Name ______________________________ Class___________________Date__________________
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
©
Section 1: The Study of Life
Study Guide A
KEY CONCEPT
Biologists study life in all its forms.
biology
metabolism
biodiversity
organism
DNA
species
MAIN IDEA: Earth is home to an
incredible diversity of life. forest
cell
polar bear
snout beetle
honeypot ants
ocean
lake
human skin
nose interior
moray eel
orchid
desert
grassland
VOCABULARY biosphere
Use the phrases in the box above to fill in the chart below.
1. In the box labeled The Biosphere, list examples of environments on Earth in which
life is found.
Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
Species
The Biosphere
Earth is home to an incredible diversity of life.
3. The _____________ even includes places such as your eyelashes, pools of hot,
acidic water in Yellowstone National Park, and cold, windswept rocks in the
Aleutian Islands.
4. Members of a __________ should be able to reproduce together.
5. In places where ____________ is high, there are more species.
MAIN IDEA: All organisms share certain characteristics.
6. In the box below, circle the four items that are characteristic of all living organisms.
Cross out the items that are not characteristics of all living organisms.
need energy
need sunlight
can reproduce
made up of one or more cells
produce seeds
can move
ability to feel pain
need to sleep
react to environment
Circle the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
7. The most common organisms on Earth have one cell / more than one cell.
8. Animals need energy / DNA in order to build up or break down materials.
9. Cells reproduce by dividing / combining.
10. When organisms reproduce, they pass on their metabolism / genetic material.
Vocabulary Check
Choose the answer that best completes each sentence.
11. All organisms store their genetic material in
a. DNA.
b. cells.
c. species.
d. metabolism.
12. An organism is
a. a type of species.
b. an environment in the biosphere.
c. any individual living thing.
d. the basic unit of life.
13. The scientific study of all forms of life is called
a. geology.
b. chemistry.
c. physics.
d. biology.
KEY CONCEPT
Unifying themes connect concepts from many fields of biology.
system
homeostasis
ecosystem
evolution
adaptation
MAIN IDEA: All levels of life have systems of related parts.
Using the words in the box, fill in the outline with the basic systems of life.
more complex
1. _____________
2. _____________
3. _____________
organism
biosphere
cell
ecosystem
4. _____________
less complex
MAIN IDEA: Structure and function are related in biology.
Match each body part with its specialized function.
5. brain cells
carry an organism
6. enzymes
process information
7. feet
pumps blood throughout the body
8. heart
9. teeth
enable chemical processes
grind food
MAIN IDEA: Organisms must maintain homeostasis to survive in diverse environments.
10. Circle the conditions that are regulated by homeostasis.
temperature
outside environment
acidity
thoughts
blood sugar
Circle the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
11. Humans shiver in response to cold because of the body’s attempts to maintain an
even temperature / acidity.
12. Homeostasis is important because behaviors / cells need certain conditions in
order to function.
13. The body usually uses positive / negative feedback to maintain homeostasis.
14. The conditions outside the body are always the same / changing, but the
conditions inside the body are generally very changeable / stable.
MAIN IDEA: Evolution explains the unity and diversity of life.
Choose whether each statement is true or false.
15. true / false All living species evolve and change over time.
16. true / false Adaptation occurs when you get cold and put on a coat.