Key Vocabulary Terms

Cell - the basic unit of life
Bacteria - the simplest single cells that carry out all basic life activities
Microscope - An instrument used to magnify things
Organelle - A tiny structure inside a cell
Electron microscope - An instrument that uses a beam of tiny particles called electrons to magnify things
Tissue - Groups of cells that are similar and work together.
Organ - A group of different tissues that work together.

Key Concepts

Cells are the basic unit of life and all living things are made of cells.
Cells have many functions depending on the type of cell. They protect, allow movement, support, send and receive messages, transport materials, and fight disease.
If you group similar cells together you get a tissue. Tissues perform a certain job within the body.
If you group different tissues together you will end up with an organ. An organ performs a certain function in the body.
Common organs in most living things are hearts, lungs, stomachs, livers, kidneys, eyes, roots, stems, and leaves.

Did you learn these Objectives?

Are you able to describe a cell and explain some of its functions?
Can you explain what tissues are?
Do you know and can you explain what organs are?

Lesson 2 "Comparing Plant and Animal cells"

Key Vocabulary Terms

Cell membrane - a thin layer that surrounds and holds a cell together
Cytoplasm - a gel-like substance containing chemicals needed by the cell
Nucleus - Information and control center of the cell
DNA - the chemical inside cells that stores information about an organism
Ribosome- A protein builder of the cell
Mitochondrion- an organelle that uses oxygen to break down food and release energy in chemical bonds (plural is mitochondria)
Vacuole - Stores substances such as food, water, and waste products
Endoplasmic reticulum - A system of tubes that process and transport proteins within the cell.
Golgi body - Packages and distributes proteins outside the cell.
Cell wall - the outer part of plant cell that provide structure to the cell.
Chloroplast - captures the light energy from the sun to make food.
Lysosome - breaks down substances
Atom - The smallest particle of an element that still has the properties of that element.
Molecule - Two or more atoms joined together
ATP - High - energy molecules that store energy in a form the cells can easily use.
RNA - A molecule that works together with DNA to make proteins.

Key Concepts

Both plant and animal cells have cell membranes, cytoplasm, a nucleus containing DNA, ribosomes, mitochondria, vacuoles, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi bodies.
Plant and animal cells are different
Plant cells have cell walls, animal cell do not.
Plant cells have only one nucleus.
Plant cells have chloroplasts, which capture energy using the sun to make food.
Plant cells may have only one large vacuole while animal cells tend to have many small ones.
Animal cells have lysosomes and plant cells do not.
Mitochondria use oxygen to break down food and release energy.
A cellÕs nucleus stores DNA, which controls many of the characteristics of living things.

Did you learn these Objectives?

Are you able to identify ways that plant and animal cells are alike and different?
Can you describe the functions of the structures in cells?

Investigation 1 "Comparing Cells" (Optional, must complete 10 total investigations)

Key Concepts

You should have observed that the sizes and shapes of the plant, animal, and bacterial cells differ dramatically.

Lesson 3 "Chemicals That Are Important for Life"

Key Vocabulary Terms

Solution - a mixture in which the particles (molecules) are evenly mixed.
Carbohydrate - a sugar or starch, which living things use for energy.
Fat - a chemical that stores large amounts of energy.
Protein - A chemical used by living things to build and repair body parts and regulate body activities.
Amino acid - Molecules that make up proteins.
Mineral - A chemical found in foods that is needed by living things in small amounts.
Vitamin - A chemical found in foods that is needed by living things in small amounts.
Nutrient - any chemical found in foods that is needed by living things.

Key Concepts

One of the most important properties of water is its ability to dissolve other chemicals.
The body uses carbohydrates and fats for energy.
Proteins provide energy, help build body parts, and control body activities, such as heart rate and the breaking down of food in the body.
Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that the body needs in small amounts only.
Eating a variety of foods every day can provide you with all the nutrients you need.

Did you learn these Objectives?

Can you explain why water is important to life?
Can you describe how living things use carbohydrates, fats, and proteins?
If asked could you tell someone why it is important to eat a variety of foods?

Lesson 4 "Basic Life Activities"

Key Vocabulary Terms

Digestion - the process by which living things break down food
Respiration - the process by which living things release energy from food
Excretion - the process by which living things get rid of wastes
Homeostasis - the ability of organisms to maintain their internal conditions
Development - the changes that occur as a living thing grows
Reproduction - the process by which living things produce offspring

Key Concepts

Basic life activities include getting food, using food, removing wastes, movement, sensing and responding, growth, development, and reproduction.
Animals must eat plants or together animals to get food.
Plants use the energy from sunlight to make carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water.
Plants may not be able to move from place to place like animals but they can move their parts.
Having the ability to sense and respond means being able to change based on signals picked up in the environment.

Did you learn these Objectives?

How many basic life activities can you identify?
Can you compare plants and animals and how they get food, move, and respond?
Do you know how to explain the difference between growth and development?

Chapter Summary and Review

See page 21 - 23.

Chapter 1 Review answers are

1. carbohydrates

2. excretion

3. fats

4. proteins

5. microscopes

6. reproduction

7. respiration

8. vitamins

9. digestion

10. organs

11. development

12. organelles

13. tissues

14. nutrients

15. molecules

16. B

17. A

18. C

19. D

20. Movement -pouncing; walking; crawling; drinking. Sensing and responding - sees, then pounces; sniffs, then goes to mother. Getting food - hunting; nursing. Reproduction - kitten was born. Growth - kitten was smaller when it was born. Development - learning to crawl, learning to walk ; eyes open after being closed since birth.