Investigation 1: What is Life?

At the end of Investigation 1 you will be able to: list and describe the characteristics that all organisms share. differentiate the concepts of living, nonliving, dead, and dormant. make and record observations in an experiment.

Investigation 1 - Part 1

Discuss life – Round Robin Style What is life? How can you tell if something is living or nonliving? Name and describe some examples for each. Extend that thought by… Recording observations of the material in the Petri dish. This is done independently. 5-10 minutes. Students can complete this in their science journal.

Defend in Mini Socratic Seminars Why do you think that the objects moved the way that the did? Are they alive? How do you know? Share whole class while building Characteristics of Life poster.

Categories At tables, please: sort all cards into three categories Living Non-living Undecided Each group member must agree or disagree with the placement of the cards with a short explanation Think about: What is the definition of life? What characteristics do all living organisms share? Does the sample exhibit all of the characteristics of life?

This is a work in progress and we will make changes as we see fit. Debrief Sort as a class: Is a living organism one in which it was ever alive? Can a non-living object posses some of the characteristics that living organisms do? What is dormant and how does it affect the placement of the items? This is a work in progress and we will make changes as we see fit. Call on groups to share how they categorized items. They must explain why the classified things as they did. Groups may also suggest moving things as long as they can provide a reason for the move.

Key vocabulary Any living thing- plant, animal or other- is an organism. An organism is the most general word used to refer to an independently living thing. When an organism is in an inactive state, growth and development slow or cease, in order to survive adverse environmental conditions. We refer to this time as dormancy. A once living organism can be dead, or no longer able to maintain the characteristics and processes of life.

Evidence of Life Is everything on this list a characteristic of all organisms? Do we need to add anything? Should we revise our terms? Should we remove something?

Mini-pond Set-up We will be observing many organisms and it is important to provide them with the proper habitat. Some are small aquatic organisms. We will set up a minipond habitat now so that it will be nicely aged and ready in a couple of weeks when it is time to start our work with aquatic organisms.

Mini-pond Set-up Continued… Place one heaping spoonful of soil in the bottom of a container. Add dry leaves, dead grass, and twigs. The container should be no more than one-fourth full. Add spring or pond water. The container should be no more than three-fourths full. Put a lid on the container. Label the container with your period, group number, date, and one vocabulary term with definition. These can be stacked on a counter for storage. Try to avoid direct sunlight.

Investigation 1 - Part 2

Background and Anticipation Review categories and Characteristics of Life posters. You will be observing five different materials. They might be living, but they might not be! We have our characteristics of life chart as guidance, let’s see what we can find out! Take the revised evidence of life list and create a characteristics of life area on a wall or board. Make changes as needed.

In your buckets: PLEASE DO NOT OPEN THE BAGGIES! 2 hand lenses A set of 5 bags 5 vials with caps 1 blue vial holder 1 cotton ball 6 labels PLEASE DO NOT OPEN THE BAGGIES! Observe and record your observations of the items in the bags on page 3 of your lab notebook.

Think… What might you do to get more information about the materials to help you determine if they are living?

Assigning Liquids… We will run an investigation to determine if an aquatic or moist environment will help us to determine whether these 5 materials are alive or not. We will examine three different liquid environments. Each group will research ONE of the three liquids.

How to set up the vials and liquid Label vials A, B, C, D and E Label the vial holder with your group number, period, and liquid #. Vials A and D get half a cotton ball and 3 droppers full of the liquid. Vials B, C, and E get 30 mL of the liquid.

How to set up the vials with materials Material A- 1 level minispoon into vial A Material B- 1 level minispoon into vial B Material C- 8 individual grains into vial C Material D- 8 individual grains into vial D Material E- 1 level minispoon into vial E

10 minute countdown Record any changes on your Five Materials Observation Sheet. Do NOT draw conclusions. _______________________________________________________________ Any changes to the picture sort? Any changes to our Characteristics of Life display?

Investigation 1 - Part 2 Breakpoint Time to Study

Changes after 24 hours Please record your observations.

Let’s Observe and Record Did you notice any changes today? Do you see evidence of life in any of the vials? Compare the vials with the different liquid at your adjoining table and one other close group.

Revelations… Liquid 2 is sugar water. Sugar was added to provide food in case any of the materials were alive and needed sugar as food. Did any of the vials with the sugar water provide interesting results?

Revelations… Material B is baking yeast. The bubbling and popping of the cap are the result of gas exchange going on in the vial. Gas exchange is evidence of life. The yeast is living.

Take a look at the plant cutting and the sweet potato. Are these things alive? Are they organisms? What will they need if they are living? Should we change Place cutting and sweet potato in water.

Investigation 1 - Part 2 Breakpoint

What now? Changes after 48 hours Please record your observations and complete column 5 . Any evidence of life?

The Liquids… Liquid 1- Salt water Liquid 2- Sugar water Liquid 3- Drinking water

The Unknowns (Lab sheet 5) A: Red sand B: Baking Yeast C: Polyacrylate crystals D:Radish Seeds E: Brine shrimp eggs

What are Polyacrylate Crystals? The crystals are probably coming from the "super absorbent layer" found in most disposable diapers. This layer consists of paper fluff and a chemical absorbent called sodium polyacrylate. Sodium polyacrylate is an amazing water absorber -- it can absorb 200 to 300 times its weight in tap water (even more if the water is distilled) and hold it in a gooey gel. It is not alive.

Complete the charts Please fill in the information for the liquid environment that you investigated on page 5 of your lab notebook. We will share our information in 5-10 minutes.

LIQUID #1: Salt Water WHOLE CLASS Data Material Is it alive? Evidence of life A Yes No B C D E

LIQUID #2: Sugar Water WHOLE CLASS Data Material Is it alive? Evidence of life A Yes No B C D E

LIQUID #3: Plain Water WHOLE CLASS Data Material Is it alive? Evidence of life A Yes No B C D E

Analyze your thoughts and reflect How many of the materials appeared to be alive when you first observed the bags? How many materials appear to be alive now? How does the environment impact organisms?

Affect of Environment Some organisms are inactive until placed in the appropriate environment. Yeast needs fresh water and sugar for food. Seeds need freshwater and air. Brine shrimp need saltwater.

The Living… Things are LIVING if they show the characteristics of life, like gas exchange, growth, and response to the environment. Living things are organisms. Parts of living organisms, like arms, tails and leaves, are also alive.

Prepare Notes to… Record living, dormant, dead, and non-living. Respond to reading Write a poem

Dormant is alive Things are DORMANT when they do not show characteristics of life until they are placed in the right environment. Dormant organisms are alive, but inactive.

Dead… Things are DEAD if they were alive at one time but no longer are. Animals that have died, leaves that have fallen off trees, and skin that a snake sheds are all dead material.

So, then what is non-living? NON-LIVING materials have never been alive. Fire, rocks, water, wind, pencils, toys, and computers are all nonliving.

Informational Text Please read Life on Earth on page 21 in the Diversity of Life resource book. Write the source. Obtain five facts that could be used in a research paper.

Write a poem Write a Tanka poem that explains What is Life? Japanese poetry Uses simile and metaphor Vivid descriptions 5 lines 31 syllables (5, 7, 5, 7, 7 in order)