Classroom Activity: Beetles

In science this week, we looked at the preferred environments of beetles and isopods. Students chose an animal to investigate in their science groups. The purpose of this investigation is for students to learn that all organisms have a preferred environment in which they live. For instance, penguins prefer the Arctic freezing temperatures over the hot scorching climate of the desert. 


First students tested with one variable - water. We had three different types of soil - dry, moist, and very wet. Students placed 5 of their organisms in the container with the different mounds of soil and waited for ten minutes. At the end of the time, we marked on our notes which mound of soil the organisms could be found. Then we did it again for a longer period of time - for three hours. 


After three hours, we again observed where the beetles and isopods were to be found. Then we made our observations. Students shared their findings and came up with their own conclusions.  Some of the isopods seemed to prefer the moist areas, whereas the beetles preferred the dry areas.