Investigation 1:

What is Life?

Investigation 1 - Part 1

Quick Write• What is life?• How can you tell if something is living or nonliving?

• Name and describe some examples for each.

On page 1 of your lab notebook, record observations of the material in the petri-dish.

Observations:

How can you explain what you observed?

Why do you think that the objects moved the way that

the did?

Evidence of Life

•How many of you think you can tell if

something is living?•What evidence can you look for to tell if something is living?

Evidence of Life

Living/ non-living cards

You will work with your partner to sort cards into ‘living’ and ‘non-living’ piles. If you cannot agree, put the card in a third ‘undecided’ pile.

Living/ Non-living Cards

1. Partner A picks up a card and places it into a pile. They must explain why they are classifying it as living or non-living- be specific.

2. Partner B picks up the second card and does the same thing.

3. Record your answers on page 1 of your lab notebook.

Sort as a class

Why are these things categorized as they are?

Any living thing- plant, animal or other- is an organism. An organism is the most general word used to refer to an independently living thing.

Let’s refer back to our ‘Evidence of Life’ list…

• Is everything on this list a characteristic of all organisms?

• Do we need to add anything?

We will be observing many organisms and it is important to provide them with the proper habitat. Some are small aquatic organisms. We will set up a minipond habitat now so that it will be nicely aged and ready in a couple of weeks when it is time to start our work with aquatic organisms.

MINIPOND SETUP

a. Place one spoon of soil in the bottom of a half-liter container.

b. Add dry leaves, dead grass, and twigs. The container should be no more than one-fourth full.

c. Add water. The container should be no more thanthree-fourths full.

d. Put a lid on the container.

e. Label the container with your period, group number, anddate.

Investigation 1 - Part 2

At the end of Investigation 1 you will be able to:

• list and describe the characteristics that all organisms share.

• differentiate the concepts of living, nonliving, dead and dormant.

• make and record observations in an experiment.

Any living thing- plant, animal or other- is an organism. An organism is the most general word used to refer to an independently living thing.

Evidence of Life• Grows• Eats or consumes nutrients• Exchanges gases• Responds to stimuli (environment)• Reproduces• needs (uses) water• Eliminates waste• Moves• Made of cells

You will be observing five different

materials. They might be living, but we are not sure! We have our characteristics of life charts as guidance, let’s see what we can find out!

You need:

• 2 hand lenses• A set of 5 bags PLEASE DO NOT OPEN THE BAGGIES! Observe and record your

observations on page 3.

What might you do to get more information about the materials to help you determine if they are living?

We will run an investigation to determine if an aquatic or moist environment will help us to determine whether these 5 materials are alive or not.

We will examine three different liquid environments. Each group will research ONE of the three liquids.

The runner in your group must obtain the following:

• 5 vials with caps• 1 blue vial holder• 1 cotton ball

• Make sure your vials are labeled with A, B, C, D, and E.

Table 1- Liquid ATable 2- Liquid BTable 3- Liquid CTable 4- Liquid ATable 5- Liquid BTable 6- Liquid C

Vials A and D get half a cotton

ball and 3 droppers full of the liquid.

Vials B, C, and E get 30 mL of the liquid.

Material A- 1 minispoon into vial A

Material B- 1 minispoon into vial B

Material C- 8 grains into vial C

Material D- 8 grains into vial D

Material E- 1 minispoon into vial E

10 minute countdown

Any changes to our Characteristics of Life display?

_______________________________________________________________

Record any changes on your Five Materials Observation Sheet.

Tomorrow, we will observe any changes after 24 hours

and continue to look for evidence of life as we build our working definition for what it means to be alive.

Investigation 1 - Part 2Breakpoint

Changes after 24 hours

Please record your observations.

Did you notice any changes today?

Do you see evidence of life in any of the vials?

Circulate and compare the vials with different liquids.

Liquid B is sugar and water. Sugar was added to provide food in case any of the materials was alive and needed sugar as food.

Did any of the vials with the sugar water provide interesting results?

Material B is yeast. The

bubbling and popping of the cap are the result of gas exchange going on in the vial. Gas exchange is evidence of life. The yeast is living.

Investigation 1 - Part 2Breakpoint

Changes after 48 hours

Please record your observations.

Any evidence of life?

The Liquids…

Liquid 1- Salt waterLiquid 2- Sugar waterLiquid 3- Water

The Unknowns

A: Red sandB:YeastC: Polyacrylate crystalsD:Radish SeedsE: Brine shrimp eggs

The crystals are probably coming from the "super absorbent layer" found in most disposable diapers. This layer consists of paper fluff and a chemical absorbent called sodium polyacrylate. Sodium polyacrylate is an amazing water absorber -- it can absorb 200 to 300 times its weight in tap water (even more if the water is distilled) and hold it in a gooey gel.

Please fill in the information

for the liquid environment that you investigated on page 5 of your lab notebook.

We will share our information

LIQUID #1: Salt WaterWHOLE CLASS Data

Material Is it alive? Evidence of life

A Yes No

B Yes No

C Yes No

D Yes No

E Yes No

LIQUID #2: Sugar WaterWHOLE CLASS Data

Material Is it alive? Evidence of life

A Yes No

B Yes No

C Yes No

D Yes No

E Yes No

LIQUID #3: Plain WaterWHOLE CLASS Data

Material Is it alive? Evidence of life

A Yes No

B Yes No

C Yes No

D Yes No

E Yes No

• How many of the materials appeared to be alive when you first observed the bags?

• How many materials appear to be alive now?

• How does the environment impact organisms?

Some organisms are inactive until placed in the appropriate

environment.

• Yeast needs fresh water and sugar for food. • Seeds need freshwater and air• Brine shrimp need saltwater.

Any living thing- plant, animal or other- is an organism. An organism is the most general word used to refer to an independently living thing.

• Things are LIVING if they show the characteristics of life, like gas exchange, growth, and response to the environment. Living things are organisms. Parts of living organisms, like arms, tails and leaves, are also alive.

• Things are DORMANT when they do not show characteristics of life until they are placed in the right environment. Dormant organisms are alive, but inactive.

• Things are DEAD if they were alive at one time but no longer are. Animals that have died, leaves that have fallen off trees, and skin that a snake sheds are all dead material.

• NONLIVING materials have never been alive. Fire, rocks, water, wind, pencils, toys, and computers are all nonliving.

LIVING/NONLIVING GAMEwww.fossweb.com

Please read Life on Earth on page 21 in the Diversity of Life Resources book and answer the questions at the end of the activity.