Have the students keep a record log of the cockroach's activities and habits. Ask the students to write down what the cockroach is doing and where in its tank it is found as well as the time of the observation. They may also wish to record how often the roach needs new food and water. Additionally, ask the students to record things such as how the cockroach's feet feel when they hold the roach or what they notice about its appearance.
Have the students sit down and draw the cockroach. Ask them to put as much detail as they can into their drawings. For instance, they should make sure to draw each individual leg segment, or the segments of the abdomen, as well as any specific markings that may be on the roach's exoskeleton. When they are done, have them correctly label all the parts of the cockroach.
Students can test the cockroach to see if it responds to food stimuli. They can place food near the roach and see if it will move toward it. They may also build mazes for the roach and place food at one end and the roach at the other to see if the roach will search out the food. Another experiment they may try is to offer several different types of food to the roach and see over the course of several days, which food the roach prefers.
Students can test the roach to see how it responds to different forms of stimuli. For instance, does it respond to different types of touch? Try to touch the roach with a finger or a feather to see how it reacts to each. They can also see if the roach prefers one type of surface to walk on by placing it on different surfaces such as sand, rocks, wood or glass. Other stimuli to test are light versus dark and the animal's response to vibration or sound.