what is life

The Biology Classroom

The Microbiology Classroom--------- Home -------- The Physiology Classroom

Unit 1: The Nature of Biology

What is life? activity

Demonstration #1: What's that on the overhead?

1) Describe what you see on the overhead.

2) What is it? Is it living or non-living? Justify your answer.

3) What is life in a biological sense? Define "life" in your own terms. Try to give at least 3 characteristics found in all living things in your definition.

Observation Stations: You will have two minutes at each station to decide if the objects or specimens are living or nonliving. You will visit a total of 10 stations.

Procedure

1) In the first column on the table, list 10 traits or processes that you associate with living things.

2) Visit each station. Take time to closely observe the objects or specimens at each station. Check off on the table each trait you observe in the objects or specimens for each station.

3) You may add to your table any new traits that come to mind during your observations.

4) You will only have two minutes at each station. Make sure you visit them all.

Trait	Station 1	Station 2	Station3	Station 4	Station 5	Station 6	Station 7	Station 8	Station 9	Station 10
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)

5) Using your observations and the data you collected in your table, make a final decision if the objects or specimens at each station were living or nonliving. Write the name of the specimens or objects at each station in the first column. Then put a check in the column to indicate living or non-living.

	Living	Non-living
Station 1:
Station 2:
Station 3:
Station 4:
Station 5:
Station 6:
Station 7:
Station 8:
Station 9:
Station 10:

6) Pair with one other group to make a group of four. Compare and analyze both sets of results.

Answer the questions below.

a) Were your results the same? Which specimens were alive, dead and nonliving?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b) What traits do living things have in common?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

c) What traits do non-living things have in common?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

d) Why can it be difficult to observe all the traits common to living things? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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ROOM FOR CLASS DISCUSSION NOTES

1) What is life?

2) Would a virus be considered living or nonliving? Explain why or why not.

Questions or Comments can be sent by e-mail to Moore Biology.