2. Characteristics of Living Things
• Biologists have formulated a list of
characteristics by which we can
recognize living things

3. Living Things
• What are some examples of
living things?
-Animals Plants
●What about these things?
Rocks, bicycles, books

5. All living things share some basic properties.
Cellular Organization
Reproduction
Metabolism (Obtain and Use Energy)
Homeostasis
Heredity
Responsiveness
Growth and Development
Adapt Through Evolution

6. Cells are basic structural units of life. Smallest unit capable of all life functions.
Cells are the building blocks of all organisms = living things.
Two types of cells are:
Unicellular Organisms Multicellular Organisms
The organism is made up of
Entire organism is made many cells
up of one single cell
Cells have specialized
Bacteria and protists functions within the organism

7. C el
ls

8. iC e llu la r

9. lt iC e llu la r

10. Reproduction is the process of producing new organisms
of the same type. Two types of reproduction
Asexual Reproduction Sexual Reproduction
Two different parent
A single parent
organisms contribute genetic
organism reproducing by
information
itself
Involves the combination
of male and female sex cells

11. As e xua l

12. S e x u a l: a n e w
g e n e t ic
c o m b in a t io n

13. Living organisms need energy to grow,
develop, repair damage, and reproduce

14. Anabolism
The process of building up complex substances
from simpler substances
 Building up cells and cellular components
 Photosynthesis

15. Catabolism
The process of breaking down complex
substances into simpler substances to release
energy
 Digestion
 Cellular Respiration

16. Metabolism
The total of all chemical reactions in
an organism
 Anabolism + Catabolism = Metabolism

17. A stable state of conditions in the body
that are necessary for life
Body temperature
Blood volume
pH balance
Water balance

18. S t a b le
In t e r i
or

19. E v e n t h o u g h e x t e r io r
c o n d it io n s a r e c h a n g in g

20. Genes carry hereditary information
Genes are composed of DNA
Heredity is the reason children resemble their parents
Mutations change
DNA code and can be
passed from
generation to
generation

21. An example is a plant’s
Organisms react to stimuli: leaves and stems growing
Light toward light
Temperature
Odor
Sound
Gravity
Heat
Water
Pressure

22. Growth means to get bigger in size

23. Development involves a change in the
physical form or physiological make-up of
an organism
- An example would be how a
frog is conceived and born.
- A frog begins as a single cell in
a fertilized egg and then
grows into a tadpole and
eventually into a fully grown
frog.

24. D e v e lo p m e n t

25. Adaptation
A process that enables
organisms to become better
suited to their environment
 Species obtain adaptations
through evolution over great
periods of time

26. An Example of Adaptation
Desert plants have succulent waxy leaves and
stems to store water and reduce water loss

27. Living things adapt and evolve

28. Resources
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ2FI50oecs&feature=related (note and voice)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvMBJZLEwFs&feature=related (movie)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM_CgOgJGG0&feature=fvw (movie w/ song)
http://www.firstschoolyears.com/science/resources/games/ourselves/living/living.htm (sorting)
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.colt.lp_living/