Star Fish Fun

1: Students will learn the Dorsal (day 1) and Ventral (day 2) surfaces of the starfish
2: ( Day 3) Students will discuss the habitat, purpose, other uses of the Star Fish. Students will also be introduced to the lab kit and materials used for dissection and safety.
3. (day 4) Students will be allowed to dissect their starfish after the teacher has modeled the proper procedure.
3a. Cut tips of each ray (arm)
3b. Cut a rectangular shape out of the ray just beneath the dorsal surface--starting at the tip and going up to the disc (surface that covers the ring canal) and back down to the tip again. Finish all rays as above
3c. Cut the ring canal (circular disc) located in the center of the rays--leaving the madroporite (sieve plate) intact.
3d. Students then may discuss the ring canal that the water flows through to each ray. Students will also remove the digestive system with tweezers.
3e. Students will turn their starfish over to remove the tube feet. Have students dry their starfish overnight.
4. (Day 5 or 6) depending on how the dissection goes. Make an Ocean mural on the bulletin board displaying and discussing the starfish.
5. (Final day) Teacher will evaluate students knowledge. Teacher should have two starfish dissected with all parts exposed or laid out. Each part of the starfish should be labeled with numbers. Students will individually write down the proper name (from a word bank ) for each number part on their paper. When completed the student then waits for the teacher to pass the dissected starfish to another student.