LEARNING GOALLEARNING GOAL

• I will observe structures and behaviors of a multicellular organism (gastropod).

• I will determine environmental preferences of land snails.

SNAILSSNAILS

What questions were you able to answer?

Do you still have unanswered questions?

What new questions do you have?

How could you find answers to some of these questions?

WORD BANK• Foot- the muscular main part of the

body of the snail on which it glides.

• Tentacles- the four feeler-like structures that the snail can retract into its head.

• Shell- the hard protective case the snail can withdraw into.

• Heart- the pulsing structure inside the shell that pumps blood.

SNAIL HABITATSSNAIL HABITATS• Our snails are living in a pretty Our snails are living in a pretty

limited environment. Paper limited environment. Paper towels, carrots or celery, towels, carrots or celery, plastic tub.plastic tub.

• If we wanted to set up a good If we wanted to set up a good habitat for snails, what things habitat for snails, what things would we want to know or find would we want to know or find out?out?

PREFERENCESPREFERENCES• If we observe snails interacting with If we observe snails interacting with

different kinds of materials, we may be able different kinds of materials, we may be able to determine if they have any preferences to determine if they have any preferences for certain materials or conditions.for certain materials or conditions.

• Preference is the process of selecting the Preference is the process of selecting the most suitable options from the most suitable options from the environment, whether it is moisture level, environment, whether it is moisture level, food, temperature, or anything else.food, temperature, or anything else.

• Preference can be determined by providing Preference can be determined by providing snails with options and observing where snails with options and observing where they go and what they do voluntarily.they go and what they do voluntarily.

MATERIALSMATERIALS1.1.SnailsSnails

2.2.Plastic bag with Plastic bag with surface materialssurface materials

PREFERENCE PREFERENCE INVESTIGATIONSINVESTIGATIONS

• We will get snails and supplies.We will get snails and supplies.• Do not tear materials, they will be Do not tear materials, they will be

used again.used again.• Take your snail out and observe Take your snail out and observe

how they interact with each of the how they interact with each of the materials.materials.

• Record your observations on a Record your observations on a blank page in your science journal.blank page in your science journal.

ANTHROPOMORPHISMANTHROPOMORPHISM• Comments like:Comments like:

– Our snails are in loveOur snails are in love– Snails don’t like the feel of Snails don’t like the feel of

sandpapersandpaper– Snails are afraid to touch soapSnails are afraid to touch soap– Snails like carrots bestSnails like carrots best

These are not valid observations. These are not valid observations. Why aren’t they observations?Why aren’t they observations?

ANTHROPOMORPHISMANTHROPOMORPHISM• Anthropomorphic means Anthropomorphic means

giving human giving human characteristics, emotions, or characteristics, emotions, or thoughts to non-human thoughts to non-human objectsobjects– Just like personification Just like personification

you are studying this week you are studying this week in readingin reading

• When someone says that the snail When someone says that the snail doesn’t like the feel of sandpaper, doesn’t like the feel of sandpaper, can he or she really say for sure can he or she really say for sure that that is true? Maybe snails that that is true? Maybe snails avoid sandpaper because of the avoid sandpaper because of the color, or the taste, or the way light color, or the taste, or the way light reflects off it. People sometimes reflects off it. People sometimes say that other animals behave in say that other animals behave in certain ways because that is the certain ways because that is the way humans would respond. This way humans would respond. This is not good scientific practice, is not good scientific practice, because we don’t know how because we don’t know how animals think and feel.animals think and feel.

• Here is a better way to Here is a better way to report a snail/sandpaper report a snail/sandpaper observation:observation:–Snails stop and turn when Snails stop and turn when

they encounter sandpaperthey encounter sandpaper

We don’t know what a snail is We don’t know what a snail is thinking or how it feels, we thinking or how it feels, we can only report what we see can only report what we see it doing.it doing.

WORD BANK

•Habitat- where an organism lives.

•Preference- where an organism goes and what they do voluntarily.