1. It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
What Do You Think?
What characteristics do all living things have in common?
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

2. There are Six Characteristics of Living Things.
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
There are Six Characteristics of Living Things.
Living things have Cells.
Living things Sense and Respond to Change.
Living things have DNA.
Living things Reproduce.
Living things use Energy.
Living things Grow and Develop.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

3. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
An object must possess all 6 of the characteristics in order for it to be considered a living thing.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

4. It’s Alive!! Or, Is It? Living Things Have Cells
Every living thing is made up of one or more cells.
Cells are the smallest unit of structure and function of living things.
Some cells specialize to do specific jobs.
Examples are nerve cells, muscle cells, etc…
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

5. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
Living Things Sense and Respond to Change.
A stimulus is a change that causes the activity of an organism to change.
A stimulus can be internal (from inside).
Examples are fever or vomiting when sick.
A stimulus can be external (from outside).
Example is squinting when the lights are bright.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

6. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
Living Things Sense and Respond to Change (cont…).
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable internal environment.
- Our bodies are very good at controlling the chemical reactions that keep us alive. These reactions can only take place when conditions are exactly right.
- Example is body temperature.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

7. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
Living Things Have DNA.
DNA stands for deoxyribose nucleic acid.
DNA is the molecule that controls the functions of a cell.
DNA is passed from parent to offspring.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

8. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
Living Things Reproduce.
Most living things reproduce by sexual reproduction.
Requires two parents that produce offspring that share characteristics of both parents.
More diverse offspring.
Animals
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

9. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
Living Things Reproduce (cont…).
Some things reproduce by asexual reproduction.
A single parent produces offspring that are exactly the same as the parent.
More uniform offspring.
Hydra
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

10. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
Living Things Use Energy
Metabolism is the total of all of the chemical activities that the organisms performs.
Metabolism includes:
- Making food.
- Breaking down food.
- Building cells.
- Moving materials in and out of cells.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

11. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
Living Things Grow and Develop.
You grow as your body gets bigger.
Developing is the process of changing, maturing, and going through different stages.
Growing and developing depends on the environment and the resources available.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

12. It’s Alive!! Or, Is It?
Visit the website below to distinguish between Living and Non-living things.
Try This!
Ready?
Living and Non-living things
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

13. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
Let’s Review!
- 1 -
If the weather is cold outside, how do you maintain your body temperature?
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

14. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
Answer
If it’s too cold, you will shiver to create heat. Humans can add layers of clothes to keep warm in the cold. Reptiles bask in the sun to stay warm. Homeostasis allows us to do this.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

15. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
Let’s Review
- 2 -
What characteristics of living things does a river have?
Is a river alive?
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1

16. Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1
Answer
A river has energy (it moves) and can grow larger (after rain), but it is not alive because it is not made of cells, cannot respond to stimuli, has no DNA, and cannot reproduce.
Unit 2 : Chapter 7 : Section 1