Worksheet: Is it a fair test?
Name:
1. Which animal sees this?
Each picture shows the same red tulips through one animal's eyes. Write the animal under each picture: Dog, Portia jumping spider, Tyrannosaurus rex.
2. Circle the difference
Left: the tulips as you see them. Right: as the dog sees them. Circle three things that changed.
3. Talk and write
What would make you more confident in a number about an animal's eyes?
Answer key (for the teacher)
1. Picture A: Tyrannosaurus rex; Picture B: Portia jumping spider; Picture C: Dog.
2. Any three changes the pupils can point to on the two pictures.
3. Measurements from more than one study, more animals tested, and the same answer from different methods.
Facts to share
Each fact comes from published measurements in our catalogue; the id names the values it uses.
- A dog sees with 2 colour types; you have 3. (Dog; fact canis-familiaris.col.count; values Canis familiaris#colour.n, Homo sapiens#colour.n)
- A sign you can read from 10 m, a dog has to get to about 1.3 m to see as clearly. (Dog; fact canis-familiaris.acu.sign; values Canis familiaris#acuity.cpd, Homo sapiens#acuity.cpd)
- Fast things look about 1.3 times slower to a dog. (Dog; fact canis-familiaris.cff.slow; values Canis familiaris#temporal.cff, Homo sapiens#temporal.cff)
- A sign you can read from 10 m, a Portia jumping spider has to get to about 1.9 m to see as clearly. (Portia jumping spider; fact portia-fimbriata.acu.sign; values Portia fimbriata#acuity.cpd, Homo sapiens#acuity.cpd)
- The Portia jumping spider has one sharpest spot in each eye, like you. (Portia jumping spider; fact portia-fimbriata.fov.one; values Portia fimbriata#fovea.count, Homo sapiens#fovea.count)
A simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences. seelikeanimals.com/classroom/lessons/is-it-a-fair-test/