1. Characteristics of Living Things
A Candle, Living or Non-living

2. All living things are called ORGANISMS
All organisms share six characteristics that make them living!

3. 1 – Living things are organized and made up of cells
cell: the smallest unit of life,
all organisms are made up of one or more cells organized in a particular way
Is a candle organized? Why or why not? Discuss and write your answer below.

4. Examples

5. 2 – Living things respond
They interact with their surroundings
stimulus: anything that causes a change in the organism
Example: Loud noise makes you jump, scream
response: the reaction to a stimulus
Example: Jumping because of the loud

6. Living Things Respond cont.
Living things must be able to respond to their surroundings in order to maintain homeostasis
Homeostasis: maintennance of constant (unchanging) internal body conditions in a changing environment
example: maintaining body temperature

7. 3 – Living things use energy
Plants use energy directly from the sun, animals get their energy from plants or other animals
All organisms take in some form of energy in order to carry on life functions
Do candles use energy?

9. 4 – Living things reproduce
Reproduction: the process organisms use to make more of their kind
Allows for a group of organisms to replace those that have died
Does a candle have the capability to reproduce? If so, how does it reproduce?

10. 5 – Living things grow and develop
Over time, organisms will increase in size and change with development
Example: baby – adolescent – teenager – adult – elderly
What about a candle? Does it grow and develop?

11. 6) Living things have DNA
DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid) is the molecule that codes for each organism’s traits

12. What do living things need from 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

13. 3 – A Place to Live
Organisms need a place to live that will meet their needs
-Because there is limited space, competition between living things will take place
4 – Food
-All organisms take in food or make their own food for energy
-producers: make their own food using some energy source such as sunlight
-consumers: organisms that eat other living things for food
-decomposers: a consumer that gets its food by breaking down the nutrients in dead organisms