Name: _________________ Grade 6, Core: ______

Date: __________________

Quick Lab: How can algal growth affect pond life?

Algae live in ponds, providing food and producing oxygen for fish and other pond
organisms. In this activity, you will model the growth of algae in a pond, and
predict the effect on other living things.
Procedures Checklist:
Create a small pile of paper punches by hole-punching a sheet of green
construction paper in the bowl.
Pour water into a small dish until it is half full. The dish will represent a pond.
Sprinkle a spoonful of green paper punches into the water to represent green
algae growing in a pond. Observe the surface of water. Record data.
Sprinkle one more spoonful of paper punches into the water to represent one
cycle of algae reproduction. Observe the surface of water again.
Sprinkle two more spoonfuls of paper punches into the water to represent the
next reproduction cycle. Observe the surface of water one last time.
The lab assistants will collect your materials. Do not throw anything in the
sinks! Wipe up any spilled water with paper towels. Clean up your area.
Fill in the chart and answer the questions.
Observations Chart:
Record your observations in the chart below. Include drawings with labels.
Trial #
1

Your Observations

Name: _________________ Grade 6, Core: ______

Trial #

Date: __________________

Your Observations

Finish the sentence:

The dish represents... __________________________
The green paper punches represent... ___________________________
With this lab, I acted out how...
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Think It Over!
1. How much of the waters surface can you see after the fourth time you
sprinkled the paper punches? (Draw a diagram.)
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2. How might the algae on the surface affect organisms living in the deep waters
of the pond?
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3. What process about lakes did we model in this investigation?
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Summary: Write 3-5 sentences about what we learned about ponds, lakes, and
how lakes change over time.
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