Snail Variations - Logistics

Time
50 minutes to measure, quantify, and discuss variation in snail traits. The extension projects described in the Going Further section may last several months.

Grouping
Teams of 3-4 students.

Materials
For each group of 3-4 students you need:

• 1 plastic shoebox
• wet paper towels
• vegetables
• 4-6 snails
• 2 hand lenses
• 1-2 clear rulers
• 1 stop watch
• Optional: 2 bottles of nail polish in different colors

Other supplies you may want on hand for groups to share:

• scale or balance
• Petri dishes
• pennies or washers for students to measure how much a snail can carry
• masking tape
• paint color samples from a local hardware store in all shades of beige, brown and black
• different textured surfaces (copy paper, mirrors, construction paper, overheads, sand paper, aluminum foil etc.)
• pH paper

Setting
Initial measurement of snail traits can be done in the classroom. Extension projects should be done in a schoolyard, garden, creek, park or other local outdoor area that has a resident snail population – ideally, this is the location where the snails were collected.