Characteristics of Living ThingsCharacteristics of Living Things

All living things All living things growgrow and and changechangeAll living things All living things can can reproducereproduceAll living things All living things respondrespond to their to their environmentenvironmentAll living things All living things areare made up of made up of cellscells that contain that contain DNADNAAll living things All living things take intake in and use and use energyenergy ( (light, oxygen, food, etclight, oxygen, food, etc))All living things All living things produce produce wasteswastesAll living thingsAll living things have a have a life spanlife span

Examples of Characteristics:

All living things grow and changeAll living things grow and change– A caterpillar A caterpillar changeschanges into a butterfly into a butterfly– A tadpole A tadpole develops into a frogdevelops into a frog– Your Your bones strengthenbones strengthen and your and your voice deepensvoice deepens

All living things can reproduceAll living things can reproduce– A bird A bird lays eggslays eggs that will soon that will soon hatchhatch– A cow A cow gives birthgives birth to a live calf to a live calf– Flowers Flowers disperse their seedsdisperse their seeds to produce more to produce more– Mushrooms Mushrooms disperse their sporesdisperse their spores to produce to produce

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More Examples of Characteristics:More Examples of Characteristics:All livings respond to their environmentAll livings respond to their environment– Birds migrate South in response Birds migrate South in response to colder weatherto colder weather– A chameleon changes its skin color A chameleon changes its skin color to blend in with ato blend in with a treetree– You perspire to release You perspire to release excess heatexcess heat from your body from your body– A rabbit grows a thick coat of fur in A rabbit grows a thick coat of fur in preparation for winterpreparation for winter

All living things are made up of cells that contain DNAAll living things are made up of cells that contain DNA– You are made of trillions of cells; some are You are made of trillions of cells; some are blood cells, nerve blood cells, nerve

cells, skin cells…etccells, skin cells…etc– A bacteria is A bacteria is uni-cellularuni-cellular and microscopic and microscopic– A dog’s A dog’s DNA (genetic material)DNA (genetic material) is very similar to a wolf's is very similar to a wolf's

DNADNA

More Examples of Characteristics:More Examples of Characteristics:All living things take in and use energyAll living things take in and use energy– A plant uses A plant uses sunlight and carbon dioxidesunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugars to make sugars– A bear hunts and A bear hunts and eats a fisheats a fish in order to survive in order to survive – You yawn to take in more You yawn to take in more oxygenoxygen when you are tired when you are tired

All living things produce wastesAll living things produce wastes– You breathe out You breathe out carbon dioxidecarbon dioxide when you exhale when you exhale– A plant gives of A plant gives of oxygen oxygen as a waste from photosynthesisas a waste from photosynthesis– A dog pants to release A dog pants to release excess heatexcess heat from its body from its body

All living things have a life spanAll living things have a life span – A fruit fly may live for A fruit fly may live for 24 hours24 hours– A sea turtle may live for over A sea turtle may live for over 100 years100 years

Earthworm Facts:Earthworm Facts:

Earthworms spend most of their time Earthworms spend most of their time in in soilsoil, , where it is where it is darkdarkEarthworms Earthworms eat soileat soil, which contains bits of , which contains bits of leaves and other organic matter, for leaves and other organic matter, for energyenergyEarthworms must remain Earthworms must remain moistmoist at all times at all times because they exchange oxygen and carbon because they exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through their skin. Moisture helps dioxide through their skin. Moisture helps them to them to “breathe”“breathe” easier easierEarthworms have Earthworms have setaesetae or bristle-like hairs or bristle-like hairs that help them move through soil that help them move through soil

More Earthworm Facts:More Earthworm Facts:

The digestive system of an earthworm is made up The digestive system of an earthworm is made up of a of a crop, gizzardcrop, gizzard, and, and intestineintestineEarthworms have one main nerve cord that Earthworms have one main nerve cord that connects to the brainconnects to the brainEarthworms use their Earthworms use their nerve segmentsnerve segments to to respond to light, moisture, touch and respond to light, moisture, touch and temperature. temperature. Earthworms have both Earthworms have both malemale and and femalefemale reproductive structuresreproductive structuresEarthworms cannot reproduce unless Earthworms cannot reproduce unless another another earthworm is presentearthworm is present

Diagram of an EarthwormDiagram of an Earthworm