What Factors Influence
Termite Behavior?
By
Karen B. Smith
Wilkinson Jr. High
5025 C. R. 218 W
Middleburg, Fl 32068
[email protected]
What Factors Influence Termite Behavior?
by Karen B. Smith, Wilkinson Jr. High, Clay County Schools
I dea adapted from Dr. Donald Hall
Sunshine State Standards:
SC. H.1.3.2 uses systematic, scientific processes to solve problems
SC.H.1.3.5 change in variables alters the outcome
1. identifies independent and dependent variables in an experiment
2. uses appropriate experimental design..
3. uses rules, time, and materials to identify and separate variables
SC.H.1.3.7 uses criteria necessary to determine the validity of an experiment
SC.H.3.3.2 knows that care, safe practices and ethical treatment are appropriate when using
animals in research
SC.G.1.3.2 adaptations include changes in structure, behavior, or physiology that enhance
reproductive success in a particular environment
LA.A.2.3.1 identifies relevant details and facts
LA.A.2.3.5 interprets written information for classroom research
Materials: Termites, white typing paper-one or more per group per day, new red or black
BIC or Papermate pens-one per group, additional colors of pens, pencils and markers,
magnifying glasses, clear transparencies (Day 4), coffee filters or chromatography paper
(extension), newsprint for group plans, damp paper towel-1/8 towel per group per day
Preparation: Ask your students to collect and bring in lively, healthy termites sealed in a safe
plastic container with damp soil and wood. Don't mix termites from different colonies. As long
as you don't have a queen, your building is safe even if one should escape. The night before
the lab, dampen cardboard and place it in the container. Turn the container upside down.
Termites need moisture and are usually attracted to the damp cardboard.
Then in the
morning, you should be able to get as many clean termites as you need to use off the
cardboard.
Procedure: Go over the directions with your students emphasizing two things. Don't touch
the termites at all. Gently tap the underside of the paper to move a wandering termite back to
the center of your paper. Cover them with the damp paper towel when you aren't conducting
your experiment. Don't write anything on your typing paper at any time without permission.
Day 1, Step 1:
The teacher should tap one termite on to each group's typing paper. Follow directions on the
work sheet. Have students stop and answer questions on paper before proceeding.
Day 1, Step 2:
Have students draw a large circle on the typing paper with either the black or red pen provided.
Caution students not to draw anything else on the paper. Have students observe the termite's
behavior carefully and answer questions on their worksheets. Discuss the answers in class.
Put the termites away. Have students plan two experiments to discover what is influencing the
termite behavior. Remind them to separate the variables appropriately. Encourage each
group to test different hypotheses. Discuss experiment validity.
Day 2, Step 3:
Have each group present their proposals briefly. Modify as needed. In the beginning, they
may hypothesize that color, shape, dents or anything else on the paper is responsible for the
behavior. Accept all testable hypotheses. Have students construct a data table on a separate
sheet of paper to record their data. Students will eventually get to recording positive/negative
results (the termite responded/did not respond) using the first circle drawn with the control pen
as a positive test for the termite behavior. Hand out a fresh termite and two sheets of typing
paper or one large sheet of newsprint to each group. Remind them about ethical treatment of
the animal. Follow Step 3 directions on the worksheet. Student groups should complete a
minimum of two additional experiments. Students tend to jump to conclusions that are not
supported by their observations of the termite behavior or structure. For example, many will
over-generalize and say that termites follow dark colors, which is not true. Many classes will
not discover what is influencing the termite's behavior. Do NOT tell them! Let them find it in
the reading and then design an experiment to test it.
Extension-Paper Chromatography (difficult and doesn't always work): Put blobs of several
different inks on chromatography or filter paper and separate them using a water solvent.
Which separated part of the ink do termites respond to most? Don't wait too long because the
scent in the ink can be volatile and the termite will stop responding when the scent has
evaporated. Make sure that the termites aren't just responding to the wetness with a control
paper that is simply damp.
Day 3, Use references:
Construct a whole class data table of experimental observations and discuss. Provide each
student with a copy of "Dr. Don's Termite Pages" from http://drdons.net "Termites" and
"Biology' (used by permission). Have students read, think, and respond to the prompt attached
(4 pt Reading Rubric).
FCAT Reading Extended Response Practice (4 pt rubric):
1. Read the articles by Dr. Don Ewart entitled "What are termites" and "Order Isoptera."
2. Think about how this information about termite structure and behavior applies to the
termite structure and behavior that you have actually observed in your experiments in class.
3.Explain why termites follow some ink lines based on the information provided in the
reading. Use specific examples and details from your experiments and observations, as
well as, information from your readinq to support your answer.
Students should find three important facts in the reading and relate them to experimental
observations. First, termites are blind and therefore cannot see or respond to the color of the
pen. Second, termite workers rely on scent or pheromone trails to find their home colonies,
the queen, food, and water. Third, when separated or exposed, termites begin searching for a
scent trail to find their way back or a crack in which to hide. The students observed that when
the termite \was placed alone on the paper, it began wandering or searching. Once it touched
an ink line that had the correct scent, it immediately began following the line purposefully in a
slight zigzag pattern. However, when the termite reached a sharp corner, it often lost the line
because it couldn't see it. It had to search for the scent again. If the termite encountered a
li ne without the correct scent, it simply walked over it as if it weren't even there because it was
relying on scent rather than sight. Discuss student answers in class.
Homework: Challenge them to design an experiment to test whether the ink scent resembles
the trail pheromone. Have them bring any additional materials needed from home. Hint: have
them think about the termite's natural response to being separated and ways to block or
enhance scent.
Day 4, Scent Experiments: Have students present their experimental plans in class and
evaluate them for validity. Provide materials and allow students to conduct experiments to
confirm or deny that the observed termite behavior is the result of a response to the scent of
the ink.
What Factors Influence Termite Behavior?
Name
Date
Period
Directions: Gently tap one termite onto a piece of paper and observe its behavior. Termites
are very fragile. DO NOT TOUCH the termite directly with your hands or indirectly with your
pen or pencil. If the termite gets too close to the edge, tip up the edge of the paper and
GENTLY tap it. Cover the termite with a damp paper towel when you are not directly observing
it. Listen to your teacher's directions and then answer the questions at each step. DO NOT
WRITE on the paper unless your teacher gives you permission.
STEP I Observe the termite's structure and behavior. Then answer these questions in
complete sentences.
1. Describe the external structure of the termite. Use a magnifying glass to see the external
structures clearly. Describe the termite's special structural adaptations.
2. In detail, describe the termite's behavior. Do not jump to conclusions but simply observe.
3. Does the behavior seem to have a purpose or is it random? Could this be a behavioral
adaptation? Why or why not?
Step 2 Follow your teacher's directions, observe carefully, and then answer these
questions in complete sentences.
4. How did the termite's behavior change?
5. When did the behavior change?
change?
What factor appears to have caused the behavior
6. Why is the termite behaving this way? What would you hypothesize is influencing the
behavior of the termite?
7. Plan an experiment to discover why the termite is acting this way. You must have a
testable hypothesis with a procedure that provides controlled conditions and tests only one
variable at a time.
Step 3 Follow your teacher's directions. With your group, agree on which experimental
plan to perform first. If you manage your time, you will have time to perform several
experiments. Remember to test only one variable at a time.
Do not begin your
experiment until you have your teacher's permission.
8. Explain your group's hypothesis and procedure for the first experiment.
9. Perform the experiment, observe and record your data below. Remember to repeat the
experiment on the opposite side of the paper to see if you obtain similar results.
10. Was your hypothesis correct of incorrect? How do you need to modify your hypothesis
and procedure to collect more information about what is influencing the termite's behavior?
11. With your group, plan a second experiment to collect more information about the termite's
behavior and describe it below. State your hypothesis and procedure briefly.
12. Perform the experiment and record your observations below.
second time if you have enough time left.
Repeat the experiment a
13. Based on the evidence you have collected in your experiments, what is your hypothesis
about why the termite is behaving this way?
Name
Date
Period
FCAT Reading Extended Response Practice (4 pt rubric):
1. Read the articles by Dr. Don Ewart entitled " What are termites" and "Order Isoptera."
2. Think about how the information from reading about termite structure and behavior applies
to the termite structure and behavior that you have actually observed in your experiments in
class. What was the termite's natural behavior when dumped on to the plain paper? Why
was it also natural for the termite to begin following particular inks?
3.
Explain why termites follow some inks but not others based on the information provided in
the reading.
Use specific examples and details from your own experiments and
observations, as well as, information from your reading to support your answer.
4 Point Rubric for Students
4 Point Answer
• Shows complete understanding
• Is accurate, complete, fulfills all
requirements
• Has good support or examples
• I nformation is clearly based on the reading
3 Point Answer
• Shows understanding
• Is accurate & fulfills requirements
• I ncomplete support, missing details or not based on the reading
2 Point Answer
• Showspartial understanding
• Is correct, based on the reading, but is too general or too simple
• Missing some support, examples, or requirements
I Point Answer
• Shows li mited understanding
• Is i ncomplete, has flaws and doesn't fulfill requirements
O Point Answer
• I s inaccurate, confused, or doesn't answer the question