Honors Biology Summer Assignment 2015
Bishop McNamara High School
Welcome to Honors Biology, I am looking forward to seeing you in class! Honors Biology is an
introductory biology course so we will study everything from ecology to genetics. Along the way we
work on critical thinking skills needed for higher level classes and college courses.
Your summer assignment:
This is a two part assignment. Please do both parts (A and B), which are due the second week of class.
There will also be a test on the prefixes and suffixes the second week of school. No late assignments will
be accepted. You can always turn in the work early! Part A can be hand written on index cards, part B
can be hand written on the printed out worksheet. Please do not wait until the last minute to do your
work!
Part A: Vocabulary: Science can be like learning a new language. There are dozens of new vocabulary
words that you will learn over the year. The vocabulary will be easier to understand when you learn the
prefixes or suffixes. Below is a list of common prefixes and suffixes used in Biology. Make a set of
vocabulary cards for the word list. Put the prefix or suffix on one side of the card. On the other side of
the card put the meaning of the prefix/suffix and the example word. Use the vocab cards to prepare
for the test on prefixes and suffixes the second week of school.
List of prefixes/suffixes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
A; means not; example word is abiotic
Anti; means against or opposite of; example word is anticodon
Bio; means life; example word is biology
Cyto; means cell; example word is cytoplasm
Uni; means one; example word is unicellular
Zoo; means animal; example word is zoology
Macro; means large; example word is macromolecule
Micro; means small; example word is microscope
Mono; means one; example word is monosaccharide
Chrom; means color, example word is chromosome
Eu; means true; example word eukaryotic
Hetero; means different; example word is heterozygous
Homo; means same; example word is homozygous
Hydro; means water; example word is hydrophilic
Hyper; means above or high; example word is hypertonic
Hypo; means the position is under or beneath; example word is hypotonic
Iso; means equal or like; example word is isotonic
Pseudo; means false; example word is pseudopod
–logy; means the study of; example word is ecology
–lysis; means rupture; example word is glycolysis
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Part B: Science in action (print out pages 2-6)
In this lab students will review the steps of the scientific method by identifying each step
and applying each through an activity that compares variables between 2 types of bubble
gum. Students will be asked to hypothesize, collect and organize data, use scientific
measurement, and differentiate between qualitative and quantitative data. Print out pages
2-6 and write in the space provided. If you run out of room continue on an attached piece
of loose leaf paper.
Learning Goals
Students will be able to use the scientific method to solve problems and collect data-based
observations. In doing the investigation students will know how to use SI (metric) units and
differentiate qualitative and quantitative data.
1. The purpose of this lab is to use the Scientific Method to solve a problem.
2. Materials
2 small pieces of wax paper
1 meter long piece of string
1 meter stick or metric measuring tape
2 different pieces of bubble gun labeled A and B
3. READ all directions carefully before starting the activity. Below, record the name of the
brand and flavor you selected for gum A and B, then make 3 simple observations (such as
color) about gum A and B.
Observations
Gum A Brand/flavor etc.
Gum B Brand/flavor etc.
_____________________________
_____________________________________
1.____________________________
1.____________________________________
2.____________________________
2.____________________________________
3.____________________________
3.____________________________________
4. Problem: Which piece of bubble gum blows the biggest bubble? (No student response
needed here).
5. Hypothesis: Predict which piece of gum will blow the biggest bubble and why.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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6. Procedure:
A. Chew the A piece of gum for 3 minutes.
B. Blow a bubble.
C. Using the piece of string, have someone help you measure the diameter (distance
across) the bubble. Put the string on the meter stick to measure the distance in centimeters
(cm).
D. Record the measurement in a data table. Repeat the process for trials 2 and 3, using a
new piece of freshly chewed gum A each time.
E. Find the average bubble size for brand A (add all the distances up and divide by 3) and
put in the data chart.
F. Repeat step 6 with brand B gum.
7. Data Table: Design a data collection table to fit the data from the steps above, record
your data/table in the space below.
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8. Conclusion: Forming a theory
What brand of gum is the best for blowing bubbles and why? You must support your answer
with observations and your data.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Problem: How does gum stretch-ability relate to bubble size?
9. Hypothesis: Make an educated guess based on your data that would answer the above
question/problem.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Procedure:
10. Roll a chewed piece of gum A into a ball.
11. Hold the gum (brand A) by using the piece of wax paper. Have a helper hold the same
piece of gum with another piece of wax paper. Hold the gum near your chest, begin to walk
slowly backwards. Use the meter stick or metric measuring tape and measure the distance
(in centimeters) the gum stretched before breaking. (Do not do this part on a carpeted
surface!)
12. Record the measurement in the data chart. ONLY DO ONE TRIAL
13. Repeat steps 10 to 12 for brand B gum.
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Data Table: Create a data table to fit the data you will be gathering and record in the space
below.
Conclusion:
COMPARE DATA FROM THE BUBBLE EXPERIMENT TO STRECH-ABILITY
14. How does gum stretch-ability relate to bubble size? You must use your data to support
your answer.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
15. List 5 variables (factors that are subject to change) that may affect the outcome of this
experiment.
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
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16. Explain how some of the data you collected can be described as qualitative (descriptive
data that be observed but not measured) and other data you collected is quantitative (data
that can be measured and written in numbers).
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
17. List at least one question you still have about the scientific method.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
18. Feel free to attach a couple of low or medium resolution pictures with captions from the
above activity. Attaching pictures is optional.
If you have any questions over the summer please email me at: [email protected]
I’ll be checking email periodically.
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