Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
What is the difference between a snail and a slug?
Answer:
A snail has a shell and will usually live longer because the shell will protect its soft body.
Question:
What do you do if a crayfish pinches a student?
Answer:
The best thing to do is to relax. If the child screams and begins to shake his/her hand to try and get the crayfish to let go, the crayfish will hold on tighter. Have the child stay calm, and lower the crayfish into the home or a basin. The crayfish should notice that its feet are on solid ground and will attempt to escape therefore releasing the pincher.
Question:
What do you do with a dead crayfish?
Answer:
If a crayfish dies, put it in the garbage or bury it in the dirt. It is best to wrap it in a paper towel, put it in a sandwich bag and seal it so that if your garbage happens to not be taken out that day, it won't stink up your room. If it molts, do the same with the molted portion of the body, or place in a sealed container to observe.
Question:
What if my plants mold while in the sprouters?
Answer:
Even using the bleach solution water, some plants may mold. There may be too much moisture in the containers because they were not drained properly. Show children the molded plants and talk about how we can kill plants from doing things like excessive watering. You will sprout so many seeds that it shouldn't be a problem having enough for the hydroponics investigation. If you notice too many plants molding, then use fewer plants to open and investigate.
Question:
How do you assess everything or choose what to assess?
Answer:
You do not have to assess everything. It is important to know what kind of class you have before beginning the assessment process. The kit comes with a great assessment section, but if you have an over or under achiever group of kids, then you will want to pick and choose the items that will best fit the group. Reading the reflection time part of the student's journals is a great assessment tool.