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Tiny Triops Make Big Splash at School Science Fair
© Copyright DiscoverThisWhen 11-year-old Justin Lail saw the "prehistoric" triops kit he knew he had to have it. His mom Lori wasn’t as easily convinced. "You know how moms are," says Lori, explaining her reluctance to purchase every toy or game that catches Justin’s eye. "We’re like, 'No, that’s just a waste of money.'"
But Justin’s persistence paid off. Lori bought the triops kit that day and she’s happy to report that it wasn’t a waste of money. In fact, that little kit led Justin to win a blue ribbon in the 2005 science fair at Claremont, North Carolina’s Oxford Elementary School. But more than that, it led both Justin and his mom on an educational adventure they won't soon forget.
If At First You Don’t Succeed ...
The Lail’s first lesson in raising triops – tiny creatures that have survived on Earth since the age of dinosaurs – was persistence. Their first attempt at hatching their prehistoric pets failed. After a few weeks with no hatchlings in sight, they dumped the water and decided to try again with the eggs that remained in their package. A few more days went by and still no luck. "We kind of lost interest in it," says Lori. "The water turned all green and it was just about evaporated when I was getting ready to throw it out again, and when I got to the door, we had one little triop flopping around in there. It was pretty good size. We didn’t know how old he was."
Justin was so excited by the discovery that he took the triop to school, where his fifth grade class and their teacher shared his amazement. When it came time to decide on a science fair project later that year, Justin knew just what to do: He would find out once and for all how long it takes for triops eggs to hatch.
A Blue Ribbon Idea
Even though Justin had successfully hatched a triop egg before he started his science fair project, he didn’t know how long it had taken. The package said it would take about two days, but Justin and Lori hadn’t discovered the tiny creature for several weeks. With the hypothesis that triops eggs would take about a week to hatch, Justin set off to test his theory and create a winning science fair presentation. This time, the triops eggs hatched quickly. As Lori remembers it, "Within three days we had fifteen pairs of floating eyeballs all over that thing!"
The project proved entertaining and educational for both Justin and his mom. "He had a lot of fun doing it," says Lori, "and actually I did, too. I got a kick out of it. When I came home on that third day and found all those triops floating around, I about jumped out of my skin!" Justin enjoyed watching them swim, eat upside down, and perform their aquatic acrobatics. "What’s most interesting about the triops is that they were from the dinosaur age," he says, adding, "They’re fantastic to watch and they eat anything organic."
The project encouraged Lori and Justin to spend quality time together, too. "It brought us closer because of the family involvement," says Lori. "We worked together on his (presentation) board and we talked about what they eat and we even got on the Internet together looking up stuff. It was a lot of fun."
As it turns out, Justin’s hypothesis was incorrect: It took only a few days for his eggs to hatch. But as all scientists know, disproving a hypothesis can be as valuable as proving one. Justin’s project earned 95 out of 100 points, with deductions taken only for a technical error in his display. (The rules state that no faces can be visible on a display board, and Justin included a picture of the triops package which showed some children’s faces.) All in all the project was a big hit, earning him a blue ribbon and the accolades of his peers. A few of his classmates even offered Justin money – up to $20! – for one of the tiny critters. In the true spirit of scientific discovery, Justin told them where they could purchase triops eggs of their own.
Who Knows What the Future Holds
Winning a blue ribbon at the science fair wasn’t new for Justin. He took home a top prize the year before for his fourth grade project in which he built a terrarium. Next year’s science fair will be Justin’s last at Oxford Elementary School, where students compete in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades. While he might have a hard time topping his prehistoric pet project – "These are some amazing little creatures!" he concluded – we have no doubt he’ll continue to excel. As proud mom Lori says, "He’s very imaginative."
Lori's happy Justin talked her into making the initial triops purchase. "It’s really terrific," she says. "I never would have thought when I bought those things that it would be so much fun. It just tickled me. It really did."
Inspired by Justin’s success? Check out our full line of triops kits and tools for science fair success at discoverthis.com science kits! We’ve even got three types of terrariums: Carnivorous Creations, Sensory Dome, and Biblical Garden.
Best of luck in your next science fair!
Home > Resources for our Science Kits > Articles on Science Learning and Science Kits > Toy Safety: What Parents Need to Know > Products Made in the USA > Triops > Tiny Triops Make Big Splash at School Science Fair
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