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Chapter 3. LIFE ON EARTH

3.3. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE LIVING THINGS

WARMING UP
-What is this?

http://www.jbc.org/content/285/32.cover-expansion

PRE-TASK
Biodiversity in the living things is really huge. Living things can be classified in
unicellular organisms or multicellular organisms.
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A unicellular organism is formed by one single cell which performs all the vital
functions. They may be prokaryotic or eukaryotic.

A cyanobacteria or blue-green algae Bacteria Salmonella typhimurium

(prokaryotic cell) (prokaryotic cell)

Paramecium caudatum Ameoba proteus

(eukaryotic cell) (eukaryotic cell)

* Match every video to the related vital function:

VIDEO VITAL FUNCTION

a) 1.- NUTRITION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=aWItglvTiLc

b) 2.- REPRODUCTION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=V1644oLsfas&feature=related

c)
http://www.youtube.com/watch? 3.- INTERACTION
v=DY9DNWcqxI4&feature=relate
d

d)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=YGZP0ijukt8&feature=related
A multicellular organism is formed by thousands of cells, and performs all the
vital functions.

Multicellular organisms can be autotrophic or heterotrophic. A cell in a

multicellular organism cannot survive alone. It is specialized in a function, and so
do other cells (some send electrical signals, other protect another cells, etc).
The cells are organized according to increasing levels of complexity:
* Order the following levels from least complex to most complex:
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* Match the picture to the level of complexity and to the definition:

LEVEL OF
PICTURE DEFINITION
COMPLEXITY
A) Entire living thing
1.- CELL that can perform all
*
basic life processes
B) Tissues that work
2.- ORGAN
together to perform a
* SYSTEM
specific activity

C)The basic unit of

3.- ORGANISM structure and function
in living things
*
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D) Group of two or
more organs that work
4.- TISSUE together to perform a
specific function for
the organism.

E) Similar cells that

work together to
5.- ORGAN
perform a specific
activity

* Put the examples in the correct column:

Circulatory system, blood cells, brain, nervous, nerve cells, mushroom, bone cells,
sunflower, skin, heart, blood, bone, nervous system, human, skeletal system

CELL TISSUE ORGAN SYSTEM ORGANISM

Blood cells Brain
Mushroom
nerve cells heart
skin
bone cells
bone

TASK
- LIVING THINGS AND LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
Living things range from very simple unicellular organisms, like an amoeba to very
complex multi-cellular ones. Like an elephant. Let us revise all of them according
to the different complexity levels:
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- LEVEL 1: UNICELLULAR ORGANISMS

A unicellular organism is formed by one single cell, which performs all the vital
functions. They may be prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Unicellular organisms are also
called micro-organisms because these cells can only be seen using a microscope.

* Match the kind of unicellular organism to the example and its picture. You can
look for other examples in the pre-task above.

KIND OF ORGANISM EXAMPLE PICTURE

*Cyanobacteria
*

Unicellular prokaryotic
* Amoeba
organism or monera *
*

Unicellular eukaryotic
* Bacteria
organism or protista *

* Paramecium
*

Sometimes unicellular organisms make colonies. Even when found in large groups,
like colonies, each cell is independent and performs the characteristics of a
living thing.

Colonies of Volvox globator

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LEVEL 2: MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS WITHOUT TISSUES

Remember a cell is the basic unit of structure and function in living things.
Similar cells can work together to keep alive. They form very simple organisms.

http://www.bishopmuseum.org/research/nwhi/images/microscopic_sponge1.jpg
Sponge under the microscope
Examples of multicellular organisms without tissues are: Sponges, Algae and
Fungi

* Match the multicellular organisms without tissues to the their picture.

KIND OF ORGANISM PICTURE

Sponges *

Algae *

Fungi *

*
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LEVEL 3: MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS WITH TISSUES BUT WITHOUT

ORGANS.
Some multicellular organisms posses groups of similar cells that work together
to perform specific activities so that they form tissues, but they are not as
complex as to form organs.

This is the case of simple invertebrates, like jellyfish or polyps, and plants like
moss.
* Match the multicellular organisms with tissues to their picture.
KIND OF ORGANISM PICTURE

Jellyfish *

Polyps *

Moss *

LEVEL 4: MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS WITH ORGANS BUT WITHOUT

SYSTEMS.
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Some multicellular organisms posses groups of similar cells that work together
to perform a specific activity so that a tissue is formed. The tissues, in turn,
work together to perform a whole activity, what is called an organ. This is the
case of some invertebrates like some worms and most plants like ferns or trees.

* Match the multicellular organisms with organs but without systems to their
pictures.
KIND OF ORGANISM PICTURE

Tree*

Ferns*

Platyhelminthes worms*

LEVEL 5: MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS WITH SYSTEMS.

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Some of the invertebrates and vertebrates posses groups of two or more organs
that work together to perform a specific function for the organism. That is
they have systems, such as mammals, fish or arthropods.

* Match the multicellular organisms with systems to their pictures.

KIND OF ORGANISM PICTURE

Mammals *

Fish *

Arthropods *

*
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KEY

3.3. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE LIVING THINGS

WARMING UP
In the picture we can see a kind of roundworm (in blue), Caenorhabditis elegans,
eating its main food source, a bacteria like Escherichia coli (in red). Here in
diverse biological systems are shown:
- Unicellular bacteria

- And a multicellular organism, the nematode.

PRE-TASK
* Match every video to the related vital function:
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* Order the following levels from least complex to most complex:

* Match the picture to the level of complexity and to the definition:

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* Put the examples in the correct column:

Circulatory system, blood cells, brain, nervous, nerve cells, mushroom, bone cells,
sunflower, skin, heart, blood, bone, nervous system, human, skeletal system

CELL TISSUE ORGAN SYSTEM ORGANISM

blood cells, blood, heart, Circulatory system, mushroom,
nerve cells, nervous, brain, nervous system, sunflower,
bone cells bone skin skeletal system human

TASK
- LIVING THINGS AND LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION

- LEVEL 1: UNICELLULAR ORGANISMS

* Match the kind of unicellular organism to the example and its picture. You can
look for other examples in the pre-task above.

LEVEL 2: MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS WITHOUT TISSUES

* Match the multicellular organisms without tissues to their picture.
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LEVEL3: MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS WITH TISSUES BUT WITHOUT

ORGANS.
* Match the multicellular organisms with tissues to the their picture.

LEVEL 4: MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS WITH ORGANS BUT WITHOUT

SYSTEMS.
* Match the multicellular organisms with organs but without systems to their
pictures.

LEVEL 5: MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS WITH SYSTEMS.

* Match the multicellular organisms with systems to their pictures.
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