Teacher and technician
3.1 practical notes
3.1c(1) Activity 3.1 – Investigating choice of habitat
by woodlice
In this activity, students plan, conduct, collect results and then make conclusions in an investigation to find out which
environmental conditions woodlice prefer to be in.
Students will learn how to:
− Select ideas and produce plans for testing based upon previous knowledge, understanding and research
− Decide which measurements and observations are necessary and what equipment to use
− Choose the best way to present results
− Make observations and measurements
− Interpret results using scientific knowledge and understanding
− Draw conclusions
Safety notes
Students are using live animals in this investigation and it is important that they treat them with care. All organisms
should be moved using a plastic spoon and a paintbrush and they must always be in environments where there is a
plentiful supply of oxygen.
Students must wash their hands thoroughly after handling the invertebrates.
Woodlice should be returned to their natural habitat as soon as possible after the practical.
Apparatus
Apparatus (per student group) Notes
Choice chamber Choice chambers are best to use here if possible. A choice chamber
contains two or more different areas to which the woodlice can move.
The areas are separated from each other and the environment in each
area can be changed. (See the next page for a diagram of a simple
choice chamber.) However, if choice chambers are not available, you
can use Petri dishes (or a similar flat round container with a lid which
has air holes in it). You would set it up like a choice chamber, and use
something like putty/clay to make the divisions to separate the damp
filter paper from the silica gel. See diagram below for an idea on how
to set it up.
Cambridge Lower Secondary Biology
Muslin cloth To lay on top of the base of the choice chamber before replacing the
lid, so that the woodlice do not get stuck in one compartment or come
into contact with the damp filter paper or silica gel. Muslin cloth is a
plain-woven cotton fabric which allows sight of the woodlice without
them escaping. Muslin cloth could be replaced with cheese cloth.
Woodlice (Oniscus asellus) You may be able to collect these from local habitats in leaf litter or
under wood piles (depending on your location).
If woodlice are not available, mealworms or blowfly larvae make a
good alternative and these can be purchased from fishing supply
shops.
Small piece of paper folded into a cone For safely handling the woodlice. Woodlice can be carefully swept into
shape the funnel using the paintbrush and then transferred into the choice
chamber.
Paintbrush For safely handling the woodlice.
Filter paper Any absorbent paper or cloth is fine for this. It is to line half of the
choice chamber with. Be careful not to make the paper/cloth too wet –
it should be damp but not drenched.
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Silica gel sachet Sillica gel is used to remove moisture from the environment, as it
absorbs water. If possible the silica gel should be in a sachet but this is
not essential.
It is important to use silica gel if possible to ensure that the dampness
does not spread throughout the whole of the choice chamber.
Black paper or cloth If using a choice chamber, this will most likely have a black sleeve
which slides over half of the chamber. If not, then black paper or cloth
can be used to make half of the chamber dark.
Timer To measure the time woodlice are left for before recording which
environment they are in.
Running the activity
1. Show the students all of the equipment available and demonstrate to them how to set up a choice chamber.
2. The diagram below shows how you can set up a choice chamber so that the woodlice can go to dark/damp,
dark/dry, light/damp or light/dry environments.
3. Do ensure that you show students how to place the muslin cloth over the chambers before putting the lid on so that
the woodlice do not get stuck in one section. The muslin cloth should be laid on top of the sections (where the damp
filter paper and silica gel have been placed) and it should be pulled taut as the lid is placed on, so that the woodlice
have a flat surface to move around on.
4. Students write their own method for the investigation. Encourage them to consider how they are going to make their
results reliable (for example using numerous woodlice and repeating their experiment at least three times and
working out an average/mean) and to state what results they are going to collect (e.g. number of woodlice in each
environment after five minutes).
A sample method may be:
− Set up choice chamber.
− Carefully place 10 woodlice in the centre of the choice chamber.
− Leave for five minutes.
− After five minutes, record how many woodlice there are in each section of the choice chamber.
− Repeat with 10 different woodlice twice more to get three sets of results.
− Find the mean number of woodlice that ended up in each of the different environments.
A sample results table may be:
Cambridge Lower Secondary Biology
Number of woodlice in section after five minutes Mean number of
woodlice in section
Try 1 Try 2 Try 3 after five minutes
Light and damp
Light and dry
Dark and damp
Dark and dry
Expected results
Woodlice live in dark, damp environments where the decomposing plant material on which they feed is found. It is
expected that most of the woodlice in this experiment will prefer and move towards these conditions.
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2 • Chapter 3
3.1c(2) Activity 3.2 – Investigating your local habitats
In this fieldwork activity, students study a habitat and identify the organisms that live there.
Students will learn how to:
− Make careful observations including measurements
− Present results in the form of tables, bar charts
− Use information from secondary sources
− Identify appropriate evidence to collect and suitable methods of collection
− Choose appropriate apparatus and use it correctly
Safety notes
Ensure that the habitat you wish students to study is safe. Check the area before students are allowed to visit it. Check
especially for broken glass or metal or other things that can cause cuts, and animal faeces. Any activity performed near
water must be supervised closely by adults, and students who are near water during an activity must be able to swim.
Cuts and skin abrasions must be covered with waterproof dressings or disposable gloves worn. Hand washing is
required after the activity. Ensure that the mouthpiece tubes are sterilised before use. If students are to share pooters,
you will need to have a sufficient quantity of sterilised mouthpiece tubes.
Apparatus
Apparatus (per student) to include some of: Notes
Pitfall trap apparatus Pot with a lid (which can be supported on stones), trowel.
Hand lens/magnifying glass
Pooter (aspirator)
Quadrat This is just a small square frame of known side length
(for example 25 cm, 50 cm) and can easily be made.
Net A suitable net for collecting organisms from long grass or
from ponds.
Plastic tray and paint brush This will allow students to investigate leaf litter and
move any invertebrates that they find with a paint brush
(to avoid damaging the organisms).
Field guides or photos of common local organisms and
their names or access to a website with descriptions of
local animals
Camera This is entirely optional but useful if you want to record
Cambridge Lower Secondary Biology
organisms or what a habitat was like.
Running the activity
1. Teacher only: visit the site or sites of the habitats that you wish students to study. Look for hazards and ensure that
the site(s) is/are safe for students.
2. You can give students a choice of habitats to study or give them a specific habitat to study. You might also ask them
to study a specific type of organism in the habitat (for example plants, animals, small invertebrate animals).
3. Students may record their observations on Worksheet 3.1c(1). Note, however, that if you wish students to sample
different areas of a habitat in order to record the numbers of organisms found in different samples, students will
need to prepare a table similar to Type of grass table in the Student’s Book. Students should then present this data
as a bar chart.
4. Extension: Some students may use measuring apparatus to gather information about the physical factors in an
environment. You will need to carefully explain to students how to use any measuring apparatus that you give them.
Expected results
This will be entirely dependent on the habitat you study. However, all students should be able to identify some organisms
and most students should be able to count the numbers of one or more organisms that they find.
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