Experiment result in Apologia biology

[homeschoolmom99]

Has your child done experiments 2.2 and 3.1 in Apologia biology? These are the pond life experiments. Specifically, did your child find any monera or any protista in the rice jar?

 

Thanks

[z2_mom]

I just had my dd look up her lab experiment write ups and this is what she personally saw with her experiment under the microscope.

 

 

In 2.2 sprillium bacteria, dead alge, and some sort of small dot thing that she could not identify.

 

 

In 3.1 in the rice jar you are supposed to see bacillius bacteria, sprillium bacteria, and amoeba.

 

 

Lynda

[FloridaLisa]

We just did this today. We had 4 students bring in their samples from 4 different ponds. So, I felt sure we'd see something!

 

Two groups (using different samples) saw either bacteria or protista in the pond water with egg yolk and grass. Another group found bacteria/protista in the jar with grass. I don't believe anyone saw bacteria/protista in the jars with soil or rice. I was working with groups and another mom was supervising the third, but I know neither of my groups found critters in the rice jar.

 

This is the third time I've facilitated labs for Apologia biology. This is usually the lab where we see the least! Labs for the next modules use prepared slides and so it's all there for us. PTL. We still have our samples and we're going to give it another go tonight when we have a bit more time.

 

 

HTH,

Lisa

[Susan C.]

With ds years ago, we had lots of life to see under the microscope. Unfortunately, we had no idea what any of it was.....

 

So we skipped it with dd and just looked at things online.

[homeschoolmom99]

Thanks so much for the responses.

 

We were using water from a canal near our house. There's loads of life in it. In fact, we were watched by an otter while collecting the original water specimens!

 

I'm really glad that others didn't find anything in the rice jar. Maybe because it was white rice instead of brown? Most of the nutrients were removed in the rice-polishing process.

[cbollin]

I'm really glad that others didn't find anything in the rice jar. Maybe because it was white rice instead of brown? Most of the nutrients were removed in the rice-polishing process.

 

The smell from that jar was quite uh.. gross. My daughter took a quick glance at the slide from the rice jar and said "enough. I can't tolerate the smell from the slide to look in the microscope".

 

On the others we saw stuff. Not always completely sure which it was. Part of the learning process.

 

-crystal

[Chris in VA]

If I remember correctly, we saw everything we were supposed to. It was the most interesting experiment in the whole book, according to ds. He had actually done something very similar in middle school.

 

And I do remember that ds let those silly jars sit, uncleaned, for a year in the storage room....:glare: I discovered them later; at least I had the presence of mind to just pitch w/o opening!!!