The Characteristics of
Living Things
 Biologists use six characteristics to
classify something as a living thing.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Made of Cells
Adapted to Their Environment
Use and Need Energy
Reproduce
Growth and Develop
Produce waste
The Characteristics of
Living Things
 All living things have these six
characteristics.
 Anything without one of these six
characteristics is nonliving.
 Living things are called organisms.
1. Made of Cells
 Organisms are
made up of one
or more cells.
 A cell is the basic
unit of structure
and function in
living things.

Cells = the
of life.
Cell video
 Video
2. Adapted to Their
Environment
 Organisms are adapted, or suited, to
their surroundings.
 All organisms have features that help
them survive in their surroundings.

For example: fish have gills, plants moving to
light source
 Fish out of water
3. Use and Need Energy
 All organisms
 Sunlight is the
need and use
source of energy
energy to live.
for most living
things.
 Energy is the
Plants use the energy
ability to do work.

in sunlight to make
food, and animals get
energy by eating plants
or other animals that
have eaten plants. 8H
4. Reproduce
 Organisms
produce more
organisms of their
own kind.
 Reproduction
allows organisms
to continue living
on the earth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
OvMBJZLEwFs
5. Growth and Develop
 All organisms grow  Living things
and develop.
change, or develop,
during their
lifetimes.


One way organisms
change is by growing.
Living things may also
change in appearance.
• For example: tadpoles
and frogs
 Pea Shoot
6. Produce waste
 Get rid of waste –
C02, urine, feces,
oxygen.
Summary
 Biologists use six characteristics to
classify something as a living thing.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Made of Cells
Use and Need Energy
Adapted to Their Environment
Reproduce
Growth and Develop
Produce waste
 All living things display all of the above
characteristics.
Complete worksheet
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Lyre Bird
Giant Panda
Giant Octopus
Venus Fly trap
Giant Water Lily
Caterpillar
Cordyceps
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Mimic Octopus
Crow
Snow Monkeys
Characteristics of Living Things Review
More Lyre Bird