Speedy Snail Race

Difficulty of Project

Easy

Approximate Cost

$0

Approximate Time Required to Complete the Project

1 Hour

Objective

To see whether or not a snail can move faster on concrete or faster on dirt.

Project goals

• To see how fast a snail can move on concrete
• To see how fast a snail can move on dirt

Materials and Equipment

• 2 snails
• A place where there is concrete and dirt together (a driveway, sidewalk, etc.)
• Paper and pencil
• Camera

Material Availability

Snails can be found in your backyard.  They like to come out at night and can usually be found under old, moist leaves or wood (sticks).

Introduction

Do you think that snails move faster on concrete or on dirt?  Make it a race.  Place one snail on the concrete and one on the dirt side by side and see what happens!  Remember, no matter the surface, snails are slow moving creatures so if you’re drawing a finish line, keep them close to the starting line or you’ll be watching for a long, long time!

Research Questions

• Do snails move faster when they are on concrete?
• Do snails move faster when they are in dirt?

Terms, Concepts and Questions to Start Background Research

You need to know where snails come from in order to find some for your experiment.

Experimental Procedure

1. Dig up and out your two snails.
2. Find a sidewalk/driveway that is next to a patch of dirt.
3. Start the snails side-by-side (one in dirt and one on concrete).
4. Determine a finish line and maybe mark it with some chalk or a rock.
5. Cheer on your favorite snail to see which one goes the fastest and crosses the finish line first!
6. Take notes.
7. Take pictures.
8. Put the snails back in a safe place when the experiment is finished!

Bibliography

1. Yahoo Answers "Where to Find Snails in Your Yard?"
2. Esquire.com snail image
3. Easy Kids Science Experiments