Missed notes (08 15 to 08 17)

Missed Notesfor

Biology I

Monday, August 15 – Thursday, August 17, 2011

What is Biology ?

• Bio means life.• Ology means the study of any branch or knowledge of

science• Bio + ology = the study of life

Warm Up (08-16-2011)

1. What does biology formerly mean?2. Give another definition in your own words.3. Using at least three sentences, describe some

aspect of biology that you saw on your way to school this morning.

The Scientific Method is a series of steps

that scientists agree are a logical way to

perform an experiment.

1. State the Problem or Question2. Make Observations or Do Research

3. Form a Hypothesis4. Test your Hypothesis or Experiment

5. Collect and Analyze Results6. State your Conclusion

7. Communicate the Results

Steps of the Scientific Method

1. 1. State the Problem: Develop a question or problem that can be solved through experimentation.

Steps of the Scientific Method

2. 2. Make Observations or Do Research: Get information.

Gather the “411”.

Key Point 1

• Observations are made with your five senses: sight, taste, hear, touch, smell.

• Observations are Quantitative if they use numbers and Qualitative if they use descriptions.

• Observations are made while you are gathering information

Critical Thinking Example

• PROBLEM: Why are students always late to class?• What is a quantitative

observation for this situation?

• What is a qualitative observation for this situation?

Steps of the Scientific Method

3. 3. Form a Hypothesis: Predict a possible answer to the problem or

question. This is usually written as a statement.

Example: If soil temperatures rise, then plant growth will increase.

Steps of the Scientific Method

4. 4. Test you Hypothesis or Experiment: Develop and follow a procedure to test your hypothesis.Include a detailed materials list.

The outcome must be measurable (quantifiable).

Steps of the Scientific Method

5. Collect and Analyze ResultsCollect and Analyze Results: Modify the procedure if needed.

Confirm the results by retesting.Include tables, graphs, and

photographs.

Steps of the Scientific Method

6. 6. State your Conclusion: Include a : Include a statement that accepts or rejects statement that accepts or rejects

the hypothesis.the hypothesis.Make recommendations for Make recommendations for

further study and possible further study and possible improvements to the procedure.improvements to the procedure.

Steps of the Scientific Method

7. Communicate the ResultsCommunicate the Results: Be prepared to present the project

to an audience.Expect questions from the

audience.

Wrap-Up (08-16-2011)

• What are the 7 steps of the scientific method?• What is a quantitative observation?• What is a qualitative observation?

Warm-Up (08-17-2011)

1. Write one quantitative and one qualitative observation about yourself.

2. Which step of the scientific method involves making table and graphs?

3. Which three steps of the scientific method come after “Making Observations”?

Hypothesis

• The hypothesis is an educated guess about the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.• A hypothesis is usually written as an

IF/THEN statement.

What is Variable?

• A VARIABLE is a factor in an experiment that can change.• There are two types of variables in

an experiment: INDEPENDENT variable and the DEPENDENT variable.

Independent Variable

• The independent or manipulating variable is the factor that is intentionally changed by the person doing the experiment.

Dependent Variable

• The dependent or responding variable is the factor that may change because of changes made to the independent variable.

Controls or Constants

• CONTROLS or CONSTANTS are factors that scientists purposely keep the SAME in an experiment.• The purpose of a control is to

ELIMINATE OUTSIDE FACTORS that may throw off the experiment.

Critical Thinking

• What two steps of the scientific method have we been focusing on today?• Answer: “Form a Hypothesis” and

“Test your Hypothesis /Experiment”

Quick Exercise:

• Write a hypothesis about your grade in this class using an if/then statement.

• Example: If I study an hour every night, then I will get an 80% or higher on all Unit Assessments.

PRACTICE

• Situation: Juan is trying to grow plants.• Problem: Will Juan’s plants grow better if

he puts them in the sun?• Hypothesis: If Juan puts his plants in the

sun, then they will grow better.

What is the purpose of a control?

A. A control functions to make sure that everyone follows the directions of an experiment.

B. A control functions to eliminate the effect of outside variables on an experiment.

C. A control functions to increase variability in an experiment.

D. A control functions to manage the outcome of an experiment.

• Michael wants to know if mice like to eat cheese or peanut butter.

• He gets 6 white mice that are similar in size and age. • He places one mouse at a time in the center of a

large cage. • At one end of the cage is a small plate filled with

peanut butter and at the opposite end of the cage is a small plate filled with cheese.

• Michael observes each mouse for 15 minutes and records the data.

1. What is the problem?2. What is your hypothesis?3. What is the independent variable

and dependent variable in this experiment?

4. What controls would be needed?

Controls needed:• Make sure mice are getting the same

amount of water, light, heat, amount of cheese, color of cheese, different colored mice, different size cages, etc.

Wrap-Up (08-17-2011)

1. What is a hypothesis and what type of statement is it usually written as?

2. What is the purpose of a control?3. In your own words, explain what

independent variable and dependent variable mean?

Warm-Up (08-18-2011)

1. Which step of the scientific method involves modifying the experimental procedure and retesting?

2. Situation: Mr. Nettles wants to play basketball. Problem: ? Hypothesis: ?3. What are the independent and dependent variables

written in this hypothesis? “If an organism has two unlike factors for a

characteristic, [then] one may be expressed to the total exclusion of the other.” (Gregor Mendel)