Scientific Inquiry – Mealworm Lab

Scientific Inquiry in Biology begins by making observations about things in nature. Next, the scientist asks questions about something of interest. The scientist will then research the topic to see what is already known. Finally, scientists conduct investigations (experiments) to find answers to their questions.

DAY 1

MAKING OBSERVATIONS

Use a plastic spoon to gently remove a mealworm from its culture container and put it into a shallow petri dish with a little of its food. Observe it carefully. You may use a magnifying glass or dissecting microscope to extend your sense of sight.

Make observations about:

  • The size of the mealworm (You may measure them using a ruler)
  • Its color
  • How its colors are distributed
  • The sense organs it has on its head
  • The design of its body (Is it segmented? Count the segments.)
  • How it walks
  • How it eats
  • Anything else you can OBSERVE about its appearance or behavior.

Write all of the observations about the mealworms in your lab report.

RESEARCH (The teacher should provide some research materials or allow students to search at the library or computer lab!)

Do some research about the behavior and life cycle of the mealworm. (Use the information provided by your teacher) Try to find what is already known about certain behaviors.

Write down the facts that you find in your lab report.

DAY 2

STATING A PROBLEM OR QUESTION

A scientific question is a question that can be investigated (capable of collecting quantitative data!!).

Good Question: Do mealworms prefer dark or light environments? (Answer can be counted)

Bad Question: Do mealworms have eyes? (Answer is either yes or no…no investigation required)

Good Question: Do mealworms travel faster on rough or smooth landscapes? (Answer can be measured)

Bad Question: Will a mealworm die in water? (Answer is obvious…no investigation required)

Within your group, identify and choose a question that you can INVESTIGATE regarding mealworms. Try to gear your question towards an interaction between abiotic and biotic things. MAKE SURE IT CAN BE ANSWERED THROUGH SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION USING A CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT!!!

Write your question/problem in your lab report.

FORMING A HYPOTHESIS

A hypothesis is your predicted answer to the experimental question. Base your hypothesis on everything you already know about mealworms (from your observations and research). Animals tend to react in ways that increase their chances for survival. How do you think mealworms will react to different abiotic stimuli?

Write your hypothesis in your lab report.

DAY 3

DESIGNING YOUR EXPERIMENT

Some important points to remember about a controlled experiment:

1.)You must use at least two mealworms and everything about the two mealworms and their environments must be the same EXCEPT for one variable that you are changing/testing (this is the independent variable).

2.)You must decide what you are going to measure. In other words, what is going to happen as a result of the independent variable (this is the dependent variable).

3.)You have to think about how many mealworms you will use. If you only use one, you will be less sure of the answer than if you use two and they both do the same thing!! Three would be even better. Four? Five? Maybe you should have numerous experimental groups.

4.)You need to decide when the experiment will be over. How will you know when the mealworms have made their final “decision” on where they want to be or what they want to do? This must be consistent for all trials.

5.)Finally, you must decide how many trials you will run. If a mealworm does the behavior just once, it could be just plain “luck”. However, it a mealworm performs the same behavior 50 times or even 49 out of 50 times, that is very convincing! How many trials will you perform?

In your lab report, write down the following:

  • Independent variable (the factor that you are changing)
  • Dependent variable (what is being measured)
  • Constant variables (all factors that are always kept the same)
  • Experimental groups (how many mealworms you are using)
  • Control group (what you are comparing to, if applicable)

Also in your lab report, include the following:

  • All materials and supplies that will be needed for your experiment (BE EXACT!)
  • List all steps for the procedure (Be specific and don’t leave any steps out!)

DAY 4

EXPERIMENTATION AND DATA COLLECTION

Assign roles within your group. You will need an experimenter, a data recorder, and several observers.

You should design two data tables in your lab report. One data table should be for the quantitative data (numbers, etc.) that will be collected. The second should be for general observations.

In your lab report, draw a data table and an observations table.

You should set up your experiment and run the procedure as many times as time will allow (these are your experimental trials). THE MORE, THE BETTER!!!

Allow time for proper cleanup!

In your lab report, record all data and observations for each trial.

DAY 5

INTEPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

You should set up a graph (line or bar) to help analyze the data you collected. The graph should consist of the independent variable on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis.

In your lab report, draw a graph that is consistent with the data you collected.

CONCLUSION

This is the most important part of the lab report. This is where you interpret your data (discuss the trends shown on the graph) and summarize your findings. Try to always include these items in your conclusion:

1.)A discussion on data shown on the graph. What trends do you notice, and WHY are they there?

2.)Was your hypothesis right? EXPLAIN.

3.)What might you do differently if you repeated this experiment? WHAT ERRORS OR PROBLEMS OCCURRED DURING THE PROCEDURE?

4.)Did this experiment cause you to think of new questions? What might you experiment on next time?