Laboratory Requirements for Part D
New York State's biology students must complete four state-developed laboratory activities as part of their laboratory experience. These activities are essential for understanding key biological concepts and are assessed in Part D of the Living Environment Regents examination.
In addition to performing these laboratory activities, you will need to complete laboratory reports and answer questions related to them on the exam.
Required Laboratory: The Beaks of Finches
This laboratory exercise simulates how beak sizes and shapes affect the survival of finch species. By using tools to pick up seeds, you will explore the role of competition and natural selection in shaping beak adaptations.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Describe how structural differences in beak shape affect survival.
- Analyze the role of competition for limited resources.
- Understand how environmental conditions select favorable variations.
- Draw inferences and conclusions about your hypothesis.
When analyzing data, consider how different beak shapes provide advantages or disadvantages in specific environments. This mirrors how natural selection operates in real ecosystems.
Required Laboratory: Relationships and Biodiversity
This laboratory explores similarities and differences among plant species through anatomical, chemical, and genetic analyses. You will use techniques like chromatography, gel electrophoresis, and genetic sequencing to determine relatedness.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Predict the relatedness of plant species based on anatomical features.
- Analyze biochemical test results to determine relatedness.
- Draw inferences and conclusions about your hypothesis.
This laboratory emphasizes the importance of multiple lines of evidence in determining evolutionary relationships.
Required Laboratory: Making Connections
In this activity, you will explore the human body's response to fatigue by measuring pulse rate and muscle performance. You will also design an experiment to test the effect of exercise on muscle performance.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Accurately determine pulse rate.
- Collect, organize, and analyze class data.
- Develop a hypothesis and design an experiment.
- Draw inferences and conclusions.
- Synthesize a report of your findings.
When designing experiments, ensure you have a clear control group and variables to test your hypothesis effectively.
Required Laboratory: Diffusion Through a Membrane
This laboratory simulates cellular diffusion using dialysis tubing as a semipermeable membrane. You will investigate diffusion and osmosis using chemical indicators.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate the use of chemical indicators to identify substances.
- Explain diffusion and osmosis in relation to semipermeable membranes.
- Describe how substances diffuse in or out of the simulated cell.
Understanding diffusion and osmosis is crucial for grasping how cells maintain homeostasis.
Required Laboratory: Adaptations for Reproductive Success in Flowering Plants
Details of this laboratory are not provided, but it likely focuses on the structure and function of flowers as reproductive structures.
Required Laboratory: DNA Technology
This laboratory is expected to cover techniques used to analyze the structure and function of DNA.
Required Laboratory: Environmental Conditions and Seed Germination
This laboratory likely explores how environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture, and oxygen affect seed germination.
These laboratory activities are designed to deepen your understanding of key biological concepts and prepare you for the Living Environment Regents examination.
