Wednesday, April 15, 2020
09:00 -11:00, 120 min. -
Biology:
TEAMS: Taxonomy / Animals - Porifera, Cnideria,
After reviewing the kingdoms, GT was quizzed on the taxonomy of Plants. We reviewed some specific protists (amoeba, paramecium, diatom, and euglena), and discussed how each of these creatures move and feed. I then explained how the protein collagen is found only in animals, and the first member of the animal kingdom was a conglomeration of cells similar to the protists, held together by collagen. We watched a ‘Shape of Life’ video that illustrates the internal structures of the sponge; showing how they literally pump a ton of water to filter-feed just one ounce of food. I explained that this was the first creature to utilize meiosis, a remarkable animal without the benefit of organs, but used the euglena-like cells to pump water, the diatom-like cells to make spicules, and the amoeba-like cells to absorb food. We then discussed how natural selection and adaptation led to the creation of the first organs, which were the mouth, stomach, and muscles of the cnidarians. We watched the short ‘Shape of Life’ video on cnidarians before the class ended.