Name:

Station 1 – Sorting Animals

At this station you will create a “key” to organize a collection of creatures into categories. - based ONLY on the creatures’ structures.

1. Put all the creatures in the top box of the Sorting Chart. Note that each creature is assigned a letter, A-F, and is NOT to scale.

Sort the creatures for structures that are THE SAME, and for structures that are DIFFERENT. DO NOT USEfeatures such as COLOR, SIZE, AND MATERIALS!

This question appears in the large box at the top of the Sorting Chart:

“Does this creature have more than 2 legs?

Separate the creatures into Box 1 and Box 2 according to the answer to this question. Then, record where you placed the animals, in Box 1 and Box 2 below. (write their letters – there should be 6 total)


2. Now we are going to create a question to separate the creatures of Box 1. For the creatures in Box 1, create a question that would separate them into EITHER Box 3 OR Box 4. Your question must result in at least one creature being placed in box 3 and at least one creature being placed in Box 4. Again, your question must be based on the creatures’ observable structure (DO NOT USE COLOR, SIZE, OR MATERIAL).

Question:______?

3. Separate the creatures from Box 1 into Box 3 OR Box 4 according to the answers to your question #2. Then, record where you placed the animals, in Box 3 and Box 4 below. (write their letters)

4. Go back toBox 2. Create a question that would separate Box 2 creatures into either Box 5 or Box 6. Your question must result in at least one creature being placed in Box 5 and at least one creature being placed in Box 6. Your question must be based on the creatures’ observable structures – the same rules apply!

Question: ______?

5. Separate the creatures from Box 2 into Box 5 or Box 6 according to the answers to your question in #4. Then, record where you placed the animals, in Box 5 and Box 6 below. (write their letters)

Station 1 Continued – Microscope Portion

6. Pick up Slide A, hold it up to the light, and look at the squares.

Slide A is a prepared slide of a tiny grid. The lines of the grid are all spaced 1.0 mm (millimeters) apart. Each small square is 1.0 mm x 1.0 mm.

Place Slide A on the microscope stage and bring the grid into focus, using ONLY the lowest power on your microscope.

When you look into the microscope, the whole area you see is called the “field of view”. You know that the lines of the grid are 1.0 mm apart. Use the lines on the grid to estimate the diameter of the lowest-power field of view. Estimate to the nearest 0.5 mm.

My estimated DIAMETER of the lowest power field of view:

______mm (millimeters)

7. Now that you know the field of view of the microscope, imagine that the organisms beloware put under the same microscope.Comparing to the estimated field of view you just found, what is the length of each microscope creature? Estimate the lengths to the nearest 0.5 mm (half millimeter)

Organism 1: ______mm Organism 2: ______mm Organism 3: ______mm

Station 2 – Ramp

Directions: At this station, you will roll a cart down a ramp several times and record the distance that the cart moves a wooden block. After you get the data, you will make a line graph and analyze your results.

Before each trial, check your setup - Be sure the wooden block is at the beginning of the white track and the measuring tape is also lined up properly.

1. Place the cart on the ramp so the back wheel of the cart is at heightC on the ramp. Without pushing the cart, carefully release it so the cart goes into the wooden block. Note the distance the wooden block moves.

On the data table below, record the distance the wooden block moves when the cart is released from the height C. Record the distance the wooden block moves to the nearest 0.1 cm. If you unsure about your results, you may want to repeat the test.

Data Table

Cart Release Point / Distance Wooden block Moved (cm)
C (20 cm up)
B (25 cm up)
A (30 cm up)

With the wooden block returned to the starting point, release the cart from height B and height A. For each release point, record the distance the wooden block moves to the nearest 0.1 cm on the table above. If you want to check your work, you may repeat any trial.

2. Look at the grid below. Using the data from your data table, plot the distance the wooden block moved for each release point by marking an “X” on the grid. When plotting your data on the grid, round the distances to the nearest whole cm.

3. Connect the X’s with either a line-of-best-fit (a straight line) or by connecting the dots.

4. If you had released the cart from 15 cm up, how far do you think the wooden block would have moved? Use your graph to predict – don’t actually test it!

______cm

5. If you had released the cart from 27 cm up, how far do you think the wooden block would have moved? Use your line to predict.

______cm

6. If you had released the cart so that the WOODEN BLOCK MOVED 5.0 cm, from what point do you think the cart would have been released? Use your line to predict.

______cm

7. Assume you want to repeat this same experiment by adding 3 metal weights to the cart. What do you predict will happen in this situation? (Check one)DO NOT ACTUALLY TEST THIS!

______the cartwith added weights will not move the wooden block as far

______the cartwith added weights will move the wooden block farther

______the cartwith added weights will move the wooden block the same distance

Explain your prediction:

______

8. On the same grid as your original graph, draw a line to PREDICT the added metal weightsresults. DO NOT ACTUALLY TEST THE ADDED METAL WEIGHTS. Will it be above, the same, or below the original line? Label the new line “ADDED WEIGHTS”. Label your original line, “Just theCart”.

Station 3 - Density

At this station you have two blocks – one small block, and one larger block. All your measurements will be for the larger block.

Look closely at the small block. The small block’s mass, volume, and density have been recorded for you in the data table below. Do not fill in the blank spaces in the table now. You will complete this data table later.

Data Table

Block / Mass / Volume / Density
Small / 27.0 grams / 20.0 cubic centimers (cm3) / 27/20 =
1.35 g/cm3
Large
  1. Determine the mass of your LARGE block using the triple beam balance. Record your answer to the nearest tenth(one decimal place) in the data table above. Also, provide proper units (Hint: look at the same columns)

2. Measure the length, width, and height of the large blockto the nearest 0.1 cm. Record these values in the workspace below.

Plug your values into the equation provided below. Determine the volume of the large block by using a calculator.

Record the volume to the nearest tenth(one decimal place) in the data table. Remember to provide proper units.

Now, using the equation below, substitute the values you obtained for the mass and volume of large Block. Determine the density of largeblock by using the calculator.

Record the density to the nearest tenth of a unit in the data table. Remember to provide proper units (again, use the units already in the chart)!

Place only the large block in the container of water and observe its location. The density of water is 1.0 g/cm3. From your observation, what can you conclude about the density of large Block? (Check one)

______A. The density of large Block must be less than 1.0 g/cm3

______B. The density of large Block must be greater than 1.0 g/cm3

______C. The density of large Block must be equal to 1.0 g/cm3

5. Look back at your data table on page 10 to see the value that you calculated for the density of large block. COPY that value again here: ______

Does the behavior/result of large block that you observed (see #4) agree with the density that you calculated in #5? (Check one)

______Yes, it agrees ______No, it does not agree

Explain why the density value that you calculated agrees or does not agree with your result in #4.

______

6. If the large Block was cut in half and one of the pieces was placed into the container of water, where do you predict the piece would end up? (Check one)

______A. It would float.

______B. It would be located about halfway between the surface and the bottom of the container

______C. It would sink.

Explain the reason for your prediction:

______

7. In the data table, the density of smallblock is 1.35 g/cm3.

Do not take small block out of the plastic bag.

Assume that smallBlock was placed into the container of water. Predict where you think this block’s exact final location would be if it were placed into the water. On the diagram below, accurately draw exactly where you predict the small block would be located. Label your drawing of the smallBlock. Base your answer only on the data table.

Container of water

Water line

Density of water

= 1.0 g/cm3