Trail Marking InquiryTrail Marking Inquiry

Trail marking inquiryTrail marking inquiry

• Hypothesis 1:Hypothesis 1: Wiping a sponge Wiping a sponge of soapy water across an ant of soapy water across an ant trail will not disrupt theiruse of trail will not disrupt theiruse of the trailthe trail

• Hypothesis 2:Hypothesis 2: Sprinkling Sprinkling cinnamon across an ant trail will cinnamon across an ant trail will not disrupt their use of the trailnot disrupt their use of the trail

ProtocolProtocol• Locate an ant trail and determine a Locate an ant trail and determine a

preferred food (see previous inquiry)preferred food (see previous inquiry)

• Wipe soapy water laden sponge across a Wipe soapy water laden sponge across a section of the trailsection of the trail

• Sprinkle cinnamon across another section Sprinkle cinnamon across another section of the trailof the trail

• Observe ant behavior when they come to Observe ant behavior when they come to the section of the trail you alteredthe section of the trail you altered

• Have three groups of students make Have three groups of students make similar observationssimilar observations

Data collectionData collection

• Time how long it takes the ants to Time how long it takes the ants to relocate the trail after relocate the trail after encountering each disruption – encountering each disruption – average the results of the three average the results of the three groupsgroups

• Do ants go across the disruptions Do ants go across the disruptions or create a new trail around them?or create a new trail around them?

• Describe the search pattern of ants Describe the search pattern of ants that lose their trailthat lose their trail

Reporting findingsReporting findings

• Did the test procedures disrupt Did the test procedures disrupt ants use of their foraging trail?ants use of their foraging trail?

• On average, how long did it take On average, how long did it take for the ants to relocate their for the ants to relocate their trail?trail?

• Describe the search pattern of Describe the search pattern of disoriented antsdisoriented ants

Conclusions Conclusions

• Encourage students to suggest Encourage students to suggest how ants mark their trails how ants mark their trails (visible markers, chemical trail, (visible markers, chemical trail, etc….)etc….)

• Direct students to observe ants Direct students to observe ants on a trail to see if they can on a trail to see if they can observe trail markingobserve trail marking

Testing your conclusionTesting your conclusion

• Establish a feeding trail to the Establish a feeding trail to the preferred food on a sheet of paperpreferred food on a sheet of paper

• Using scissors, cut out a section of Using scissors, cut out a section of the trail (do not touch trail and leave the trail (do not touch trail and leave a 1” margin on each side of trail)a 1” margin on each side of trail)

• Now lay the paper across an existing Now lay the paper across an existing trailtrail

• Lay a similar piece of new paper Lay a similar piece of new paper across an existing trailacross an existing trail

Confirming your resultsConfirming your results

• Ants should follow the trail on the Ants should follow the trail on the paper that formerly was a path to the paper that formerly was a path to the foodfood

• Ants should show little interest in the Ants should show little interest in the other paperother paper

• You can quantify by counting ants on You can quantify by counting ants on the papersthe papers

• As always, have several groups As always, have several groups repeat the testrepeat the test