Why are animals shaped differently in cooler climates than in warmer ones?
Overview
The purpose of this lab is to get students relating surface area/volume ratio to the way in which an animal thermoregulates (by using modeling clay). At the conclusion of this investigation, students should also be writing a better lab report, able to produce a XY scatter plot with a trendline, and perform a simple statistical test. They will be using modeling clay to simulate body shapes, and temp probes to monitor any changes. They may craft any shape they like, provided that 1. They can calculate the SA/V ratio of the shape, and 2. They can accurately record its temp with the probe (shapes like a long cylinder or flattened box do not work well as there is little clay surrounding the temp probe).
Outcomes: Inquiry 4, Inquiry 5, Inquiry 6, Inquiry 7, Inquiry 8; SA/V 1; Gradients 1, Gradients 2, Gradients 3, Gradients 4; Thermoregulation 1, Thermoregulation 6
Materials (Per lab group)
- 12.5 oz modeling clay
- Heating pads or lamps
- Ice bath
- Vernier (or similar) temperature probes
- Vernier (or similar) interface
Shaw, T.J. & French, D.P. (2018). Authentic Research in Introductory Biology, 2018 ed. Fountainhead, Fort Worth.
Assessments
Keys and additional instructor-only notes (you will be asked to sign into a Google account and request access to view instructor materials)