1. Characteristics of Life
Period 1

2. Organization & Cells
Organization- Is the high degree of order within an organism internal and external parts and in its interactions with the living
Cell- Smallest unit that can perform all life's processes
unicellular-is when an organism is only made up of one cell, bacteria are unicellular
multicellular- Other organisms, such as humans or trees, that are made up of multiple cells

3. Organization & Cells
Organs- Structures that carry specialized jobs within a body and organ system
Tissues- Groups of cells that have similar abilities and that allow the organ to function
organelles- tiny structures that carry out functions necessary for the cell to stay alive.
biological molecules-chemical compound that provides physical structures and that brings about movement, energy use, and other cellular functions

4. Response to Stimuli
Stimulus- physical or chemical change in the internal or external environment.
ex: An owl dilates its pupils to keep the light constant.
Organisms must be able to respond and react to changes in their environment to stay alive.

5. Homeostasis
Homeostasis: Maintenance of a stable level of internal conditions even though environmental conditions are constantly changing
All living things have mechanisms to allow them to maintain stable internal conditions
Without them they can die
ex: A cell’s water content is controlled by taking and releasing water.
Too much or too little will cause it to die

6. Homeostasis
Usually organisms have more than one way of maintaining important aspects of their internal environment.

7. Metabolism
-Metabolism- the sum of all the chemical reactions that take in and transform energy and materials from the environment
ex: photosynthesis, plants, algae, bacteria
-Energy used to process life depends on metabolism
-Some organisms depend on other organisms for food

8. Growth & Develop
Cell division is the formation of two new cells from one cell.
All living things grow and increase in size.
Development is progress in which an organism becomes a mature adult.
In result of development, the adult organism is composed of many cells specialized for different functions.
Organisms mature through cell division, cell enlargement, and development.

9. Reproduction
Reproduction- a process in which organisms produce new organisms like themselves
Not necessary for life, but because a single organism does not live forever, reproduction is essential to survival of an individual organism
Ex: Glass frogs lay many eggs over their lifetime, Few survive
During reproduction an organism's hereditary info. is transferred through deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA)

10. Reproduction
Gene- Short segment of DNA that contains instructions for one trait of an organism
Each cell in your body needs DNA to build structures and to make the chemicals necessary for life
Sexual reproduction- combines DNA from 2 organisms to create a singular, not identical offspring
Asexual reproduction- does not combined DNA and results in an identical offspring that genetically is the same

11. Change Through Time -Evolve- change through time
-Basic genetic characteristics do not change
-Changing is important for survival
-Explains diversity of life forms we see on Earth