You can use a hydrogen carbonate indicator to hold a 'respiration' race between a woodlouse, a piece of apple, a mushroom and cress.
Which do you think will change colour first?
The answer is the apple and the mushroom! Respiration occurs fastest here.
This engaging practical can help in the teaching of respiration by tackling the confusion experienced by students about respiration and breathing. With this experiment students can see first hand that it's not just animals that respire but all living things. Build on and develop understanding by encouraging a discussion in which the students rationalise what they have just observed.
Danny Clift, Head of Physics at St Angela's Ursuline School, shared this idea after hearing Christine Harrison, Kings College London, give a talk entitled 'Minds on' Practical work at our recent CPD day Integrating practicals.
Schools Programme members can download the resources from the event in the PTI Staffroom.
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Image: Environmental Protection Agency. Licensed as Public Domain.