BIOLOGY/SEMESTER 1
LAB ACTIVITIES
UNIT 1
Discipline Lab Notebook:
List at least five disciplines in biology. Write a brief description of what you think this
discipline involves, then use the Internet to see how close your description was.
* Examples would include any of the following, although the descriptions should be more
detailed:
1. Biochemistry- the study of the chemistry of life.
2. Ecology- the study of how organisms interact with each other and with their
environment.
3. Cell biology- the study of life on the cellular level.
4. Genetics- the study of how organisms pass traits to their offspring.
5. Microbiology- the study of microscopic organisms.
6. Botany- the study of plants.
7. Zoology- the study of animals
Experiment Lab Notebook:
QUESTION: In the soup story, was the experiment controlled? Consider a commonly
conducted science fair experiment. Sandy wants to test the effect of rap music on pea
plant growth. She plays loud rap music 24 hours a day to a series of pea plants grown
under light, and watered every day. At the end of her experiment she concludes rap is
conducive to plant growth. Her teacher grades her project very low, citing the lack of a
control group for the experiment. Sandy returns to her experiment, but this time she has a
separate group of plants under the same conditions as the rapping plants, but with
soothing Led Zeppelin songs playing. She comes to the same conclusion as before, but
now has a basis for comparison. Her teacher gives her project a better grade.
The science fair experiment is a controlled experiment.
The soup story was not controlled.
Heredity Lab Notebook:
Why don't humans have feathers?
* Acceptable answers would include any of the following:



The fact that humans do not fly and feathers are unnecessary.
In terms of evolution- our most recent ancestors were not birds.
Feathers would not give us any advantage for survival.
Unifying Themes Lab Notebook:
Were there any characteristics that you did not originally have on your list? Were there
any you had that we did not?
This is a subjective question with no right or wrong answer. Responses should be- easy
to understand & read (spelling & grammar) and show some level of effort.
Characteristics of Life Discussion:
Here are six living things: a person, an oak tree, a mushroom, an amoeba, seaweed, and a
bacterium. What features do they all have in common? How do they differ? Use the
Internet to aid your research.
* Common features- all exhibit the presence of the seven characteristics of life (discussed
earlier) at some stage in an organism’s life.







All living things are made up of one or more cells.
All living things are able to reproduce and make copies of themselves/offspring.
Another common characteristic among living things is the need for energy in
order to survive.
Materials for use by an organism are obtained from the environment. Waste
products of metabolism must be removed from cells.
Living things have a mechanism by which they can pass traits along to their
offspring.
Changes in the environment require adaptations by the organism.
Living things interact with each other in a process known as symbiosis. They
also interact with their environment.
Differences





A person is: a multicellular, eukaryotic organism, a heterotrophic (cannot make
their own food) animal.
An oak tree is: a multicellular, eukaryotic organism, an autotrophic (can make
their own food) plant. Lives on the land.
A mushroom is: a multicellular, eukaryotic organism, a heterotrophic (cannot
make their own food) fungi.
An amoeba is: a multicellular, eukaryotic organism, a heterotrophic (cannot make
their own food) protist.
Seaweed is: a multicellular, eukaryotic organism, an autotrophic (can make their
own food) plant. Lives in aquatic environments.
A bacterium is: a unicellular prokaryotic organism that is autotrophic (can make
their own food).
UNIT 2
P-Energy Lab Notebook:
Make a list of the types of energy you use or encounter everyday. Then decide whether
that energy is potential or kinetic energy. Use the Internet to check your answers.
* Since this lab is worth 10 points, the standard response should include five of each type.
Potential energy- energy that is stored. Examples- any type of food, gasoline, firewood,
coal, explosives, batteries.
Kinetic energy- energy that is in motion. Examples- sunlight, wind, electricity, heat from
a fire, walking, running.
P-Reactions Lab Notebook:
List the types of chemical reactions you encounter everyday. Indicate if they are
endergonic or exergonic. How can you tell the difference between these two terms?
* Endergonic reactions- Reactions that require energy input and which tend to produce
products with greater energy than the beginning products. Examples- Activation of dry
hot/cold packs, melting of ice, boiling of water.
Exergonic reactions- Reactions that generate energy. Examples- freezing of water,
condensation of water, charcoal fire, iron combining with oxygen to form rust.
P-Remote Lab NotebookLook around your house for any remote controls or wireless devices. Make a list of them
and see if you can see any light when you press the remote buttons.
* Answers will vary. Two of my remote controls gave off a light (both are TV remote
controls) while the remaining ones did not (CD player, radio, DVD player).
P-Food Lab NotebookMake a list of the food you typically eat. How many of them are plant parts? How many
are animal-derived? Where does the energy come from to make these foods?
* The following is a table of some possible answers:
FOOD
Milk
Cereal
Bagel
Potato chips
bread
SOURCE
animal
plant
plant
plant
plant
ENERGY TO MAKE
cellular respiration
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Ham
salad
steak
Baked potato
Ice cream
animal
plant
animal
plant
animal
cellular respiration
Photosynthesis
cellular respiration
Photosynthesis
cellular respiration
P-Oxygen Lab Notebook:
Where does the oxygen used in aerobic cellular respiration come from?
* The air that we breathe from the atmosphere.
Cellular Respiration Discussion:
This unit has focused on the uptake of carbon dioxide by photosynthetic organisms and
its release during aerobic cellular respiration. Discuss the processes involved in the
production of the classic teenager lunch: burger (with lettuce, tomato and pickles), fries,
and a milkshake.

What process made the components of the meal?
*The burger and the milkshake are produced from a cow which sustains itself through
cellular respiration. The lettuce, tomato, pickles (cucumber) and fries (potato) are all
plants which are photosynthetic organisms.

How will the various organic molecule groups (recall: carbohydrates, lipids,
protein) be utilized in your body during YOUR aerobic cellular respiration?
* The burger & milkshake will provide proteins and lipids. Lipids are involved mainly
with long-term energy storage, control of cellular processes, and structure, among many
other jobs they do in living things. Proteins are very important in biological systems as
control molecules and structural elements. The photosynthetic organisms will contribute
carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the key source of energy, found in most foods,
especially fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Unit 3
Telescopes and Microscopes Lab Notebook:
How do telescopes and microscopes resemble each other?
* Both telescopes and microscopes produce magnified images of objects that couldn’t
otherwise be seen with the unaided eye.
How do they differ?
* A telescope is used to magnify very distant objects, while a microscope is used to
magnify very small objects
Measurement Lab Notebook:
How many micrometers are there in one millimeter? * 1,000
How many nanometers does it take to make one millimeter? * 1,000,000
Cell Division Lab Notebook:
What purpose does having three cell division processes serve?
* Organisms use the simplest method of creating new cells and one of these three is the
simplest way to do it.
What happens in each, and how does that differ as well as resemble what happens in the
others?
* Binary Fission occurs in prokaryotes and is a simple copying and segregation of the
single chromosome to opposite sides of the cell before the cytoplasm is divided. Mitosis
is a more complicated process that eukaryotes do to copy and segregate their
chromosomes to opposite sides of the cell before the cytoplasm is divided. Both mitosis
and binary fission produce cells that are genetically identical to each other, and each
process may therefore be involved in asexual reproduction. Meiosis is the eukaryotic cell
division process where cells produce new copies that are genetically dissimilar. This
process is restricted to organisms that reproduce sexually.
Cancer Lab Notebook:
Open your notebook and write a short report about the cellular nature of cancer.
* There are certain genes that contain the information that is needed to make proteins
which regulate cell growth and division. If one of these genes is changed or mutated, the
protein may not function properly and disruption of cell growth and division can occur.
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells and is a disorder of cell division. These types
of cells don’t respond to the normal control mechanisms of the body. Some types of
cancer speed up the cell cycle, while others inactivate the control proteins that would
normally slow the cycle down. The defective cell will divide and produce more and more
defective cells until they form a mass called a tumor.
Image Lab Notebook:
Open your notebook and search for and review three sites that offer in your opinion good
images, animation, or video that would help in your study of this topic.
* The topic is mitosis, the websites should look factual with more .edu’s and .gov’s than
.com’s.
Organelles Discussion:
Humans are animals. Describe the organelles and structures that would occur in an
animal cell. As a multicellular creature, you began your genetic existence as a single cell.
Describe the process of mitosis and how it plays a role in your growth and development
into the fine person you are today.
* The following table will outline the a few organelles and their function(s).
ORGANELLE
Ribosome
Endoplasmic
reticulum
Golgi Complex
Mitochondria
Nucleus
Lysosome
DESCRIPTION OR FUNCTION
Protein synthesis
Protein & lipid synthesis and transport
Packaging center
Convert sugars into energy (ATP)
Stores the cell’s DNA
Break down large molecules
Mitosis is a continuous process that is often observed in four stages: prophase,
metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
Prophase- chromosomes condense, nuclear membrane dissolves, chromosomes move to
opposite poles, spindle forms.
Metaphase- condensed chromosomes line up on the equator of the cell, spindle fibers link
the chromatids to opposite poles.
Anaphase- spindle fibers shorten, chromatids are pulled to opposite to opposite ends of
the cell.
Telophase- nuclear envelope forms at each pole, spindle dissolves, chromosomes uncoil,
cytokenesis begins.
Mitosis is occurring throughout the majority of your body to provide new cells for both
growth and repair. This replacement of cells is important for keeping your body healthy.
It is also the process that allowed you to grow from a single cell into the human being
you are today.
Mitosis Lab Notebook:
What is the objective of mitosis? * The objective of mitosis is to divide one cell into two
with a complete copy of the original DNA.
What mechanism(s) in mitosis allow this to occur? * The four stages of prophase,
metaphase, anaphase and telophase.
Compare that answer to- What is the objective of meiosis? * The objective of meiosis is
to produce two cells with half of the DNA (chromosomes) as the original cell.
What mechanism(s) in meiosis allow this to occur? * The centromeres in anaphase I in
meiosis don’t divide as they do in anaphase of mitosis.
Meiosis Lab Notebook:
You have seen the images of meiosis shown here, and read the text description. In your
notebook make a series of your own sketches and write what happens in each phase of
meiosis. Do this without looking at the materials above. Once complete, refer to what we
have given you and annotate your own work. How did you do? If you have the ability to
scan your sketches, please include them in your submission. Otherwise, a description is
all you need to submit.
* The description and/or sketches should be consistent with the content from Section 4,
Part 5 of Unit 3.
Cloning Lab Notebook:
Open your notebook and write a three-paragraph statement of your view on cloning. Use
the Internet and cite your sources in your work.
* The paragraphs should be well researched, and written. It doesn’t matter what their
view is as long as it is supported by some facts.
UNIT 4
Biography Lab Notebook:
Use the Internet to prepare a brief biography of one of the following key people in the
development of genetics: Mendel; DeVries, Sutton, T.H. Morgan, W.C. Farabee. Record
your biography in your notebook.
* Some short facts about each.
Gregor Mendel- (1822 - 1884)



Scientist often called the "father of modern genetics" for his study of the
inheritance of traits in pea plants.
Mendel showed that the inheritance of traits follows particular laws, which were
later named after him.
The importance of Mendel's work was not recognized until the turn of the 20th
century. The rediscovery of his work prompted the foundation of genetics.
Hugo Marie de Vries- (1848 – 1935)

A Dutch botanist, known chiefly for rediscovering Gregor Mendel's laws of
heredity in 1900, and for later developing his own anti-Darwinian mutation theory
of evolution.
Walter Stanborough Sutton- (1877 – 1916)

An American biologist whose most significant contribution to biology was his
theory that the Mendelian laws of inheritance could be applied to chromosomes at
the cellular level.
Thomas Hunt Morgan- (1866 – 1945)



An American geneticist and embryologist.
Morgan's research involved the study of mutation in the fruit fly Drosophila
melanogaster. Morgan was able to demonstrate that genes are carried on
chromosomes and are the mechanical basis of heredity. These discoveries formed
the basis of the modern science of genetics.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1933 for his
groundbreaking work.
W.C. Farabee- (1865-1925)



Farabee was the first to demonstrate that Mendelian genetics operate in man.
Mendel had been interested in seeing if his work with dominant and recessive
characteristics was applicable to men, but it was Farabee’s work that confirmed
this and helped found the study of human genetics.
The majority of his research was regarding a hereditary condition called
Brachydactyly. Brachydactyly is a dominant genetic trait that is characterized by
shortened fingers and shortened stature.
Sex-linked Genetic Trait Lab Notebook:
Open your notebook and write a three-paragraph summary on one sex-linked genetic
trait. Include in your writing what the gene is, which organism has this gene, and whether
the gene is a dominat or recessive. Use the Internet and cite your sources in your work.
* The paragraphs should be well researched, and written. It doesn’t matter what their
topic is as long as it is supported by facts and the internet sources are cited.
Phenotype Lab Notebook:
Work out this genetics problem; record your results and explanation for them in your
notebook.
What would the phenotypes and their ratio be for a dihybrid cross between individuals
heterozygous for albinism (A = normal pigmentation; a = albino) and freckles (F =
freckled, f = none).
* The punnett square below will give the genotypes for the cross
AF Af aF af
AF AAFF AAFf AaFF AaFf
Af AAFf AAff AaFf Aaff
aF AaFF AaFf aaFF aaFf
af AaFf Aaff aaFf aaff
Phenotypic ratios:




Normal pigment, freckled- 9 individuals
Normal pigment, no freckles- 3 individuals
Albino, freckles- 3 individuals
Albino, no freckles- 1 individual
This ratio is consistent with Mendel’s findings.
X Chromosome Lab Notebook:
Why does having only a single X chromosome make a person, of necessity, female?
* Only a few genes have been identified on the human Y chromosome, among them the
testis-determining factor (TDF) that promotes development of the male phenotype, there
fore in order to be a male you have to have a Y chromosome.
Prenatal Testing Lab Notebook:
Prenatal Testing and Genetic Counseling: Read about prenatal testing and write a onepage paper in your notebook taking a position on the question:
“Would you want to know or not know about any genetic defects your unborn child
would suffer from, prior to the birth? What would you do in such a case? “
* The paper should be well researched, and written without spelling and/or grammar
errors. It doesn’t matter what their view is as long as it is supported by some facts.
Meet the Jeffersons Lab Notebook:
Read the section below and then use the Internet to research current information on this
issue. Write a brief paper taking a position on the matter.
The Y chromosome carries only a few genes, most notably (from the male perspective at
least) is the TDF gene region that determines gender. The Y chromosome has also been
involved in the historical controversy of whether Thomas Jefferson, author of the
Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States, had fathered one or
more children with Sally Hemmings, one of his slaves. These allegations first surfaced
during the early 1800s (in a Presidential campaign, as you might expect) and had long
been dismissed by historians, despite a convincing oral history of Sally Hemmings’
descendants. The evidence that has seemingly removed any question comes from the Ychromosome shared by Thomas Jefferson and his paternal uncle, Field Jefferson. Thomas
Jefferson’s white descendants do not share this Y-chromosome, being descended from his
daughter.
Comparison of the Y-chromosome sequence of one of the Hemmings descendants with a
male descendant of Jefferson’s uncle show a similarity of DNA sequences on the Ychromosome that has a probability of occurring by chance of less than one percent.
Circumstantial evidence also places Thomas Jefferson at his plantation, Monticello,
approximately nine months before the birth of each of Sally’s children.
* The paper should be well researched, and written without spelling and/or grammar
errors. It doesn’t matter what their position is as long as it is supported by some facts.
Experiment Lab Notebook:
This section has been a review of the history of thought to establish DNA as the
hereditary material. Select one of the experiments discussed above, and use the Internet
to look up information about that experiment. In your notebook write down the
experiment, the scientists who performed it, the hypothesis they tested, a summary of
what they did, and their conclusions.
* The summary should be well researched, and written without spelling and/or grammar
errors. It doesn’t matter what their experiment is as long as it is supported by some facts
and meets the general criteria.
Scientists Lab Notebook:
This section has described the work a large number of scientists. Use the Internet to
research and write a one paragraph summary of the significance of two of the researchers
mentioned here.
* The summary should be well researched, and written without spelling and/or grammar
errors. It doesn’t matter who they chose to research as long as the summary is supported
by some facts.
Genetic Engineering Lab Notebook:
Use the Internet to research a current controversial application pf genetic
engineering/biotech. Present both sides of the issue and clearly state your view on the
matter.
* The summary should be well researched, and written without spelling and/or grammar
errors. It doesn’t matter what application they chose as long as it is supported by some
facts and meets the general criteria.
Genetic Alteration Lab Notebook:
Can short children be treated to increase their height? How about making tall children
taller for success in basketball? Should genetically engineered food be labeled (it is not
required to be)?
* Again, this is an opinionated question with no right or wrong answer. The response,
although not specified (length, criteria), should be well written without spelling and
grammar errors.
UNIT 5
Scientist Lab Notebook:
Use the Internet to research more about the scientists mentioned in this section. What
were their contributions, when were they active in their research, and do their ideas agree
with modern biological thought?
* This Notebook Activity is very similar to the one presented in Unit 4. The summary
should be well researched, and written without spelling and/or grammar errors. It doesn’t
matter who they chose to research as long as the summary is supported by some facts.
Main Points Lab Notebook:
Take the main points of evolutionary theory and apply them to a plant or animal group of
your choosing. You will need to use the Internet to do research on your group. Write a
summary of the evolution of that group paying attention to how that group’s evolution
meets the points listed above.
* Again, this is an opinionated question with no right or wrong answer. The response,
although not specified (length, criteria), should be well written without spelling and
grammar errors.
Evolution Lab Notebook:
Examine the evidence for evolution and then write a critical essay on the question: is
there a credible scientific theory that opposes evolution?
* Again, this is an opinionated question with no right or wrong answer. The response,
although not specified (length, criteria), should be well written without spelling and
grammar errors.
Evolution In Action Lab Notebook:
Click here and write a summary of this online article. Focus on the question: does this
indicate evolution in action?
* Again, this is an opinionated question with no right or wrong answer. The response,
although not specified (length, criteria), should be well written without spelling and
grammar errors.
Disruptive Selection Lab Notebook:
Use the Internet to search for other examples of the three types of selection discussed
above. Write a paragraph about each example you find.
* Here is an example of each, accept anything that fits the definition of each type of
selection.
Directional Selection- Occurs when an extreme phenotype is favored and the distribution
curve shifts in that direction. Many times a shift can occur when a population adapts to a
changing environment. Example- The gradual increasing size of the horse. This is due to
the changing conditions from forests to grasslands. The horse of today is much larger
than its predecessor. Smaller animals have an advantage in the forests because it is easier
to hide from predators. The horse grew larger as grasslands replaced the forests. Larger
size provided the strength and speed needed to evade predators in the wide open space of
grasslands.
Stabilizing Selection- Occurs when an intermediate phenotype is favored. The extreme
phenotypes are less favored and the individuals near the average are favored. ExampleSwiss starling birds that lay 4 to 5 eggs per clutch are shown to have more young survive
than those who lay less than 4 or more than 5 eggs per clutch.
Disruptive Selection- Occurs when two or more extreme phenotypes are favored over any
intermediate phenotype. Example- British land snails are composed of mostly two
different phenotypes, even though they have a wide habitat range. In low-vegetation
areas of their range, birds feed on snails with dark shells. In forested areas the birds feed
on snails with a banded pattern. Thus predation selects the most favorable shell color for
survival.
Reproductive Isolation Lab Notebook:
Consider the reproductive isolating mechanisms described above. Do any of these apply
to human beings? Write a few paragraphs in your notebook on this topic.
*Each of the mechanisms is listed below and a description as to how it relates or doesn’t
relate to humans. If a student gives a plausible explanation to any, it should be accepted.
Pre-mating- No evidence of any anatomical differences exists. All humans are the same
species. Behavioral differences are sometimes seen, such as differences due to:
economic class, religion and race. But this is not a steadfast rule.
Habitat Isolation- This is also sometimes observed as in impoverished urban areas as
opposed to affluent rural areas.
Temporal Isolation- This is not applicable in humans.
Behavioral Isolation- This could also be observed in different religious and race
communities.
Mechanical Isolation- This is not applicable in humans.
Post-mating- This is not applicable in humans.