jeninok Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I am working on coming up with some hands on/ lab type activities for the year long study I have put together on geologic time, dinosaurs, evolution, and hominds. So far we have real fossils to study, plans for field trips, and some questionarre type things lined up, but no lab type experiments. I am thinking of trying triops, maybe a small aquarium with cave fish, and??? The problem is that our first attempts growing them a few years ago never worked well at all. Has anyone else had any luck with them? Or have suggestions for middle school age experiments/labs that might tie in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 It's been awhile (about 10 years) and I want to do it again at some point. I think I remember light or heat or both being essential. I remember being dead broke, but needing to buy and run a lamp, and having to put a sticky thermometer on the bowl. I remember there being all sorts of free online lesson plans. I got ours cheap at Walmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 I seem to remember using several different lamps in our attempts to get them to hatch. As well as few kinds of water. We did get daphnia, but they aren't very interesting! Maybe we just need a better source for the eggs than hobby lobby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 ours did ok, but we also did it in the summer. So, if heat is an issue that would have helped. Things are chilly here in the winter. They don't live very long, but I don't remember how long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 I guess we will try it soon before it cools off too much for fall. I am on the hunt for some other prehistoric relics we would grow or observe.....that aren't cockroaches :) I do plan a trip to see horseshoe crabs and mantis shrimp at the aquarium, but we can't take them home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I had a friend successfully growing (hatching?) them. I think she might have gotten them from Home Science Tools? Or the basic kit? No idea how long they lasted (or didn't last). Her kids were fascinated. (Make sure you also play the They Might Be Giants Triops song for your kids.) No idea on hands-on projects for you, though. Not a strong point for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted August 17, 2012 Author Share Posted August 17, 2012 I also found some aquatic invertebrates and protists kits from home science tools, I am not sure how easy it would be to see them in a microscope, but it might be cool to demonstrate basic life forms. We are going to get sample water from the lake this weekend to look at it, as a demonstration of the sheer amount of biological samples in natural water. I figure this will tie in nicely with our pre-cambrian and cambrian units next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Hmmm, yes, we bought water. I forget which kind. Actually the tricks for better growth can be used as variables in experiments, so that can be a plus instead of a minus. I remember thinking that we didn't have time to use this resources as much as I wanted to. Triops and other dehydrated animals was one of the few more advanced labs that I felt confident to really delve into as a low income and burnt out homeschooler. I'm up to my eyeballs in phonics and arithmetic replanning after my printer suddenly died, but otherwise I'd be all over googling what free lesson plans are available for the different dehydrated animals. Lamps are cheap at hardware and department stores, and this is a great winter project, when there are fewer other living things to study. I hope someone revives this topic later on in the Fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 We did it once. I think three hatched and one ate the other two (okay - I made that up). Their lifespan of a few weeks was proportional to their interest level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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