Thinking About Biology: An Introductory Lab Manual, 6th edition

Exercise 1 Introduction to the Scientific Method

• Activity 1 Forming Hypotheses to Solve Problems
• Activity 2 Testing Hypotheses
• Activity 3 Interpreting Data
• Activity 4 Performing an Experiment and Collecting Data
• Activity 5 Graphing Your Results
• Activity 6 Interpreting Data Using Simple Statistics

Exercise 2 Windows to a Microscopic World

• Activity 1 Learning to Use the Dissecting Microscope
• Activity 2 Making Observations with the Dissecting Microscope
• Activity 3 Getting Familiar with the Compound Microscope
• Activity 4 Parts of the Compound Microscope
• Activity 5 Learning to Use the Compound Microscope
• Activity 6 Preparing Temporary Slides - Wet Mounts
• Activity 7 Using the Microscope to Answer a Question: What Do Aquarium Snails Eat?

Exercise 3 Functions and Properties of Cells

• Activity 1 Cellular Organelles
• Activity 2 Observing Living Cells
• Activity 3 Amyloplasts in Potato Tubers
• Activity 4 Stem Cells

Exercise 4 Movement of Molecules Across Cell Membranes

• Activity 1 Water Molecules in Motion
• Activity 2 Diffusion and Osmosis
• Activity 3 Controls for the Diffusion and Osmosis Experiment
• Activity 4 Completing the Diffusion and Osmosis Experiment
• Activity 5 Osmosis in Elodea Cells

Exercise 5 Investigating Cellular Respiration

• Activity 1 Do Microorganisms Perform Cellular Respiration?
• Activity 2 Comparison of Classroom Air with Exhaled Air
• Activity 3 Effect of Exercise on Carbon Dioxide Production
• Activity 4 Alternatives to Aerobic Respiration
• Activity 5 Anaerobic Respiration

Exercise 6 Photosynthesis

• Activity 1 Absorption of Carbon Dioxide During Photosynthesis
• Activity 2 Testing Leaves for Starch
• Activity 3 Cells of the Leaf Epidermis

Exercise 7 Organic Molecules and Nutrition

• Activity 1 Positive and Negative Indicator Tests
• Activity 2 Testing Food Samples
• Activity 3 An Embryo in a Peanut Seed
• Activity 4 Dietary Intake and Good Health

Exercise 8 Factors that Affect Enzyme Activity

• Activity 1 Demonstration of Enzyme Activity
• Activity 2 Enzyme Activity in Food Vacuoles
• Activity 3 Effect of Environmental Conditions on Protein Structure

Exercise 9 Introduction to Molecular Genetics

• Activity 1 Removing DNA From Cells
• Activity 2 The Basics of DNA Structure
• Activity 3 Building a Model of DNA
• Activity 4 Steps of Protein Synthesis
• Activity 5 Building a Real Protein

Exercise 10 Mitosis and Asexual Reproduction

• Activity 1 How Mitosis Works
• Activity 2 Recognizing the Stages of Mitosis
• Activity 3 Mitosis - The Real Thing!
• Activity 4 Estimating the Duration of the Cell Cycle
• Activity 5 Regeneration
• Activity 6 Asexual Reproduction: Growing a Plant From a Cutting

Exercise 11 Connecting Meiosis and Genetics

• Activity 1 Getting Started: Build a Pair of Chromosomes
• Activity 2 Homologous Chromosomes Separate in Meiosis to Form Gametes
• Activity 3 Fertilization: Nature's Equivalent to Rolling the Dice
• Activity 4 What's Your Baby's Genotype?
• Activity 5 Genotype Determines Phenotype
• Activity 6 Passing On Traits
• Activity 7 Practicing Genetics Problems

Exercise 12 Human Genetics

• Activity 1 PTC Tasting
• Activity 2 X-Linked Traits
• Activity 3 Codominance and Sickle Cell Disease
• Activity 4 A Family History of Sickle Cell Disease
• Activity 5 Codominance and Multiple Alleles

Exercise 13 Evolution

• Activity 1 Determining the Age of Rock Layers and Fossils
• Activity 2 Reconstructing Fossil Evidence
• Activity 3 Natural Selection

Exercise 14 Functions of Tissues and Organs

• Activity 1 Skin: The Outer Protective Layer
• Activity 2 The Epidermis
• Activity 3 The Dermis
• Activity 4 Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
• Activity 5 Below the Skin (the Hypodermis)
• Activity 6 Touch Sensitivity

Exercise 15 The Cardiovascular System

• Activity 1 Circulation of Blood Around the Body
• Activity 2 A Closer Look at the Heart
• Activity 3 Understanding Blood Pressure and Pulse Rate
• Activity 4 Cardiovascular Disease

Exercise 16 Introduction to Anatomy: Dissecting the Fetal Pig

• Activity 1 Getting Started
• Activity 2 Following Anatomical Directions
• Activity 3 External Anatomy of the Fetal Pig
• Activity 4 Dissection of the Mouth
• Activity 5 Dissection of the Neck
• Activity 6 Dissection of the Thoracic Cavity
• Activity 7 Measuring Lung Capacity

Exercise 17 Organs of the Abdominal Cavity

• Activity 1 Dissection of the Abdominal Cavity
• Activity 2 The Urinary System
• Activity 3 Internal Structure of the Stomach
• Activity 4 Examining the Small Intestine
• Activity 5 The Importance of Surface Area
• Activity 6 Earthworm Locomotion

Exercise 18 Introduction to Forensic Biology

• Activity 1 Getting Started
• Activity 2 Classifying Fingerprint Patterns
• Activity 3 Analyzing Fingerprint Evidence
• Activity 4 Blood Typing

Exercise 19 Biotechnology: DNA Analysis

• Activity 1 Sources of DNA Evidence
• Activity 2 Solving a Crime Using RFLP Fingerprints
• Activity 3 The Use of PCR For STR Analysis
• Activity 4 Solving a Criminal Case Using STR Evidence
• Activity 5 Deciding a Paternity Suit Involving STR Analysis
• Activity 6 DNA Barcodes

Exercise 20 Using Biotechnology to Assess Ecosystem Damage

• Activity 1 Exploring Bioluminescence
• Activity 2 Getting Started
• Activity 3 Making Accurate Serial Dilutions
• Activity 4 Preparing Bacterial Samples
• Activity 5 Testing the Toxicity of Your Chemical

Exercise 21 Ecosystems

• Activity 1 Food Chains
• Activity 2 Loss of Energy in Food Chains
• Activity 3 Food Chains Interact to Form Food Webs
• Activity 4 Bioaccumulation

Exercise 22 Biodiversity and Conservation

• Activity 1 Value of Biodiversity
• Activity 2 Commercial Fishing as an Example of Tragedy of the Commons
• Activity 3 Ecosystem Jenga®

Exercise 23 Population Ecology

• Activity 1 Introduction to Sampling - An Ecological Tool
• Activity 2 Sampling Quadrats to Estimate Population
• Activity 3 The Mark and Recapture Technique for Estimating Population Size

APPENDICES

1. Game Cards for Exercise
2. Self Test Answers