REGENTS BIOLOGY
Possible Laboratories
listed by section
1. The Art of Science: Lab safety, scientific writing, experimental design, graphing, the
scientific process and it’s beauty.
2. The Diversity of life: Classification schemes, shoe classification, dichotomous keys,
tree identification.
3. The Life of a Cell: Make the lab into a cell, microscopy with protozoans, mitosis
dance, microscopy with prepared mitosis slides.
4. Biochemistry: Molisch’s test for carbohydrates, Biuret’s test for proteins, Sudan Red
test for lipids, Lugol’s test for starch, Benedect’s test for reducing sugars, enzymesubstrate lab, cellular respiration measurements (fish in water, grasshopper in beaker,
etc.)
5. The Nervous System: Reaction time, touch sensitivity, reflexes, mammalian diving
reflex.
6. The Digestive System: Stomach simulation.
7. The Muscular System: Actin/myosin simulation, frog demonstration??
8. The Skeletal System: exoskeleton forces vs. endoskeleton forces
9. The Circulatory System: Counter-current exchange, heat transfer, regulation of heart
rate.
10. The Respiratory System: vital capacity, “dead space,” expiratory and inspiratory
volumes, control of respiration rate and volume, relationship to heart rate and blood
pressure.
11. The Excretory System: Urine analysis, owl pellet dissection.
12. The Reproductive System: Reproductive barriers (pre- and post-zygotic), population
growth.
13. Meiosis: Meiosis a les biscuit, noodle demonstration.
14. Mendelian Genetics: Mating lab, pedigrees.
15. Modern Genetics: Gel Electrophoresis??
16. The Origin of Species: Miller-Uray device?? Zinc catalyst demonstration.
17 – 22. From Archeabacteria to Animals: Comparative anatomy, dissections,
microscopy.
23. Ecology: Local trophic levels, create your own ecosystem.
Misc: State Labs (blar), plant dissections, bacterial resistance, identification, and growth,
photosynthesis in CAM, C4 and C3 plants, chromosome modeling, virus simulation
(using Benedict’s solution), fossil record, plant vascular tissue, plant transpiration, gram
staining, mating behaviours simulation, ecosystems in your school (niches, defense,
communication, etc.), animal behaviour, water balance (dialysis tubing),
Note: Add endocrine system!: Mammalian diving reflex, book drop.
Note: At least two “self-designed” labs will be included, which will give students a
chance to pose their own questions, and then design a way to answer them using the
scientific process. Students will be provided with a list of possible suggestions:
Effects of gravity, light, heat, water, chemicals on plants; mammalian memory in
mice and humans via a maze; etc.