Name:Date:

Characteristics of Life

1. Choose an organism, and describe how it responds to one internal and one external stimulus.

2. Many non-living things have some of the same characteristics as living things. For example, a non-living thing might move, use energy and grow in size. For each of the following, identify and describe the characteristics that it shares with living things. Then explain why scientist do not consider it to be living.

a. A campfireb. An iciclec. A printerd. A fossil

3. You are a multicellular organism. At this moment, there are millions of unicellular bacteria in and on your body. List five things that you have in common with bacteria.

4. The Columbian ground squirrel in the photo is common to eastern B.C. Use the picture to describe the difference between an organ ism that is a consumer and an organism that is a producer.

5. Sundew plants grow in northern B.C. They make their own food like other plants do, but they also capture tiny insects with sticky droplets on their leaves. Nutrients from the rotting insects help the plant to grow. How would you classify a sundew: producer? Consumer? Something else? Explain you reasoning.

6. Scientists have defined several characteristics of living things. What evidence can you offer to demonstrate that your body displays the following characteristics.

a. Your cells are dividingb. You respond to stimulic. You use energy to carry out life processes

7. Scientists have agreed on the characteristics that they use to tell living from non living. Why is it beneficial for scientists to use the same system and understandings when talking about living and non-living things?