Characteristics of Life

Identify the six characteristics of life presented in the class.

Investigation #4 - LiDoDeNA

Objective: Classify a series of objects as Living, Dormant, Dead or Never Alive (LiDoDeNA)

Purpose: To derive a functional definition of life.

Procedure

• Working in pairs, infer if each specimen is LiDoDeNA.
• Make 3 observations to support your inference
• Record your data in your notebook.
• After 2 minutes, go to the next specimen and repeat.

Questions

1. On your own, make a personal list of all of the ways you decided if something was alive. Title this list in your notebook “My List”. 
2. At your table groups, share your findings. 
• What similar observations did you make? Any different ones? 
• Did you disagree on some of the specimens? Why?
3. In your table groups, write a list of everything everyone wrote down as evidence that something is alive. If there is a repeat, put a tally mark next to it. 
• Every person make a list in your notebook. Title it “Group List”

Outside sources

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/intro-to-biology/what-is-biology/a/what-is-life

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/14-characteristics-of-living-things

https://prezi.com/28vvswcztohh/how-do-you-know-if-something-is-alive-or-dead/

http://www.bozemanscience.com/005-essential-characteristics-of-life/

Investigation #1 -Canister Lab

Objective: Determine the contents of several sealed containers
Purpose: To apply the scientific method and design process

Procedure
There are 29 total canisters, each containing various numbers of the following materials:

• marbles 
• blocks 
• beans
• orbeez 
• pennies 
• You will be working in groups of two.
• Determine a procedure to predict the contents of 8 total containers without opening the containers.
• Determine any additional materials you will require. (Have the instructor verify your procedure before you begin.)
• Each group has two (2) canisters available. When you and your partner finish the first two, switch with the other group at your table. After 25min we will rotate sets. Continue until you have completed Eight (8) total canisters. 

Questions

1. What properties did you believe would be the most useful in determining the contents of each container?
2. Overall, how close were your estimates to actual contents of each container?
3. What are two assumptions you made in selecting your procedure?
4. What are two scientific errors that may have affected your results?
5. How many trials did you conduct for each canister? How did you decide that this was the appropriate number?
6. If you had to do this investigation again, what are two things you would do differently? 

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