1. Mealworm Lab
Demonstrates experimental design principles and scientific method
Explores a living organism’s response to environmental variables
(Ecology topic)

2. Objectives After doing this laboratory, students should be able to
describe some aspects of animal behavior and understand the adaptiveness of mealworm behaviors
create a workable experimental design
write clear experimental procedures
conduct a peer review.

3. Pre-Lab: Observe
Make notes on their general appearance, and movements about the dish.
Do they seem to prefer one area over another, keep moving, settle down, or move sporadically?
Try to make your observations without disturbing the animals in any way.
You want to observe their behavior, not influence it or interfere.

4. Design the Study Which variable will you test?
Test only ONE variable at a time
Too many variables!!!! What are they???

5. Design the Study USE A CONTROL GROUP or comparative sets of data
For behavioral studies, compare with known behavior in the wild

6. Design the Study
Provide AT LEAST 10 replicates or organisms per experimental group
Decide how to control variables

7. Select Data Collection Method
Always define the factors sampled
Take samples randomly
Otherwise, sampling procedures may be biased

8. Select Data Collection Method
Is the procedure valid?
Is there a way to quantify the data?

9. Write an Experimental Plan
State the primary objectives
Include a rationale and justification
State the general procedures you plan to follow
List any materials/equipment
State what results you expect to get

10. Complete an ExD Template
Problem:
Hypothesis:
Independent Variable (IV):
Dependent Variable (DV):
Control:
Constants: 1) 2) 3)

11. Collect Samples Collect living specimens with care
Don’t contaminate samples
Avoid errors

12. Observe & Measure Samples
Measure consistently
Keep notes or in a log book
Record errors

13. Sample Experimental Design
Define the problem
“The Effect Of Substrate On Mealworm Habitat Selection”
Define the Independent Variable(s)
Time in habitat chamber
Define the Dependent Variable(s)
Type of substrate

14. Creating an ExD Define the Experimental Group(s)
Cut grass, wood chips
Define the Control Group
Chamber with natural humus substrate

15. Creating an ExD Make a Hypothesis
If mealworms prefer the natural humus chamber, then they will stay there at least 80% of the time after the first 10 minutes of experimentation.

16. Creating an ExD Determine the Experimental Constants
Moisture level, temperature, food, lack of predation
Choose and Sketch the set-up

17. Creating an ExD
Determine the number of trials or groups needed for validity
10 mealworms /chamber
10 thirty-second trials
Determine how the results will be quantified
# of mealworms/ chamber/30 sec

18. Write Up the Procedure 1) Prepare a choice chamber
2) Cover the bottom of each chamber with either wood chips, cut grass or natural humus
3) Transfer ten mealworms from the stock culture into each choice chamber
4) Cover the chambers

19. Write Up the Procedure
5) Count and record how many mealworms are in each chamber every 30 seconds for I0 minutes

20. Run the Experiment Quantitatively summarize data
Make a Graph of the number of mealworms in experimental and control chambers per 30 second interval.
Analyze the
trend

21. Analyze The Results Interpret statistics properly
DON’T make broad statements from small samples
Not: This experiment proves that mealworms prefer pine needles as a substrate
Instead: The results show that mealworms seem to prefer pine needles as a substrate)

22. Analyze The Results Compare data with other groups Analyze the trends
Address errors
Look at all alternative interpretations

23. Come to a Conclusion Validate the hypothesis
Decide whether your data fits your hypothesis or whether you need further testing and revision.

24. Retest Re-test 100 times Peer Review Refine the experiment
Example: Choose the same size mealworm

25. Pill Bug

26. Pill Bug Experimental Design Lab
Experimental design is the way in which cause-effect relationships are discovered in science.

27. Pill Bug Lab
Demonstrates experimental design principles and scientific method
Explores a living organism’s response to environmental variables
(Ecology topic)

28. Objectives After doing this laboratory, students should be able to
describe some aspects of animal behavior and understand the adaptiveness of pillbug behaviors
create a workable experimental design
write clear experimental procedures
conduct a peer review.

29. Pre-Lab: Observe
Make notes on their general appearance, and movements about the dish.
Do they seem to prefer one area over another, keep moving, settle down, or move sporadically?
Try to make your observations without disturbing the animals in any way.
You want to observe their behavior, not influence it or interfere.

30. Design the Study Which variable will you test?
Test only ONE variable at a time
Too many variables!!!! What are they???

31. Design the Study USE A CONTROL GROUP or comparative sets of data
For behavioral studies, compare with known behavior in the wild

32. Design the Study
Provide AT LEAST 10 replicates or organisms per experimental group
Decide how to control variables

33. Select Data Collection Method
Always define the factors sampled
Take samples randomly
Otherwise, sampling procedures may be biased

34. Select Data Collection Method
Is the procedure valid?
Is there a way to quantify the data?

35. Write an Experimental Plan
State the primary objectives
Include a rationale and justification
State the general procedures you plan to follow
List any materials/equipment
State what results you expect to get

36. Complete an ExD Template
Problem:
Hypothesis:
Independent Variable (IV):
Dependent Variable (DV):
Control:
Constants: 1) 2) 3)

37. Collect Samples Collect living specimens with care
Don’t contaminate samples
Avoid errors

38. Observe & Measure Samples
Measure consistently
Keep notes or in a log book
Record errors

39. Sample Experimental Design
Define the problem
“The Effect Of Substrate On Pillbug Habitat Selection”
Define the Independent Variable(s)
Time in habitat chamber
Define the Dependent Variable(s)
Type of substrate

40. Creating an ExD Define the Experimental Group(s)
Cut grass, wood chips
Define the Control Group
Chamber with natural humus substrate

41. Creating an ExD Make a Hypothesis
If Pillbugs prefer the natural humus chamber, then they will stay there at least 80% of the time after the first minutes of experimentation.

42. Creating an ExD Determine the Experimental Constants
Moisture level, temperature, food, lack of predation
Choose and Sketch the set-up

43. Creating an ExD
Determine the number of trials or groups needed for validity
10 pillbugs/chamber
10 thirty-second trials
Determine how the results will be quantified
# of pillbugs/ chamber/30 sec

44. Write Up the Procedure 1) Prepare a choice chamber
2) Cover the bottom of each chamber with either wood chips, cut grass or natural humus
3) Transfer ten pillbugs from the stock culture into each choice chamber
4) Cover the chambers

45. Write Up the Procedure
5) Count and record how many pillbugs are in each chamber every 30 seconds for I0 minutes

46. Run the Experiment Quantitatively summarize data
Make a Graph of the number of pillbugs in experimental and control chambers per 30 second interval.
Analyze the
trend

47. Analyze The Results Interpret statistics properly
DON’T make broad statements from small samples
Not: This experiment proves that pillbugs prefer pine needles as a substrate
Instead: The results show that pillbugs seem to prefer pine needles as a substrate)

48. Analyze The Results Compare data with other groups Analyze the trends
Address errors
Look at all alternative interpretations

49. Come to a Conclusion Validate the hypothesis
Decide whether your data fits your hypothesis or whether you need further testing and revision.

50. Retest Re-test Peer Review Refine the experiment
Example: Choose the same size pillbugs