6th Grade · Science · Activity · shared by Luke Morgan
Engage 6th Grade Science students with an activity exploring tardigrades, extreme survivors. They'll identify truths and lies about these fascinating creatures.
Exploring Extreme Survivors: The Tardigrade Challenge
Welcome to the mysterious world of the tardigrade! Also known as "water bears" because of the way they walk, these microscopic animals are famous for being some of the toughest creatures on Earth. They can survive freezing temperatures, extreme heat, and even the vacuum of outer space. However, not everything you hear about these tiny survivors is true.
Your task is to examine the sets of statements below. In each set, two statements are scientific truths based on the facts provided, and one is a lie. Use the Tardigrade Fact File to investigate each claim and identify the lie.
Tardigrade Fact File
Tardigrades are microscopic, eight-legged animals that usually live in moist environments like moss or garden soil. When their environment becomes extreme, they enter a dormant state called a tun . In this state, they pull in their legs, lose almost all the water in their bodies, and stop their metabolism. This allows them to survive conditions that would kill almost any other living thing.
One of the most extreme environments tardigrades have faced is the vacuum of space . A vacuum is a space that is entirely empty of matter, meaning there is no air or pressure. In 2007, scientists sent dormant tardigrades into low Earth orbit on a spacecraft. For ten days, the tardigrades were exposed to the vacuum of space and intense solar radiation. When they returned to Earth and were given water, many of them "woke up" and were able to reproduce normally. This proved they could survive the lack of oxygen and the extreme emptiness of a vacuum. However, they only survive these conditions while in their protected "tun" state; an active tardigrade without its protective armor would not survive the vacuum for long.
Set 1: Survival States