Content Definition Example Scientific Method Hypothesis An Assertion subject to verification or

proof as a premise from which a conclusion is drawn

“If, Then”

Model A description, analogy or a representation of something that helps us understand it better

Cell models

Qualitative The physical characteristics of an object The Apple is red Quantitative The number of characteristics of an object There are 2 apples Theory Systematically organized knowledge in a

applicable in a relatively wide variety of circumstances

Newton’s theory “What ever goes up must come down”

Variable Factor The object in an experiment; which is tested; that changes

Control Factor The object in an experiment; which remains constant

Information Technology The technical means that human create to store and transmit information

Computers

Conclusion The answer based on the observation collected in an experiment

I conclude that when cells are put into a hypertonic solution they do shrink.

Observation Careful inspecting of an object or even using your 5 senses

I observed the bugs on the tree. They were 5 cm long and green.

Scientific Method The series of steps followed to solve problems

State the question collect information research information state a

hypothesis Test hypothesis observe testing Record data State a conclusion of your hypothesis

Interactions of Living Things

Abiotic A nonliving factor or element

Light, water, heat, rocks, energy, minerals

Biological Diversity The variety and complexity of species present and interacting in an ecosystem and the relative abundance of each

Biotic An environmental factor related to produced by living organisms

Animals, Plants, Bacteria

Composting The process of mixing decaying leaves, manure and other nutritive matter to improve and fertilize soil

Worm Bins

Consumer Those organisms that obtain energy by

feeding on to the organisms and their remains

Boy eating soup

Decomposer An organism, often microscopic in size,

that obtains nutrients by consuming dead organic matter, thereby making nutrient accessible to other organisms

Decomposers include fungi, scavengers, rodents and other animals

Ecosystem A community of living organisms and their

interrelated physical and chemical environment

An African Savannah

Environment The total of the surrounding influencing

each living being’s existence, including physical, biological and all other factors

The surroundings of a plant or animals including other plants or animals, climate and location

Equilibrium The ability of an ecosystem to maintain stability among its biological resources so that there is a steady optimum yield

Homeostasis The tendency for a system to remain in a state of equilibrium by resisting change

Thermostat in your house

Incinerate Burning to ashes; reducing to ashes Niche The role played by an organism in an

ecosystem; its food preferences, requirements for shelter, special behaviors and the timing activities, interaction with others organisms and its habitat

Closed Loop System A group of related objects that have feedback and can modify themselves

Water Cycle

Open looped System A group of related objects that do not have feedback and cannot modify themselves

Grasshopper Circulatory System

System A group of related objects that work together to achieve a desired results

Tropic Levels The role of an organism in nutrient and energy flow within an ecosystem

Herbivores, Carnivores, Decomposer

Shredder Through chewing and/or grinding, microorganisms feed on non-woody coarse particulate matter, primarily leaves

Bacteria

Plants Herbivores Plant eaters Elephants are herbivores

Carnivore Meat Eater Lion is a carnivore

Photosynthesis The process by which plants, algae, and

some bacteria use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to make food

Producer An organism that can make its own food by using energy from its surrounding

Plants

6CO2 6H2O C6H12O6 6O2+

+Sunlight

Chlorophyll

Sperm

Cellular Respiration The process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food

Chlorophyll A green pigment that captures light energy for photosynthesis

Stoma One of many openings in a leaf or a stem of

a plant that enable gas exchange to occur

Transpiration The process by which plants release water

vapor into the air through stomata

Tropism The growth of all or part of the organism in response to an external stimulus, such as light

Fertilization Sperm and egg meet

Gametes Sex cells of living things Male: Sperm Female: Egg

Nature Cycles

6CO2 6H2O C6H12O6 6O2+ + + Energy

Green leaves have chlorophyll

The water left the plants

Egg

Carbon Cycle Exchange of carbon between the environment and living things; organic molecule contain carbon

Water Cycle Water movement between oceans,

atmosphere, land and living things

Nitrogen Cycle The movement of nitrogen between the

environment and living things

Succession The series of changes that occurring an ecosystem with the passing of time

Sustainability The ability to keep in existence or maintain.

A sustainable ecosystem is one that can be maintained.

Microscopes Compound Light Microscope An instructment that magnifies small

objects so that they can be seen easily by using two or more lenses

Electron Microscope A microscope that focuses a beam of

electrons to magnify objects

Scanning Electron Microscope Tool Any device used to extend human

capability including computer-based tools

Biotechnology The ways that humans apply biological concepts to products and provide services

Instructional Technology Any mechanical aid used to assist in or enhance the process of teaching and learning

Information Technology The technical means that a humans create to store and transmit information

Technology Education The application of tools, materials, processes and systems to solve problems and extend human capabilities

Cells Cell The smallest unit that can perform all life

processes; cells are covered by a membrane and contain DNA and cytoplasm

Cell Cycle The life cycle of the cell Cell Theory 1. All living things are composed of

cells 2. Cells are the basic function and

structure of life 3. All cells come from other cells

Prokaryotic No nucleus or other organelles, but does contain a single strand of DNA

Eukaryotic Contains nucleus and all organelles; contains a double stranded DNA strand

Cell Processes Osmosis The diffusion of water through a

semipermeable membrane

Diffusion The movement of particles from regions of higher density to regions of low density

Active transport The movement of substances across the cell membrane that requires the cell to use

Has a nucleus

Has NO nucleus

energy Passive transport The movement of substances across a cell

membrane without the use of energy by the cell

Fermentation The breakdown of food with out the use of oxygen

Enzymes A protein that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being changes by the reaction; an organic catalyst

Mitosis The sequential differentiation and segregation of replicated chromosomes in a cell’s nucleus that preceded complete cell division

Meiosis A process in cell division during which the number of chromosomes decreases to half the original number by two divisions of the nucleus, which results in the production of sex cells (gametes or spores)

Embryology The branch of biology dealing with eth development of living thins from a fertilized egg to its developed state

Genetics Allele Any of a set of possible forms of a gene Heredity The passing of genetic traits from parent to

offspring

Dominant trait The trait observed in the first generation when parents that have different traits are bred

Brown eyes are dominant over blue

Recessive trait A trait that reappears in the second generation after disappearing in the first

Blond hair is recessive to brown hair

generation when the parents with different traits are bred

Gene One set of instructions for an inherited trait Phenotype An organism’s appearance or other

detectable characteristics The girl’s phenotype fro hair was blond

Genotype The entire genetic makeup of an organism; also the combination of genes for one or more specific traits

The girl’s genotype for hair was “bb”

Probability The likeihood that a possible future even will occur in any given instance of the event

Homologous chromosomes Chromosomes that have the same sequence

of genes and the same structure

Sex chromosomes One of the pairs of chromosomes that

determine the sex of an individual Females have an Egg and Males have Sperm

Pedigree A diagram that shows the occurrence of a genetic trait in several generations of a family

Punnett Square A tool to examine the probability of a trait

Delineate To trace the outline; to draw; top sketch; to depict or picture

Homozygous Same allele AA aa BB bb CC cc Dd dd

The Royal families were all from pedigrees

Probabilities is just like rolling

These two chromosomes are the same size and have the same genes on the bands

Humans evolved from its ancestors

Ribosomes lined the ER and delivered messages form the nucleus

Heterozygous Different alleles Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Genes DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid ) A molecules that is present in all living

cells and that contains the information that determines the traits that a living thing inherits and needs to live

They had nucleotides A, G, C and T

Nucleotide In a nucleic-acid chain a subunit that consists of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base

RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) Ribonucleic acid, a molecule that is present

in all living cells and the at plays a role in protein production

They had nucleotides A, G, C and U instead of T

Ribosome A cell organelle composed of RNA and protein. That site of protein synthesis

Mutation A change in the nucleotide-base sequence of a gene or DNA molecule

Evolution Adaption A characteristic that improves an

individual’s ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment

Species A group of organism that re closely related

and can mate to produce fertile-offspring

Evolution The process in which inherited characteristics within a population change over generations such that new species sometimes arise

Monkeys Adapted Tail for swinging and grabbing bananas

Fossil The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago. Most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock

Fossil Record A historical sequence of life indicated by

fossils found in layers of the Earths’ crust

Trait a genetically determined characteristics Color of eyes are a trait Selective breeding The human practice of breeding animals or

plants that have certain desired traits

Natural Selection The process by which individuals that are

better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully them less well adapted individuals do; a theory to explain the mechanism of evolution

Zebras, over the years have survived because of their strips which are a

naturally selected trait Speciation The formation of new species as a result of

evolution

Extinct Describes a species that has died out completely

Classification Classification The division of organism into groups, or

classes, based on specific characteristics

Taxonomy The science of describing naming, and classifying organisms

Dichotomous key An aid that is used to identity organism and

Fossil of dinosaurs are everywhere

RIP Dinosaurs

We selectively breed dogs

that consists of the answers to a series of questions

Threatened, Endangered and Extinct Species

Biomes A community of living organism of a single major ecological region

Endangered Species A species that is in danger of extinction

throughout all or significant portion of its range

Lentic Relating to or living in still water Lotic Relating to or living in actively moving

water

Migration The policy of constructing or creating man-made habitats, such as wetland, to replace those lost to development

Integrated Pest Management A variety of pest control methods that

include respires, traps, bait, position etc. to eliminate pests

Nonpoint Source Pollution Contamination that originates from many locations that all discharge into a location (ex. Lake, Stream, Land area)

Nonrenewable Resources Substances that once used, cannot be

replaces in this geological age Oil, Gas, Coal, Copper, Gold

Pest A label applied to an organism when it is in competition with humans for some resource

Recycling Collecting and reprocessing a resource to product to make into new products

Point Spruce Pollution Pollutants discharged form a single

identifiable location (ex pipes, ditches, channels, sewers)

Regulation A rule or order issued by an executive

authority or regulatory agency of a government and having the force of law

Renewable Resource A naturally occurring raw material or form of energy that will be replenished through natural ecological cycles or sound management practices

Sun, Water, Wind, Trees

Watershed The land area from which surface runoff

drains into a stream, channel, lake, reservoir or other body of water; also called drainage basin

Wetland Lands where water saturation is the

dominant factor determining the nature of the soil development and the plant and animal communities