Grace: Narrator Cameron: Patrick Sarah: Spongebob Sam: Spongebobs dad Grace: Once upon a time, in the land

of Bikini Bottom, there lived a sponge called Spongebob. He belonged to the Phylum Porifera. His best friend, Patrick, was a sea star. He had no idea about why Spongebob was the way he was. So, one day, Spongebob decided to tell Patrick all about his biology. (Sarah and Cameron show puppets.) Sarah: Hey Patrick! Cameron: Hey Spongebob! You know, I never really understood why you were always sort ofporous. Sarah: First, lets go to the Krusty Krab. Im getting kind of hungry. Cameron: Okay. (Show sign for krusty krab) Sarah: So, you wondered why I had so many pores, right Patrick? Well, you see, these pores help me eat. Sponges, like me, feed by filtration. This means that water enters through our pores, and goes through many canals and chambers inside our body. Anything that was in the water, like say, a krabby patty, is trapped. The water exits through other pores in our body, passing hundred of liters of water per day. Everything we trap inside our body we digest intracellularly. Cameron: Wait, so youre saying that those holes in your body are how you eat?! Then what is youre mouth for? Sarah: Its for, uh, breathing. See! * start breathing heavily.* Cameron: What? *sound confused* Sarah: See how I get bigger and smaller when I breathe? Thats because of the pinacocytes on my skin. They get bigger and smaller when it comes in contact with water. Between all of my pinacocytes on my skin, are porocytes, which let the water into my body. Morocytes are like little muscles that help open up these porocytes. Flagellated structures absorb the oxygen from the water. To help transport the oxygen to the rest of my body, I have archaoecytes. The rest of the oxygen that is not transported is absorbed through the cell membranes. Any un needed water and uses gases are carried out the osculum. Cameron: That is so confusing! Can you dumb for me?

Sarah: Basically, sponges like me do not have any organs that help me breathe. Cameron: Ohh. That makes more sense. =] (Phone Rings) Sarah: Hello? Sam: Hey Spongebob! This is your dad. I want you to come over today. Sarah: But Im with Patrick. Sam: He can come too. Sarah: Okay. See you soon. Sam: Okay. Bye. Sarah: Bye. Hey Patrick, want to some with me to visit my mom and dad? Cameron: Sure. Lets go! (Show sign for Spongebobs mom and dads house) Sarah: Hello? Dad? Sam: Hey son. Sarah: Why did you want me to come over? Sam: Spongebob. I think its time we have the talk. Patrick you should hear this too. Sarah: What? Sam: Well, you see, sponges can make babies by asexual or sexual reproduction. Water carries out the sperm from a sponge and drifts it along the current until it enters another sponge. Then, they are transferred to the egg of that sponge. The embryonic sponge, which is a sponge that is not fully grown and is still developing, becomes a larva. The larva then swims around until it finds a spot that it likes. It then settles to it, attaches, and grows into an adult sponge. Since most sponges are hermaphrodites, it doesnt matter who you mate with. However, if you cannot find a *ahem* sponge friend, you can reproduce asexually by budding. Sarah: Uhokay dad. Well we got to go now! Kay bye! Sam: Okay bye Spongebob! Im glad we had this talk.

*leaves* Sarah: That was so awkward! Cameron: What? I wasnt paying attention. I was too distracted by your dads mustache. Sarah: Patrick! Cameron: What? Sarah: Nevermind. (see a car pass by) Cameron: Hey Spongebob? How come you can drive very well? Sarah: Its because when sponges were babies, they were free swimming. This meant that they could move around however they want. But when we grow up, sponges are sessile, which means they are unable to move. Cameron: That didnt answer my question. Sarah: *sighs* Its because I love Mrs. Puff so much! I dont want to stop taking her class! Cameron: Ohhh. Okay. Well I have to go home now. Thanks for telling me about you. Sarah: No problem! Next time, maybe you can tell me about you! *both laugh* Sarah: Bye Patrick! Cameron: Bye Spongebob!