Hello, friends!
I am re-inventing my pedagogical bicycle. I faced the problem of the lack of cases for conducting classes in the circle at the station of young naturalists, and the developments from the Internet do not satisfy me. They are frankly boring. That's why I create my own kitchen. Who dreamed of seeing what we do in the classroom? I invite you!

In December, Santa Claus workshops open everywhere, where children make New Year's crafts. And I invite you to the New Year biological workshop of fairies. Who said that the workshop of New Year's toys is only for kids? It can be a wonderful educational tool for teenagers as well. It's all about the sauce it's served with.

Mystery of the Lion's Mane

"The strange object I was pointing at really looked like a tangled lion's mane. It rested on a ledge of rock, some three feet from the surface of the water; pulsed slowly, expanding and contracting." A.K. Doyle

Who are jellyfish?

A group of coelenterates was named after the mythical Gorgon Medusa with the light hand of Carl Linnaeus in 1740. According to the type of structure, hydroid and sphiphoid jellyfish belonging to different classes are distinguished.

But it is worth noting that jellyfish are called not only a separate systematic group, but also the stage of development of the coelenterates. Since in the development cycle in cnidarians two stages of development alternate - the polyp stage with the medusa stage.

The medusoid generation buds off the polyp and sets off for free swimming. Jellyfish produce eggs and spermatozoa, that is, they serve for sexual reproduction and settlement of intestinal cavities.

It turns out that scyphoid and hydroid jellyfish are a protracted stage in the developmental cycle of coelenterates, which has developed and become more complex due to the advantages that a mobile lifestyle provides.
Unfortunately, there are no jellyfish in East Kazakhstan, and we will not be able to study them naturally, so we will simulate!

Do jellyfish have eyes?

Jellyfish are two-layered animals. The outer single layer of cells is the ectoderm, and the inner one is the endoderm. And between them lies mesoglea - non-cellular gel. The jellyfish consists of a dome (umbrella) and tentacles.

The convex part of the dome sounds like a spell - exumbrella, and the inner subumbrella. Under the dome there is a thin muscular membrane - a sail, narrowing the entrance under the umbrella. A huge dome boasts a jellyfish cyanoea hairy, or a lion's mane. The diameter of her umbrella is over 2 meters, and the tentacles stretch for 15-40 meters.

None of the animals have such complex and specialized cells as intestinal nematocytes.
The guys did not know anything about this, they only received from me a thread, a wooden clothespin, a paper clip and an image of a nematocyte. And they began to invent a working model of a stinging cell.

But back from modeling to discussion. It turns out that jellyfish have big eyes! As many as 24 eyes pass along the edge of the Aurelia umbrella, capable of distinguishing chiaroscuro. In fact, these are modified tentacles, pits in which there are clusters of cells with light-sensitive proteins. Some jellyfish have complex eyes in these tentacles, filled from above with a transparent substance of the ectoderm, which works like a lens. There are 6 such eyes in each hole, total - 144! The scientific name for these modified tentacles is ropalia. Ropals are both organs of balance and organs of hearing.

In addition, the jellyfish has gonads that produce germ cells. The jellyfish has a cross, they form a pronounced cross, hence its name. Fertilization takes place in water. A mobile planula larva emerges from the egg, which after a while settles to the bottom and turns into a polyp.

What to do if stung by a jellyfish?

“From contact with numerous threads, bright red stripes protrude on the skin. Upon closer examination, it turns out that these are the smallest points or abscesses, and in the middle of each of them there is, as it were, a red-hot needle, digging into the nerves. The suffering caused by these wounds, explains Wood, - this is not the worst: "From a piercing pain in my chest, I fell like a bullet. When the convulsions passed, my heart beat six or seven times as hard as if it wanted to jump out. "It almost killed him, but he met cyanide on the high seas, and not in a quiet and cramped lagoon. He says that later he hardly recognized himself, he had such a pale, twisted and wrinkled face. " A.K. Doyle.

First aid for contact with a jellyfish

When swimming in waters rich in jellyfish, a wetsuit saves from contact with them. ATTENTION! A burn can also be obtained from jellyfish thrown ashore.

How does a jellyfish swim?

How to make a jellyfish in a bottle so that it becomes a biological aid?

MK luminous jellyfish for the New Year

The heroine of the New Year's MK will be a crystal jellyfish, phosphorescent in green. This phenomenon bioluminescence. Thanks to the jellyfish, the luminous protein GFP was discovered and studied, and protein researchers Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfi and Roger Qian received the 2008 Nobel Prize. This protein is used as a safe label for cells in medical research.

Summer is over, but we will remember its adventures for a long time. For example, many guys first met a jellyfish, so it's interesting to make them with your own hands.

The bright jellyfish shown in the final photo are made of candy wrappers and corrugated paper. These are pendants that can be considered as interesting children's crafts. They can be hung over the bed, in the playroom, and even on the Christmas tree if you want. Jellyfish are bright and colorful, so they will look beautiful on a lamp, on a door or somewhere else. You can make a lot of such jellyfish to get a whole garland and decorate your room for any holiday. Consider what is needed, how to make crafts for children.

We offer two options for making jellyfish

The first one is more simple

Materials for work:

Colored paper, for tentacles it is desirable to use versatile (meaning shade);
black marker;
scissors;
simple pencil;
glue stick;
ruler.

How to make paper jellyfish step by step

1. Prepare bright paper. You need to make 2 separate parts, then glue them together. One part will be the head-torso of the animal, the second - long tails-tentacles. It is better to make these parts in different colors, it is also better to take multi-colored paper for the tentacles, since they will be twisted into spirals later.
2. Cut out a rectangle from a two-color sheet, and a semicircle with a skirt from the second bright blank.
3. Circle the semicircle along the contour with a black felt-tip pen. Stick funny eyes, attach bright circles to your forehead.
4. Cut the rectangle along the length with a fringe. Back off about 1 cm between the stripes. Glue the resulting fringe in the upper part to the head, hide under the skirt.
5. Using a felt-tip pen or a thin skewer, twist each strip into a flagellum. Let go of the paper. Twisted tentacles will remain.
6. Bright paper jellyfish is ready.

Making a simple jellyfish

From corrugated paper we make the head of a jellyfish: we draw eyes on it, a crooked mouth, camouflage spots.
2. A sheet of purple paper, which will represent the body of the jellyfish, is cut into strips up to the head.

3. We wind strips of different sizes onto a wooden stick. These are the legs of a cephalopod.

The result is a fairly simple craft, accessible to preschoolers and younger students.

Second option

Materials for work:

1. candy wrappers in the form of cupcakes of any color;
2. corrugated paper of different colors;
3. knitting thread;
4. needle;
5. White paper;
6. black pen or marker.

How to make jellyfish pendants step by step

1. Candy wrappers in the form of cups, reminiscent of cupcakes, will become the bodies of jellyfish. Their color depends on the manufacturer of the candy, you can even take black parts. Take them without change. 1 jellyfish will be made from each wrapper. Pieces of corrugated paper are suitable for creating multi-colored tentacles, they need to be cut with scissors and bent. Bright threads or some other option are also suitable. Glue can fasten all paper parts.

2. Cut the prepared corrugated paper into strips. Very thin stripes will become the tentacles of the marine life. You can use 3 or more colors for a colorful craft.
3. Cut out 2 interconnected circles from white paper, preferably of different sizes. This way you will get funny eyes. Draw pupils with a pen or felt-tip pen. Glue the eyes on top of the prepared candy wrappers. The bodies of the jellyfish are ready.
4. Cut a piece 20-30 cm long or more from the knitting thread. Thread through the needle, then make a hole in the center, pull the thread through. Tie the bottom in a knot. The length of the thread depends on how long you want to make the pendant. Turn the head of the jellyfish with the inside towards you, spread glue in the central part and press down a few straws of different colors. Be sure to squeeze the straws beforehand with an accordion so that they turn out to be curved. These will be believable bright tentacles.
5. Cute paper jellyfish are ready. We suggest that you and your children make a bright marine inhabitant of a jellyfish. A positive craft will not leave anyone indifferent. Surely, you will get a bright paper figure, and you will have to spend very little time on work. You can come up with your own unique combination of shades, as well as decorate the craft in a special way. Due to the tentacles twisted into spirals, the figure turns out to be voluminous. A paper jellyfish is a cute version of a simple craft for kindergarten.
As a result, we have original crafts.

Jellyfish are simple and primitive creatures. They have no brains, no bones, no lungs, no intestines and are among the oldest known organisms living on our Earth. These gelatinous swimmers have been on the planet for more than 500 million years, making the existence of dinosaurs seemingly short-lived by comparison. They inhabit all oceans and are invasive in some parts of the world. Jellyfish are widely known for their stinging cells, burns from which can be fatal even to humans. Jellyfish are also a popular item in China and Japan.

But these ancient creatures are more than just a stinging nuisance or an Asian dish. They are incredibly versatile organisms that will surprise you.

10. Pets

“Moon Jellyfish” is a term used to describe the jellyfish of the genus Aurelia, which includes several species that are difficult to tell apart without taking their DNA. Moon jellyfish are the most popular jellyfish, which are also kept as pets. They thrive at around 27 degrees Celsius, which is typical for home heated aquariums. Jellyfish are fed frozen or freeze-dried shrimp, crustaceans, phytoplankton and minced seafood. Some enthusiasts not only keep them as pets, but also breed them. Moon jellyfish cannot survive in a simple aquarium. They require constant running water to stay afloat and use their tentacles to grab food. Moon jellyfish are quite fragile, so their aquariums should not have sharp edges. Moon jellyfish do not require light to thrive, but many dedicated jellyfish tanks have LED lights that enhance the beauty of the translucent creature drifting through the water.

Organic farming is becoming more and more popular due to the growing consumer demand for organic products. However, without chemical fertilizers and herbicides, it is quite difficult for organic farms to control weeds and produce high yields. Fertilizer made from jellyfish can be a solution to problems. Desalted and dried jellyfish residue is an organic fertilizer that increases the nutrient content of the soil while suppressing the growth of weeds. In Japan, it has been proven that rice fields fertilized with jellyfish yield just as high as those fertilized with chemical fertilizers. Jellyfish are also used to rejuvenate the forest. In South Korea, in 2012, a fire destroyed trees on Mount Jubong. Jellyfish fertilizers were used here to improve the soil, which increased soil moisture and nutrient content before new seedlings were planted.

8. Medical research

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is naturally produced in jellyfish. Using GFP, scientists can attach glow-in-the-dark tags to specific human cells and then track their progress throughout the body. For example, GFP has been attached to pancreatic cells that produce insulin to study how they work, helping to inform new treatments for diabetes. GFP can also be used to track the spread of infections such as HIV. GFP is critical in advancing research into the nervous system. This protein can be modified to give almost 100 different colors, with different shades in the individual cells. This allows scientists to distinguish between the billions of cells that make up the brain and observe the individual trajectory of neighboring cells. Studying the specific activity of brain cells is helping scientists better understand and treat conditions like epilepsy and Alzheimer's.

Microscopic pieces of plastic are a relatively new environmental problem. One source of microplastic pieces of plastic is microballoons, tiny balls used in some shower gels that are now banned in a number of countries such as the US, Canada, and the UK. Microscopic pieces of plastic also come from washing synthetic fabrics in our washing machines and from the breakdown of plastic bags and other plastics over time. In response to growing concerns about microplastic pollution in oceans, rivers and lakes, a project was born at GoJelly. GoJelly aims to solve the problem with jellyfish, while reducing the population of these invasive creatures, as well as the level of microscopic plastic pollution of water bodies. Wastewater treatment plants are currently unable to filter out microplastics because the pieces are too small. But studies have shown that microplastics stick to jellyfish mucus, so biofilters made from jellyfish mucus could be used in wastewater treatment plants to eliminate this problem.

6. Glow in the dark ice cream and beer

Charlie Francis is the owner of an experimental ice cream company. His company is known for crazy ice cream flavors like roast beef and chili. He also produced the world's first glow-in-the-dark ice cream using jellyfish protein. Francis learned about the bioluminescent properties of jellyfish while reading a research paper. Ice cream itself does not glow in the dark. Instead, proteins respond to heat. So when a warm tongue licks the ice cream, it starts to fluoresce.

Japanese chemists have analyzed the insides of jellyfish and are looking for new uses for numerous creatures. They found that the most abundant jellyfish protein is mucin, a long-chain carbohydrate-containing protein that retains moisture. Jellyfish use mucin to purify themselves and protect themselves from predators. Humans also produce mucin, for similar reasons. Mucin helps keep our eyes moist and forms the basis of nasal mucus, which keeps bacteria out. Mucins are already used in the beauty and health industry. But they are extracted from the stomachs of pigs and the saliva of cows, which makes them expensive. Harvesting mucin from jellyfish will serve as an inexpensive substitute.

4. Energy source

Scientists continue to search for new uses for the powerful jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP). This green goo protein can be used as an energy source. A team of Swedish scientists have created cells that convert ultraviolet light into energy. The cage was made from two aluminum electrodes that had a small gap between them. When a drop of GFP is placed in the gap, filaments are formed in it, which are connected by two electrodes. When a cell has been exposed to ultraviolet light, it generates an electrical current.

3. Space exploration

Scientists started sending jellyfish into space in 1991. They wanted to study the effects that the absence of gravity would have on the birth and growth of jellyfish. After that, new creatures born in zero gravity provided valuable information after returning to Earth. Jellyfish use calcium sulfate crystals to detect feelings of heaviness. These crystals are arranged in a circle on the edge of their body, enclosed in small pockets. As the jellyfish moves, the crystals also move and settle to the bottom of their pockets, which helps the jellyfish navigate in space and determine which is up and which is down. After the weightless jellyfish were brought back to Earth, they lacked the ability to swim. Their behavior was abnormal and unproductive compared to their relatives on Earth. The severity of the problems that space-born jellyfish face shows that zero-gravity-born humans will suffer the same problem if they return to Earth.

Nemopilema nomurai, or Medusa Nomura, is one of the largest species of jellyfish. The giant creature reaches 2 meters in diameter and can weigh up to 204 kg. Nomura jellyfish have flooded the seas of Japan since the early 2000s. They have devastated the Japanese fishing industry and are affecting the lives of many along the coast. And a group of high school students decided that when life gives you a giant jellyfish, you should make caramels out of it. Kids at the Obama School of Fisheries in Japan boiled the pesky jellyfish and ground them into small pieces into a paste. They then mixed jellyfish powder with sugar and molasses to create sweet-and-savory candies. Caramels are not the first dish prepared by schoolchildren from jellyfish. They also use jellyfish powder to bake cookies that are sold in boxes at the local shop.

Beaches in Israel are overrun with jellyfish, and landfills around the world are filled with disposable diapers, which then take hundreds of years to decompose. An Israeli company has found a unique way to solve problems using jellyfish to create biodegradable diapers. Scientist Shahar Richter came up with the substance while studying jellyfish. The flesh of jellyfish is able to hold large amounts of liquid without dissolving or decomposing. Richter decided to take advantage of the impressive liquid absorption properties of jellyfish flesh before creating a new product. The result of his work was "hydromash", a material capable of absorbing water more than several times its volume. The process of creating a hydromach involves breaking down the flesh of a jellyfish and mixing it with antibacterial nanoparticles. The result is a product that is strong, flexible absorbent. It also decomposes in less than 30 days. Hydromash is used for the production of diapers for children and adults, feminine hygiene products and medical bandages.

And here's what it looks like

Having a pet is every child's dream! But conditions do not always allow this. Alas, such is modern life. And the parent's duty is to solve this problem!
Instead of buying your child a robops or a tamagotchi, you can make something better. For example, a cheerful jellyfish that will live in a bank. She does not require care, but it is very fun to play with her. And you can also make the same and present as an exotic gift. It is doubly pleasant that this master class is very easy and does not require extravagant materials for execution. A bottle of water, a bag, scissors and threads - everyone has this in the kitchen. Let's get started!

For work we need:
1. Half an hour - an hour of free time
2.Transparent package
3. Scissors
4. Bottle with cork
5.Water
6. Food coloring

Step one:
Take the bag and spread it on the table. Then cut off the handles and bottom with scissors to make a wide plastic band. From it you can get two jellyfish at once. But for this you will need to cut the tape in half again. But since we still don’t know how to make jellyfish, we will train on one half, and leave the other in reserve if something doesn’t work out.
Tip: You can also use a regular bag without handles, but they are slightly different in structure and less dense, so the effect may be slightly different.

Step two:
Pinch your fingers together and grasp the sachet by the center of the sheet. Lift it up. We form a ball under a pinch. This ball is the future head of a jellyfish. The rest of the bag is what we will make the tentacles from. We tighten the head of the jellyfish with a thread, but not tightly, leaving a small hole in order to pour water into it later. We don't tie! We will tighten the threads later, in the next step.
And now we are making tentacles. To do this, we again need scissors. Cut the bottom of the bag into many, many different stripes. We make some shorter, others longer, some narrower, some wider. This is necessary for the effect of the most real and live jellyfish in the jar. The larger and thinner the stripes, the better it will look in the water. Learn it!

Step three:
Now we carry our jellyfish to the sink and pour some cold water into the ball-head. Important! Do not fill the balloon with water to the top completely, there must be air left so that the jellyfish can stay afloat. Now tighten the thread tightly so that the water does not leak out. To be sure, shake the jellyfish in different directions. If water drips, then our jellyfish will be short-lived.
Thus, in three simple steps, we designed both the body and the head of our jellyfish. Now it's time to choose a house for her!

Step four:
To do this, we need any bottle or jar with a lid. And we should just put the jellyfish in the bottle. If you are using a narrow neck container, be careful. Gently push your head through - the water balloon should not burst, otherwise you will have to start all over again. After you lowered the jellyfish inside, fill the bottle with water.
For contrast, you can add food coloring. All shades of blue and azure look the most spectacular - as if you caught a little bit of the sea together with a jellyfish. Screw the lid on tightly. Ready!
Tip: A jellyfish bottle can be decorated in a marine style. Glue pearls, pieces of twine and shells. But in this case, you do not need to give a bottle in the hands of babies. Let it decorate the interior of your home!

A ready-made jellyfish is very good to present as a gift to a child. Believe me, he will be delighted! You can even give your new pet a name and spin the jar in all directions, watching the jellyfish swim in it... And this is just one of the hundreds of games that can happen with a jellyfish in a jar. Most importantly, make sure that the baby does not unscrew the lid. Then the jellyfish will live in your house for a very long time!

irina averina

We conducted experiments with water, fixed the properties of water, and the result of our activity was a toy. funny plastic bag craft.

All you need is one bag and an empty plastic bottle.

Work description:

Straighten the package, cut off its handles and bottom to make a tape, you can make two jellyfish if you cut it in half.

Will do jellyfish on one half, grab the center with all your fingers, fold the polyethylene so that you get a small ball - this will be the head of the future jellyfish.

Pull it with a thread, but not tightly, leave a small hole through which you can pour some water into the head.

But we will do this later, substituting the workpiece under a stream of water from the tap. In the meantime, let's take care of the tentacles jellyfish: just cut the polyethylene into strips from the edge and almost to the very head. Make some tentacles shorter than the rest.

Now pour some water into the ball-head, do not forget what should remain air: water will help jellyfish sink and air to float. Tighten the thread tightly around the head jellyfish. Now put it in the bottle, pour water into the bottle. (you can tint the water with a few drops of food coloring) Screw the lid very tightly - the toy is ready.

The result is a lot of fun for the child.

Related publications:

"Christmas tree forest fragrance, We invite children to the holiday. Let this Christmas tree at the festive hour Pleases us with every needle, Pleases us."

For manufacturing, you will need the following materials: two-color cardboard, colored paper, glue, double-sided tape, thread with a needle, decorative elements (leaves.

On the eve of the New Year. To make it more fun to meet him, my son and I decided to make a monkey hat from improvised materials. I represent.

This game is intended for children 2 - 3 years old. Objectives of the game: 1. Development of auditory differentiation when sounding bells on the tentacles of a jellyfish.

We will need: a bag, scissors, threads, a ruler, a stationery knife, a transparent bottle, gouache or food coloring. We put together a package.

I want to offer you my master class on making a cardboard box "Funny caterpillar." You can make a pencil stand in it.

The New Year is coming to us, What will it bring us? Naughty monkey, Bring us happiness cart! I bring to your attention a toy "Monkey".