Is It Alive?

It’s Alive!! Or is it???  While outside one day you notice something strange in the grass.  It’s slimy, bright yellow, and about the size of a dime.  You have no idea what it is.  Is it a plant part that fell from a tree?  Is it alive?  How can you tell?

Classification  Scientists use classification to group organisms based on their similarities and differences

Organisms  An organism is a living thing.  Animals  Plants  Bacteria  Anything that is living is considered an organism!!

It IS Alive!!  To be considered living, and organism must do/possess the following 6 things:  Grow  Reproduce  Respond to their environment  Use energy  Be composed of cells  Have DNA

The Mneumonic  Get  Robin’s  Response  Unless  Charlie  Dies  Grow  Reproduce  Respond to enviro.  Use energy  Composed of cells  DNA

Grow  All living things, whether they are made of one cell are or have many cells, grow during periods of their lives

Reproduce  All living things have the ability to make organisms similar to themselves, or reproduce

Respond to Their Environment  Living things have the ability to sense change in their environment and to respond to that change  Light  Danger  Temperature

Use Energy  Living things use energy to carry out the activities of life.  Making food  Breaking down food  Moving materials (such as oxygen) in and out of cells  Building cells  Metabolism is the term given to all of the chemical activities that an organism performs

Composed of Cells  All living things are composed of one or more cells.  A cell is a membrane- covered structure that contains all the materials necessary for life

DNA  The cells of living things contain DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)  DNA controls the functions and structure of cells.  DNA is passed along to the organism’s offspring during reproduction

Is it alive, non-living or dead?  Living (an organism): does/possesses all 6 characteristics needed to be considered to be alive. (biotic)  Non-living: Never had all 6 characteristics. Never was alive (abiotic)  Dead: Once had all 6 characteristics, but is now missing one or more (abiotic)

Potential for Life  Given the right conditions, eggs, nuts and seeds can develop the characteristics of the living

Ecosystem  All the living, dead, and non-living things that interact with each other in an environment