Course title
3883-3884Pre-requisite
Biology, teacher recommendationCourse description
This course examines in depth the characteristics; classification; evolution; and natural history of invertebrate
and vertebrate animals. Emphasis is on the complimentary structure and function and adaptations exhibited in
the animal kingdom. A study of Arizona wildlife is included in this course. This course is for elective credit only.
Open To: Grades 11-12; enrollment may be limited
Prerequisites: Biology; teacher recommendation
Content Summary
Content includes but is not limited to lab dissection skills; the nature of taxonomy and basic zoological and animal behavioral concepts. It is also expected that the learner will gain an understanding of how scientist have developed these concepts and how they apply to everyday life. Lastly the development of critical reasoning skills will be encouraged.
LABORATORY SYLLABUS (see curriculum map)
Labs and Dissections
Introduction; Use of Microscope; Drawing; Classification;
Cladistics Exercise
Phyla Porifera; Cnidaria
- sponge; jellyfish; hydra and anenome dissection
Platyhelminthes & Pseudocoelomate Phyla
- fluke and roundworm dissection
Phylum Mollusca
- clam; squid and octopus dissection
Phylum Annelida
- earthworm dissection
Phylum Arthropoda
- grasshopper dissection
Phylum Arthropoda; Subphylum Crustacea
- crayfish dissection
Phylum Echinodermata
- starfish dissection
I
Vertebrata: Fishes
- perch dissection
Vertebrata: Amphibians
- necturus dissection
- frog dissection
Vertebrata: Reptilia; Aves; Mammalia; Human Evolution
- skull lab
STARFISH DISSECTION
________________________________________
Background Information Starfish; like all echinoderms; live only in marine environments. The starfish's spiny-skinned exterior is made up of plates and spines of calcium carbonate that the animal extracts from sea water. In this laboratory you will dissect the starfish and observe how a starfish's body is adapted to life in a marine habitat.
________________________________________
Objectives of Lab ? Dissect a preserved starfish
? Identify the major internal and external structures of a starfish.
? Observe how a starfish is adapted to a marine habitat. ________________________________________
External Anatomy
Be able to identify and locate the following parts of the starfish:
1. Anus
2. Spine
3. Madreporite
4. Central disc
5. Rays or arms
6. Ambulacral groove
7. Mouth
8. Tube feet 9. Locate the dorsal (top) and ventral (bottom) parts of the starfish as shown below in figures 1 and 2.
10. Use the information in the pictures below to identify the external anatomy of the preserved starfish.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
QUESTIONS:
1. On what side; of the starfish; is the madreporite found? _________________________
2. Where are the eyespots located? Describe them. _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the purpose of the eyespots? ___________________________________________
4. What side is the mouth located on? __________________
5. What side is the anus located on the starfish? ____________________________________
6. What system starts with the madreporite? __________________
7. What do starfish use to move? How do they work? _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Internal Anatomy
Be able to identify and locate the following parts of the starfish:
1. Ring canal
2. Radial canal
3. Digestive glands
4. Cardiac stomach
5. Pyloric stomach
Removing the Skin
1. Place the starfish dorsal side up in your dissecting tray.
2. Choose and arm that is generally straight and fat. Begin by cutting off a very small part of the tip of the arm (see fig 3. below)
Fig. 3
3. Cut along the edge of one arm and around the disc as shown in figure 4 and 5 below.
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
________________________________________
Digestive System Refer to figure 6 to identify and locate the structures of the digestive system. Find the digestive glands inside the arm. The glands produce an enzyme that go to the stomach and helps digest the starfish's food.
The starfish has two stomaches: the cardiac stomach and the pyloric stomach. During feeding the cardiac stomach comes out of the mouth and covers its prey with the digestive enzymes produced in the digestive glands.
QUESTIONS:
1. Describe what the digestive glands look like.__________________
_________________________________________________________
2. Describe the two stomachs. _______________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________
Water Vascular System Carefully remove all organs of the digestive system in order to expose the water vascular system. Sea water enters this system through the madreporite which is connected to the ring canal. A radial canal; located on top of the ambulacral goove distributes water through the arm to each tube foot. See figure 7 below.
Fig. 7
The starfish moves and exerts force through the use of suction at the end of the tube feet.
QUESTIONS:
1. Describe the ring canal and what is connected to it. ________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. List the flow of water through the starfish. ________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
STARFISH LAB QUESTIONS
EXTERNAL ANATOMY QUESTIONS:
1. On what side; of the starfish; is the madreporite found? _________________________
2. Where are the eyespots located? Describe them. _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the purpose of the eyespots? ___________________________________________
4. What side is the mouth located on? __________________
5. What side is the anus located on the starfish? ____________________________________
6. What system starts with the madreporite? __________________
7. What do starfish use to move? How do they work? _________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM QUESTIONS:
1. Describe what the digestive glands look like. __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe the two stomachs. __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
WATER VASCULAR QUESTIONS:
1. Describe the ring canal and what is connected to it ______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. List the flow of water through the starfish.
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Describe the structure and function of each body part.
ANUS:
SPINE:
MADREPORITE:
CENTRAL DISC:
RAYS or ARMS:
AMBULACRAL:
MOUTH:
TUBE FEET:
EYE SPOT:
RING CANAL:
RADIAL CANAL:
DIGESTIVE GLAND:
CARDIAC STOMACH:
PYLORIC STOMACH:
School country
United StatesSchool state
ArizonaSchool city
Cave CreekHigh school
Cactus Shadow High SchoolSchool / district Address
5802 E Dove Valley RoadSchool zip code
85262Requested competency code
Lab ScienceDate submitted
Approved
YesApproved competency code
- LADV
- Advanced science
- LBIO
- Biology