Characteristics

of Living

Things

Made of Cells

• smallest unit of a living thing considered to be alive

• highly organized (structures with specific functions)

• 200 different types in humans

unicellular multicellular

Cells

brain cells onion skin cells red blood cells

Tissues

epithelial tissue connective tissue

muscle tissue nervous tissue

Organs

heart lungs

liver kidneys

Systems

circulatory system muscular system

Reproduction

asexual reproduction

1 parent; offspring identical to

parent

sexual reproduction

1 cell from 2 parents create first

cell of offspring

Same Genetic Code

Hereditary information encoded in sections of DNA called “genes”!

Growth/Development

• growth – getting bigger

• development – changing into an adult

• differentiation – a cell becoming specialized

Must Have Materials/Energy

Metabolism – all chemical reactions occurring in an organism

producers consumers decomposers

Response to Environment

• stimulus – signal causing a response

• response – what the organism does

Maintaining Internal Balance

panting to get rid of body heat

Homeostasis – maintaining a stable

internal environment

Evolution - populations change over time