Brine Shrimp Investigation
Class Project for 7th Grade
Timeline
• Day 1 (Tuesday 8/16) • Day 2 (Wednesday
8/17)
• Setup logbooks
(table contents,
• Background
pages)
Research in a class
rotation activity.
• Copy purpose and
introduction
• Stations =
• Setup “Experimental
Experimental Design
setup” pages
/ Simpsons Practice
Problems
Timeline
• Day 3 (Thursday
8/18)
• Experimental design
setup.
Problem (choose one)
variables (develop, but only
have one)
o hypothesis (write one
depending on your problem)
o procedure (describe in
detail)
o materials
o
o
Timeline
• Day 4 (Friday 8/19)
• Day 5 (Monday 8/22)
• Warm-up quiz
• Setup experiment in
• Microscope teaching/
classroom
observation lab
activity
Timeline
• Day 6 (Tuesday 8/23) • Day 7 (Wednesday
8/24)
• Observations and
data collection using • Observations and
tables
data collection using
tables
Timeline
• Day 8 (Thursday
8/25)
• Observations and
data collection using
tables
• Day 9 (Friday 8/26)
• Results and data
analysis
o
o
Create graphs
Write summaries of the
graphs.
Timeline
• Day 10 (Monday
8/29)
• Results and data
analysis
o
o
Create graphs
Write summaries of the
graphs
• Day 11 (Tuesday
8/30)
• Write discussion and
conclusion sections
in class - show
examples from other
experiments
Timeline
• Day 12 (Wednesday
8/31)
• Write scientific paper
by giving students a
prepared paper to
see as an example.
o
o
o
o
Abstract
Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
• Day 13 (Thursday
9/1)
• Write scientific paper
with the help of the
prepared example
o
o
o
o
Abstract
Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
Timeline
• Day 14 (Friday 9/2)
• Answer questions
about writing the
paper
• Paper due
Step 1 - Set up for research.
• In your composition book, turn to the
next available page where we will begin
our Brine Shrimp investigation!
• We will set up our table of contents first.
• We will then number and label our
pages.
• Be sure to accurately count your page
numbers!
Table of Contents
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Topic Page #
Purpose 1
Introduction 1
Deadline Schedule 1
Daily Notes and Reflections 2
Background Research (notes) 4
Experimental Setup 8
Data Collection 12
Results and data analysis 16
Discussion and conclusion 18
Purpose in doing this project
(copy onto page 1)
• To design and conduct a laboratory
investigation to determine how different
factors may affect the hatching and
development of brine shrimp eggs.
Introduction (copy onto page 1)
• The Brine Shrimp Project is an investigation in
which we will gather and analyze data about
how different factors may affect the hatching
and development of brine shrimp. In addition, all
students will have the opportunity to design an
experiment, conduct an investigation using the
scientific method, analyze the results and share
the results with the rest of the class in the form
of an oral report. Students will also be required
to write a formal laboratory report.
Experimental Setup
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Turn to p. 8 and write the following:
Identify the problem:
skip 4 lines
Define variables:
skip 8 lines
Hypothesis:
turn to p. 9
Procedure:
turn to p. 11
Materials
Brine Shrimp Video
• Watch the following video that will help
introduce you to brine shrimp.
Background Research
• Use the materials available in the class
and conduct background research on
brine shrimp. Record the background
research on p. 4. Remember to write
neatly.
Experimental Design Question
• Turn to page 8
• What problem/question are you trying to
solve/answer?
o
An example might be: How does
___________ affect the number of brine
shrimp eggs that will hatch?
Experimental Design Variables
• What are your variables?
=Independent Variable (manipulated):
-What you change between groups (possible examples)
•Lemon Juice (acid)
•Types of salt (table salt and sea salt)
•Salinity (amount of salt)
•Vinegar (cleaning products dumped in streams and rivers)
•Pollution (oil…run off from parking lots and roads)
•Hand Soap (run off from industrial plants)
=Dependent Variable (responding):
-What you measure as a result of that change
=Constants
-What will you keep the same throughout the experiment
(note that there will be more than one thing!)
Experimental Design - Hypothesis
Hypothesis
• If the amount of _______________ is
(increased or decreased), then the _______
______________________ will (increase or
decrease).
Experimental Design Procedure
• Look at lab sheets in folders for the
procedures you will use depending on
the variable you choose (salinity,
temperature, light, pollutant).
• Copy these procedures neatly into your
log book. Number each procedure.
Experimental Design Materials
• Now that you have a detailed procedure,
make a list of all the materials you will
need (microscope, brine shrimp, etc).
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brine shrimp eggs
sea salt
distilled water
small plastic cups
25 or 50 mL graduated cylinder
electronic balance
250 mL beaker
stereo microscope
stirring rod
toothpick
standard pipette
well slide and cover slip
metric ruler
index cards
Additional
materials
needed for
specific
experiment
depending
on variable
chosen
Begin experiment
• Set up for experiment
• Collect data in tables - how should we
design our tables?
Observations
• You will observe the brine shrimp for 3
days and collect accurate data.
Results and Data Analysis
• Create graphs using your data table
• Look at your graph that you made. Write
a detailed paragraph(s) explaining the
graph. You only talk about the facts
here. You do not discuss what you
thought was/was not going to happen.
Discussion
• Now you will discuss your results and
talk about what you thought was going
to happen based on your research.
What did you do this time that you could
do differently next time?
Conclusion
• Did the results you get agree or
disagree with your hypothesis? Why do
you think this happened? What could
you do differently next time to make
your experiment better?
How to write your paper
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Abstract
Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
What will you see?
Day 2
Grows into an adult Artemia salina
Background Information Research
(do in computer lab or use copies in folders at lab tables
)
• Sources:
o
USGS- “Brine Shrimp and Ecology of Great Salt Lake”
 Click HERE
o
Rhode Island Sea Grant Fact Sheet
 Click HERE
o Westminster Colleg
 Click HERE
o Lawrence Hall of Science – FOSSWEB
 Click HERE
o Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program
 Click HERE
GPS: Standards and Elements
Characteristics of Science
• S7CS1 Students will explore the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness,
and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to
understand how the world works.
• S7CS2 Students will use standard safety practices for all classroom laboratory
and field investigations.
• S7CS3 Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for
analyzing data and following scientific explanations.
• S7CS4 Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and
manipulating equipment and materials in scientific activities.
• S7CS5 Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in
exploring scientific and technological matters.
• S7CS6 Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.
• S7CS7 Students will question scientific claims and arguments effectively.
• S7CS8 Students will investigate the characteristics of scientific knowledge and
how that knowledge is achieved.
• S7CS9 Students will investigate the features of the process of scientific
inquiry.