Instructor Manual: Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985; Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
Instructor Manual
Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985;
Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter......................................................................2
Chapter Objectives........................................................................................................2
Key Terms.....................................................................................................................3
Chapter Outline.............................................................................................................6
Additional Discussion Questions................................................................................12
Additional Activities and Assignments.......................................................................13
Additional Resources..................................................................................................15
External Videos or Playlist......................................................................................................................15
Internet Resources....................................................................................................................................15
Answers to Biology for Life Questions.......................................................................15
Answers to Process of Science Questions...................................................................17
Answers to Digging into Data Questions...................................................................18
Answers to Self-Quiz Questions..................................................................................19
Answers to Critical Thinking Questions....................................................................21
a
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 1
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985; Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHAPTER
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a foundational understanding of how science, particularly
biology, works. It explains the scientific process, the difference between evidence and opinion, and how
to identify pseudoscience, misinformation, and disinformation. Students learn about the criteria that
define life, the five big ideas in biology, and the diverse places and people involved in scientific research.
The chapter also introduces the various branches of biology and emphasizes effective learning techniques
through the study cycle.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1-1 Explain how science works.
1-2 Compare and contrast hypotheses, scientific theories and scientific laws.
1-3 Explain what happens if data are produced that are inconsistent with an established theory.
1-4 Discuss some ways to identify pseudoscience.
1-5 Compare and contrast mis- and disinformation.
1-6 Name strategies to protect yourself from mis- and disinformation.
1-7 Differentiate scientific evidence from opinion and personal.
1-8 Describe the field of biology.
1-9 Describe the criteria used to define life.
1-10 Explain the five big ideas in biology.
1-11 Describe the places where biological research occurs.
1-12 Describe the kinds of people who do science.
1-13 Compare and contrast different disciplines of biology.
1-14 Identify the parts of the study cycle.
1-15 Match different study strategies to different parts of the study cycle.
[return to top]
KEY TERMS
Asexual reproduction: The process by which offspring are produced by a single parent.
Bias: A predisposition to a belief, often in a way considered to be unfair or distorted, that results in
systematic errors in the collection or interpretation of scientific data.
a
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 2
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985; Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
Biology: the scientific study of life, including what it means to be alive, where life came from, how life
forms are organized, and how living things interact with each other and their environment.
Cell: The smallest functional unit of life.
Claims: Data-informed statements that can be challenged through experimentation.
Concrete ideas: Part of a learning strategy in which abstract scientific concepts are illustrated with
real-world examples.
Confirmation bias: The tendency to seek evidence that aligns with one’s personal beliefs or values
and while denying, dismissing, or ignoring evidence that is contrary to it, even unconsciously.
Conflict of interest: When a person’s interests or beliefs have the potential to compromise their
judgment.
Conservation biology: A field that aims to determine the best ways to preserve biodiversity through
protecting species, habitats, and ecosystems.
Control group: A group of individuals that does not receive the intervention that researchers are
studying. The control group is identical to the treatment group in all other ways.
Correlation: A type of statistic that describes the relationship between two variables.
Data: Factual information generated by both deductive and inductive methods.
Deductive methods: A method of scientific inquiry that starts with a theory or hypothesis which is
then tested by collecting observations or running experiments.
Disinformation: The intentional and malicious spread of false information.
Dual coding: Learning strategy in which the learner uses two different formats for representing
information. For example, one could draw pictures and make written notes.
Ecology: The scientific study of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their
environment.
Elaboration: Learning strategy in which one connects new information that they are learning to things
they already know.
Energy: The capacity to do work.
Energy transformation: The recognition that living organisms depend on multiple sources of energy
for food, from the Sun (for most autotrophs) to the organic molecules contained in other organisms (for
heterotrophs), and that life depends on energy transferred between organisms.
Evolution: The change in the gene pool of a population from generation to generation through
processes such as mutation, natural selection, and genetic drift; also known as descent with modification.
Evolutionary biology: The subdiscipline of biology that studies the mechanisms and patterns of
biological evolution.
Evolve: Change in species over time due to changes in a population’s genetic material.
a
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 3
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985; Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
Experiment: A procedure designed to evaluate a prediction, utilizing variables to generate data that
will show whether a hypothesis is supported or refuted.
Falsifiable: Able to be proven wrong by experimentation or other means of collecting data.
Firsthand bias: The tendency to believe something is more common than it is because it happened to
us or someone close to us.
Generalizable: Can be applied to larger populations or has wider application.
Homeostasis: The process by which the body maintains internal conditions that different from the
outside environment within a range that is required by the body’'s cells.
Hypothesis: A testable explanation for a natural phenomenon.
Immunology: The study of the immune system, which is the system that protects our bodies from
infection.
Imposter syndrome: Imposter syndrome is when someone feels like a phony or that they don’t
belong.
Inductive methods: A method of scientific inquiry that starts with data, often in the form of
observations about the natural world, that are then used to generate a hypothesis.
Infodemic: The rapid, worldwide dissemination of unreliable information.
Information flow: In biology, the recognition that genetic material stores information and this
information is shared across individuals.
Interdisciplinary research: The study of a scientific question that involves concepts from multiple
scientific disciplines.
Law: A statement, often expressed in mathematical terms, that describes an aspect of the natural world
that is agreed upon by all scientists.
Manuscript: A written report describing the methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific study
submitted for publication.
Meta-analysis: A method for examining the combined results of two or more separate scientific
studies.
Microbiology: The subdiscipline of biology that studies microorganisms.
Misinformation: The unintentional or accidental spread of false information.
Nervous system: The group of organs, including the brain, spinal cord, and a wide network of nerves, that
facilitates our responses to stimuli such as heat, cold, and pain.
Organ: A structure composed of tissues that carry out a specific task.
Organization: In biology, the recognition that there is a hierarchical structure inherent to living
organisms in which increasing levels of organization, from the smallest molecules to planet-wide
interacting biological systems, influence function.
a
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 4
accessible website, in whole or in part.
Instructor Manual
Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985;
Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter......................................................................2
Chapter Objectives........................................................................................................2
Key Terms.....................................................................................................................3
Chapter Outline.............................................................................................................6
Additional Discussion Questions................................................................................12
Additional Activities and Assignments.......................................................................13
Additional Resources..................................................................................................15
External Videos or Playlist......................................................................................................................15
Internet Resources....................................................................................................................................15
Answers to Biology for Life Questions.......................................................................15
Answers to Process of Science Questions...................................................................17
Answers to Digging into Data Questions...................................................................18
Answers to Self-Quiz Questions..................................................................................19
Answers to Critical Thinking Questions....................................................................21
a
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 1
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985; Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHAPTER
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a foundational understanding of how science, particularly
biology, works. It explains the scientific process, the difference between evidence and opinion, and how
to identify pseudoscience, misinformation, and disinformation. Students learn about the criteria that
define life, the five big ideas in biology, and the diverse places and people involved in scientific research.
The chapter also introduces the various branches of biology and emphasizes effective learning techniques
through the study cycle.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1-1 Explain how science works.
1-2 Compare and contrast hypotheses, scientific theories and scientific laws.
1-3 Explain what happens if data are produced that are inconsistent with an established theory.
1-4 Discuss some ways to identify pseudoscience.
1-5 Compare and contrast mis- and disinformation.
1-6 Name strategies to protect yourself from mis- and disinformation.
1-7 Differentiate scientific evidence from opinion and personal.
1-8 Describe the field of biology.
1-9 Describe the criteria used to define life.
1-10 Explain the five big ideas in biology.
1-11 Describe the places where biological research occurs.
1-12 Describe the kinds of people who do science.
1-13 Compare and contrast different disciplines of biology.
1-14 Identify the parts of the study cycle.
1-15 Match different study strategies to different parts of the study cycle.
[return to top]
KEY TERMS
Asexual reproduction: The process by which offspring are produced by a single parent.
Bias: A predisposition to a belief, often in a way considered to be unfair or distorted, that results in
systematic errors in the collection or interpretation of scientific data.
a
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 2
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985; Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
Biology: the scientific study of life, including what it means to be alive, where life came from, how life
forms are organized, and how living things interact with each other and their environment.
Cell: The smallest functional unit of life.
Claims: Data-informed statements that can be challenged through experimentation.
Concrete ideas: Part of a learning strategy in which abstract scientific concepts are illustrated with
real-world examples.
Confirmation bias: The tendency to seek evidence that aligns with one’s personal beliefs or values
and while denying, dismissing, or ignoring evidence that is contrary to it, even unconsciously.
Conflict of interest: When a person’s interests or beliefs have the potential to compromise their
judgment.
Conservation biology: A field that aims to determine the best ways to preserve biodiversity through
protecting species, habitats, and ecosystems.
Control group: A group of individuals that does not receive the intervention that researchers are
studying. The control group is identical to the treatment group in all other ways.
Correlation: A type of statistic that describes the relationship between two variables.
Data: Factual information generated by both deductive and inductive methods.
Deductive methods: A method of scientific inquiry that starts with a theory or hypothesis which is
then tested by collecting observations or running experiments.
Disinformation: The intentional and malicious spread of false information.
Dual coding: Learning strategy in which the learner uses two different formats for representing
information. For example, one could draw pictures and make written notes.
Ecology: The scientific study of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their
environment.
Elaboration: Learning strategy in which one connects new information that they are learning to things
they already know.
Energy: The capacity to do work.
Energy transformation: The recognition that living organisms depend on multiple sources of energy
for food, from the Sun (for most autotrophs) to the organic molecules contained in other organisms (for
heterotrophs), and that life depends on energy transferred between organisms.
Evolution: The change in the gene pool of a population from generation to generation through
processes such as mutation, natural selection, and genetic drift; also known as descent with modification.
Evolutionary biology: The subdiscipline of biology that studies the mechanisms and patterns of
biological evolution.
Evolve: Change in species over time due to changes in a population’s genetic material.
a
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 3
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Peffer, Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World, 1e, ©2027, 9780357975985; Chapter 1: Invitation to Biology
Experiment: A procedure designed to evaluate a prediction, utilizing variables to generate data that
will show whether a hypothesis is supported or refuted.
Falsifiable: Able to be proven wrong by experimentation or other means of collecting data.
Firsthand bias: The tendency to believe something is more common than it is because it happened to
us or someone close to us.
Generalizable: Can be applied to larger populations or has wider application.
Homeostasis: The process by which the body maintains internal conditions that different from the
outside environment within a range that is required by the body’'s cells.
Hypothesis: A testable explanation for a natural phenomenon.
Immunology: The study of the immune system, which is the system that protects our bodies from
infection.
Imposter syndrome: Imposter syndrome is when someone feels like a phony or that they don’t
belong.
Inductive methods: A method of scientific inquiry that starts with data, often in the form of
observations about the natural world, that are then used to generate a hypothesis.
Infodemic: The rapid, worldwide dissemination of unreliable information.
Information flow: In biology, the recognition that genetic material stores information and this
information is shared across individuals.
Interdisciplinary research: The study of a scientific question that involves concepts from multiple
scientific disciplines.
Law: A statement, often expressed in mathematical terms, that describes an aspect of the natural world
that is agreed upon by all scientists.
Manuscript: A written report describing the methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific study
submitted for publication.
Meta-analysis: A method for examining the combined results of two or more separate scientific
studies.
Microbiology: The subdiscipline of biology that studies microorganisms.
Misinformation: The unintentional or accidental spread of false information.
Nervous system: The group of organs, including the brain, spinal cord, and a wide network of nerves, that
facilitates our responses to stimuli such as heat, cold, and pain.
Organ: A structure composed of tissues that carry out a specific task.
Organization: In biology, the recognition that there is a hierarchical structure inherent to living
organisms in which increasing levels of organization, from the smallest molecules to planet-wide
interacting biological systems, influence function.
a
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 4
accessible website, in whole or in part.
