St Maarten Academy

3rd Form Biology.

Biology Lesson #2

26th August,2020.

The variety of living organisms

The planet Earth, the third planet from the sun, has all the conditions necessary to support life as
we know it. Our planet is positioned at such a distance from the sun that living organisms can
survive in the range of temperatures on its surface( although it is a fairly wide range). The
presence of water in all its form (solid, liquid and gas) and the combination of gases which make
up the atmosphere( including nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide)are all conditions that are
essential to life on earth.

A huge variety of living forms exist on the planet earth. They can inhabit most of the Earth’s
surface, land, air and water. They show an enormous range in size and complexity- from the
microscopic, which cannot be seen by the naked eye and are simple as one cell, to giant whales
which must live in water since they are too heavy to support themselves and move on land.

Characteristics of life

Biology is the study of life and how living things stay alive. All living organisms, microscopic to
gigantic, possess certain characteristics. These are the characteristics of life that distinguish
living things from non-living things.
There are seven of these characteristics.
1. Growth
2. Respiration
3. Irritability
4. Movement
5. Nutrition
6. Excretion
7. Reproduction
Task:
Write short notes on the characteristics above.

The major groups of organisms

All organisms used to be classified or placed in two kingdoms or main groups- animals and
plants, depending on whether they get their food from other organisms or make their own food.
However, living things are more diverse than this and a classification system of five kingdoms is
now used. These kingdoms are the Prokaryotes, protoctists, fungi, plants and animals.

Write notes on the five kingdoms given above, include one example of each.