What is biology



What is Environmental Science? Part 1

All creatures, including humans, live in an ecosystem. An ecosystem is a group of plants, animals, and other organisms which live together and interact with each other and with the surrounding physical environment. All ecosystems consist of biotic and abiotic components. The interactions between these components are essential to make it function as one unit or system. Biological creatures depend upon both biotic and abiotic factors in the environment to survive and thrive.

So what is biotic, as far as biology is concerned and how is it related to environmental science? To help you determine if something is biotic or abiotic, use the following word roots:

bio = life a = not, or without

Materials:

Different materials set up at lab stations.

Pencils

Handout

Procedure:

1. Write a hypothesis regarding the definitions of biotic and abiotic:

2. Get into your assigned group.

3. Move to your first lab station as a group.

4. Observe the item at the lab station, write down any observations in Table 1.

5. With all group members, decide whether you think the item is biotic or abiotic and justify your answer.

6. Next to the lab station number, write the item at the lab station, whether it is biotic or abiotic, and why you determined it as such (use complete sentences and pay attention to grammar and punctuation).

7. Your teacher will tell you when it is time to move to the next station.

8. Once you have visited each station, formulate definitions for biotic and abiotic. You may redesign your hypothesis if necessary. Write your answer at the end of the data sheet.

What is Environmental Science? Part 2

Remember, all creatures, including humans, live in an ecosystem and interact with each other and with the surrounding physical environment. Today in class, we looked at different biotic and abiotic components that biological creatures depend upon to survive and thrive.

Now you need to consider the biotic and abiotic components from class to help us define environmental science.

Materials:

Pencil Handout

Procedure:

1. With someone else, discuss ways you feel humans are impacting each of the biotic and abiotic components observed in today’s class activity. (You may want to take some time to observe similar items in your backyard to help you recognize the human impacts. Record any observations in Table 2.)

2. Record the component and the human impact on the table provided.

3. Once you have determined human impacts for all biotic and abiotic components observed, formulate a definition for environmental science.

Data Table 1

|Lab Station |Item |Biotic / Abiotic |Reason for Classification |

| | | | |

|1 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|2 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|3 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|4 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|5 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|6 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|7 | | | |

| | | | |

Hypothesis/Definitions:

Biotic- _________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Abiotic- ________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Data Table 2

|Lab Station |Item |Biotic / Abiotic |Human Impact |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|1 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|2 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|3 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|4 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|5 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|6 | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|7 | | | |

| | | | |

Definition:

Environmental Science: ________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

What is Environmental Science? Part 3

Remember that all creatures, including humans, live in an ecosystem. An ecosystem is a group of plants, animals, and other organisms which live together and interact with each other and with the surrounding physical environment. All ecosystems consist of biotic and abiotic components. The interactions between these components are essential to make it function as one unit or system. Biological creatures depend upon both biotic and abiotic factors in the environment to survive and thrive.

So what is biotic, as far as biology is concerned and how is it related to environmental science? To help you determine if something is biotic or abiotic, use the following word roots:

bio = life a = not, or without

Today, we will go outside and observe biotic and abiotic components to help us define environmental science. Complete your observations in Table 3.

PLEASE ANSWER AFTER THE ACTIVITY!!!

Definitions:

Biotic - _______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Abiotic - ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Environmental Science - _________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Reasoning for your definitions - ___________________________________________________

Data Table 3

|Observation |Object |Biotic / Abiotic |Reason for Classification |Human Impact |

| | | | | |

|1 | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

|2 | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

|3 | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

|4 | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

|5 | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

|6 | | | | |

| | | | | |

| | | | | |

|7 | | | | |

| | | | | |

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