A teacher's guide to ecological investigations using ants

This practical teacher guide helps students develop key scientific enquiry and data-analysis skills through a range of engaging investigative activities. Students will have opportunities to follow instructions, design and carry out investigations, collect and present data, interpret results, evaluate the reliability and limitations of evidence, and consider ethical issues involved in the use of animals in scientific investigations.

The resource includes support for a range of commonly used statistical and ecological techniques, including Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient - r, Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient, the unpaired Student’s t-test, the Chi-squared test, the Lincoln Index, Percentage Frequency calculations, and Simpson’s Index of Diversity.

Ideal for developing Working Scientifically skills, this resource supports practical investigation, data handling, statistical analysis and evidence-based scientific thinking.