Biology 1 College Prep
2016-2017 School Year
Wade Hampton High School Science Department
Biology I CP Common Syllabus 2016-2017
I. Course Description
This is a college-prep level course designed to provide students with a basic foundation in biology. It includes laboratory work, projects and exposure to the study of experimental design. Course content encompasses a study of ecology, human interactions with the environment and social implications, levels of biological organization, biochemistry, cellular
biology, genetics, and evolution. This is a semester course on block schedule and it counts for 1 high school science lab credit. This course is a prerequisite for all other science courses.
II. Instructional Philosophy
Instruction centers on activity-based learning including cooperative learning, project-based learning, student seat work, teacher-led instruction, and lab exercises with both student-choice and teacher-choice grouping. Students can expect to start each day with a bell ringer assignment followed by learning activities and/or lecture. Inquiry-based learning is a priority and real world application will be a daily objective. Technology is incorporated when applicable to support student achievement. The class is structured to utilize all 90 minutes for learning and assessing understanding. Students are expected to participate in all activities and actively engage and ask questions during teacher-led lecture. Students are also expected to review and study the content covered in class outside of school.
III. Course Goals & Power Standards
A. The student will understand the essential functions of life take place within cells or systems of cells. B. The student will understand that energy is harnessed, converted, and used by living organisms.
C. The student will understand genetic material determines the structure and function of living organisms. D. The student should understand the basic principles underlying natural selection and biological evolution.
E. The student will understand organisms interact with the living and non-living environment to obtain and cycle matter and energy.
IV. Course & Literacy Goals
These standards are based on Reading and Writing for Literacy in Science and Technology.
A. The student will design and complete a multi-step laboratory experiment and analyze the results to write a detailed and thorough conclusion.
B. The student will read various informational text (including research articles) to construct an argument using primary and secondary sources relevant to the unit of study.
V. Major Course Assessments and Projects A. Introduction to Course and Lab Safety
a. Lab Safety Assessment: Students are required to review and sign the lab safety contract. Students will take an assessment to verify their understanding of all safety rules and guidelines.
B. Unit 1: Cells As A System
a. Scientific Investigation Lab : Students will design a scientific investigation based on a research question. They will describe an appropriate procedure with methods of control, collect and analyze data, and present a conclusion in a formal lab report, as outlined in the Lab Report Format Guide.
b. Organelle Assessment: Students will take an assessment on cell organelles.
c. Stem Cell Research : Students will investigate the impact of stem cells by reviewing literary evidence provided by the teacher and will write a letter to a government official explaining their stance regarding future stem cell research
d. Content Assessments : Students will take four cumulative assessments that focus on each content area and consist of multiple-choice and open-response questions.
C. Unit 2: Energy Transfer
D. Unit 3: Heredity:
a. Midterm Exam : Students will take a cumulative test that consists of multiple-choice and open-response questions.
b. Meiosis Assessment: Students will take an assessment on Meiosis
c. Content Assessments : Students will take up to two cumulative assessments that focus on each content area and consist of multiple-choice and open-response questions.
E. Unit 4: Biological Evolution
a. Content Assessments : Students will take up to two cumulative assessments that focus on each content area and consist of multiple-choice and open-response questions.
b. USA TestPrep Project: Students will do practice tests for the EOC F. Unit 5: Ecosystem Dynamics
a. Content Assessment : Students will take a cumulative assessment that focuses on each content area and consist of multiple-choice and open-response questions.
G. USA TestPrep Review Project- In preparation for the EOC (End of course) exam in Biology, students will be required to complete certain practice items on the usatestprep.com website. Students will be shown how to create a profile and register, and will be given specific assignments to complete as part of their review. The EOC will count as their final exam grade.
H. End of Course (EOC) Biology Exam – This is a state standardized test that will cover all of the topics covered throughout the course. It will count as the final exam and is 20% of the overall grade. This assessment is multiple choice and given electronically at the end of the semester.
VI. Assessment and Grading Plan
Each unit consists of 2-4 major assessments. The amount of minor assessments varies per unit. However, there will be daily quizzes and one article summary for each unit. All unit tests are cumulative and include both multiple choice and open response questions.
Homework -10% (homework, study guides)
Minor Assessments – 30% (classwork, informal labs, weekly quizzes, article summaries) Major Assessments – 60% (unit tests, formal lab reports, major projects)
Final grade is calculated according to the following percent values: 1st quarter grade = 40% of final grade 2nd quarter grade = 40 % of final grade Final Exam = 20% of final grade
VII. Required and Recommended Reading Required: DiscoveryEd Biology Techbook.
Additional science article readings will be assigned during the semester. They include newspaper, magazine, and Internet sources.
VIII. 2016-2017 Pacing Guide (semester course)
*Note: EOC Review days will be built into the schedule throughout the semester. The pacing guide is subject to change based upon student acquisition of knowledge throughout the semester.
Unit Topics Time Major Assessments Standar
d
A. Intro Unit: Introduction to
Course and Safety Laboratory skills and safetyGraphing skills, data analysis
0.5 week Aug/Jan
Safety Assessment Standard H.B.1
B. Unit 1: Cells As A System Organelles
Macromolecules
Enzymes and chemical reactions
Cell division and regulation
Cellular Transport
Stem Cell Research
3.5week s Sept/ Feb Organelle Assessment
Bacteria Lab
Content Assessments (4)
Standard H.B.2
C. Unit 2: Energy Transfer ATP structure and function
Photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration
4 weeks
Sept-Oct/ Feb-Mar
Content Assessment Standard H.B.3
D. Unit 3: Heredity DNA structure and function
Replication and the central dogma
Protein synthesis
Meiosis
Mendelian genetics
Complex forms of inheritance
Mutations and genetic engineering 4weeks Oct-Nov/ Mar-April
Midterm Exam
Meiosis Assessment
Content Assessment (2)
Standard H.B.4
E. Unit 5: Evolution Natural selection
Evidence of biological evolution
Classification and phylogenetic trees 2.5 weeks Nov-Dec/ Apr-May
Content Assessment
USA Test Prep Project
Standard B-5
F. Unit 6: Ecosystem
Dynamics Principles of ecologyInteractions in ecosystems
Geochemical cycles and ecological succession
Human impact on ecosystems
3.5 weeks Dec-Jan/
May-June
South Carolina Biology Standards
Standard H.B.1: The student will use the science and engineering practices, including the processes and skills of scientific inquiry, to develop understandings of science content.
Indicators:
H.B.1A.1 Ask questions to (1) generate hypotheses for scientific investigations, (2) refine models, explanations, or designs, or (3) extend the results of investigations or challenge scientific arguments or claims.
H.B.1A.2 Develop, use, and refine models to (1) understand or represent phenomena, processes, and relationships, (2) test devices or solutions, or (3) communicate ideas to others.
H.B.1A.3 Plan and conduct controlled scientific investigations to answer questions, test hypotheses, and develop explanations: (1) formulate scientific questions and testable hypotheses based on credible scientific information, (2) identify materials, procedures, and variables, (3) use appropriate laboratory equipment, technology, and techniques to collect qualitative and quantitative data, and (4) record and represent data in an appropriate form. Use appropriate safety procedures.
H.B.1A.4 Analyze and interpret data from informational texts and data collected from investigations using a range of methods (such as tabulation, graphing, or statistical analysis) to (1) reveal patterns and construct meaning, (2) support or refute hypotheses, explanations, claims, or designs, or (3) evaluate the strength of conclusions.
H.B.1A.5 Use mathematical and computational thinking to (1) use and manipulate appropriate metric units, (2) express relationships between variables for models and investigations, and (3) use grade-level appropriate statistics to analyze data.
H.B.1A.6 Construct explanations of phenomena using (1) primary or secondary scientific evidence and models, (2) conclusions from scientific investigations, (3) predictions based on observations and measurements, or (4) data communicated in graphs, tables, or diagrams.
H.B.1A.7 Construct and analyze scientific arguments to support claims, explanations, or designs using evidence and valid reasoning from observations, data, or informational texts.
Standard H.B.2: The student will demonstrate the understanding that the essential functions of life take place within cells or systems of cells.
Indicators:
H.B.2A.1 Construct explanations of how the structures of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids are related to their functions in organisms.
H.B.2A.2 Plan and conduct investigations to determine how various environmental factors (including temperature and pH) affect enzyme activity and the rate of biochemical reactions.
H.B.2B.1 Develop and use models to explain how specialized structures within cells interact to produce, modify, and transport proteins. Models should compare and contrast how prokaryotic cells meet the same life needs as eukaryotic cells without similar structures
H.B.2B.2 Collect and interpret descriptive data on cell structure to compare and contrast different types of cells.
H.B.2B.3 Obtain information to contrast the structure of viruses with that of cells and to explain, in general, why viruses must use living cells to reproduce.
H.B.2C.1 Develop and use models to exemplify how the cell membrane serves to maintain homeostasis of the cell through both active and passive transport processes.
H.B.2C.2 Ask scientific questions to define the problems that organisms face in maintaining homeostasis within different environments
H.B.2C.3 Analyze and interpret data to explain the movement of molecules (including water) across a membrane.
H.B.2D.1 Construct models to explain how the processes of cell division and cell differentiation produce and maintain complex multicellular organisms.
H.B.2D.2 Develop and use models to exemplify the changes that occur in a cell during the cell cycle and predict what might happen to a cell that does not progress through the cycle correctly.
H.B.2D.3 Construct explanations for how the cell cycle is monitored by check point systems and communicate possible consequences of the continued cycling of abnormal cells.
H.B.2D.4 Construct scientific arguments to support the pros and cons of biotechnological applications of stem cells using examples from both plants and animals.
Indicators:
H.B.3A.1 Develop and use models to explain how chemical reactions among ATP, ADP, and inorganic phosphate act to transfer chemical energy within cells. H.B.3A.2 Develop and revise models to describe how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy.
H.B.3A.3 Construct scientific arguments to support claims that chemical elements in the sugar molecules produced by photosynthesis may interact with other elements to form amino acids, lipids, nucleic acids or other large organic molecules.
H.B.3A.4 Develop models of the major inputs and outputs of cellular respiration (aerobic and anaerobic) to exemplify the chemical process in which the bonds of molecules are broken, the bonds of new compounds are formed and a net transfer of energy results.
H.B.3A.5 Plan and conduct scientific investigations or computer simulations to determine the relationship between variables that affect the processes of fermentation and/or cellular respiration in living organisms and interpret the data in terms of real-world phenomena.
Standard H.B.4: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the specific mechanisms by which characteristics or traits are transferred from one generation to the next via genes.
Indicators:
H.B.4A.1 Develop and use models at different scales to explain the relationship between DNA, genes, and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits transferred from parent to offspring.
H.B.4A.2 Develop and use models to explain how genetic information (DNA) is copied for transmission to subsequent generations of cells (mitosis).
H.B.4B.1 Develop and use models to describe how the structure of DNA determines the structure of resulting proteins or RNA molecules that carry out the essential functions of life.
H.B.4B.2 Obtain, evaluate and communicate information on how biotechnology (including gel electrophoresis, plasmid-based transformation and DNA fingerprinting) may be used in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and forensic science.
H.B.4C.1 Develop and use models of sex cell formation (meiosis) to explain why the DNA of the daughter cells is different from the DNA of the parent cell.
H.B.4C.2 Analyze data on the variation of traits among individual organisms within a population to explain patterns in the data in the context of transmission of genetic information.
H.B.4C.3 Construct explanations for how meiosis followed by fertilization ensures genetic variation among offspring within the same family and genetic diversity within populations of sexually reproducing organisms.
H.B.4D.1 Develop and use models to explain how mutations in DNA that occur during replication (1) can affect the proteins that are produced or the traits that result and (2) may or may not be inherited.
Standard B-5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of biological evolution and the diversity of life.
Indicators:
B-5.1 Summarize the process of natural selection.
B-5.2 Explain how genetic processes result in the continuity of life-forms over time. B-5.3 Explain how diversity within a species increases the chances of its survival.
B-5.4 Explain how genetic variability and environmental factors lead to biological evolution.
B-5.5 Exemplify scientific evidence in the fields of anatomy, embryology, biochemistry, and paleontology that underlies the theory of biological evolution. B-5.6 Summarize ways that scientists use data from a variety of sources to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory.
B-5.7 Use a phylogenetic tree to identify the evolutionary relationships among different group of organisms.
Standard H.B.6: The student will demonstrate an understanding that ecosystems are complex, interactive systems that include both biological communities and physical components of the environment.
Indicators:
H.B.6A.1 Analyze and interpret data that depict changes in the abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem over time or space and propose hypotheses about possible relationships between the changes in the abiotic components and the biotic components of the environment.
H.B.6A.2 Use mathematical and computational thinking to support claims that limiting factors affect the number of individuals that an ecosystem can support. H.B.6B.1 Develop and use models of the carbon cycle, which include the interactions between photosynthesis, cellular respiration and other processes that release carbon dioxide, to evaluate the effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide on natural and agricultural ecosystems.
H.B.6B.2 Analyze and interpret quantitative data to construct an explanation for the effects of greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) on the carbon cycle and global climate.
H.B.6D.1 Design solutions to reduce the impact of human activity on the biodiversity of an ecosystem.
Lab Safety at Wade Hampton High School
As a student you have a responsibility to conduct yourself in a mature, safe and responsible manner while participating in laboratory work. To ensure a safe classroom environment, we developed a list of rules all science students must abide by while participating in labs.
You MUST follow the rules at all times.
Rules for all science classes:
1. Pay attention to your teacher’s pre-lab safety instructions. 2. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner.
3. Do not work alone.
4. Do not chew gum, eat food, or drink anything (including water).
5. Follow written instructions in lab reports.
6. Wear eye protection as instructed to do so by your teacher. 7. Remove contact lenses if told to do so by your teacher. 8. Tie back long hair and remove loose clothing when there
are open flames in the laboratory.
9. Do not leave a lit laboratory burner unattended.
10. Wear lab aprons and/or latex gloves when told to do so by your teacher.
11. Horseplay, practical jokes, or pranks are dangerous and will not be tolerated in the laboratory.
12. Keep the work area clean and free of clutter at all times. 13. Know the locations and operating procedures of the safety
equipment.
14. Tell your teacher if you observe any unsafe conditions during lab.
15. Do not pour liquids, other than water, in the sink unless told to do so by your teacher.
16. Place waste solids and other insoluble materials in proper waste containers.
17. Keep hands away from your face, eyes and mouth when using chemicals.
18. Do not wander from your assigned lab station. 19. Under no circumstances enter the prep room.
20. Listen to your teacher’s instructions if a fire drill or other emergency situation should occur during a lab activity. 21. Immediately tell your teacher if you are involved in or
observe an accident such as spills, breakages, burns, cuts, etc.
22. Your teacher will ensure broken glassware is properly removed and disposed of.
23. Assist your classmates as needed if an emergency eyewash or shower is needed.
24. Never remove chemicals or specimens from the lab area. 25. Do not use chipped or cracked glassware during lab
activities.
26. Immediately report problems with electrical equipment or electric outlets to your teacher.
27. Do not immerse hot glassware in cold water (it may shatter).
28. Do not place a hot beaker or flask directly on a lab table
Special rules for Chemistry and Physical Science Classes:
1. Do not touch, taste, or smell any chemicals unless instructed to do so by your teacher.
2. Take only enough chemicals to do the lab activity. Do not return excess chemicals to their original containers. 3. Never use mouth suction to fill a pipette. Use a pipette
pump o rubber bulb designed for the purpose.
4. Hold containers away from your body when transferring chemicals from one container or another.
5. Dilute acids only as instructed by adding the acid slowly to the water.
6. Handle flammable hazardous liquids over a pan to contain spills.
Special Rules for Life Science Classes:
1. Dispose of prepared dissection specimens in appropriate designated waste container.
2. Report any broken scalpels immediately.
3. Use goggles, aprons and gloves during all dissections. 4. Respect any living organism within the classroom as
directed.
5. Alert the teacher immediately if feeling ill. Student Name / Date
Print _________________________________________ Sign _________________________________________
Parent Name / Date
surface. Use an insulating pad.
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Understanding each student’s needs and each family’s goals in high school is critical to our success. We in the science department are keenly aware of how students learn. Research has also proven that students learn best by doing. Unfortunately our small budget allows for the bare minimum of lab equipment and materials to be purchased each year. In order to provide for a rich learning environment in several science courses we are instituting a lab fee to provide each student the experience that is above and beyond the basic lab classroom. We work on achieving a plan and strategy that provides the experience for the greatest success. Each science course was evaluated individually and the following lab fee will be instituted for the 2016-2017 school year.
Biology 1 CP -- $8.00
This fee will go toward the purchase of lab materials, including equipment and the notes/lab manual for Biology 1 CP, for your student, and will not be used to fund any school activities other than those your student will be participating in as a part of the Biology 1 CP course at Wade Hampton High School.
Thank You,
Biology teachers,
Safety Equipment Scavenger Hunt Questions
Emergency Shutoff Button 1. What does this button do? 2. When should it be used?
3. What should all students do when informed that this button is going to be pressed?
Emergency Eyewash Stations
4. What does this piece of safety equipment do? 5. How long should students rinse their eyes?
6. If your lab partner has something splashed in their eyes, what is your role?
Emergency Shower
7. When should this safety equipment be used?
8. What is your role if your lab partner somehow catches fire?
Exits
9. How many exits exist in this room that lead directly to the hallway?
10. When are the only times you should use the exit at the back of the room?
Fire Extinguisher
11. What is this device used for?
12. When a fire extinguisher is operated, a simple acronym for its functioning should be employed: PASS. What does this acronym stand for? (Write down more than one word for each letter).
P- A- S- S-
Lab Aprons
13. What is the function of this lab equipment? 14. Is this required to be worn during all labs?
Latex Gloves
15. What is the purpose of latex gloves?
Safety Goggles
16. Where are safety goggles found?
17. Why are they kept in this special cabinet? 18. When should safety goggles be worn? 19. How are these different from safety glasses?
Fire Blanket
20. What piece of safety equipment can this substitute for in an emergency? 21. What position should a student be in when using this equipment on them? 22. When can a fire blanket be removed from an individual’s body?
23. What precautions should you take against catching on fire?
Broken Glassware Disposal
Lab Equipment Station Questions
Erlenmeyer Flask
1. What is this glassware primarily used for?
2. What kinds of measurements should you not attempt to make with this glassware?
Graduated Cylinder
3. What kinds of measurements can be made with a graduated cylinder? 4. What are graduated cylinders not intended for when it comes to liquids?
Beaker
5. Do you think beakers are capable of measuring precise amounts of liquid? Why or why not?
Test Tubes/Rack
6. What are test tubes used for?
7. What are test tubes not intended for?
Safety Goggles/Glasses
8. How are safety goggles different from safety glasses?
9. What can safety goggles protect against that safety glasses cannot?
Hot Plates
10. What is the boiling temperature of water?
11. What kind of glassware would you heat liquids in on a hot plate?
Alcohol Thermometers
12. What type of degrees do you think you should use to measure temperatures in, Celsius or Farenheit?
Dissecting Kit
13. What injury should you be most aware of when using a dissecting kit? 14. How should you orient all of the instruments when using them?
Tongs/Forceps
15. What kinds of things are each of these used to grasp?
16. Which of these would you use to pick up a potentially hot test tube?
Glassware Cleaners
17. How does the shape of glassware cleaners make them good tools for cleaning things like test tubes?
Rulers/Meter Sticks
18. Which of these instruments would be best for measuring something like the length of your pencil? 19. Which of these instruments would provide you with the best measurement for the height of a person?
Bunsen Burner
20. What could you use a Bunsen burner for?
21. What other lab tools would you use with a Bunsen burner?
Rubber Stopper
Digital Scale
24. What types of measurements are made using a scale?
25. What do you always need to remember to do before trying to weigh something on the scale?
Microscope
26. How many times can something be magnified with a microscope?
27. What other piece of lab equipment do you think you could use with a microscope?
Hand Lens
28. Compare/contrast a hand lens with a microscope. How are they similar, and when specifically would you use each of them?
Glass Slides and Cover Slips
29. What parte of a slide do you think you should touch to avoid smudging anything on it? 30. What other piece of lab equipment would you use a slide with, aside from a cover slip?
Dissecting Pan
31. What needs to be done to the dissecting tray equipment after completing a dissection? 32. What other lab equipment items might you use along with the dissecting tray? List 3.
Petri Dish
33. How might a petri dish be used in a biology class?
34. When can petri dishes be reused, and what must be done to them in order to be reused?
Eyedropper
35. When working with multiple chemicals, what should you be careful not to do when using an eyedropper to distribute the chemicals?
36. How do you avoid this problem? (what should you use to prevent this?)
Funnel
Name:
Identifying Laboratory Equipment
Introduction
Scientists use a variety of tools to explore the world around them. These tools are very important in the advancement of science. Scientists have to know which tools to use to solve the problems on which they are working. You will learn about the some of the tools that a biologist might use to carry out an investigation and how to identify them.
1. What kinds of measurements might you need to make in the laboratory?
2. What kinds of equipment would you need for these tasks?
3. There is a variety of glassware and each can be used for measuring. Why are there several types of glassware marked for measuring?
4. How might glassware be used differently?
5. When might you need to use a thermometer in the lab?
6. Which laboratory tools can be used to magnify smallobjects so they can be seen more easily?
7. Which laboratory tools are useful when looking at the inside of a plant cell?
8. What tool or tools would you use to makeeach of the following measurements? a. width of your textbook
b. mass of an apple
c. temperature of the water in a pot of boiling water
d. amount of water in the bottom of a small glass
9. How do laboratory tools improve theobservations made by a scientist?
10. List five laboratory tools that are not part of # 6, 7, 8, or 9. What is the function of each one?
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21
1. 8. 15.
2. 9. 16.
3. 10. 17.
4. 11. 18.
5. 12. 19.
6. 13. 20.
Science Lab Safety
Introduction:
The laboratory is a unique place where you can learn by doing things that you couldn’t do elsewhere. It also involves some dangers that can be controlled if you follow these special safety notes and all instructions from your teacher. It is your responsibility to protect yourself and other students by conducting yourself in a safe manner while in the laboratory. Familiarize yourself with the printed safety symbols – they indicate additional measures that you must take.
While in the laboratory…
Familiarize yourself with the investigation – especially safety issues- before entering the lab area. Know the potential hazards of the materials, equipment, and the procedures required. Ask the teacher to
explain any parts you do not understand before you start.
Never perform any experiment not specifically assigned by your teacher. Never work with any unauthorized material.
Never work alone in the laboratory.
Know the location of all safety and emergency equipment used in the laboratory. Examples include: eyewash stations, safety blankets, safety shower, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and chemical spill kit. Before beginning work: tie back long hair, roll up loose sleeves, and put on any personal protective
equipment required by your teacher (goggles, gloves, etc.). Avoid or confine loose clothing that could knock things over or ignite or soak up chemical solutions.
Report any accident, incidents or hazard – no matter how trivial – to your teacher immediately. Any incident involving bleeding, burns, fainting, chemical exposure, or ingestion should also be reported to your school nurse or physician.
In case of fire, alert the teacher immediately and follow your teacher’s instructions.
Never eat, drink, or apply cosmetics in the laboratory. Never store food in the laboratory area. Keep your hands away from your face, and wash your hands at the conclusion of each laboratory investigation before leaving the lab area. Remember that some hair products are highly flammable, even after
application.
Keep your work area neat and uncluttered. Bring only books and other materials that are needed to conduct the experiment.
Clean your work area at the conclusion of the experiment as your teacher directs.
When called for, use these specific safety procedures:
Eye Safety
Wear approved chemical safety goggles as directed. Goggles should always be worn when you are working with chemicals, heating substances, using any mechanical device, or observing a physical process.
In case of eye contact:
o Go to an eyewash station and flush eyes (including under the eyelids) with running water for at least 15 minutes.
o Notify your teacher or other adult in charge.
Never look directly at the sun through any optical device or lens system, or gather direct sunlight to illuminate a microscope. Such actions will concentrate light rays that could severely burn your retina, possible causing blindness.
Electrical Supply
Never use equipment with frayed cords.
Ensure that electrical cords are taped to work surfaces so that no one will trip and fall and so that equipment can’t be pulled off the table.
Never use electrical equipment around water or with wet hands or clothing.
Clothing Protection
Wear an apron or laboratory coat when working in the lab to prevent chemicals from contacting skin or contaminating clothing. Confine all loose clothing and long jewelry.
Sharp Object Safety
Use extreme care with all sharp instruments, such as scalpels, probes and knives. Never use double-edged razor blades in the laboratory.
Never cut objects while holding them in your hand. Place objects on a suitable work surface and cut away from your body.
Glassware Safety
Inspect glassware before use; never use chipped or cracked glassware. Tell your teacher immediately if you find broken glassware, and dispose of it in the appropriate container.
Always clean up broken glass by using tongs and a brush and dustpan. Discard the pieces in an appropriately labeled “sharps” container. Never place broken glass in a regular trash can.
Chemical Safety
Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Eye goggles, gloves and apron or lab coat should always be worn when working with any chemical or chemical solution.
Never taste, touch, or smell any substance or bring it close to your eyes, unless specifically told to do so by your teacher. If you are directed by your teacher to note the odor of a substance, do so by wafting (waving the fumes toward your with your hand).
Always handle any chemical with care. Check the label on the bottle and observe safe-use procedures. Never return unused chemicals to the original container. Return unused bottles or containers to your teacher. Store chemicals according to your teacher’s directions.
Never mix chemicals unless specifically told to do so by your teacher.
Never pour water into a strong acid or base. The mixture can produce heat and splatter. Do as you oughta –
Add acid (or base) to water
Report any spill immediately to your teacher. Handle spills only as your teacher directs.
Check for the presence of any source of flames, sparks or heat (open flame, electric heating coils, etc.) before working with flammable liquids or gases.
Heating Safety
When heating chemicals in a test tube, never point the test tube toward anyone.
Know the location of laboratory fire extinguishers and fire blankets. Have ice readily available in case of burns or scalds.
Use tongs or appropriate insulated holders when heating objects. Heated objects often do not look hot. Never pick up an object with your hands unless you are certain it is cold.
Keep combustibles away from heat and other ignition sources.
Plant Safety
Do not ingest any plant part used in the laboratory (especially seeds sold commercially). Do not rub any sap or plant juice on your eyes or skin.
Wear protective gloves when handling any wild plant.
Wash your hands thoroughly after handling any plant or plant part. Avoid touching your hands to your face or eyes.
Proper Waste Disposal
Clean and decontaminate all work surfaces and personal protective equipment as directed by your teacher.
Dispose of all sharps (broken glass and other contaminated sharp objects) and other contaminated materials (biological or chemical) in the special containers as directed by your teacher.
Hygienic Care
Keep your hands away from your face and mouth.
Wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the laboratory.
Remove contaminated clothing immediately; launder contaminated clothing separately.
When handling bacteria or similar microorganisms, use the proper technique demonstrated by your teacher. Examine microorganism cultures (such as Petri dishes) without opening them.
Concept 1 Notes: Nature of Science Questions and Vocabulary
Definition of Science
“Science is a particular way of knowing about the world. In science, explanations are limited to those based on observations and experiments that can be
substantiated by other scientists. Explanation that cannot be based on empirical evidence are not part of science.”
– The National Academy of Sciences
Types of Scientific Knowledge
Law Theory
Characteristics of Scientists:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observation Inference
Qualitative Observation –
Concept 2 Notes: Nature of Science Questions and Vocabulary
What is the “goal” of Scientific Investigations: Components (parts)
a scientific experiment? 1. Observation
2. Guiding Question
3. Purpose/Objective
4. Hypothesis
Testable –
Variable –
Rewrite the definition in your own words below:
Use research/observations that meet the following criteria: o Credible –
o Accurate – o Relevant –
Format for a Hypothesis: “If ____, then ____.”
Predicts a relationship between
“cause / independent variable” and “effect / dependent variable”
Independent Variable (IV)
Dependent Variable (DV)
*Use your independent and dependent variables to make a PREDICTION – then insert it into the proper “If, then” format.
Ex. If I study for more hours, then I will get a higher score on my test.
6. Experimental Procedure
Constant Variables vs. Control Groups
When designing an experiment, you should always have ONE independent variable, ONE dependent variable. Every OTHER variable is a constant and should be kept the same. (Ex. If you are testing how amount of studying impacts your grade on a test, ONLY the amount of studying should change – amount of sleep, subject of the test, etc. should stay the same.)
The control group is the group you use for comparison with your experimental groups. (Ex. Take the test without studying at all (control) – then compare that with your score after you study for 1/2/3/etc. hours.)
7. Results
-- Use an appropriate graph (bar, circle, line) to best represent your data. Always include a descriptive title and label your axes (with units of measurement)!
o DRY MIX – Dependent/Responding variable is graphed on Y-axis, Manipulated/Independent variable is graphed on X-axis
-8. Analysis
- Explain your results. **This is the most important section of your lab report!
9. Conclusion
- Refer back to your hypothesis – was it supported or refuted?
Summary Concept 1 and 2
Write your summary on the back of this sheet.
Include the following (in full sentences) in your summary-- Why can’t a theory ever become scientific law?
Constant =
Control Group =
- Describe the difference between an observation and an inference (you may use examples to help!).
- How do you plan and carry out a scientific investigation?
Evaluating Experimental Designs Practice
Identify the independent variable (IV), dependent variable (DV), and 3 constant variables for each of the
descriptions below. While the IV and DV should be clear from the descriptions, three constants may not always be listed. In those cases, you should suggest appropriate constants based on the description of the investigation.
1. Melisa and Jennifer decide to study the effect of caffeine on the breathing rate of goldfish. They first decide to gather 5 goldfish of similar size, and ensure that they are all the same gender. They then place the goldfish in separate beakers filled with water from the same tank. They record the breathing rates of each goldfish for two minutes in order to find out what a normal breathing rate is. After gathering some baseline data, Jennifer and Melisa then add 5 ml of regular Coca Cola to the first beaker, 10 ml to the second, 15 ml to the third, 20 ml to the fourth, and 25 ml to the fifth. They then recorded how the breathing rates of each goldfish changed over the next two minutes, and compared it with the data they recorded earlier.
IV: ____________________ DV: ____________________ 3 constant variables: ____________________
2. Kyle and Lesha design an experiment to determine which brand of paper towel is the best. To define the best, they intend to measure how much liquid one sheet of each brand can absorb. The two lab partners gather several brands of paper towel, and begin by pouring 2 ml of water on a countertop for each brand they intend to test. They then wipe up the puddle of water with each brand of paper towel, and record whether any water drips from the paper towel when held above the countertop. Lesha and Kyle increase the amount of water poured on the countertop by 1 ml until every brand of paper towel drips water after wiping up the puddle.
IV: ____________________ DV: ____________________ 3 constant variables: ____________________
3. Natalie and Zahri are working together to test three different foods for the presence of simple sugars. As their foods to test, they decide on Oreos, Slim Jims, and a potato. Using a digital scale, they measure out 2 grams of each sample food, and submerge them in separate test tubes each containing 5 ml of water. After adding the samples to the water, Zahri and Natalie add 1 ml of Benedict’s Reagent, a chemical that turns from blue to orange when heated in the presence of simple sugars. When the color changes from blue to orange, it means the food contains simple sugars. They heat each sample in the same hot water bath for 3 minutes, and then examine the color of the tube.
IV: ____________________ DV: ____________________ 3 constant variables: ____________________
4. Eren and Cody are studying how the amount of grass in a field influences the number of sheep that can be sustained on the field. They begin by surveying several farms in the county, and select 8 farms that vary in the size of their sheep fields between 2 and 15 acres of grass. They make sure to select farms that grow the same species of sheep, and examine each flock during the 1st two weeks of July. For data, they record how many
sheep each farm is grazing on its field, and determine what density of sheep can be sustained by dividing the number of sheep by the size of the field they’re grazing on.
IV: ____________________ DV: ____________________ 3 constant variables: ____________________
the three plants, moving each under either a red, green, or blue lamp. The two continue to grow the plants for an additional two months, measuring their height in centimeters each day.
Who is Your Genetic Relative?
We inherit many physical traits from our ancestors. Some are not what you would normally think about. The ability to roll your tongue, how your fingers grow, and how your ears look can all be determined by your parents’ genes. They got these traits from your grandparents, who got them from your great-grandparents, on
and on into your past ancestry.
Get to know some of your classmates and learn if some of their inherited traits match yours!
Name
Roll
Tongue?
(No, Yes, or Clover)
Widow’s
Peak?
(Yes or No)
Earlobe?
(Attached or Free)
Right
Handed?
(Yes or No)
Cheek
Dimples?
(Yes or No)
