This document discusses the key characteristics of life by presenting information on the study of biology. It begins by asking students to identify characteristics that living things share. It then outlines the 8 main characteristics of life: 1) made of cells, 2) use matter and energy, 3) maintain homeostasis, 4) grow and develop, 5) reproduce, 6) have DNA, 7) respond to their environment, and 8) evolve over time as groups. Examples are provided to illustrate each characteristic. The document emphasizes that all living things on Earth share these 8 traits.

1. THE STUDY
OF BIOLOGY

2. IS IT ALIVE?
How do you know?

3. In partners
• List 3-5 unique living things
• Choose any 2 living things from the list on the board
• Discuss and identify at least 6 ways those 2 living things
are alike
• Do the characteristics your identified apply to all living
things?

4. Objectives for this lesson
• List the 8 characteristics of all life on Earth
• Give an example of each characteristic

5. To aid in your note taking
• Vocabulary words will be in green
• As we discuss each of these characteristics, think of an
example or visualize a process, don’t just memorize
definitions

6. What is Biology?
Biology is the study of living things
Living things are called organisms
Organisms include
bacteria
protists
fungi
plants
animals

7. All Living Things…
1. Are made of
cells
2. Use matter &
energy
3. Maintain
homeostasis
4. Grow & Develop
5. Reproduce
6. Have DNA
7. Respond to their
environment
8. AS A GROUP,
living things
evolve, (change
over time)

8. Organisms
Are
made
of cells

9. 2 main cell
types
prokaryotic
simple
No nucleus
or organelles
bacteria
eukaryotic
complex
Nucleus &
organelles
Animals,
plants, fungi,
protists
Cell Basics

10. Number of
cells
unicellular
All bacteria
Some protists
& fungi
multicellular
All plants and
animals,
most fungi
Organisms are Grouped by their
Number of Cells

11. Organisms
Use
Matter
&
Energy
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12. Cells use matter & energy

13. Organisms are grouped by how they
get matter and energy
Autotrophs
Make their own
food to get energy
Photoautotrophs
use light
Chemoautotrophs
use chemicals

14. Heterotrophs
Herbivores eat
only plants
Carnivores eat
only meat
Omnivores eat
both plants and
animals
Consume others
to get food and
energy

15. Organisms
Maintain
Homeostasis
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16. Organisms
maintain
homeostasis
Ex: Dogs pant
when hot to cool off
Ex: Insulin released
after a meal to take
up blood sugars
Ex: Shivering when
cold to create heat
Constant steady
state
By feedback loops
Homeostasis

17. • Can you come up with your own examples of how an
organism maintains homeostasis?

18. Oraganisms
Grow &
Develop

19. Organisms Grow & Develop

20. growth
More cells
Cells
enlarge
development
Mature to
adult form
&

21. • Crystals of salt grow and are highly organized.
• Why don’t biologists consider them to be alive?

22. Organisms
Reproduce

23. 2 types of
reproduction
asexual
1 parent
Offspring
are clones
sexual
2 parents
Offspring
are unique

24. Organisms
Have a
Genetic
Code

25. Genetic Code
DNA
Make up
cell parts
Do work in
organisms
Codes for
proteins

26. Organisms
Respond
to stimuli

27. Respond to
environment
Temperature Gravity Light Blood sugar Viruses
In order to
maintain
homeostasis

28. Groups of
Organisms
(Populations)
Evolve
over
time

29. Populations
evolve over
time
Fossil record DNA evidence
Homologous
structures
As shown by

30. • Which of the following does evolution help explain?
A. How organisms reproduce
B. How organisms grow and develop
C. How organisms are related to each other
D. How organisms obtain and use energy
What answer do you think is correct? ___
Why did you pick this answer?

31. • Identify the characteristic (or characteristics) of life
exemplified by
A. The sharp spines of a porcupine
B. The development of a multicellular organism from a single
fertilized egg
C. A hummingbird using sugar to power its flight

32. Life is
Organized
on Several
Levels

33. Molecules &
atoms
cells
tissues
organs
Organ
systems
individuals
populations
communities
ecosystems
biosphere

34. • Both cells and organisms share the characteristics of life.
How then, are cells and organisms different?

35. Work on your own
• Complete the short worksheet
35

36. Cool Down
• Give an example of one of the characteristics of life that
we have not already heard today
36