The following is the vocabulary from our 2nd unit. These are difficult words, so be sure you underline/highlight key words and draw pictures to represent each term. I've included some of my tricks to help you.
Cell=a membrane covered structure that holds all the materials necessary for life; the basic unit of life
Stimulus = a change that affects the activity of an organism. EXAMPLE: If I turn the air conditioning up really high, you will put on a sweater. The change = air conditioning made you put on your sweater (affected your activity)
Homeostasis=The maintenance of a stable internal environment. ANALOGY: Your home usually stays the same (furniture stays in same location) and so does your body temperature...it's always 98.6 even if it's really hot or really cold outside.
Sexual Reproduction=reproduction in which the sex cells from two parents unit, producing offspring that share traits from both parents.
Heredity=The passing of traits from one generation to the next.
Metabolism=The total of all chemical activities an organism performs
Producer=An organism that makes it's own food
Consumer=organisms that must consume or eat other organisms to get food
Decomposer=organisms that get their food by breaking down nutrients in dead organisms and animal wastes. (think...decomposer-dead organisms...both start with "d")
proteins=A large molecule made up of smaller molecules called amino acids.
carbohydrates=molecules made of sugars; used by an organism as a source of energy and energy storage (eating "carbs" gives you energy)
lipids=A fat molectule that can not mix with water; used to store energy and form cell membranes. (think...fat lip, so lipids are fats)
phospholipids=A fat molecule that forms much of the cell membrane; the head of the molecule is attracted to water but the tail is not (think...two parts to the word...a phospho part + lipid part...two parts ot the molecule....a water loving part + a water hating FAT part)
ATP= a molecule that is the major energy source in a cell; carbohydrates and lipids turn into this (ATP is the EN-ER-GY!)