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1. Introduction: Why Learn about the Properties of Living Things

This tutorial continues the task begun in the last tutorial: building a conceptual framework that you can use to integrate the information you’ll be learning in AP Biology. As you read and interact with the material below, try to connect the terms and concepts with the four big ideas introduced in the previous tutorial – evolution, energy and matter flow, information flow, and interacting systems.

2. Interactive Reading: The Eight Properties of Living Things

Biology:  it’s the study of life. So what properties distinguish living matter from non-living matter? Before reading what’s below, make your own list of properties you’d find in any living thing. Then interact with the reading and other exercises that follow.

[qwiz qrecord_id=”sciencemusicvideosMeister1961-Properties of Life (I.R).2.0″]

[h]Interactive Reading: Properties of Life

[i] All life, made of cells

Organized and adapted

through evolution

[q labels = “top”]

Trait 1. Living things are made of cells

Cork (bark) cells, drawn by Robert Hooke. The cells are magnified about 100x (source: Wikimedia Commons)

In every living thing that’s ever been known to exist, you’ll find that the organism is built of tiny units called _______. Cells are the basic units of life.

The drawing at left, drawn using an early microscope in the 1600s, shows tiny cells (each square is a cell).

A cell from a photosynthetic plant magnified about 400x. (source: www.micrographia.com)

On the right, you can see a rectangular cell from an aquatic (water-living) plant. The small green ellipses are parts that carry out _________________. .

Plants, animals, and fungi are made of many cells. But bacteria, yeast, and most algae consist of just _____ cell. In fact, for the first few billions of years of life on Earth, that’s all that life was: ________________ organisms.

[l]single-celled

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[l]photosynthesis

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[l]one

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[l]cells

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[q labels = “top”]

Trait 2: Living things are highly organized.

Organization of molecules in cell membranes. (Source, Wikipedia, created by LadyofHats.)
Organization in a geranium leaf. Magnified 0.25 X. (Source, Wikipedia, by Sigman)

This means that living things, and their parts, are arranged and __________. Living things have lots of _____________ structure. They’re not randomly arranged. At any level that you look at life, from the entire organism to specific parts of organisms, all the way down to the cells and molecules that make up organisms, you see high levels of _______________.

[l]ordered

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]organization

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[l]predictable

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[q labels = “top”]

Trait 3: Living things are maintained by a constant flow of energy and matter.

Flows of matter and energy: food and oxygen flow in and wastes flow out.

Every day (if you’re fortunate), you eat food. That food contains chemical _________ that keeps you alive. It also provides you with the atoms that make you up. With every breath, oxygen flows into you. That flow can’t stop for more than a few minutes, or life will end.

Energy and matter flow through a plant (source: Wikipedia commons)

These flows of _________ and energy into you are matched by flows of matter and energy out of you. When you exhale, you breathe out carbon dioxide. Urine removes waste products from your blood. Feces removes food you can’t digest. You’re also releasing heat into the environment.

 

Like you, plants are also open systems, with matter and energy flowing through them. As a plant performs photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water flow into it. Using _________ energy from the sun, the plant makes sugars and other carbohydrates. Oxygen is released as a waste product.

[l]energy

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]light

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]matter

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[q labels = “top”]

Trait 4: Living things respond to their environment

Response to a stimulus (source: MeredithBond.com)
A plant bending towards the light (source: Wikipedia, “Arabidopsis thaliana” by Brona)

Humans, like all animals, constantly __________ to the environment. These responses might be quick __________, as is shown on the left when you touch a hot piece of metal. But these responses can also occur much more slowly. Even plants respond to their environments. that’s what happens when a vine wraps itself around a branch, or when a plant’s ________ bends so that the plant’s leaves face toward the sun.

[l]stem

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]reflexes

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[l]respond

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[q labels = “top”]

Trait 5: Living things maintain stable, internal environments through homeostasis

Humans can live in almost every environment imaginable, from the Saharan desert to the Alaskan tundra. But to stay alive, the conditions _________ our bodies must stay within a very narrow _________. Our body temperature has to stay very close to 37°C (98.6°F).  Levels of sugar and salt in the blood also have to be tightly regulated.

This process of regulation is called _____________. If you get too hot, you sweat. As the sweat evaporates, your body cools down. Your temperature stays right around 37°C. If your blood becomes too acidic, your kidneys adjust the blood, moving it back to the _________ level.

[l]homeostasis

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[l]inside

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]range

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]right

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[q labels = “top”]

Trait 6: Living things reproduce by passing on their DNA

DNA

While not every living thing _____________, every living thing is part of a species in which members of that species pass their genes on to the next _____________. In every living thing on Earth, those genes are encoded in a chemical called _______. If something has DNA and can reproduce itself, it’s almost certainly alive.

 

 

 

 

[l]DNA

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[l]generation

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[l]reproduces

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[q labels = “top”]

Trait 7: Living things grow and develop

Human embryo, 6 weeks (source: Wikipedia commons)

Growing means increasing in size. Developing means changing form during the course of a life.

In living things that consist of only one cell, most of what you see throughout life is _________. A small cell grows to become a full-sized adult cell, which then divides again.

In living things like human beings that consist of trillions of cells, life begins as a single, fertilized _______, which then grows and develops into an embryo, and then into a vastly ________, adult organism.

[l]egg

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]growth

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[l]larger

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Good!

Trait 8: Every living thing is a member of an evolving species.

The thorns on this cactus are an example of an adaptation (the cactus evolved thorns to keep away plant predators) (source: Wikipedia)

[q labels = “top”]

Through evolution, species _________ over time.

A species is a group of organisms that can naturally interbreed with one another to successfully produce offspring. All humans are part of the same species. Grizzly bears and polar bears are two different species because they don’t naturally interbreed with one another.

A species is adapted to its environment. That means that the species has traits that enable it to _________ and reproduce. Some obvious adaptations are:

  • The spines of a cactus which discourage animals from eating it
  • The talons of an eagle which enable it to grasp its prey

The process by which species become ___________ to their environments is called natural ____________. It’s one of the most important ideas in biology, and we’ll investigate it later in this course.

[l]adapted

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]change

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[l]selection

[fx] No, that’s not correct. Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]survive

[fx] No. Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[x]

[restart]

[/qwiz]

3. Matching: Properties of Living Things

[qwiz qrecord_id=”sciencemusicvideosMeister1961-Properties of Living Things Matching (2.0)”]

[h]Properties of Living Things Matching Quiz
[i]

Homeostasis

[q]Drag the property of living things from the list on the right to the description that best matches that property. Be sure to choose the property that fits best.

  1. A bear smells berries and moves towards the smell.
    _______________________________________
  2. When it’s cold, you shiver, increasing your body temperature:
    _______________________________________
  3. You start life as a fertilized egg. Then you’re a ball of cells. Then a backbone and limbs appear.
    _______________________________________
  4. Plants need sunlight to perform photosynthesis:
    _______________________________________
  5. If you went back in time 100,000 years, the humans you would meet would not be the same as the people who exist today.
    _______________________________________
  6. Insect bodies are in three segments:
    _______________________________________
  7. Humans produce sperm and egg cells in order to create offspring.
    _______________________________________
  8. Looking through a microscope at plant tissue, you see small repeated, rectangular units.
    _______________________________________

[l]Highly organized

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[l]Made of cells

[fx] No.  Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]Open to matter and energy

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[l]Response to environment

[fx] No.  Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]Homeostasis

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]Reproduction

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]Growth and development

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]Part of an evolving species

[fx] No.  Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

 

[q]Drag the property of living things from the list on the right to the description that’st matches that property. Be sure to choose the property that fits best.

  1. A mouse hides when it sees a cat.
    _____________________________________
  2. A spider eats a fly.
    _____________________________________
  3. Male blue whales mate with female blue whales
    _____________________________________
  4. 8 million years ago, one species of fruit fly arrived on the Hawaiian islands. Since then, that one species of fruit fly has repeatedly split and produced new species.
    _____________________________________
  5. Plants start from seeds. Soon, the seedling has a root, a stem, and leaves.
    _____________________________________
  6. Different plants have predictable patterns of veins on their leaves.
    _____________________________________
  7. Under a microscope, the tissue lining your inner cheek can be seen to be made of repeated, tiny units.
    _____________________________________
  8. Your blood sugar goes down. Your pancreas releases a hormone that gets muscle cells to release sugar into your blood.
    _____________________________________

[l]Highly organized

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]Made of cells

[fx] No.  Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[l]Open to matter and energy

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]Response to the environment

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Good!

[l]Homeostasis

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Correct!

[l]Reproduction

[fx] No.  Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[l]Growth and development

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Great!

[l]Part of an evolving species

[fx] No, that’s not correct.  Please try again.

[f*] Excellent!

[x]

[restart]

[/qwiz]

4. Flashcards: Properties of Living things

[qdeck bold_text=”false” qrecord_id=”sciencemusicvideosMeister1961-Properties of Living Things FC (2.0)”]

[h]Flashcards: Properties of Living Things

[i]

Hemoglobin. Organization on the molecular level

[q]The images below relate to the idea that all living things…

[a]…are composed of one or more cells.

[q]The images below relate to the idea that all living things…

[a]…are highly organized

[q]The images below relate to the idea that all living things…

[a]…are maintained by a constant flow of matter and energy

[q]The images below relate to the idea that all living things…

[a]respond to their environment.

[q]The images below relate to the idea that all living things…

[a]reproduce by passing on their DNA

[q]The images below relate to the idea that all living things…

[a]grow and develop

[q]The diagram below shows how the body responds to a high level of blood glucose (a type of sugar) by releasing a hormone that causes the liver to absorb glucose. Conversely, when blood sugar levels drop, another hormone causes the liver to release glucose. This is an example of

[a]…how living things maintain homeostasis.

[q]Over the course of the past 100 million years, dinosaurs have become extinct, and a huge variety of mammals have emerged. This is an example of …

[a]evolution

[q]The wings of a bat or a bird, the running speed of a cheetah, and the spines of a rosebush are all examples of

[a]how living things are adapted to their environments.

[/qdeck]

5. Fill-in-the-Blanks Quiz: Eight Properties of Living Things

This quiz will help you master the vocabulary associated with the properties of living things.

[qwiz style=”width: 528px; border: 2px solid black; ” quiz_timer=”true” random=”true” qrecord_id=”sciencemusicvideosMeister1961-Properties of Living Things Quiz (2.0)”]

[h] Fill-in-the-Blanks Quiz: Properties of Living Things

[i]Notice the timer on the upper right. One aspect of mastery is quick response. If it suits your learning style, see how quickly you can learn to answer the questions that follow.

Whales: adaptation through evolution/natural selection

[q] All living things are composed of one or more [hangman].
[c]Y2VsbHM=

Cg==[Qq]

[q]Living things are the opposite of random. Another way of saying that is that living things are highly [hangman]
[c]b3JnYW5pemVk

Cg==[Qq]

[q] Animals have to take in food and oxygen. Plants have to take in light and carbon dioxide. This is because living things require constant flows of [hangman] and energy.
[c]bWF0dGVy

Cg==[Qq]

[q] You hear an unexpected sound, and you jump. This is an example of the fact that living things [hangman] to their environments.
[c]cmVzcG9uZA==

Cg==[Qq]

[q] You get cold. You shiver, and your body temperature rises. This is an example of the fact that living things work to maintain a constant [hangman] environment.
[c]aW50ZXJuYWw=

Cg==[Qq]

[q]The process of maintaining a constant internal environment is known as [hangman].
[c]IGhvbWVvc3Rhc2lz

Cg==[Qq]

[q]Dogs have puppies. Plants produce seeds. This is an example of the fact that living things are parts of a species that can [hangman].
[c]cmVwcm9kdWNl

Cg==[Qq]

[q]When living things reproduce, they pass on their genes, which are made of [hangman].
[c]RE5B

Cg==[Qq]

[q]When a blue whale is born, it weighs three tons (2.7 metric tons). During its first year, it gains 200 pounds (91 kg) each day. This is an example of [hangman].
[c]Z3Jvd3Ro

Cg==[Qq]

[q]As a seed grows, new structures like leaves, roots, and stems emerge. This is an example of [hangman].
[c]ZGV2ZWxvcG1lbnQ=

Cg==[Qq]

[q]The change in the features and adaptations of a species that occurs over time (lots of time) is called [hangman].
[c]ZXZvbHV0aW9u

Cg==[Qq]

[q]A feature that enables a species to survive in its environment is called a(n)[hangman].

[c]YWRhcHRhdGlvbg==[Qq]

[x]

If you want more practice, please press the button below.
[restart]
[/qwiz]

6. Next steps