Collin and Rob raced down to the ocean to go for a swim. The boys had just finished skateboarding and had worked up a sweat. They could hear the waves crashing onto shore and felt the cool ocean breeze. "That water sure does look nice," thought Collin, "and that breeze will make it feel even better." School had just gotten out and a long relaxing summer lay ahead. Along the path to the water the boys had to avoid many objects that were in their way. The sand seemed to be littered with everything. People were laying on towels next to coolers while beach umbrellas swayed in the ocean breeze. The way to the water became a game of dodging and weaving. They had to watch their every step. As they got closer to the shoreline the spray from the crashing waves fell on their faces. They quickly took off their sandals and staked out a spot for their stuff on the beach before they jumped in. As they were spreading out their towels Rob noticed something in the sand. "Collin, check this out." Rob dug into the sand and pulled out something that was full of holes. "This looks like what my mom uses to mop the floor... but it feels different!" Collin laugh, "Hey, you got yourself a new pet animal!" "What are you talking about?" asked Rob, "This is no animal." "Actually it is," replied Collin. "You are holding in your hand a live sea sponge. There are a lot of them around here in Tarpon Springs." Rob examined his new find. He smelled it and even tried to squeeze it. It looked just like a sponge... the kind his mom used on the dishes as well as the floor. He knew those sponges were not living or ever had been. How could this one be a living animal? Collin joked, "Take it easy man; you don't want to kill your new friend!" Rob asked, "Seriously, you are saying this is a living animal? I don't see any eyes, and it's not wiggling out of my hand. Prove it!" With that Collin smiled and said, "I'll prove it to you... after we prove this ocean can cool us off!"
How could Collin prove it?
Collin could prove that the sea sponge is a living animal by taking it to the water and showing Rob how it reacts to being submerged. Sea sponges are filter feeders, meaning they extract nutrients from the water. Collin could place the sea sponge in the water and demonstrate how it expands and absorbs water, showing that it is a living organism capable of actively interacting with its environment.
Collin could prove that the sea sponge is a living animal by taking it back to the water and observing its behavior. He could explain to Rob that sea sponges are filter-feeding animals that live in the ocean. Collin could gently place the sea sponge back into the water and watch as it starts to absorb water and filter out tiny particles for food. He could explain to Rob that even though sea sponges don't have eyes or move around like other animals, they are still classified as animals because of their cellular structure and feeding method. By observing the sea sponge in its natural habitat, Collin could provide evidence that it is indeed a living animal.
To prove that the sea sponge Rob found is a living animal, Collin could perform the following steps:
1. First, Collin could explain the characteristics of sea sponges that differentiate them from non-living sponges used for cleaning.
2. Collin could mention that sea sponges are multicellular organisms belonging to the phylum Porifera and are known to be filter feeders.
3. Collin could point out that although sea sponges do not have traditional sensory organs like eyes or ears, they are indeed living animals.
4. Collin could demonstrate the behavior of sea sponges by gently placing the sea sponge back in the water. He could show Rob how the sea sponge starts to expand as it absorbs water, indicating that it is alive and capable of actively taking in and filtering water.
5. Collin could also explain that sea sponges have specialized cells called choanocytes that create water currents within their bodies, allowing them to capture and filter food particles.
By demonstrating the behavior of the sea sponge and explaining its unique characteristics as a living animal, Collin could provide evidence to prove Rob that the sponge he found is indeed alive.