 |
Brooklyn Technical High School
Summer 2001
Determining the Characteristics of Living Things
DATE:
____________________
CLASS_________________________
LAB
# ____: IS IT ALIVE?
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the characteristics of living things.
Please use
complete and correct sentences for all your answers.
1.
Based on
your own knowledge, the key characteristics that you believe are necessary for
something to be considered living. (No
textbook answers allowed).
2.
Bring in
an object (or a picture of an object) that displays three or more of these
characteristics but is not a living thing or not part of a living thing.
A
peanut, a lima bean, a plant, a slinky, a potato, a flame, a fish, pictures of
several samples, a piece of butcher board paper, markers.
1.
Discuss
the criteria for living things with your group. Come to a consensus on at least five or more necessary
characteristics of a living thing.
|
CRITERIA |
REASON FOR SELECTING IT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2. What problems did your group have in coming up with these criteria?
3. Designate someone to be the reporter. Each member must be able to explain the criteria that your group selected. Your group has five minutes to share your criteria with the rest of the class.
4. Using input from each group and other resources, the class will come to a consensus on the characteristics of living things.
5. Carefully observe each object/specimen/picture. On a separate piece of paper, create an observation and inferences table. State at least two observations and two inferences for each sample.
6.
Using the
criteria decided upon in #4, determine if the sample is living, non-living or
other. Be prepared to defend your
explanations.
|
SAMPLE |
LIVING, NON-LIVING |
EXPLANATION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
How did
your criteria compare to that of your group? How did it compare to the class criteria?
2.
Look up
information on viruses in one of the textbooks in the lab.
Write a summary description of viruses:
3. Why is there a controversy about whether or not a virus is alive?
_____________________________________________________
Science Standards
This lab aligns with the science standards in a number of ways. The first applicable standards are:
S4e: Demonstrates an understanding of the impact of science
S5e: Identifies problems, proposes and implements solutions, and evaluates the accuracy, design and outcomes of investigations. Each lab activity will challenge students to think about what they are learning. Students will make predictions, analyze evidence, do research, etc.
S5f: Works individually and in teams to collect and share information and ideas
S6b: Record and stores data using a variety of formats
S6d: Acquires information from multiple sources
S8a: Demonstrates scientific competence by completing a controlled experiment.