FlinnPREP™ Inquiry Labs for AP® Biology: Fruit Fly Behavior

Product Details

Big Idea 4, Investigation 12, Science Practices 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

What makes a fruit fly tick? Students construct a choice chamber tube to study fruit fly behavior and investigate what environmental factors trigger a fruit fly response.

Students begin with a Baseline Activity that instructs them to construct a choice chamber tube. Then, they transfer fruit flies to the tube and observe their behavior as they present different options in the choice chamber. This procedure serves as a starting point for the Opportunities for Inquiry section of the lab that guides students to develop a testable hypothesis and then design an experiment that they can plan, discuss, evaluate, execute and finally justify to their peers. Questions like, “What types of foods or condiments found in households might attract or repel the fruit flies?” and “How might Drosophila react to dilute acids or bases?” help inspire the inquiry experiment.

Includes detailed teacher notes, reproducible student handouts and enough materials for eight groups of students to complete the Baseline Activity and prepare for the inquiry activity. Sample data for different fruit and environmental conditions tested by Flinn Scientific are included in the teacher notes. Wild-type Drosophila is required and available separately. Order Drosophila 3 weeks in advance with arrival one week before the lab as this activity requires adult fruit flies.