Transcript Characteristics of Living Things

Characteristics of Living
Things
Dead
Once alive, but now physically inactive (no
movement, response, reproduction,
metabolism, growth)
Still in it’s natural state
Ex: Fallen Tree branch
dried flower
dead squirrel
Non-living – something that
is not and never was alive in
its current form
Some Non-living things:
Rocks
Wooden table
Plastic
Rubber
Living
All living things have 6 things in
common:
They are made of cells
They obtain and use energy
They grow and develop
They reproduce
They respond to their surroundings
They adapt to their environment
1. Made of Cells
Unicellular - one cell
Ex: bacteria
Multicellular - many cells
Ex: cats
2. Obtain & Use Energy
Autotrophs - make their own food
Ex: all plants
Heterotrophs - must find and eat food
Ex: cows, birds, lizards
3. Grow & Develop
Get larger
Get more complex
4. Reproduce (with DNA)
Asexual - one parent, offspring are
identical copies
Sexual - two parents, involves egg and
sperm
5. Respond to Surroundings
(movement)
Stimulus - change in organism’s
environment that causes organism to
react (like a school bell)
Response - an action or change in
behavior as a result of stimulus
(students move to their next class)
6. Adapt to Environment
A physical or behavioral change to help
the organism survive
What are some things that are
living:
Birds
Bacteria
Plants
Fungi
What about Viruses?
A virus is a sub-microscopic infectious agent.
It can reproduce, but
only in a host cell
Does not have cells
Evolves through
natural selection
An easy way to memorize the 6 characteristics of life:
CEG RRA
C = Cells
E = Energy
G = Grow
R = Reproduce
R = Respond
A = Adapt