1 Level 1 Biology: Chapter 1 Science as a Way of Learning: A Guide to the Natural World

What is Biology? The study of life Something living is called an organism Branches of Biology: –Name some and describe what each is involved in studying.

D.How does science impact the everyday world? (Section 1.1) 1.Over the next week, work with your group to collect as many biologically-related news articles that you can…. Sources must include at least one of each of the following: 1.Local newspaper, Daily city newspaper, Weekly news magazine or CNN home page At the end of one week, get together with your group and place the articles in categories such as medicine and health, agriculture, environmental issues, child development, etc. Decide which issues have an impact on society (will affect the lives of ordinary people like you and me). Debate whether decision making on those issues should be left to experts alone, or should the public have a say.

2.Follow up with one of the several news stories listed under Chapter 1, Section 1.1. For example, global warming was mentioned. The news article discussed a report predicting a global temperature rise on earth of between 1°C and 3.5°C in the next 100 years. Internet activity (Interactive Activity 2) provides a site listing the average temperature of a city in List the causes of global warming and why photosynthesis would be affected.

E. What does the public think, and know, about science? (Section 1.2) How scientifically literate are Americans? Locate the percentage of Americans that know what DNA is. What percent of Americans think the sun goes around the Earth?

News Topics in Biology: Choosing the sex of your child Cloning Fad diets Global warming Killer germs Behavioral genetics Did the dinosaurs descend from birds? Stem cell research Diseases such as West Nile, AIDS, etc.

II. What Is Science? (Section 1.3) A.Definition of theory B.Scientific Method 1. Observe 2. Question 3. Formulate a hypothesis 4. Test with experiments 5. Draw Conclusions

Great Scientists Ponder what is believed to be truth: Spontaneous generation – life from nonlife –Maggots from meat? Disproved by Redi. –Mice from sweaty shirt. –Bacteria from broth (soup).

C.Pasteur and Spontaneous Generation— Practice using the scientific method Where did the bacteria come from that spoiled broth? *Sterile – completely free of living things *

No Growth

Controlled Experiment: Test only one factor – this is the variable Two groups: experimental and control - Needed for comparison The experimental group is identical to the control group except for the variable. In Pasteur’s experiment: one group had swan-neck flasks (experimental); the other had the swan neck broken off (control). Must be reproducible by other scientists.

IV. Evolution: Biology’s Chief Unifying Principle A. Evolution is the gradual modification of populations of living organisms over time B. Shapes appearance of species C. Why is it this way?

Evolution has become a Theory Not readily accepted when first proposed Religious beliefs contradicted the scientific evidence Gradually science has provided evidence supporting the theory of evolution None of the scientific evidence disproved it. The theory evolves as new information becomes available.

What is Life? Respond to environment Maintain homeostasis (constant internal environment) DNA Reproduce Made of one or more cells Evolved from other living things Are highly organized

B. Levels at which life is organized 1.Atoms 2.Molecules 3.Organelles 4.Cells 5.Tissue 6.Organ 7.Organism 8. Population 9.Community 10. Biosphere

Write a Lab Report Introduction – give some background on the subject being studied – look up in your book what seeds need to germinate Purpose – state why this experiment is being done Hypothesis – predict what you think is going to happen Materials – list in columns, not a paragraph Do Seeds Need Light to Germinate?

Procedure –Number each step (like in a cookbook) –Give specific instruction about what has to be done to duplicate this experiment (pretend you are writing this for a really dumb biology teacher) –Never use “I”, “You”, “Your”, etc. –Don’t include such things as: Gather the equipment Use pencil and paper to record results

Results – these always go after the procedure, never at the end of the lab report. –These should include observations and measurements (never in paragraph form) – use columns, tables, etc. –Use a ruler or the computer – do not hand draw lines for columns or tables –Graphs should be traditional, not 3-D or hard to read computer-generated graphs

Conclusions –Explain how the results supported or did not support hypothesis –If no hypothesis, explain what you learned by performing this lab –If there are any analysis questions, these go after your conclusions.

The End