Alex Gr. 5 Science and Living/Non-Living Things Vocabulary

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• Life processes are the six processes (activities) that all living things carry out.  These processes distinguish living from non-living things.

• 1. getting energy
• 2. using energy
• 3. getting rid of waste
• 4. reproducing
• 5. growing
• 6. reacting to change

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• A cell is the smallest unit of life.  The basic unit of a living organism.

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• A virus (non-living) is a tiny particle that can reproduce only inside the cells of living things (a virus does not carry out all the life processes).

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• Bacteria are (living) tiny one-celled organisms, some of which can cause diseases (unlike viruses, they do carry out all the life processes).

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• An organelle is a small structure inside a cell that performs a certain job.

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• The cell membrane is found in both animal and plant cells, it is a thin layer that makes up the outside of the cell and controls what  enters and leaves it, for example: water and oxygen.

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• A nucleus is found in both animal and plant cells, thought of as the "brain" of the cell.  It controls the cell's activities, for example: the way the cell grows, develops, and divides.

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• Cytoplasm is found in both animal and plant cells, it is the jellylike material that fills most of the cell.

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• A vacuole is found in both animal and plant cells.  It is a liquid filled structure in a cell that stores food, water, and waste.

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• A cell wall is found only in plant cells.  It is the stiff outer layer that helps keep plant cells firm and helps the whole plant keep its shape.

Chloroplast are found only in plant cells.  It is the green cell part that traps and uses light energy.

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• Groups of similar cells form tissues.  They look alike and work together to do the same job.
• Ex: Heart cells together make up heart tissue.

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• Organs are made up of different kings of tissues that work together. For example, the heart is an organ made up of heart, muscle, nerve, blood, and other tissues.

Systems are made up of organs working together.  For example, the heart and blood vessels are organs in the circulatory system.

cells  >  tissues  >  organs  >  systems

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• A microscope is an instrument that magnifies very tiny things in order to make them appear larger.  We use microscopes to observe animal and plant cells.