Biology

Semester I Exam Study Guide

2021-22
Exam Date/time:___________________________________________
Student should prepare an 8.5 x 11 single-sided, handwritten “cheat sheet”

Unit 1: Basic Skills of Science

“Vocab Partners”: Write one word to associate with each term.

Quantitative data Qualitative data

Bar graph Pie chart

Histogram Line graph

Scatterplot CER

Experiment Hypothesis

Independent variable Dependent variable

“The Data Drives the Graph”: Select which graph type is best for the data set/scenario.

1. The total number of new homes built in Menomonee Falls each year for the past ten years (2011-2021).
____________________________________________

2. The percentage of students that utilize specific types of transportation to get to school (out of 100).
____________________________________________

3. The distribution of MFHS students who fall into shoe size categories (4-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13+).
____________________________________________

4. The correlation between the number of times students are tardy to class and overall achievement scores.
____________________________________________

5. A comparison of five major brands of sunscreen and price per ounce.

____________________________________________

“Scientific Math”: Show your Work!

1. Alyssa had the following scores in biology on her unit tests: 85, 88, 78, 90, and 83.

What is her test average?

 What happens to her average if she scores a 95 on her next test?

What if she scores a 70?

2. Calculate the percentage of water in each fruit from the data table below:

Original Fruit/Mass (g) Amount of Water in Fruit (g) Percent Water in Fruit (%)

Apple-89 g 79 g

Peach-95 g 80.1 g

Banana-110 g 82.5 g

Kiwi-67 g 53.6 g

Which fruit has the highest percent of water?

Which fruit has the lowest percent of water?

Design your Own Experiment: Draw it!

Your team is interested in finding out if tomatoes grow better in red, blue, or white light. Design and draw the
experiment. Label the independent variable, dependent variable, and controlled variables.

CER: What do the letters mean?

Write out a keyword or phrase that will help you remember what the letters C-E-R stand for and how to use them
effectively in your argument.
C:

E:

R:

CER Example: What is the favorite type of candy of Wisconsinites?

C:

E:

R:
Note Taking: Give your brain more than just text!

Create a page of notes that your brain will LOVE.

Is Soda Bad for You?
Unit 2: Toxic Algae

Water Cycle: “All the water we have is all the water we’ve ever had”

River Anatomy: Use the following terms to create a river diagram: headwaters, tributary, meanders, flood plain,
wetland, downstream, upstream, river mouth

What is algae? Helpful or harmful? Characteristics? Photosynthesis or cellular respiration? Animal or plant?
Create a graphic organizer that describe algae in GREAT detail.
Water Quality: Chemical and Biological Testing

Biological Testing: Macroinvertebrates as Indicator Chemical Testing: 7 tests to measure overall water
Species quality

Photosynthesis: Inputs and Outputs

Label the inputs (reactants) and outputs (products). What does the autotroph need? What does it make? How does
this compare to cellular respiration? What organisms do photosynthesis?

Toxins/Poisons: Good or bad?

Toxins: BAD Toxins: GOOD

Unit 3: Africa (P1 & P2)

African Geography/National Parks

Countries to know: Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia

National Parks to know: Etosha National Park, Kruger National Park, Gorongosa National Park, Ngorongoro National
Park

Food chains/Food Webs/Energy Pyramids: different views on energy movement

Compare and contrast the three views of energy movement. What do they look like? What do they show?
Food Chain Food Web Energy Pyramid
Ecological relationships Matching:

Ecological Relationship Relationship Explanation

Predation Competition for resources within the same species

Intraspecific competition Hunter/Hunted

Interspecific competition One organism benefits, one is unaffected

Parasitism Both organisms benefit

Commensalism Competition for resources between different species

Mutualism One organism benefits, one is harmed

Life as a Hunter: Calories out vs. calories in

Fill out the chart for the following scenario: 3 lionesses who hunt and kill 3 warthogs and 1 wildebeest. Is this possible?
Levels of Ecological Organization: organism, population, community, ecosystem

Draw a picture that represents each:

Organism: Population:

Community: Ecosystem:

Population Growth Models: J curves, S curves

Draw a picture below of each type of growth curve. Label them J or S. Also label them Logistic and Exponential.
Include whether the growth is limited or unlimited. Which one has a carrying capacity?

Limiting Factors: Density Dependent or Density Independent?

Density Dependent:

Density Independent:

Match the limiting factors to the correct type: wildfire, food availability, predation, disease, flooding, hurricane.
Density Dependent Density Independent

Elephant Issues: Tusklessness and Keystone Species

Explain the situation involving increased elephant tusklessness. Why is this happening? How does this happen?

Name 3-4 reasons why elephants are considered keystone species. What is a keystone species? Name another
besides elephants.
Unit 4: Cells at Work

Animal and plant cells: organelle identification

Spotlight on the cell membrane: Form and Function

Draw the cell membrane in the box below. Label the following: inside of cell, outside of cell, phospholipid bilayer,
channel proteins.
Cell Membrane Movement: In or out?

Types of transport: Passive vs. Active. Label each of the following as passive or active transport. Include if energy is
needed to make it happen.

Type of transport Passive or Active Energy needed? Y or N

Diffusion

Osmosis

Facilitated Diffusion

Active

Microscopes 101