STEM Challenges in Marine Biology Class: A “Sweet” Twist on the Classic Phytoplankton Sinking Rate Activity

Over the millennia, phytoplankton have evolved adaptations to reduce sinking rates and increase amount of time they are able stay in photic zone; one such adaptation is increasing form resistance with larger surface areas. Spines, flattened body shape, forming chains, so forth can area slow rates. While there many plankton rate activities accessible on web, this middle high school level laboratory activity modified make data collection easier more reliable, adds a dash STEM engineering challenge. Students first test equal-sized spherical clay ‘plankton’ differing numbers spines see how projections affect rate, then create different shaped challenge be slowest sink. The use corn syrup as ‘ocean’ makes crucial difference from classic race – it allows sink slowly enough that students get good data, represents ocean’s viscosity experienced by plankton. This engaging 5 E’s marine biology oceanography presented your plankton? practice doing science utilize experimental design, math biological predictions, graph analyze evidence defend their conclusions utilizing claim-evidence-reasoning format.