our lab room.
HYPOTHESIS: (use if/then): ____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
6. Test as many other pens and pencils as available.
7.
Record your data in the data table on the other side of this paper.
8. Make conclusions about your observations and give a scientific explanation as to why the
termites respond as they do.
Name_____________________________________Date__________________Period___
EXPERIMENTAL DATA: Make sure you title the data table below. Remember to use the
independent & dependent variables in your title.
Record a TITLE for the table: _____________________________________________
Type of Writing Instrument
Response (+)
No Response (o) Avoidance (-)
ANALYSIS QUESTIONS:
1. Identify anything that can be or was changed in the experiment.____________________________
These are called variables.
2. What is a variable that you changed every time in the experiment? __________________________(In
other words, what did you do differently each time)
This is called the manipulated or independent variable.
3. What is a variable that you observed the termite do?_______________________________ This is
called the responding or dependent variable.
4. What is a pheromone?________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION (worth 20 points): Explain if your results support or refute your hypothesis. (2-3
sentences)