Biology

Grade 9

Mrs. Webb

The Science of Biology

Chapter 1

Section 1-1 What is Science?

The Goals of Science are to:

• investigate and understand nature

–in a careful & organized way

–looking for patterns and connections

• explain events in nature & make useful predictions

– deals only with the natural world

–explanations can be tested by examining evidence

• understand the wisdom & glory of the Creator, God

–Genesis 1:1

–Hebrews 11:3

–Psalm 19: 1-3

Biology Through the Eyes of Faith

“If we follow our observations of beauty, order, and purpose in the natural world to a realization that all of this speaks of a Creator,

God invites us to take the next step and find that the Creator has also come to redeem His creation.”

Richard T. Wright

Science is

• an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world and the Creator of the natural world

In Small Groups

• Use your Bible to find at least three scriptures that speak about creation or science

• Write them out on

the paper provided

• Science is

–an on going process

–not the discovery of unchanging, absolute truth

–always subject to revision as new evidence is developed

Problem Solving Attitude

• assume basic rules & use scientific inquiry to discover those rules

• collect data to better understand nature

Desirable Qualities

• Curiosity• Honesty• Open-mindedness• Skepticism• Recognition that science has limits

Limitations of Science

• Presuppositions (assumptions)

• Proof

• Domain limitations

• Human involvement

Science begins with Observation

• using one or more of the senses to gather information

• information

gathered is

called Data

• Data can be

–Quantitative - involves #’s

–Qualitative - involves characteristics not easily measured

“Look at the fish”

Look at the Candle

“There are two yous: the visible you that is known by others and the real you that is

known only by God.”

Observation is followed by inference

• A logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience

–must be logical, not merely a feeling about the evidence

Look at the Candle

Worldviews

• function as a guide to life

• determine values

• help us to interpret what we see and evaluate the events that cross our pathway each day

• cultural

Worldviews in Conflict

• Native American population and European settlers of New England

Group Discussion

How might the different worldviews in this classroom affect our ability to do group work? (Be sure to consider

positives as well as negatives!)

Flip It

The Scientific Method

•a systematic approach to problem solving

•a way of thinking using logic and reason

•NOT a rigid set of steps

Explanation of the Evidence

• Hypothesis

–a possible explanation for a set of observations

–an educated guess based on current knowledge

–is useful only if it can be tested

•testing can be done by further observation or careful questioning

Scientific Method

Controlled Experiment - one variable changes at a time

Variables - factors that can change, like equipment used, type or amount of materials, temperature, light, time, etc.

• Manipulated Variable - factor that is deliberately changed

• Responding Variable - factor that changes in response to the manipulated variable

Scientific Method Three interacting parts

shaping principles (values and assumptions)

data (quantitative/qualitative) theories (explanation that has been

tested by repeated observations)

Theories must be ...

• Objective (consider all data)

• Rational (use logical thinking when making connections)

• Generalized (extended in their application)

Hip-HopScientific Method

8 Characteristics of Living things

Go outside and observe different living things

Make a list of the common characteristics that you see

Characteristics of Living Things

• Made of cells

–highly organized, tiny structures with thin membrane coverings, the building blocks of all organisms

–Unicellular/Multicellular

• Reproduce

–make more organisms of their own kind

•Sexual - 2 cells, 2 parents

•Asexual - 1 parent (budding, cell division)

• Based on a Genetic Code

–DNA, Genes ( inherited instructions)

–heredity - passing of traits from parent to offspring

• Grow and Develop

–have a distinctive life cycle or particular pattern of growth & change that occurs over it’s lifetime

–increase in size (growth)

–increase in complexity (development)

–have a lifespan - all eventually die

• Use Energy

–Metabolism: sum of all chemical reactions carried out by an organism

–Obtain energy in a variety of ways (photosynthesis, herbivorees, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers)

• Respond to their Environment

–Stimulus =Response

–Nervous system, sensory organs, Immune system, Regulatory system

• Maintain an Internal Balance

–Homeostasis - maintaining balance internally in spite of external changes

–example: amount of water in cells

• Taken as a group, Living things Change over time (evolve)

•Adaptation: improves survival•Variation: range of expression•Mutation: change in DNA

Biology

• The study of living things or organisms ( any living thing)

• Many different levels (page 21)

• Many different branches

Branches of Biology

• Zoology - animals

• Botany - plants

• Ethology - behavior

• Paleontology - past

• Cytology - cells

• Genetics - heredity

• Histology - tissues

• Epidemiology - epidemics

Everyday Life

• Read page 22

• Write a paragraph explaining how Biology touches your life every day.

The Case for A Creator

A journalist investigates scientific evidence that

points toward God  

 

Exploration

• Using a Compound Microscope

• Page 29