Eighth Grade, Zoology Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 3)

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever stopped to watch a trail of ants moving back and forth between a food source and their nest? Have you ever wondered how they establish their trail? You've probably read that ants use chemical signals to communicate with one another. This is a relatively simple experiment that you can do to determine whether ants use attractant signals (positive cues) or repellant signals (negative cues) or both. Read more

How Stable is Your Food Web?

Lesson Plan Grade: 5th-9th

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"Giant Kelp Forest" © 2010 Tom Thai Could you describe the kelp forest food web as a system? Your students will design and use a simple model to test cause and effect relationships or interactions concerning the functioning of a marine food web, ranking their hypothetical ecosystems according to their stability when faced with a natural or man-made disturbance. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
MS-LS2-3. Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
HS-LS2-6. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

How Sweet It Is! Explore the Roles of Color and Sugar Content in Hummingbirds' Food Preferences.

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you like to watch hummingbirds? Have you ever wondered why there is specialty hummingbird food? What is it about the food that makes it so appealing? In this zoology science fair project, you will observe these remarkable creatures and learn how color and sugar concentration influence a hummingbird's selection of a food source. Read more

Skeleton Building

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you like skeletons? One of the more interesting jobs at a natural history museum is the creation and care of the skeletons and bones. How do the curators clean and put together the skeletons? Many curators use the carrion beetle, Dermestes vulpinus, to quickly clean off the dead animal tissue from a corpse to reveal the skeleton. These insects do such a good job that sometimes the skeleton remains intact! Another method is to slow cook the carcass until the meat falls off. You can use… Read more

Testing Ant Repellents

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Has your house ever suffered an ant invasion? This project is an interesting way to investigate what substances are effective as ant repellents. The goal is to find substances that keep ants away, yet are safe for humans and the environment. Read more

What is the Most Effective Treatment for Whitefly Infestations on Plants?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Whiteflies are a group of closely related insect species whose larvae live on plants. Like aphids, they suck nutrients from the plant's circulatory system. What is the most effective method for fighting a whitefly infestation in your garden? This project has some ideas for you to try. Read more

What Seeds Do Birds Prefer to Eat?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Are you curious about the birds that live in your neighborhood? Would you like to find out more about them: what they look like close up, what they eat, how they sing? In this project you'll build a bird feeding platform with four separate feeding areas. You'll be able to observe birds at close range, find out what birds inhabit your area, and learn about their seed-eating preferences. So get out your woodworking tools and binoculars, and get ready to see some birds. Read more

Worm Observation

STEM Activity

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Earthworms are important for the soil and a lot of fun to study. Few people know there are over 2,000 types of earthworms. Some like to burrow deep in the soil, while others stay near the surface. Do you know what they eat, or what their eating and burrowing habits are? Fill a pot with moist dirt, add a few worms, and observe your worms to find out. Read more

Do Migratory Birds Like It Hot?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Why do birds migrate? Do all birds have the same reasons for migrating? Where do they go when they migrate? These are questions scientists have asked for centuries. The more species for which they gather data, the more specific the answers become. In this science project, you will choose a species to investigate, then access and evaluate real data collected by scientists to start answering those questions yourself! Read more

Does Body Size Matter?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Animals come in all shapes and sizes, even humans. You can look up different statistics about different kinds of animals using the Internet: average body size, brain size, life expectancy and generation time are some examples. Is there a correlation between body size and life span? Is there a correlation between body size and brain size? Is there a correlation between body size and generation time? Is there a correlation between body size and the size of your footprint? (Comparative Mammalian… Read more

Eighth Grade, Zoology Projects, Lessons, Activities (37 results)

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