DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITY

(THIS MAY ALSO BE USED AS A COOPERATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITY)

KINGDOM PROTISTA

PROBLEM; Where can protists be found?

MATERIALS:

PROCEDURES:

1. Put a handful of grass into the jar.
2. Fill the jar about half full with pond water.
3. Place the top on the jar, but do not screw it on. Put the jar in a dark place for 3-4 days.
4. After 3-4 days, observe the contents of the jar. Put a drop of water on a slide to make a wet mount slide.
5. Observe it under low power (40X) and high power (100X)
6. Put a small amount of soil on a slide and examine it first under low power and then under high power.
7. Add a drop or two of water to the soil and observe it again under low power and then high power.
8. Set up the video camera on the microscope and allow the rest of the class to see your results.

DATA AND OBSERVATIONS

1 Compare and contrast what you observed under high power and low power. Describe any organism that you see.
2. Do any of the organisms seem to be moving? Which ones?
3. Draw and label all of the protists that you observed in the a. grass water mixture b.the soil c. the soil and water mixture. Be sure to include both low and high power observations.

CONCLUSIONS

1. What structures do protists have to help them move from place to place?
2 Why might some of the protists look green?
3. Can you tell the difference between plant like protists and animal like protists?
4. Why is important to begin your observations using the low power objective first?
5. Is there any difference between the protists living in the grass-water mixture and soil?
6. Compare your observations with your classmates and compile a list of statements about the organisms found in your sample.

ADVANCED APPLICATIONS

The following activities may be used as a follow-up for students who are in an advanced group or interested in researching the topic in more detail.