Chapter 1

Here's a link to a PDF version of chapter 1 from our textbook.

Probability

In today's class, students watched the Bill Nye video on probability. After the video, they wrote paragraphs to answer three questions.

Here are the three questions. For each question, students needed to write one paragraph, including a main idea, at least three details, and a conclusion.

1) What is probability?
2) How is probability used in insurance?
3) What is a bell curve?

Extra Credit due Thursday

You have two opportunities for extra credit. You can do either assignment, or both assignments. Write your answers on a sheet of paper and turn them in on either Wednesday (Oct 16) or Thursday (Oct 17). Each correct answer is worth 10 points toward your daily effort grade in Life Science. 

Extra Credit Assignment #1

Read the article, "Brainy bees know two from three," and then answer these questions:

1. Who did the research?
2. What did scientists learn from this research? When did Zhang begin studying bees?
3. Where was the research conducted?
4. Based on the information in this article, why do you think phone numbers are made in groups of 3 and 4 numbers? For example, 863-123-1234.
5. How did scientists learn that bees can count to 3, but not to 4?

Extra Credit Assignment #2
 
Read the article, "Longer lives for wild elephants," and then answer these questions:

1. Who did the research?
2. What did scientists learn from this research?
3. Where did the scientists get the data for how long elephants live in the wild and in zoos?
4. What is one reason why elephants in zoos might die younger than elephants in the wild?
5. What can scientists learn from this research about how to best protect the small population of elephants left in the world?

Test 3 on Oct 11

There will be a test on Friday, Oct 11. The test will cover the basics of scientific method. This will be a chance for students to bring up their grades. The first test was 4 points. The second test was 26 points. This third test will be worth 100 points.

This test will cover the basics of scientific method, just like the first two tests. Many students have trouble with simple vocabulary, even though they are taught the vocabulary year after year. But, this year, students will learn the information. They will learn how scientific investigations work.

Here are the important vocabulary terms students need to know for the test:

hypothesis = a prediction of the results scientists will find in an investigation; a predicted answer to a scientific question
(important note: a scientific hypothesis must be testable; we can test whether boys are better than girls at throwing a tennis ball into a trashcan, but we cannot test whether there are other universes besides the universe we live in.)

independent variable = the variable the scientist purposely changes in an experiment in order to determine whether the dependent variable will change with the independent variable; this is also the difference between the groups being tested

dependent variable = the variable being observed and measured during the experiment to see if it changes with the independent variable

controlled variables = these are all the other variables that could change but are purposely kept the same so they don't interfere with the results of the experiment

Here are a few practice questions. These were used on Test 2.

For questions 1-3, use this hypothesis: “If some plants are fertilized with organic fertilizer, and some plants are fertilized with artificial fertilizer, then it will be found that there will be no difference in the amount the plants grow  during an 8-week period.”

1. What is the independent variable?

2. What is the dependent variable?

3. What are two controlled variables necessary for this experiment?

For questions 4-6, use this hypothesis: “If the radiation emitted from three different appliances (a hair dryer, a microwave, and a blender) are compared, then it will be found that the hair dryer emits the most radiation.”

4. What is the independent variable?

5. What is the dependent variable?

6. What are two controlled variables necessary for this experiment?

Finally, here's a review video for understanding scientific method and variables:

Summary paragraph assignment

Here's the information for the summary paragraphs students will write for "The Science of Life" reading passage. The top part of the page has directions for the paragraphs. The rest of the page has information on how to write paragraphs. Some students need help with writing good paragraphs, so I've included that information to help them be successful.

Summary Paragraphs for Three Specialties of Forensic Biology

Frayer Models

Here's the handout for the Frayer Models. Students will use this to help them learn the key vocabulary terms in the reading passages.

Frayer Models