SOL Study Book
Fifth Grade
Living Systems
Table of Contents
Page 1: Cells
Page 2: Plant and animal cells
Page 3: Five kingdoms
Page 4: Plants
Page 5: Animals
Page 6: Test questions
Cells
The basic structure of all organisms is the cell.
All living things are made of cells.
Cells carry out all life processes.
New cells come from existing cells.
Using a microscope, many parts of a cell can be seen.
Page 1
Plant and Animal Cells
Plant and animal cells have distinguishing characteristics:
Plant cells tend to be rectangular and have these
structures:
Nucleus – controls cell activities
Cell wall – thick, stiff structure that protects and supports
the plant cell
Cell membrane – this covering inside the cell wall
Vacuole – storage space for food, water, and wastes
Chloroplasts – the plant cell’s food factory contains
chlorophyll.
Cytoplasm – jelly-like substance that surrounds other
structures. It is mostly water but contains many
important chemicals
Animal cells tend to be spherical or irregular and have
these structures:
Nucleus – controls cell activities
Cell membrane – An animal cell’s thin outer covering
Vacuole – storage space for food, water and wastes.
Animal cells have more vacuoles than plant cells but
they are smaller
Cytoplasm – jelly-like substance that surrounds other
structures. It is mostly water but contains many
important chemicals.
Page 2
Five Kingdoms
Living things can be classified into five kingdoms.
Monerans are one-celled organisms with a cell wall, but
no nucleus that include bacteria.
Protists are one-celled or multi-celled organisms with a
nucleus. Examples include paramecium and seaweed.
Fungi are many-celled organisms which include yeasts,
molds, and mushrooms. Fungi do not make their own
food.
Plants are many-celled organisms that can be categorized
into vascular and nonvascular plants. Plants make their
own food.
Animals are many-celled organisms which include
vertebrates and invertebrates. Animals get their food from
other sources.
Page 3
Plants
Plants can be divided into two groups.
Vascular plants have tube-like tissues that move food and
water up and down the stem. Because of this tissue,
vascular plants tend to be taller.
Examples are trees, grasses, and flowers.
Vascular plants reproduce either by seeds or spores.
Nonvascular plants do not have tubes and tend to be
smaller. Mosses and liverworts are examples of
nonvascular plants.
Most plants are vascular
Page 4
Animals
The animal kingdom can be divided into two groups.
Animals with backbones are called vertebrates and
include birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.
Animals without backbones are called invertebrates.
Sponges, flatworms, anemones, insects, and crustaceans
are all invertebrates.
Page 5
Test Questions: