Ward's® How Does Temperature Affect Daphnia Heart Rate? Lab Activity

Discover how the environment affects an ectotherm's metabolism.

Teach your students important thermoregulation mechanisms used by both ectotherms and endotherms, as well as the advantages and disadvantages for each type of organism. Students will study Daphnia under the low power magnification that you provide and draw and label what they observe. Then they will monitor the Daphnia’s heart rate as they alter the temperature of the Daphnia’s environment. The kit includes enough materials for 15 setups, a teacher’s guide, and student copymaster.

Time requirement: 45 minutes.

Ordering information: Coupon included for perishable materials. Redeem by mail, fax, phone, or e-mail. Materials included: 72 microscope slides, 20 petri dishes, 1 tube petroleum jelly, 30 disposable pipets, 1 Daphnia magna culture. Materials needed but not provided: scissors, stereomicroscopes, thermometers, timer, and ice.