Characteristics of Living Things

This is an extensive resource that focuses on the characteristics of life. Scientists read a series of short passages, highlighting main ideas and answering comprehension questions as they go. After they have completed the reading,...

Life scientists observe yeast cells under the microscope. In this investigation, pupils conduct an experiment to identify whether yeasts are living organisms or not. They collect data and summarize findings.

Through two investigations, life science learners determine whether or not yeast is alive. They perform tests for metabolism by providing sugar and observing if gas is produced as a byproduct. They incubate some of the sample for at...

The first four of these six pages query advanced biology learners all about bacteria. Different reproductive means, life cycles, symbioses, and methods of genetic diversity are addressed. Questions consist of short answer type and...

Kids prefer candy over fried green spinach. King Philip can order five good soups. Mnemonic devices are very helpful for remembering taxonomy. The second lesson in a 10-part series teaches scholars about kingdom, phylum, class, and...

How diverse is the world we live in compared to the way things used to be? Young biologists explore diverse organisms and relate the structure of each organism to its ability to survive in our current environmental conditions....

Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or not. 

Sometimes things can be hidden in plain sight. Assist your young biologists as they explore the hidden lives of microorganisms surviving in water. Pupils bring samples of water to class and view these under the microscope to witness the...

During the first week of your biology course, you may want to familiarize learners with Greek and Latin root words to strengthen their scientific vocabulary. You can also give them definitions of science and biology. Introduce the five...

We all know what it means for something to be living, right? In the first installment of a five-part video series, viewers first learn about the seven characteristics of life. The video then analyzes these characteristics in relation to...