Every living thing has a habitat, a
place where it finds food, water and the space it needs to survive. A bowl of bran and some apple or potato
wedges provide the habitat for our classroom mealworms. But what about mealworms in
the wild? What kind of habitat do
they prefer? Some experiments will help
us find out.
You will need:
- small mounds of
bran, shredded leaves, toothpicks, grass, and shredded waxed paper
- plate
- about 5 mealworms
1.
Draw the experiment:
2.
Predict what you think will happen
after the mealworms are placed in the center of the plate.
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3.
Place the mealworms in the center of
the plate. Watch the mealworms for ten
minutes. Which “home” do they prefer?
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Experiment #2:
Wet or dry?
1.
Draw the experiment:
2.
Predict what you think will happen
after the mealworms are placed in the center of the plate. Which side – wet or dry – do you think they
will prefer?
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3.
Place the mealworms in the center of
the plate. Watch the mealworms for ten
minutes. Which “home” do they prefer?
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Experiment #3:
Light or dark?
1. Draw
the experiment:
3.
Predict what you think will happen
after the mealworms are placed in the center of the box. Which side – light or dark – do you think
they will prefer?
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4.
Place the mealworms in the center of
the box. Watch the mealworms for ten
minutes. Which “home” do they prefer?
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5.
Think about the three experiments (Home
sweet home, Wet or dry and Light or dark) that we have conducted. Describe the habitat that a mealworm would
naturally choose.
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Name________________________
Mealworms
What
do mealworms eat?
1. Copy
the list of foods from the board.
2. Make
a prediction about what you think mealworms will eat. Write yes or no.
3. Place
the mealworms in the center of the plate of food.
4. Wait
10 – 15 minutes. Observe the
mealworms. Use a magnifying glass.
5.
Record what really happened.
Food My Prediction What Happened
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__________ __________
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6. What
do you conclude about what mealworms will eat?
Write complete sentences.
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