Comparing Human and Plant Organ Systems:
Basic Functions of Living Things
Name: ____________________
Date:___________ Period:____
Question: How are human and plant organ systems similar
Procedure: By comparing the functions of both human and plant organ systems we will build
a list of functions that they have in common.
Structure:
Function:
Basic Functions of Living Things
Levels of
Organization
Questions:
1. Why are cells considered the basic units of life?
2. Can an organ system function correctly when one of its organs does not? Explain.
3. Can an organism function correctly when one of its organ systems does not? Explain.
Name: _________________________________
Date:_____________ Period:______
Systems Comparisons
Needs and Functions
Human Organ System
Plant Organ System
Support the body
Skeletal system
Stem system
Transport nutrients
Circulatory system
Stem system (vascular)
Reproduce
Reproductive System
Flower system (sexual)
Remove wastes
Excretory system
Root and Leaf systems
Use or make energy
All systems
All systems
Provide a barrier to the outside environment
Skin system
Epidermal system
Takes in water and nutrients
Digestive system
Root and Leaf systems
Cell Organelle
Write two more comparison statements (#1 and #2 are examples):
1. The cell membrane, cell wall, and cytoplasm all help to support the body of the cell like the skeletal system supports in
humans.
2. The cell membrane is similar to the skin system in humans because they both provide a barrier to the outside environment.
3.
4.
Comparing Human and Plant Organ Systems:
Basic Functions of Living Things
Name:
KEY
Date:___________ Period:____
Question: How are human and plant organ systems similar
Procedure: By comparing the functions of both human and plant organ systems we will build
a list of functions that they have in common.
Structure: how something is built, parts
Function: how something
works, what it does
Types of
Unicellular
Organisms:
1-celled
Multicellular
Basic Functions of Living
Things:
Levels of
Cell =
Organization Organism
Organism
Many cells
Organ
Systems
Organs
Tissues
Cells
Support the body
Transport nutrients
Reproduce
Remove wastes
Use energy
Provide a barrier to
the outside
environment
 Takes in water and
nutrients






Questions:
1. Why are cells considered the basic units of life?
Cells are considered the basic units of life because they are the smallest
structures that can perform all the functions necessary for life: support,
transport nutrients, reproduce, remove wastes, and use energy.
2. Can an organ system function correctly when one of its organs does not? Explain.
No, if an organ system does not function correctly then one of the functions
necessary for life does not get completed and the organ system would not
work, this in turn will affect the survival of the organism as a whole.
3. Can an organism function correctly when one of its organ systems does not? Explain.
No, multicellular organisms split up the necessary functions of life into the
organ systems: therefore, when one doesn’t function correctly the organism
can die.
Name: _________________________________
KEY
Date:_____________ Period:______
Systems Comparisons
Needs and Functions
Human Organ System
Plant Organ System
Cell Organelle
Support the body
Skeletal system
Stem system
Cell membrane, cell wall, and
cytoplasm
Transport nutrients
Circulatory system
Stem system (vascular)
Endoplasmic reticulum
Reproduce
Reproductive System
Flower system (sexual)
Centrioles
Remove wastes
Excretory system
Root and Leaf systems
Golgi complex
Use or make energy
All systems
All systems
Provide a barrier to the outside environment
Skin system
Epidermal system
Cell membrane
Takes in water and nutrients
Digestive system
Root and Leaf systems
Cell membrane
Mitochondria, chloroplasts
Write two more comparison statements (#1 and #2 are examples):
1. The cell membrane, cell wall, and cytoplasm all help to support the body of the cell like the skeletal system supports in
humans.
2. The cell membrane is similar to the skin system in humans because they both provide a barrier to the outside environment.
3.
4.