Introduction:  When you and your friends hang out at the park beside Johnson Pond, would you dare to drink the water in the pond when you get thirsty?  Of course not!!  But have you ever wondered why not?  What is in the pond water?  If the pond water is not good for drinking, then why do we care if our local rivers, bays, and ponds become polluted?  Protists are important because they play a major role in all food webs. They consume bacteria and through photosynthesis, they provide oxygen.  In addition they provide food for other organisms.  Complete this treasure hunt by answering the questions below to learn about protists.

Questions:

Before you begin:  The last question in the treasure hunt asks you to write your own question about protists.  As you read on the Internet about protists, be thinking about what question you have about these unique creatures.  You may or may not find the answer to your question in this Treasure Hunt activity. That is OK.  Number your question and write it on your answer sheet for a later discussion. 

1.  Describe the behavior of the paramecium including its movement and avoidance behavior. The Classics of Biology:  Paramecium

2.  What are the roles of food and contractual vacuoles in the physiology of the paramecium? The Classics of Biology:  Paramecium

3.  Using the drawing on this site and images of the paramecium on the previous web page, draw a picture of a paramecium and label the macronuclei, food and contractual vacuoles, and cilia. Paramecium Model

4.  What are three easily identifiable parts of an amoeba?  Amoebas Are More Than Just Blobs Hint: Scroll down to the section on Anatomy.

5.  Describe two functions of pseudopodia in the amoeba.  Amoebas Are More Than Just Blobs

6.  Examine all of the pictures of volvox on this web page and read the first two paragraphs.  After reading, list 5 characteristics of volvox.  Volox:  One of the 7 Wonders of the Micro World

7.  Compare and contrast volvox and Euglena.  Using the 5 characteristics that you listed for volvox, make a chart.  Give your chart an appropriate title.  Down the left side of the chart list the characteristics. Across the top of the chart, make two columns, one for similarities and and one for differences. Put an X in the appropriate box to indicate how  these to protists are alike and different.     Euglena's Home Page

8.  You may have seen dinoflagellates during the warm months of summer. These species reproduce in such great numbers that the water may appear golden or red, producing a "red tide".  Read about dinoflagellate "armor" and flagella and then make a drawing of a dinoflagellate identifying these two parts. Flagellated Protozoa  Hint: Scroll down to the forth image to read about dinoflagellates.

9.  Examine these images of stentors.  Describe 1 way that they are similar to other protists and one way that they are different. Stentor images

10.  Now that you know what is in a drop of pond water, you can understand why you should not drink it. But why should we be mindful not to pollute it?  What are protists good for?  Read this article about protists and explain why protists are important to life on earth.  A Drop of Life  Hint: Scroll to the bottom of the  page.

11.  Why do you think pseudopodia, flagella, and cillia are important to protists?  (You are on your own for this question :-)

12.  Look again at the understanding statement for this Treasure Hunt.  What question do you still have about the understanding statement? Write your own question here.  If you have found the answer, write that too. 

Putting it All Together: Create a concept map for the concept "protists".  Include in your map types of protists, methods of locomotion, and structures.

Additional Resources: