Characteristics of Living Organisms Learning objective: Recall the EIGHT characteristics of living things.

MRS C GREN

Action of muscles in animals, and slow growth movement in plants. Jesus Christ Lizard Phototropism Action of muscles in animals, and slow growth movement in plants. Action of muscles in animals – moving to catch food or avoid danger/poisons or being eaten e.g. flying Slow growth movements in plants towards or away from environmental stimuli such as? light or water Male manakin dance

Production of new organisms Reproduction To replace those that have died and ensure the survival of the species by producing offspring. Types of reproduction? Do you need two organisms to reproduce? E.g. Asexual reproduction in some plants like strawberry plants, sexual reproduction in others - pollen has to reach female sex cell of flower to produce a seed. Sexual reproduction in animals – males and females producing sex cells which join together in fertilisation . Production of new organisms

Sensitivity Owl detecting sound Humans and other animals have five senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. animals may move in response to seeing/smelling hearing something coming towards them helps avoid predators/danger/ Lions prey on zebra and antelopes, which have extremely good hearing and eyes on the side of their heads to help them avoid predators. Animals use sound to detect where food is – owl super sense of hearing The Malaysian Tarsier can see well in the dark as its eyes let in lots of light. Moles live underground and cannot see well so they use touch and smell to help them find food. Plants are sensitive to what? Environmental stimuli - water and light and grow towards it moving their leaves to face the light http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/senses/2242.html (does it work yet?) The ability to be sensitive to changes in the surroundings and respond to the surroundings. Owl detecting sound

The ability to control their internal conditions. HOMEOSTASIS. Process of keeping substances at a controlled level in the body -? Can you think of anything? E.g. Body temperature, blood glucose level, CO2, pH, concentration of nutrients, waste products, salts and other small ions like potassium that have to stay at controlled levels in the blood – when we have too much water in our body how do we control this and reduce these levels? we excrete large volumes of water in our urine Same if salt ion levels – the kidneys help us control the right level of salt ions by excreting more in urine if levels get too high Plants? When they start to wilt they close stomata (holes in their leaves to stop losing too much water) The ability to control their internal conditions.

Increase in size and mass by increasing the number of cells. Growth Animals often have a maximum size but plants continue to get bigger over all of their life. Increase in size and mass by increasing the number of cells.

Releasing of energy in cells from carbohydrate for all life processes. Respiration Both plants and animals respire Releasing of energy in cells from carbohydrate for all life processes.

Excretion Excretion is getting rid of waste substances from metabolic processes E.g. ? We breathe out gases such as carbon dioxide, and also excess water Some waste products are toxins we produce like urea,. We excrete waste substances how? Urine and sweat Plants excrete waste gases- carbon dioxide and water vapour in respiration and oxygen in photosynthesis – they are waste gases Removal of metabolic waste substances produced by chemical reactions in cells.

Nutrition Plants make food in a process known as photosynthesis? Can anyone explain ? using energy from sunlight to combine water and carbon dioxide to form glucose. Animals eat plants or other animals to get complex compounds from them. Sharks one of the most successful predators… Organisms need to take in food for nutrition and energy. Plants make their own food by photosynthesis. Animals eat plants or other animals.

Don’t forget Mrs C GREN! Movement Reproduction Sensitivity Control Growth Respiration Excretion Nutrition