From Molecules to Organisms Classwork
4th Grade PSI Science
Name ______________________
Structure and Function
Class Work
1. Define what structure is in your own words and give an example.
2. Describe two of the structures on slide 7 in terms of size, features, materials
and location.
3. How is the function of a bats wing and whales fin similar?
Homework
4. Look at your environment around you, give two examples of structures of
organisms.
5. Describe the organisms you identified in terms of size, features, materials
and location.
6. Define function and give an example.
7. Identify the function of the following structures:
a. Teeth
b. Wing
c. Roots
Structure Fits Function
Class Work
8. Every structure has a ________________.
9. What are the 4 core functions of organisms?
10. Describe which structures support a plants growth
11. Describe which structures support an animal’s survival
12. Describe which structures support a plants reproduction
13. Describe which structures support an animal’s behavior
Homework
14. Organisms have ___________________ based on their functions.
15. Describe which structures support an animal’s growth
16. Describe which structures support an plants survival
17. Describe which structures support an animal’s reproduction
18. Describe which structures support an plants behavior
Internal Structures
Class Work
19. Organisms have both _______________ and external structures that serve various
functions.
20. Describe the internal functions that support the movement or a dogs legs.
21. Give an example of an internal structure that supports a plants growth.
22. Give an example of an internal structure that supports an animal’s survival.
23. Give an example of an internal structure that supports an animal’s behavior.
24. Give an example of an internal structure that supports a plants reproduction.
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4th Grade PSI
Molecules to Organisms
Homework
25. For each _______________ structure there are _______________ structures that
support its function.
26. Give an example of an internal structure that supports an animal’s growth.
27. Give an example of an internal structure that supports a plants survival.
28. Give an example of an internal structure that supports a plants behavior.
29. Give an example of an internal structure that supports an animal’s
reproduction.
Information Processing
Class Work
30. What are the 5 senses?
31. What are specialized receptors? Give an example.
32. How is a bee’s vision different from other animals? Explain.
33. How can plants react to their environment? Give an example.
34. Different signals from all over the body are transmitted to _________________
parts of the brain.
35. What is sensory integration?
Homework
36. Animals often have __________________ senses when compared to humans.
37. Give two examples of a specialized receptor and the type of signal they send
38. From the video on plant senses, how do they react to their environment?
39. What is responsible for decoding all the signals from the different receptors?
Why is this important?
40. ___________________ parts of the brain are responsible for processing
___________________ types of information. (Hint: both blanks are the same)
Receiving and Sending Signals
Class Work
41. What connects the receptors to the brain?
42. What part of the brain is responsible for routing or directing the incoming
signals?
43. Where do actions come from?
44. How is a reflex different from other actions?
Homework
45. How is information transferred from the senses and organ to the brain?
46. What is meant by saying the brain is a two way street?
47. Describe what an instinct is and give an example.
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4th Grade PSI
Molecules to Organisms
Answer Key
1. Structure is the physical appearance of an organism, examples might include and
animals legs or plants roots.
2. Answers will vary, students should describe the structures of a horse and dog in
terms of size, features, materials and location.
3. A bats wing and a whale’s tale are similar in that they both are used for motion.
4. Function is that something does. Examples should describe how the structure is
used.
5. Examples should describe the two structures in terms of size, features, materials
and location.
6. Function is what something does. Examples should describe how the structures
are used.
7. Answer may vary:
a. Chew food, attack/defense
b. Flight, motion
c. Gather nutrients, anchor plant
8. Function
9. Growth, survival, behavior, reproduction.
10. Roots absorb nutrients, leave produce food, stem provides support for growth.
11. Hide protects against the environment and provides camouflage, claws and
teeth for defense, eyes spot danger
12. Flowers attract pollinators, seeds pass along genes to next generation
13. Legs provide movement for migration, reacts to the environment,
communicates with others.
14. Structures
15. Claws to gather food, mouth and teeth to chew food, legs to chase food
16. Spines to protect against foragers, thick skin to protect the plant, stem to hold
water.
17. Physical features attract a mate, sex organs pass along genes to next generation.
18. Leaves grow towards the light, Stems react to the environment
19. Internal
20. Answers will vary but should describe internal functions that support movement
such as muscles, nerves, bones, heart, ect.
21. Transport system, roots
22. Brain, muscles
23. Vocalizing (communication), hibernating
24. Seeds, reproductive parts
25. Internal, external
26. Digestive system, heart, lungs
27. Poison, storing extra water
28. Growing towards light, losing their leaves.
29. Reproductive organs
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4th Grade PSI
Molecules to Organisms
30. Sight, smell, hearing, touch & taste
31. Specialized receptors send specific information to the brain. The nose sends
information about smells.
32. Bees are able to see ultraviolet light because they have specialized receptors.
33. Plants react to their environment by reacting when touched to protect
themselves and by growing towards the sunlight.
34. Specific
35. Sensory integration is the combining of all the information received from the
senses and it’s processing to make sense of the information.
36. Heightened
37. Eyes, ears, nose, tongue. They send specific information and feedback.
38. Plants respond to the sunlight by growing towards it through phototropism.
39. The brain decodes all the messages from receptors and makes sense of the
information.
40. Different
41. Neurons and nerves
42. The lower part of the brain (brain stem) routes information to the correct region
of the brain.
43. Actions are sent out from the brain.
44. Reflexes are automatic and do not require any thought, while actions require
thought.
45. Information moves over a series of neurons and nerves.
46. The brain not only receives signals from all over the body, it also sends out
signals to the rest of the body.
47. Instincts are something you are innately born with, such as the ability to breathe
or eat.
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4th Grade PSI
Molecules to Organisms