1. Unit 1: The Nature of Life

2. What is science? (1-1)
an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world
It also refers to the body of knowledge that
scientists have accumulated over time.
It is not based on belief or faith, magic, or legend but on actual evidence. It is concerned with the natural world, not the supernatural world.

3. Important Skills used When Doing Science:
Observing- process of gathering information using your senses in a careful, orderly way Inferencing- making a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge or experience

4. How is Science Done? (1-2)
Scientists use the scientific method. When scientists have a question about something in the world they use this method to find an answer:
State the Problem or Question
Gather Information (Research)
Form a hypothesis
Design / Perform the experiment
Record / Analyze the Data
Conclusion or Summary
Repeat the Experiment / Communicate Results

5. What is a Hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a possible explanation for a set of observations or possible answer to a scientific explanation.
A hypothesis MUST be testable
Proper hypothesis is written in an If, then statement

6. A Controlled Experiment
Control Group: Part of your experiment that is not varied in anyway. You can compare your test groups to this set standard group.
Independent variable (manipulated variable)- The change/difference you make in the experiment (the thing you are testing).
Dependent variable (responding variable)- The differences that result from the experiment, the resulting effect.
Constants- Things in the experiment that do not change, kept exactly the same for each test group so they do not affect the results.

7. Example: Tomatoes
Question: Will adding fertilizer to the soil in my garden help me grow more tomatoes?
Research: What other factors may affect the growth of my tomato plants?
Hypothesis:
Develop a hypothesis using and If, then statement

8. Experiment What are the constants in this experiment? Garden 1
Brand A tomato seed
Water three times a day for 15 minutes
Similar type of soil
Try to control pests
Doesn’t receive fertilizer
Garden 2
Brand A tomato seed
Water three times a day for 15 minutes
Similar type of soil
Try to control pests
Receives fertilizer
What are the constants in this experiment?

9. Which Garden is the Control Group?
What is the Independent variable/Manipulated variable? (the factor that differs among the test groups)
What is the Dependent variable/Responding variable? (the measurable change that results from changing the independent variable)
What is the conclusion of the experiment?

10. Theories, Principles and Laws
When a certain hypothesis has been tested repeatedly by many scientists throughout time and is continually supported that hypothesis is then referred to as a Theory
The terms Principle and Law are also used to describe concepts that have stood the test of time and seem to remain true. Principles and Laws however, are typically not things that have been supported through experimentation

11. Learning Checkpoint What is inferencing?
What are the steps of the scientific method?
In which step would you find charts and graphs?
What is the difference between an manipulated variable and a responding variable?
What is the purpose of a control group?
What does it mean to have a controlled experiment?

12. So Biology is the study of Life!
What is Biology?
“Bio” means Life
“ology” means study of
So Biology is the study of Life!

13. The Characteristics of Life
Reproduce
Made of Cells
The Characteristics of Life
Obtain and Use Materials and Energy
Based on a Universal Genetic Code
Change over time
Grow and Develop
Maintain a stable internal environment
Respond to their Environment

14. Studying Life in Various Ways
Branches of Biology
Because there is such a variety of life Biology is divided into fields based on the type of life or particular perspective
Examples of type of life: Zoologist study animals, Botanist study plants, Microbiologists study bacteria and other small organisms
Examples of perspective: Paleontologists study ancient life, Embryologists study newly forming life

15. Studying Life at Various Levels
The Molecular Level
The Organism Level
The Ecology Level

16. Tools and Procedures used in Biology (1-4)
Science ALWAYS uses the METRIC SYSTEM to make measurements
Why?
Base units:
Length- meter
Mass- gram
Volume- liter
Temp. Celsius
*We will focus on the proper use of various Biological tools and techniques as the year progresses.

17. Major Biological Themes
Science is a
Process
Life evolves
MAJOR
THEMES
There is interdependence in nature
Structure fits Function
Regulation
(Homeostasis)
Energy is transferred and transformed
Continuity and Change
Science, Technology and
Society

18. Learning Checkpoint What are the 8 characteristics of life?
What is the difference between a community and a population?
What metric units would you use to measure the amount of water in a pool?
Your height? Your weight? The weight of a paper clip?

19. Carl Linnaeus Naming System

20. Binomial Nomenclature
Two name naming system
Genus species or if written by hand Genus species
Felis catus
Canis lupus
Canis lupus familiaris
What are the rules for naming?

21. What is the Classification order?K P C O F G S
ingdom
hylum
lass
rder
amily
enus
pecies … sometimes there is also a sub species

22. What goes away at each level?

23. We are…

24. Learning Checkpoint What is binomial nomenclature?
What are the rules for scientifically naming animals?
What kingdom are humans, dogs and spiders part of?
What is the level after Order?

25. We all need to regulate ourselves to live…
Homeostasis is …
The tendency of an organism or a cell to regulate its internal conditions. This stabilizes the health and functioning, regardless of the outside changing conditions.
Example?
Body temperature

26. We all need to regulate ourselves to live…
Thermoregulation is …
the ability of an organism to keep its body temperature within certain boundaries, even when the surrounding temperature is very different.

27. We all need to regulate ourselves to live…
How do we get keep ourselves from overheating?
Vasodilation is the widening of blood vessels. It results from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls.

28. We all need to regulate ourselves to live…
How do we keep ourselves from getting too cold?
Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of blood vessels. It results from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls.

30. Learning Checkpoint How do you maintain homeostasis?
What type of external temperature causes Vasodilation?
What type of external temperature causes Vasoconstriction?
Why is it important for us to be able to regulate our body temperature?

31. We all need to reproduce to continue life…
What are the 2 types of reproduction?
Sexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction

32. We all need to reproduce to continue life…