Unit 1 - The Nature of Science and the Characteristics of Life - A Reflection

[Erin Nash]

Throughout this unit, you have learned many things, so before our first exam, it is an excellent idea to reflect about what you have truly learned, as well as what you still have questions about.

Use the thread below to engage in reflection about topics that were discussed in class this unit. Discuss any "aha's" you had during our readings, discussions, and labs. What did you learn? What finally became clear in your head? What surprised you? What might still be confusing?

Direct your post to one or more of the above questions, and try to frame your comments around one or both of the following "big ideas" from class...

What is Biology and how does it work?
-and/or-
What does it mean to be a living thing, and how do scientists know whether or not something is living?

When talking about the first idea, remember to think about all about the aspects of the scientific process.

When talking about the second "big idea" remember the seven characteristics are: growth/development, homeostasis, metabolism, made of cells, interdependent, evolution, and reproduction.

[Erin Nash]

You are right - I am a beast!!

[Skylar Amanda Lane Glawson]

I would like to learn more about Independent and Dependent varibles. i have learned a lot more about the seven charateritcs. we have done some pretty fun assigments in class

[Beau Steele]

In this class this year i haven't really understood what IV and DV means because i wasn't here Mrs. Nash. However, I do understand the characteristics of life all except for two and those are Homoestasis and Asexual Reproduction. I understand what cells are nad what they are. One new thing that i have learned about Cells is that they are the smallest living thing in this world, I also understand what metabolism is and what it does. Metabolism is the sum of all the reactions that something takes in and transforms it into energy. I understand that is the development process it is the stage in where someone becomes an adult. I am still a little ify on the asexual reproduction thing. My question is what exactly does it do and how can something just create a living thing with out the sexual reproduction process? I also am ify on the homeostasis thing too. My question for that is this, What exactly is homeostasis and if you could like brake it down really simple for me the best you can.

[Erin Nash]

Beau,
You did a really nice job improving your reflection - and I think it must have helped you on the test! You did a great job on the exam for missing part of the unit.

Asexual reproduction allows organisms to create new ones without the combination of sperm and egg. That organisms cells start making copies of the cells, and the directions in that organism's DNA tell it to create a new organism. That new organism has the same genes as the adult.

Homeostasis is your body maintaining stable conditions, even when exterior conditions are changing. For example, when it is forty degrees outside, your body uses energy to keep your interior temperature stable!

Good job Beau

[Sadie Talbot]

Before this year i didn't know that hypothesis were made too be rejected. i didn't know the difference between qualitative and quantitative but now i do a little i just have too take my time and think back and remember. I understand interdependency. i know that organisms rely on each other. i don't understand how something can be asexual. i don't understand anything about evolution. i learned that matabolism is what breaks down your food too help you function and grow and also gives you energy. i've also learned the 7 things of a living organism.

[Jacob Dudley]

Before this year I didn't even know that there were criteria for whether or not something was living, these "characteristics" are; growth/developement, homeostasis, metabolism, made of cells, interdependent, evolution, and reproduction. And I never even knew that qualitative and quantitative were ways to describe data until now.
I already knew what I.V. and D.V. were so that has been some really boring review. I also knew how to make a correct graph and when to use different kinds of graphs but I didn't know that on standradized test you can't make a break in the scalee of the graph.
I still want to know what things like decomposers and consumers are when your talking about an ecosystem or food web which was also a question on the Explore Test.

[Erin Nash]

Sorry about the boring part Jacob :)

A decomposer is an organism that breaks down decaying matter (like other organisms that have died). These are typically bacteria and fungi, and they play a role at every level in an ecosystem.

Consumers are organisms that consume other organisms, rather than producing their own energy. There are different levels of consumers, depending upon what they feed upon.

[Autumn Nicole Lehman]

This unit was a review for me, I already knew IV and DV and constants I learned them in 7th grade, But I had troubles understanding if things were living or non-living, now it's a lot more clear. It's still confusing about when to use line graphs or bar graphs. I still also get confused about qualitative and quantitative. The characteristics of life are still confusing.

[katlyn skye george]

I already new the IV and DV and constant I learned them in middle school. but the troubles I have in biology is... some of the living and non-living things also I'm confused on either making a line graph or bar graph. Another few things i get confused about is qualitative data and quantitative data, and evolution.

[Audrea Nichole Tiller]

most of this was a review but had trouble with homeostasis, metabolism and interdependent but i hot some help with that and im doin better.

[Sharon Paige Ecord]

This study was very different for me because I still didnt understand qualitative and quanitative. I understand stuff a lot more clearly now though. I still dont understand the thing were you can be non-living and have a matabolism though.

[Sharon Paige Ecord]

i really had trouble in this area because how do we know whats living and what is not living? For instince what if I was to put a rock and a pile of soil next to each other... would the rock just sit there and not do any thing and keep the moisture in it or will it grow into a mountain [ok not really]. And what about the soil will it sit there dehydrate from all the non moisture in the air or will it grow into a hill. How do we know that rock isint living I mean scientist say it isnt but how do we really know? Dirt has molecules in it so is it living, or non-living. [those were just examples I wasnt seriouse]