1.B Characteristics of Life Name 5 things you think all living things have in common.

1.B Characteristics of Life DOGRACER - acronym to remember the 8 characteristics or traits of living things DNA- Deoxyribonucleic Acid All living things contain DNA DNA contains all the directions for building an organism (codes for proteins). ← this is what DNA looks like

1.B Characteristics of Life DOGRACER Organized Living things are organized cells→ tissues →organs →organ systems →organisms →populations →communities →ecosystems→ biosphere Example this plant has specialized organs

1.B Characteristics of Life DOGRACER Growth and Development growth involves gaining mass/getting bigger development involves changing or gaining skills Example: human growth and development (learning to walk, developing language skills) or metamorphosis of a tadpole to a frog

1.B Characteristics of Life DOGRACER React or Respond – Living things respond to stimuli to maintain homeostasis **Homeostasis – means keeping internal conditions constant to maintain life Example: human body temp 98.6⁰ hot → sweat →evaporation of sweat cools you down

1.B Characteristics of Life DOGRACER Adapt – to environment. Organisms develop behaviors, body structures and internal features that help them survive. This change happens over a long period of time (many generations) and is called evolution. Example: hummingbird beak

1.B Characteristics of Life DOGRACER Cells- All living things are made of cells. Organisms can be unicellular or multi-cellular Prokaryote- (pro =no) cells without a nucleus (bacteria) Eukaryote- (eu =true) cells with a nucleus (plants and animals)

1.B Characteristics of Life DOGRACER Energy – Living things obtain and use energy Autotroph- (self eat)make their own food (use sun’s energy) Example: plants Heterotroph- (different eat) eat other living things Example:

1. B Characteristics of Life DOGRACER Reproduce - Living things reproduce in order to make more of their species. Sexual- organisms combine genetic information (mating) Example: humans Asexual- organisms make clones Example: binary fission in yeast and bacteria

D NA O rganized G row R eact A dapt C ells E nergy R eproduce