Can you find the giraffe?

BIOLOGY
Why is this field of study
important?

Come up with a list of ways in

which biology improves human
lives.
Organisms come in a
different forms:

● Plants
● Animals
● EuBacteria
● Archaea
● Fungi
● Protozoa

Living things are

grouped into 6
Kingdoms →

6 Kingdoms: Archaea, Eubacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae

An organism is any living thing.

Living things have certain

properties that we use to
establish their state of being
alive.

We call these the

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE

This is a water bear,

or a tardigrade.. It
lives in water, eats
plants and can even
survive in outer
space.
How do you know if something is alive?
Create a list of
things you would
look for to
determine if an
something was
alive.

On your desk is an object,

convince the class that it is
alive.
Characteristics of Life
1.Cells - the smallest unit of life
Unicellular = 1 celled Multicellular = many celled
2. Growth and Reproduction
Sexual = DNA from 2 different parents
Asexual = single parent (cloning, budding)
3. Genetic Code – instructions (DNA) found in all
living things.
4.  Living things require energy

Autotrophs (plants) obtain

Heterotrophs (animals) obtain energy
from eating other living things
energy from the sun.
5. Living things RESPOND to the environment
A response is a reaction to a STIMULUS.

Brainstorm ways
that plants
RESPOND to their
environment?
Plants respond to light (phototropism) and to
gravity (gravitropism).
Plants also respond to other stimuli like touch
(thigmotropism).
6.  Living things maintain internal balance
Homeostasis = maintaining constant internal
conditions (sameness)

What happens to your body when you…

a) drink a gallon of lemonade?

b) run a mile?
c) eat a donut?
d) walk outside in the winter without a coat?
Homeostasis is maintained using a system of FEEDBACK
LOOPS in the body.
Branches of Biology
Zoology = animals
Paleontology = ancient life
Cytology = cells
Botany = plants
Entomology = insects

You guess…
Microbiology =
Ecology =
Anthropology =
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
1. Organisms that gain energy by eating food are called: ________________.

2. The smallest unit of life is the ___________

3. All living things must be able to ________________, or to make more of their own kind.

4. All living things have a _____________, which are like instructions for building the body.
5. Animals get their _______________ by consuming food.
Plants get it from the ________________

6. __________________________ is the maintaining of an internal balance, or sameness

7. Sweating when you are hot is an example of a ________________________

8. Which branch of science studies plants? __________________

ecosystems? _________________________
 Taking Care of Life

As a group, bring one small and growing

plant for the next meeting. As a group,
give a name to the plant. Put the plant
inside your classroom and take care of it
as if your life depends on it.