1. Module 1: How to Define Life
The Nature of Biology
Module 1: How to Define Life

2. How do you design an experiment?
A. Problem/Purpose
The question the lab will answer
Identifies the independent and dependent variables
Independent variable – the factor the scientist changes from group to group
Dependent variable – the factor the scientist measures to see the effect of the independent variable
Variables and Controls Videoclip

3. How do you design an experiment?
B. Research/Background Information
Lets the reader learn about the topic
Helps the scientist develop an educated hypothesis
C. Hypothesis
An educated prediction
Can be tested, proven false, and agrees with previous research

4. How do you design an experiment?
D. Procedure/Experiment
Steps must be precise and detailed
Has one control group
Normal conditions or absence of independent variable
Used for comparison
Experimental group(s) have only one changing variable (which is the independent variable)

5. How do you design an experiment?
E. Observations/Data
Must be objective.
Good Example: The bacterial colony is yellow.
Bad Example: The bacterial colony is nasty.
Use measurements whenever possible.
Good Example: There are 50 bacterial colonies.
Bad Example: There are a whole bunch of colonies.

6. How do you design an experiment?
E. Observations/Data
Do not draw conclusions in the data section of the report.
Good Example: There are bacteria and fungal colonies in the shoe section.
Bad Example: The shoe was really dirty and so it was the most contaminated and grew a lot of stuff.
Should be organized.
May use a graph, table, or drawing(s).
Always include units of measurement and a title.

7. How do you design an experiment?
F. Analysis/Conclusions
Answers the purpose question.
Accepts or rejects the hypothesis.
Explains what can be inferred from the data.
Design an Experiment - YouTube

8. How do we know it is “good science”?
A. Scientific knowledge must be shared, which allows other scientists to repeat and verify the work of others (peer review).
A. Scientific knowledge is tentative.
Theories are the most logical explanation based on current evidence, become stronger as more evidence is gathered, and give us a basis for prediction.
Laws are universal generalizations that are virtually unchanging.

10. Bio Journal 1/31
From the list below, write down the things that you think are considered “living”. Explain your thinking. What “rule” or reasoning did you use to decide if something could be considered living?
Tree rock fire fossil butterfly mushroom boy wind rabbit cloud molecule feather grass seed egg bacteria sun potato leaf cell

11. Agenda 1/31 Review STERNGRR and Characteristics of Living Things
Check Bacterial Plates, finish lab reports
STERNGRR matching activity
Handbook homework jumpstart

12. How do you know something is alive?
A. Biology means the study of (-ology) all life (bio-) and includes many branches. B. Biologists organize living things into kingdoms. There are currently six kingdoms
Kingdom
Example
Archaebacteria
Extremophile bacteria
Eubacteria
Typical bacteria
Protista
Seaweed, Amoeba, Slime Mold
Fungi
Yeast, Mushrooms
Plantae
Moss, Fern, Holly, Oak tree
Animalia
, Fish, Birds, Frogs, Humans

13. How do you know something is alive?
Characteristics of Life - Alive! Videoclip
1. Organization (The level of complexity)
Organism
Organ System
Organs
Tissues
Cells
Molecules
Atoms / Elements

14. How do you know something is alive?
All living things need six essential elements (atoms): Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, Sulfur (CHNOPS)
All living things are made of cells.
One-celled organism – unicellular
Many-celled organism - multicellular

15. How do you know something is alive?
2. Energy Use
a. Organisms need energy constantly to build molecules (synthesis) and cells and to break down (digest) substances (such as breaking down food for nutrition)
b. Organisms must transport nutrients to be used in cellular respiration to produce energy.
c. An organisms’ chemical reactions are called its metabolism

16. How do you know something is alive?
3. Reproduction
a. Organisms must replace themselves so the entire species will survive.
b. May be asexual (only one individual contributes genetic material) or sexual (two individuals contribute genes).

17. How do you know something is alive?
4. Growth and Development
a. Growth – to increase in size. Increases the number of cells of a multicellular organism.
b. Development – change that takes place in structure and function of an organism during its life cycle.
Example: Embryo becomes a fetus
human growth & dvpt.

18. How do you know something is alive?
5. Respond to Stimuli
a. A quick, non-permanent change
b. Stimulus – any condition that causes an organism to react.
Example – A loud noise (stimulus) causes your dog to run under the bed (response).

19. How do you know something is alive?
Adjust to Environment
a.Homeostasis - the regulation of an organism’s internal environment to maintain conditions suitable for life
Ex: Getting rid of wastes by excretion

20. How do you know something is alive?
b. An adaptation is an inherited structure, behavior, or internal process that enables organisms to better survive an environment.
Ex: Gills on a fish

21. This morning, you walked out of your house and felt the cold air
This morning, you walked out of your house and felt the cold air. So, you walked your smart butt back inside and got a coat.
Is this an adaptation?
Is this a response?

22. Recap: 6 Characteristics of Living Things: Organization
Within these characteristics, life processes are occurring
Recap:
6 Characteristics of Living Things:
Organization
Energy Use/Metabolism
Adjustment to environment
Growth & Development
Response
Reproduction
At the cellular level!!!

23. We call these life processes…STERNGRR!!!
1. Organization
Organism
Organ System
Organs
Tissues
STERNGRR!!!
Cells
Molecules
Atoms / Elements

24. 2. Energy Use/Metabolism
Synthesis: making (in photosynthesis, plants use light energy to make food)
Transport: moving (our circulatory system moves oxygen and nutrients in our bodies)
Nutrition (food) is needed by living organisms so it can be broken down
Respiration: used by a living organism to break down food and produce energy T N R

25. S N T R
Image sources: janekdickenson.com, factmonster.com, webquest.hawaii.edu

26. G R 3. Growth & Development 4. Reproduction
Growth & Development: single organism getting bigger in size
Reproduction: producing more individuals
4. Reproduction R
Image source: blog.lib.umn.edu,

27. 5. Adjust to Environment E R 6. Response to stimuli
Excretion: helps an organism to maintain homeostasis by getting rid of waste materials
Regulation: includes responding to stimuli and making adjustments to help maintain homeostasis R
6. Response to stimuli

28. Life Processes: STERNGRR
Synthesis – making materials
Transport – moving materials
Excretion – getting rid of wastes
Respiration – gas exchange AND production of energy (ATP)
Nutrition – gaining and using energy from food
Growth and Development – getting bigger and/or changing
Regulation – controlling internal processes
Reproduction – producing new cells or new organisms

29. S Synthesis To Make Building muscle T E R N G Word Definition
Example (in humans) S
Synthesis
To Make
Building muscle T E R N G