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How to Make a Model of a Flatworm

Flatworms are an interesting -- albeit creepy-crawly -- subject of scientific study. These pesky parasites have been around for millions of years, perhaps most famous for physical attributes such as bilateral symmetry and internal nervous systems. Flatworms can be found living in marine environments and on land inside people and animals. In fact, flatworms no longer need a digestive system as they gain all their nutrients as predigested materials from their living hosts. For a highly educational but harmless school project, make a model that illustrates the various attributes of a flatworm using simple materials like plasticine clay.

Things You'll Need

Flatworm diagram
Plasticine modeling clay
Newspapers
Rolling pin
Plastic knife
Pins
Labels

Instructions

- 1
  Examine a diagram of a flatworm and decide what physical attributes you want to highlight in your model (your teacher may have already assigned these to you). Designate a specific color of plasticine to each part of the flatworm you want to highlight in your model.
- 2
  Spread some newspapers on a flat surface and set out your colored plasticine. Knead the clay to maximize its flexibility and begin construction of your flatworm model.
- 3
  Use the color of plasticine you'd like to stand out the most as the base for your flatworm's body and begin rolling it flat like a pancake by pressing down with your hands or by using a rolling pin. Cut an elongated ribbon shape so that is has a short triangular tip and a tapered tail.
- 4
  Use another color of plasticine to create the gastrovascular cavity and intestinal diverticulum. Again flatten the clay and use a plastic knife to create a wavy, amoebic strip that will fit inside the body piece. Split this piece in two about halfway down the cavity, and spread the two resulting tassels slightly apart from one another. Attach this piece to the top of the flatworm's body.
- 5
  Use two black or darkly-colored dots of clay as the eye spots inside the flatworm's head. Set each one on top of a long, thin ribbon of ganglion; these rope-like structures should start at the head and run all the way down either side to the tail of the flatworm, overlapping the wavy intestinal diverticulum. Add rounded sockets with five finger-like extensions to the top of the ropes to finish your ganglion.
- 6
  Use another color of plasticine to create the mouth and pharynx of the flatworm; this should be an elongated tube located where the gastrovascular cavity splits off into two parts halfway down the flatworm's body.
- 7
  Use pins and labels to complete your model and identify all the parts you included.

Nature