Characteristics of Living Things February 7, 2019

How do we know if something is living How do we know if something is living? (What do the living things have in common?)

7 Characteristics of Living Things

1. Living things are made of cells Some are just made of one single cell and some have many cells

2. Living things take in nutrients Animals and most other things get nutrients by eating other living things Plants and plant-like organisms make their own food

3. Living things use energy Some nutrients in food provide the energy that is necessary to live and function

4. Living things produce wastes When living things use nutrients, they produce wastes such as carbon dioxide, urine and feces Wastes can cause harm, so they must be removed from the cells and/or body

5. Living things respond to stimuli A stimulus is anything that causes a reaction or response

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6-evXswaQs

6. Living things grow “Grow” can mean increasing in size or the number of cells in the body

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w77zPAtVTuI

7. Living things reproduce Living things make more of their own kind Reproduction is not needed for the individual to survive, but it ensures that the species will continue to survive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEwzDydciWc

Create your own comic strip Make a “comic strip” showing an organism of your choice and how it exhibits all of the characteristics of living things See me for an extension worksheet if you finish early or if you want some extra practice 