Brine Shrimp Inquiry

Diane Hoffman
NLS Middle School
New London, MN
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Summary

In this lab, students will practice inquiry with some guidance. They will begin by observing brine shrimp that have hatched. They will formulate possible testable questions to investigate about brine shrimp. Then as a class we will discuss observations and questions to see what would be a good question to use as our inquiry lab.

Learning Goals

This activity is designed to give students an opportunity to practice inquiry with guidance and a plan decided on by the class together. Observing brine shrimp will be the springboard for coming up with questions that will be evaluated and analyzed as a group as to what questions are good testable questions that can lead to an investigation. Depending on what students come up with, there may be one question done by all groups or several different questions that lead to investigations. Vocabulary will be determined when questions are decided. Some possible vocabulary words may be salinity, brine, environment, habitat.

Context for Use

I plan to use this activity to teach and guide students on how to do inquiry. Students will be planning together, and we will discuss steps as determine if ideas for planning the investigation are reasonable and will make sense. This could be adapted to whatever level of inquiry that fits the level of students' understanding of inquiry. Equipment needed will be determined by students' questions.

Description and Teaching Materials

This activity begins with some discussion on making observations. How can we record observations? (draw pictures, write notes) Then students will be allowed time to observe brine shrimp and record observations. What questions come to mind? (Testable questions will have already been discussed in previous lesson.) Then as a class, share questions and discuss which ones could be tested within the limits of equipment, time and environment of our classroom. Students will be in groups, and each group may be doing the same question or possibly different questions, depending on the ideas of students. Students will then plan the procedure that they will use for their investigation with group members. They must review this with me before proceeding. They will then document their findings. This may also be a point where we can discuss together ways to document findings. It may be possible to incorporate math lessons with this on graphs or charts for data. When all groups have completed the investigations, we will share findings from each group with the class. All of their observations, questions, procedures and findings must be recorded in their science notebooks.

Teaching Notes and Tips

I am making this activity different by beginning with observing already hatched brine shrimp and allowing students to come up with questions. In the past I have chosen the question (How does the salinity of water affect the hatching of brine shrimp?), and it has been much more structured with my idea and plan for how to do the investigation. It will still be rather guided, but more student directed with their ideas.
Some students know about Sea Monkeys. This might be something to bring into the discussion. Students also love to look at the brine shrimp under the microscope (also the hatched eggs). I was told that students love to see brown hydra go after and eat the brine shrimp. Predator/Prey?

Assessment

Assessment for this activity will be done on their notebooks and on observations I make as I circulate the room as investigations are being done. I will look to see if they understand the process more than if their results were exactly what they should be. However, we will discuss results and possible problems (more than one variable) that did arise that may have caused results to not be accurate. I don't want my students to have misconceptions because their experiments "proved" a particular outcome.

Standards

Grade 7 Scientific Inquiry
The student will design and conduct scientific investigations.

References and Resources