Characteristics of Living Things and Necessities of Life April, 2012

Six Characteristics of Living Things 1. Made of 1 or more cells the smallest unit can perform all life functions has all the materials necessary for life

Six Characteristics of Living Things 2. sense and respond to change Stimulus-anything that causes a reaction or change in an organism Homeostasis-maintaining a constant internal state in a changing environment

http://www.moillusions.com/2006/03/scariest-optical-illusion.html

Six Characteristics of Living Things 3. reproduce Asexual reproduction - single parent produces identical offspring Sexual reproduction - two parents produce offspring

Six Characteristics of Living Things 4. have DNA DNA- controls structure and function of cells Heredity - passing of traits from one generation to the next

Six Characteristics of Living Things 5. use energy Metabolism – total of all the chemical activities the organism performs Photosynthesis

Six Characteristics of Living Things 6. grow and develop all living things get larger and change as they grow (unicellular organisms divide)

Necessities of Life Most living things are made up of mostly water Humans are about 70% water

Necessities of Life 2. Air oxygen and carbon dioxide used by almost every organism

Necessities of Life 3. Shelter some organisms stay in one place, others migrate

Necessities of Life 4. Food used for energy

Where energy comes from: Producers plants use light of sun to make sugar glucose from water and carbon dioxide

Where energy comes from: 2. Consumers eat plants and other animals, cannot make their own food

Where energy comes from: 3. Decomposers break down the nutrients in dead plants and animals