1. WHAT ABOUT LIVING THINGS?

2. What are some characteristics of living things?

3. All living things are made up of cells, the smallest unit of life.
Living things reproduce.
Living things contain DNA.
Living things grow and develop.
Living things obtain and use energy.
Living things respond to the environment.
Living things maintain homeostasis.

4. What Are the Levels of Organization of Living Things?
Molecules *
Cells
Tissues
Organs
Organ systems
Organism
*Found in all matter
These levels of life will be discussed later in our Ecology section:
Populations
Communities
Ecosystems
Biomes
Biosphere

5. An important piece of equipment used in the biology laboratory that produces magnified images
The microscope – There are 2 kinds:
The light microscope – uses light rays, this is the one we will use in our lab
The electron microscope – uses beams of electrons to produce a magnified image, very large, expensive, used in research.

6. Biology- the study of life
Biology is a very broad topic, with many subtopics beneath it.
Can you think of some more specific studies that would fall under the study of biology?

7. Zoology
Study of animals

8. Botany
Study of Plants

9. Entomology
Study of Insects

10. Study of organisms that can only be seen under the microscope.
Microbiology
Study of organisms that can only be seen under the microscope.

11. Agronomy
Study of crops

12. Paleontology
Study of fossils