Characteristics of Living ThingsCharacteristics of Living Things

A Candle, Living or Non-livingA Candle, Living or Non-living

All living things are called All living things are called ORGANISMSORGANISMS

All organisms share six All organisms share six characteristics that make them characteristics that make them living!living!

1 – Living things are organized and 1 – Living things are organized and made up of cellsmade up of cells

cell: the smallest unit of life, cell: the smallest unit of life,

all organisms are made up of one or all organisms are made up of one or more cells organized in a particular more cells organized in a particular wayway

Is a candle organized? Why or why Is a candle organized? Why or why not? Discuss and write your answer not? Discuss and write your answer below.below.

ExamplesExamples

2 – Living things respond2 – Living things respond

They interact with their surroundingsThey interact with their surroundings

stimulus: anything that causes a stimulus: anything that causes a change in the organismchange in the organism– Example: Loud noise makes you jump, Example: Loud noise makes you jump,

screamscream

response: the reaction to a stimulusresponse: the reaction to a stimulus– Example: Jumping because of the loudExample: Jumping because of the loud

Living Things Respond cont.Living Things Respond cont.Living things must be able to respond Living things must be able to respond

to their surroundings in order to to their surroundings in order to maintain maintain homeostasishomeostasis

Homeostasis: maintennance of Homeostasis: maintennance of constant (unchanging) internal body constant (unchanging) internal body conditions in a changing environmentconditions in a changing environment

example: maintaining bodyexample: maintaining body temperaturetemperature

3 – Living things use energy3 – Living things use energy

Plants use energy directly from the Plants use energy directly from the sun, animals get their energy from sun, animals get their energy from plants or other animalsplants or other animals

All organisms take in some form of All organisms take in some form of energy in order to carry on life energy in order to carry on life functionsfunctions

Do candles use energy?Do candles use energy?

4 – Living things reproduce4 – Living things reproduceReproduction: the process Reproduction: the process organisms use to make more of their organisms use to make more of their kind kind Allows for a group of organisms to Allows for a group of organisms to replace those that have diedreplace those that have died

Does a candle have the capability to Does a candle have the capability to reproduce? If so, how does it reproduce? If so, how does it reproduce?reproduce?

5 – Living things grow and develop5 – Living things grow and develop

Over time, organisms will increase in Over time, organisms will increase in size and change with developmentsize and change with development– Example: baby – adolescent – teenager Example: baby – adolescent – teenager

– adult – elderly– adult – elderly

What about a candle? Does it grow What about a candle? Does it grow and develop?and develop?

6) Living things have DNA6) Living things have DNA

DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid) is the DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid) is the molecule that codes for each molecule that codes for each organism’s traitsorganism’s traits

What do living things need from What do living things need from their environment?their environment?1 – Water

•70% of an organisms body is made up of water• Water carries out many of the life processes

2-Air•Air consists of different gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc.•Oxygen is vital for most organisms because it is used to make energy for living things.

•Anaerobic organisms are organisms that do not need oxygen to make energy – example; some bacteria

3 – A Place to Live3 – A Place to Live– Organisms need a place to live that will meet their Organisms need a place to live that will meet their

needsneeds

-Because there is limited space, competition between -Because there is limited space, competition between living things will take placeliving things will take place

4 – Food4 – Food-All organisms take in food or make their own food for -All organisms take in food or make their own food for energyenergy

-producers-producers: make their own food using : make their own food using some some energy source such as sunlightenergy source such as sunlight

--consumers: consumers: organisms that eat other organisms that eat other living living things for foodthings for food

--decomposersdecomposers: : a consumer that gets its food a consumer that gets its food by breaking down the nutrients in dead by breaking down the nutrients in dead organismsorganisms