Category: My Classroom Material

Graphing Practice

Graphing Practice

Introduction

  • Graphing is an important procedure used by scientists to display the data that is collected during a controlled experiment
  • Line graphs must be constructed correctly to accurately portray the data collected
  • Many times the wrong construction of a graph detracts from the acceptance of an individual’s hypothesis
  • A graph contains five major parts:
    a. Title
    b. The independent variable
    c. The dependent variable
    d. The scales for each variable
    e. A legend
  • The title: depicts what the graph is about. By reading the title, the reader should get an idea about the graph. It should be a concise statement placed above the graph.
  • The Independent Variable: is the variable that can be controlled by the experimenter. It usually includes time (dates, minutes, hours), depth (feet, meters), temperature (Celsius). This variable is placed on the X axis (horizontal axis).
  • The Dependent Variable: is the variable that is directly affected by the independent variable. It is the result of what happens because of the independent variable. Example: How many oxygen bubbles are produced by a plant located five meters below the surface of the water? The oxygen bubbles are dependent on the depth of the water. This variable is placed on the Y-axis or vertical axis.
  • The Scales for each Variable: In constructing a graph one needs to know where to plot the points representing the data. In order to do this a scale must be employed to include all the data points. This must also take up a conservative amount of space. It is not suggested to have a run on scale making the graph too hard to manage. The scales should start with 0 and climb based on intervals such as: multiples of 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, or 100. The scale of numbers will be dictated by your data values.
  • The Legend: is a short descriptive narrative concerning the graph’s data. It should be short and concise and placed under the graph.
  • The Mean for a group of variables: To determine the mean for a group of variables, divide the sum of the variables by the total number of variables to get an average.
  • The median for a group of variables: To determine median or “middle” for an even number of values, put the values in ascending order and take the average of the two middle values.    e.g.    2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10     Add 4+5 (2 middle values) and divide by 2 to get 4.5
  • The mode for a group of variables: The mode for a group of values is the number that occurs most frequently.     e.g.   2, 5,  8, 2,  6,  11    The number 2 is the mode because it occurred most often (twice)  

Procedure 1:
Using the following data, answer the questions below and then construct a line graph.

 

Depth in meters Number of Bubbles / minute Plant A Number of Bubbles / minute Plant B
2 29 21
5 36 27
10 45 40
16 32 50
25 20 34
30 10 20

 

 

1. What is the dependent variable and why?  

2. What is the independent variable and why?

3. What title would you give the graph? .

4. What are the mean, median, and mode of all 3 columns of data? 

a). Depth :                      Mean____________Median__________Mode________ 

b). Bubble Plant A.:        Mean ____________Median_________Mode________ 

c). Bubbles Plant B:        Mean ____________Median_________Mode________

Graph Title: _________________________________________________________

Legend: ______________________________________________________________ 

Procedure 2:
Diabetes is a disease affecting the insulin producing glands of the pancreas. If there is not enough insulin being produced by these cells, the amount of glucose in the blood will remain high. A blood glucose level above 140 for an extended period of time is not considered normal. This disease, if not brought under control, can lead to severe complications and even death. 

Answer the following questions concerning the data below and then graph it.  

 

Time After Eating hours Glucose mg /dL of Blood Person A Glucose mg /dL of Blood Person B
0.5 170 180
1 155 195
1.5 140 230
2 135 245
2.5 140 235
3 135 225
4 130 200

 

 1. What is the dependent variable and why?

2. What is the independent variable and why?

3. What title would you give the graph?

4. Which, if any, of the above individuals (A or B) has diabetes? 

5. What data do you have to support your hypothesis? 

6. If the time period were extended to 6 hours, what would the expected blood glucose level for Person B? 

Title: ________________________________________________________________

Legend: ______________________________________________________________

Summary:
1. What conclusions can be determined from the data in graph 1?

2. What conclusions can be determined from the data in graph 2?

3. Can the data in each of these graphs be used to construct other types of graphs?

4. If so, what other graph types can be constructed?

 
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Gene Expression

 

Gene Expression [18,787 bytes]

 

 

Section 11-1     Control of Gene Expression

 

1. Cells use ______________________ to build hundreds of different________________each with a unique ____________________________.

2. Are all proteins used by a cell at any one time? If not, how do cells control this?

3. Define gene expression.

4. When are proteins produced?

5. What is the genome?

6. What are the 2 steps of gene expression?

7. What 2 scientists determined how genes are expressed in prokaryotes?

8. What gene & in what organism did Jacob & Monod make their discoveries about gene expression?

9. Name the 3 regulatory elements on the DNA of the E. coli bacterium and tell the function of each.

10. What is an operon & what 3 things is it made up of?

11. What name did Jacob & Monod give their gene & why?

12. If lactose is not present, what attaches to the operator?

13. Define repressor protein and give its function.

14. Define repression.

15. What occurs if lactose is present in the E. coli in lactose metabolism?

16. What is an inducer?

17. What is an inducer for E. coli in lactose metabolism?

18. How does the genome of eukaryotes compare with that of prokaryotes?

19. Are operons found in eukaryotes?

20. Each eukaryotic cell contains a ___________________ set of genes, but only some genes

are ______________________ at a given time.

21. What controls much of the gene expression in eukaryotes?

22. What is euchromatin?

23. Some sections of chromatin always remain coiled preventing what process?

24. Name & define the 2 kinds of segments found behind the promoter in eukaryotes.

25. Where do the processes of transcription & translation take place in prokaryotes?

26. Where do these processes take place in eukaryotes?

27. Are introns and/or exons transcribed?

28. What is pre-mRNA and how is mRNA formed from this?

 

Section 11-2     Gene Expression and Development

 

29. Multicellular, sexually reproducing organisms begin life as a _____________________with all cells containing the same _______________________.

30. Genes may be turned ______________ and _____________as various ___________________ are needed by the cells.

31. What is cell differentiation?

32. Define morphogenesis.

33. What genes determine what anatomical structures an organism will develop during morphogenesis?

34. What is a tumor and what are the 2 main types?

35. Define benign tumor.

36. Are benign tumors dangerous? Explain.

37. What treatment do doctors use with benign tumors?

38. Define malignant tumor.

39. Malignant tumors are commonly known as ____________________________.

40. What is metastasis & what happens to the body when this occurs?

41. How are malignant tumors categorized?

42. Name & describe 4 types of malignant tumors.

43. Lung cancer & breast cancer are what type of tumors?

44. When do normal cells stop dividing? Do cancer cells respond the same way? Explain.

45. What trait of cancer cells facilitates the spread of cancer cells in the body?

46. What is a carcinogen & give 5 examples?

47. What causes most lung cancer?

48. What is the effect of mutagens on cells?

49. What are oncogenes?

50. Certain ____________________ can cause cancer in plants & animals.

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Grasshopper Dissection

 

Grasshopper Dissection

 

Introduction:

Insects are arthropods with jointed appendages, segmented bodies, and an exoskeleton composed of chitin. Insects are in the class Insecta, & are the largest and most diverse group of animals on earth. The genus Romalea is a large grasshopper common in the southeastern United States. Insects have three body regions (head, thorax, & abdomen), 3 pairs of legs attached to the thorax, a single pair of antenna attached to the head, mouthparts adapted for chewing or sucking, and two pairs of wings. Some insects may have a single pair of wings or be wingless. Insect legs are often adapted for digging, crawling, jumping, or swimming. The insects are mostly terrestrial, they breathe air which enters small lateral openings on the body called spiracles and circulates in a system of ducts to all organs and tissues. Their chewing or sucking mouth parts are adapted  for  feeding on plant or animal materials.

Classification:

Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum – Arthropoda
Class – Insecta
Order – Orthoptera

Objective:

Identify & label the internal & external anatomy of a grasshopper.

Materials:

Lab apron, gloves, eyeglasses, dissecting pan, dissecting kit with forceps & scalpel, t-pins, magnifying glass, preserved grasshopper, paper, pencil.

Procedure (External Anatomy): Examine the entire grasshopper and identify the major subdivisions and parts of the body.  

  1. Obtain a preserved grasshopper & rinse off any preservative with water. Place grasshopper in the dissecting pan.

  1. Observe that the body of the grasshopper is divided into 3 regions — the head, the thorax, and abdomen. Label these on Figure 2.
  2. Examine the head and locate the following parts:
    HEAD
    Antennae (two, slender appendages)
    Compound eyes (2, large lateral)
    Ocelli (or simple eyes) – 3, small, between compound eyes
    Mouth parts – Labrum (upper lip), mandibles (jaws) below the labrum, maxillae located behind the mandibles to help cut & hold food, and the lower lip or labium

 

 

          1. Labrum          4. Labium
          2. Mandibles          5. Maxillary Palps
          3. Labial Palps          6. Maxillae
          7. compound eye          8. ocelli

 

 

  1. Label the mouthparts, eyes, and antenna on Figure 1.
  2. Using forceps, remove each of the appendages from the head, and attached them to table 1.
  3. Examine the following appendages on the thorax (middle section of the grasshopper’s body):

   THORAX
Legs (first 2 pairs are for walking & the last pair are for jumping)
Wings (forewings have a leathery appearance & protect the hind wings)

  1. Using forceps, remove one of the walking legs and identify these parts — the coxa connects the femur (the thickest part of the leg) to the grasshopper’s body; a slender, spiny tibia connects the femur to the tarsal segments (lowest part of the leg). Label these on Figure 2.
  2. Remove a jumping leg and attach the walking leg & jumping leg to Table 1.
  3. Raise both pairs of wings and locate the first abdominal segment.
  4. Locate the tympanic membrane or eardrum on the first abdominal segment. Label this on Figure 2.

  1. Using a magnifying glass, locate the spiracles or tiny pores for respiration on each side of the abdominal segments.  Label these on Figure 2.
  2. Determine if your grasshopper is a male or female by looking at the end of the abdomen. Females have a tapered abdomen that ends in a pointed egg laying tube called the ovipositor. Male have a more rounded abdomen that turns upward.

  1. Label the ovipositor on Figure 2.

ABDOMEN
Spiracles (small openings on the side of somites or body segments)
Auditory Organs (two located laterally on the 1st body somite or segment)
Ovipositor (on female)

Observations & Conclusion:

Figure 1 – Grasshopper Head (Label ALL parts.)

 

Figure 2 – External Grasshopper anatomy (Label ALL parts.)

Table 1 – External Appendages of the Grasshopper (Attach ALL parts.)

 

Antenna

 
Labrum

 
Mandible

 
Maxilla

 
Labium

 
Forewing

 
Hindwing

 
Walking Leg

 
Jumping Leg

 
Sex of Grasshopper

 

 

1. Which region of the insect’s body is specialized for sensory functions? Explain your answer.

 

2. Which region of the insect’s body is specialized for movement & explain why?

 

3. What is the purpose of compound eyes? of simple eyes?

4. List the grasshopper’s mouthparts & their functions.

 

 

5. How are the ends of the legs adapted for holding onto plants?

 

6. How is the third pair of legs adapted for jumping?

 

7. Describe the differences between the two pairs of wings (appearance & function).

 

8. How does the tympanic membrane help a grasshopper?

9. What system do spiracles open into on a grasshopper?

10. Do all abdominal segments have spiracles? Are there any spiracles on the thoraic segments?

11. How did you determine the sex of your grasshopper?

 

12. Explain how grasshoppers dig holes to lay their eggs.

 

 

Great Biology Web Sites

 

Great Biology Web Sites

 

Great Sites by Great Teachers
These are some of the best web sites that I have found.  These are awesome teachers making a difference.   If you can add to the list, please send me an email at: cmassengale8@sps.k12.ar.us
Kelly Reidell  http://kr021.k12.sd.us/
Mark Adame http://smtexas.net/faculty/adame/BIOLOGYHOME.htm
Diane Goerlitz         
        

     

Biology.org

J. Naughton’s Biology Page http://www.niles-hs.k12.il.us/jacnau/

Shannan Muskopf       Biology Corner          http://www.biologycorner.com/

 Biologyzone-
Kim B. Foglia