Characteristics of Living Things

1. Characteristics of Living Things Life Science Biology

2. When you see the symbol, write down the definition from the slide.

3. Objectives • Be able to determine whether something is a living thing or a non-living thing. • Learn and understand the 6 main characteristics of living things.

4. Organism-a living thing; anything that can carry out life processes independently. They can be unicellular (one cell) or multicellular (many cells). • Some cells have organelles and some do not.

5. First Characteristic of Living Things • The first characteristic of living things is that they are all composed of cells. • Cells are the itsy bitsy puzzle pieces that make up all living things.

6. Second Characteristic of Living Things • The second characteristic of living things is that they have DNA. • When organisms reproduce they pass copies of their DNA to their offspring.

7. Third Characteristic of Living Things • The third characteristic of living things is all living things use energy. Plants however use the sunlight to obtain their energy. Animals and humans eat food to obtain their energy.

8. Energy • All organisms use energy to undergo life processes. Energy cannot be reused or recycled. In nature, materials needed by all organisms in an ecosystem are reused or recycled.

9. Nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and other nutrients move through ecosystems in a predictable pattern or cycle. These nutrient cycles in nature are called biochemical cycles.

10. Oxygen cycle-the process by which oxygen released into the atmosphere by photosynthetic organisms is taken up by aerobic organisms while the carbon dioxide released as a by-product of respiration is taken up for photosynthesis.

11. Brainpop video • http://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/carboncycle/preview.weml

12. Carbon cycle- The continuous process by which carbon is exchanged between organisms and the environment.

14. Nitrogen cycle-the circulation of nitrogen; nitrates from the soil are absorbed by plants which are eaten by animals that die and decay returning the nitrogen back to the soil

16. Fourth Characteristic of Living Things • The fourth characteristic of living things is homeostasis. • This is maintaining the inside of their bodies. • Eating the right foods and staying clean are parts of this maintaining process.

17. Fifth Characteristic of Living Things • The fifth characteristic of living things is that all living things grow and develop. Cell growth can include size of cell or number of cells.

18. Development refers to the series of changes that produces a more complex organism. • Growth is an increase in size.

19. Sixth Characteristic of Living Things • The sixth characteristic of living things is reproduction. All living things need to reproduce to survive.

20. Tim and Moby • http://www.brainpop.com/science/cellularlifeandgenetics/asexualreproduction/

21. Reproduction is sexual and/or asexual. • Sexual reproduction-reproduction in which the sex cells from two parents unite, producing offspring that share traits from both parents. • Asexual reproduction-reproduction that does not involving the union of sex cells and in which on parent produces offspring identical to itself.

22. Living or Non-living and Why? Living Non-Living Living Non-Living Living Non-Living

23. Six Characteristics of Living Things • Cells • Have DNA • Uses energy • Homeostasis/responds to environment • Growth and Development • Reproduction