In Punahou’s AP Biology class, students explored a big question with tiny subjects: Can an invertebrate learn?
Led by department head Kira Shannon, the Ecology and Behavior unit asked students to design their own experiments. In groups of three or four, they could select any invertebrate they could safely care for – from caterpillars, millipedes, hermit crabs and crayfish to beetles, ants, praying mantises and more. Their goal was to test associative learning – the ability to connect one stimulus with another – while treating the animals respectfully and without stress.
One group worked with monarch caterpillars, placing them on cardboard partly covered with athletic tape. Each time a caterpillar crawled onto the tape, students gently nudged it back with a chopstick, reinforcing the idea that cardboard meant “safe.” Over time, they looked for patterns suggesting the insects were learning to avoid the tape.
The class will conclude with students presenting research boards of their findings – all genuine explorations of the scientific process.
Reflecting on the project, Audrey Wee ’28 emphasized how meaningful it was to connect biology with her island home. “It’s important for us to learn about the world around us, especially here on O‘ahu. By experimenting respectfully and ethically with these invertebrates, we not only gained insight into the animals themselves but also deepened our understanding of the special place we call home.”
Photos by Kathleen Connelly