Inquiry Activity 7: Specialization in Lower Invertebrates: Tissues

Grouping Size: Work in partners.

Problem: Do the Sponges and/or Cnidarians show a specialization at the tissue level?

Materials: Prepared Slides of Sponges and/or Cnidarians, Microscopes, Paper, Sponges and/or Cnidarians anatomy handouts or text drawings.

Procedure: Using proper lab techniques and safety, observe, draw, and label two different slides of both sponges and cnidarians. After you have completed your drawing then you will can the handout to identify the structure/function of the objects you have seen/drawn Record Observations in the table provided.

Sponge Slide #1 Drawing Sponge Slide #2 Drawing

Cnidarians Slide #1 Drawing Cnidarians Slide #2 Drawing

Sponge’s Structure/ Function

Cnidarian’s Structure/ Function

Comments

Analysis:

1. Do sponges show a level of specialization? Infer whether they have tissues. Provide evidence for both.

2. Do cnidarians show a level of specialization? Infer whether they have tissues. Provide evidence for both.

3. Infer which of the two groups of lower invertebrates is the most advanced? Provide evidence for your inference.