What do all living things have in common?
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Click HERE for a Prezi
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In order to be considered living, the thing must meet all of these characteristics. If just one is missing, it is not a living thing.
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All organisms need food. Food gives organisms energy and nutrients to live and grow. However, not all organisms get food in the same way. There are three ways in which organisms can get energy.
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The Food Chain Game
There are probably dozens of variants of the Food Chain Game - this version may be one of the simpler versions. In this experiential outdoor game students assume the role of producers, consumer, or decomposers, learn about food webs and chains, and find out that it truly is a jungle out there!
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There are two types of consumers in the game, herbivores and carnivores. As in most ecosystems, there are far more producers than herbivores, far more herbivores than carnivores, etc.
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What nutrients do organisms get from food?
Producers, consumers and decomposers all break down their food to get nutrients. Nutrients are molecules (two or more atoms joined together). Most molecules in living things are combinations of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. Some nutrients that living things need include proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates, and ATP.
7 Nutrients Important for Health
Proteins are used all of the time inside cells. If I could summarize the entire purpose if life, it would be to make different types of proteins. That is all living things really do. Proteins are large molecule made up of smaller molecules called amino acids. Living things break down proteins into the amino acids and then rearrange them to make new proteins. Proteins are important because they build or fix parts of an organisms body. Some proteins stay on the outside of the cell to protect it. Others are known as enzymes, which start speeding up chemical reactions.
Carbohydrates are molecules made of sugars. They provide and store energy for cells. An organism's cells break down carbohydrates to free energy. There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex:
Lipids (or fats) are molecules that cannot mix with water. They are a form of stored energy. When lipids are stored in animals they are usually solid and we call them fats. When lipids are stored in plants they are usually liquid and we call them oils. Lipids are an organisms reserves. When a living thing has used up its other sources of energy, it can break down fats and oils for more energy.
Carbohydrates are molecules made of sugars. They provide and store energy for cells. An organism's cells break down carbohydrates to free energy. There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex:
- Simple Carbohydrates are made of one or a few sugar molecules. Table sugar and sugar in fruits are simple carbohydrates. Glucose is the most common source of energy for cells and it's a simple carbohydrate.
- Complex Carbohydrates are made of hundreds of sugar molecules linked together. Potatoes, whole wheat bread, pasta, oatmeal and brown rice are all examples of complex carbohydrates. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate.
Lipids (or fats) are molecules that cannot mix with water. They are a form of stored energy. When lipids are stored in animals they are usually solid and we call them fats. When lipids are stored in plants they are usually liquid and we call them oils. Lipids are an organisms reserves. When a living thing has used up its other sources of energy, it can break down fats and oils for more energy.
- Lipids make up the cell membrane. Cell membrat
What you need to know:
- Provide evidence that all organisms (unicellular and multicellular) are made of cells.
- What do all living things have in common?
- What do almost all living things need?
- In what ways do living things get their energy?
- Why is ATP important to cells?
- What nutrients do we get form food?
- Describe that food molecules, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, are broken down and rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support cell growth and/or release of energy.
Vocab:
Cell - the smallest unit that can carry out all the activities of life. Cells are covered by a membrane and contain DNA.
Stimulus - a change that affects how an organism acts or causes a reaction from the organism. Stimuli can be chemicals, light, sounds, hunger, or anything that causes an organism to react.
Homeostasis - the act of keeping a constant environment inside an organism, even if the outside environment changes
Sexual reproduction - two parents make a unique offspring that has traits from both parents. Examples include humans, bunnies, whales, etc.
Asexual reproduction - one parent makes an offspring that is an identical clone of the parent. Examples include some plants, bacteria, sea anemones, starfish, fungi, etc.
Heredity - the passing of traits from parents to offspring
Metabolism - all of the chemical reactions that take place inside an organism
Producer - an organism that can make its own food by using the energy from its surroundings. Plants are the most important producer, making up the bottom of the food web. Plants get their energy from the sun, through photosynthesis.
Consumer - an organism that eats other organisms to get its energy.
Decomposer - an organism that gets energy by breaking down the remains of dead organisms or animal wastes and consuming or absorbing the nutrients.
ATP - also known as adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that acts as the main energy source for cell processes.
Carbohydrate - a class of energy-giving molecules that includes sugars, starches and fiber. Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Protein - a molecule that is made up of amino acids and that is needed to build and repair body structures and to regulate processes in the body
Lipid - a type of biochemical that does not dissolve in water. Fats and steroids are considered lipids.
Stimulus - a change that affects how an organism acts or causes a reaction from the organism. Stimuli can be chemicals, light, sounds, hunger, or anything that causes an organism to react.
Homeostasis - the act of keeping a constant environment inside an organism, even if the outside environment changes
Sexual reproduction - two parents make a unique offspring that has traits from both parents. Examples include humans, bunnies, whales, etc.
Asexual reproduction - one parent makes an offspring that is an identical clone of the parent. Examples include some plants, bacteria, sea anemones, starfish, fungi, etc.
Heredity - the passing of traits from parents to offspring
Metabolism - all of the chemical reactions that take place inside an organism
Producer - an organism that can make its own food by using the energy from its surroundings. Plants are the most important producer, making up the bottom of the food web. Plants get their energy from the sun, through photosynthesis.
Consumer - an organism that eats other organisms to get its energy.
Decomposer - an organism that gets energy by breaking down the remains of dead organisms or animal wastes and consuming or absorbing the nutrients.
ATP - also known as adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that acts as the main energy source for cell processes.
Carbohydrate - a class of energy-giving molecules that includes sugars, starches and fiber. Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Protein - a molecule that is made up of amino acids and that is needed to build and repair body structures and to regulate processes in the body
Lipid - a type of biochemical that does not dissolve in water. Fats and steroids are considered lipids.