Name Microorganisms C 1 Workbook
Complete this set of assignments and, to move on to the next set of assignments, you must: Complete all worksheets. After you have completed your worksheets, you will grade them by checking your answers in the answer folder. Successful complete the quiz with a minimum score of 6 out of 8. STANDARD V: Students will understand that microorganisms range from simple to complex, are found almost everywhere, and are both helpful and harmful. Objective 1: Observe and summarize information about microorganisms. b. Compare characteristics common in observed organisms (e.g., color, movement, appendages, shape) and infer their function (e.g., green color found in organisms that are producers, appendages help movement).
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! Put away your running shoes and starting blocks. We re not having a track meet; we re going to study microorganisms. Are you ready? Do you have any idea what you will be learning? It s always nice to have some idea where are you headed before you start out on an adventure, so let s see if we can get some kind of an idea. To do that, we will look carefully at the word microorganism Do you know what micro means? Have you ever used a microscope in your science class or at home? Why did you use one? What kinds of things did you look at through the microscope? Were they big or tiny? Did the microscope make them seem larger or smaller? As you might have figured out, micro means small. That helps us some because now we know we will be learning about something small. The other part of our word is organism. According to the dictionary, an organism is any form of life; any living thing. That helps us even more. Now we know we will be learning about small, living things. Wait a minute; we have to be sure we understand exactly what we mean when we say we will learn about small living things. How small is small? Now we all know that an elephant is pretty big! Does that mean that a mouse is small? Many bugs are even smaller than mice! Are there other living things that are even smaller than bugs? Let s change our definition of micro just a bit. Let s say that micro means too small for the human eye to see. That gives us a better idea of the size of the living things we will be studying. Now, let s be sure we really understand what we mean by living things. Scientists have studied many living things. They have found that all living things are the same in some ways. They all have some of the same characteristics. Let s look at six characteristics of all living things. 1. Living things are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of all living things. A cell is organized to help keep an organism alive. A cell is responsible for reproduction, for growth and development, and for responding to the environment. Some scientists say cells are like chemical factories. They are always busy making something to keep their organisms alive and 1
well. Some organisms have only one cell. Other organisms have many cells that work together. All organisms are made of cells. 2. Living things use energy Organisms get the energy they need from the environment. Energy is needed for life processes. Organisms use energy to reproduce. They use energy when they grow and develop. They also use energy when they respond to their environments. Organisms must have a balance between the energy they get from the environment and the energy they use for life processes. All organisms use energy. 3. Living things grow and develop. Think about a tiny tadpole. The tadpole will get bigger, grow legs, lose its tail, and become a frog or toad. The tadpole will grow and develop to become and adult amphibian. Now think about a tiny acorn. The acorn will fall to the ground, germinate, and form roots, a stem, and leaves. The tiny acorn will grow and develop to become a mighty oak tree. All organisms grow and develop. 4. Living things respond to the environment. What happens if you touch a hot burner on the stove in your kitchen? You pull your finger away very quickly! You respond to the environment. When you touch the hot burner, you have a stimulus. A stimulus is a change I the environment. When you pull your finger away very quickly, you have a response. A response is the reaction to the change in the environment. All organisms respond to the environment. 5. Living things reproduce. When organisms reproduce, they make more organisms that look like themselves. If your dog has puppies, the puppies look like the parent dogs. If a dandelion goes to seed in your yard, you will have more dandelions that look just like the first one! All organisms reproduce. 2
6. Living things are adapted to their environments. Think about a Downy Woodpecker. It has four toes on each foot. Two of the toes are facing forward, and two of them are facing backward. The woodpecker s toes help it hold onto the bark of a tree. A Downy Woodpecker also has a stiff tail. This tail helps the woodpecker balance against the trunk of a tree as it drills a hole in the bark. A Downy Woodpecker also has a thick, pointed bill. The bill allows the woodpecker to make holes in the hard wood of a tree to find insects. Finally, a Downy Woodpecker has a long tongue. The woodpecker can put its tongue into the tree to find insects. There is a tiny barb on the end of the tongue that can hook the insects and carry them back in to the woodpecker s mouth for a tasty lunch or dinner. An organism must be adapted to the environment to be able to survive. All organisms have adaptations that allow them to live in their environments. All living things have all six characteristics. Some kinds of matter may have one or two characteristics, but not all six. If it does not have all six characteristics, it is not an organism. Every organism must have all six characteristics. Okay, let s review our definition. A microorganism is a tiny living thing that is too small for the human eye to see. It is made of cells, uses energy, grows, and develops, responds to it environment, reproduces, and is adapted to survive in its environment. What Do You Need? All living things have six characteristics in common. We just learned what those six characteristics are. They also have basic needs that are the same. Let s take a look at what those basic needs are. Energy All organisms need energy. The Sun is the main source of energy for most life on Earth. All living things either use the Sun directly or indirectly. Producers are organisms that make their own food by using the Sun s energy. They use their homemade food to provide their energy. Without direct energy from the Sun, produces would not be able to survive. 3
Consumers are organisms that eat other organisms. Some consumers eat plants. Plants are producers. The plants use the Sun s energy directly, but consumers still depend on the Sun s energy in an indirect way. Without energy from the Sun for the produces, consumers would not have the food they need for energy. Food Imagine a day without food. You would feel pretty lousy if you could not eat anything all day. Your body needs food for proper growth. As we have already learned, producers are organisms that make their own food. They absorb nutrients from the environment and use those nutrients to help keep them alive. Remember that consumers are organisms that eat other organisms. There are three basic groups of consumers. Herbivores are consumers that eat only plants. Carnivores are consumers that eat only animals. Omnivores are consumers that eat both plants and animals. All consumers get nutrients from their food sources. Water Organisms need water to stay alive. Water is used to dissolve and transport substances. Nutrients are dissolved and wastes are transported in an organism s water supply. Humans need water more than they need food. You can survive for a week or more without food; however, you can only survive for a matter of days without water. More than 70% of the human body is actually water. Water is needed by almost all of your body systems. For most organisms, not just any water will do. Most organisms require fresh water; however, the majority of the Earth s water is found in the oceans, which are salt water. Most organisms cannot survive using salty ocean water. For example, ocean water has mot than seven times the amount of slat that a human body can handle. In order to use ocean water, the salts must be removed. Microorganisms Questions 1. What does the word micro mean? 4
2. Using the meaning of the word micros, develop a definition for each of the following terms: a. microclimate b. microfilm c. micrometer d. microsurgery 2. What does the word organism mean? 3. What are the six characteristics of all living things? a. b. c. d. e. f. 4. What is a microorganism? 5. What is a producer? 5
5. What is a consumer? 6. How is a consumer different from a producer? It s So Simple: Kingdom Monera (Bacteria) Scientists put all living things into five kingdoms: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. (We ll look at Monera, Protista, and Fungi). Let s look at Monerans. Cell Structure Moneran cells to not have a nucleus (brain). They are called prokaryotes, which means before a nucleus. They also don t have any organelles ( little organs ) to help with life processes. They do have cell membranes and some of the also have cell walls. Some kinds of Monerans have chlorophyll, as well (this makes them producers). Number of Cells Monerans are the simplest kinds of organisms. They have only one cell (singlecelled organism). Kinds of Movement Some kinds of Monerans are able to move on their own. They use simple structures that look like whips. These are called flagella. Others cannot move. Nutrition Some Monerans are producers. Others are consumers. 6
Is it Moneran or Not? Any organism that has these specific characteristics is a Moneran. If it doesn t have these characteristics, it s not a Moneran. 1. I have recently found a new organism. I need to classify it. I think it should be classified as a Moneran. Look at the following characteristics and see if you agree with me. (Circle your answer). a. My new organisms are very tiny. When I see it in the microscope, I notice it is only one cell. Could this be a Moneran? Yes No b. When I look closely inside the cell, I notice there is no nucleus. I don t notice any organelles inside the cell. Could this be a Moneran? Yes No c. This cell does not seem to be able to move. I do not notice any structures on or in the cell that would help it move. Could this be a Moneran? Yes No d. This cell has a cell wall and chlorophyll. It is able to use the Sun s energy to make its own food. It does not have any cell structures that would allow it to use other organisms for food. Could this be a Moneran? Yes No Is this organism a Moneran? Yes No It s Still Pretty Simple: Kingdom Protista (Protozoan) Cell Structure Protozoans do have a nucleus and it s surrounded by a nuclear membrane. They are called eukaryotes, which means true nucleus. They also have cell organelles that help the nucleus perform all the life processes. 7
Number of Cells Most Protozoans are single-celled organisms. A few are made up of two or more cells. Kinds of Movement Some Protozoans do not move at all, but many of them are able to move. Some protists use psuedpods, or false feet. The cell in this type of protists is able to change its shape. It is able to extend some of the cytoplasm to make a fake foot or two. The feet are able to push or pull the cell along. Other protists move using tiny, hair-like structures called cilia. The cilia are found on the outside of the cell. They are able to move very quickly back and forth, moving the protists along through water or another liquid. Finally, some protists move using flagella. These are simple, whip-like structures that propel the protist through its environment. Nutrition Some protists are producers and have chloroplasts and chlorophyll. Others are consumers. Is it a Protist or Not? Any organism that has these specific characteristics is a Protista. If it doesn t have these characteristics, it s not a Protista. 1. Guess what? I have found some new organisms. I think they should be classified as either Moneran or Protist, but I m not sure. Look at the following characteristics and see if you can decide which kingdom they should be in. a. When I look at one of the organisms in the microscope, I notice a tiny nucleus inside the cell. A membrane surrounds the nucleus. 8
This organism should be classified as a Moneran Protist b. When I look at the next organism, I notice it has more than one cell. I don t see any tissues or organs, but the group of cells seems to be one organism, not a colony. This organism should be classified as a Moneran Protist c. This organism is moving. I notice that it is a single cell, with a flagellum. I cannot tell if this organism has a nucleus or not. This organism should be classified as a Moneran Protist Could be either d. This is a simple organism with chloroplasts in its cell. It makes its own food. This organism should be classified as a Moneran Protist This organisms is most likely a: Moneran Protist For the Last Time, It s Simple: Kingdom Fungi (Fungus) Cell Structure Fungi cells have a nucleus that is surrounded by a nuclear membrane. Like protists, they are called eukaryotes. Fungi have cell organelles that help the nucleus perform all life processes. Number of Cells Some fungi are single-celled organisms. Many of the members of this kingdom are many celled. Kinds of Movement Fungi can t move on their own. 9
Nutrition Fungi do not have any chlorophyll. They are unable to make their own food; therefore, they are not considered producers. They are not able to actually eat other organisms, either. Instead, fungi are able to absorb nutrients from any other organisms. Most fungi get their nutrition from dead or dying matter, so they are classified as saprophytes. Is it Fungi or Not? Any organism that has these specific characteristics is a Fungus. If it doesn t have these characteristics, it s not a Fungus. 1. Read each of the following statements. If the statement is true for a fungus, write T on the line. If it is not true, write F on the line. a. It may have many cells. b. It has a cell membrane. c. It may have only one cell. d. It is a producer. e It has chlorophyll and can photosynthesize. Microorganisms Flash Cards Requirements for Flashcards Using a 3x5 card, make a flash card for all terms. Write the word on one side and the definition on the other. When completed, use a rubber band or paper clip to keep the cards together and turn them in. Make sure your name is on the first card. 10
Microorganisms Vocabulary Here are the terms you should know and use! Algae (AL jee) - Plant-like Protists that live in water and contain chlorophyll. They produce oxygen and their own food. Bacteria (bac TEER ee a) Microscopic single-celled organisms that exist everywhere. Conclusion -The summary of an experiment, based on data. Control A part of the experiment that is unchanged. Culture To grow microorganisms in a specially prepared nutrient medium i.e. growing mold on bread, your bread is your nutrient medium. Decomposer -An organism, often a bacterium or fungus, that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter. experiment A series of steps to find the answer to a question. Fungi (FUN ji or FUN guy) Organisms that are neither plant nor animals, but have characteristics of both and absorb food from whatever they are growing on. Hypothesis (hy PAW thuh suhs) An idea or question that can be tested. Investigation A process designed to answer a question. Microorganism A living thing that can only be seen with the aid of magnification. Organism - Any living thing. Protozoan (PRO to zo uhn) - A single-celled animal-like organism that often lives in ponds. Producer A living thing, like a green plant, that makes its food from simple substances and sunlight. Single-celled organism Any organism that has only one cell, the smallest unit of life. Variable A part of an experiment that is changed. 11
Helpful, Harmful, or Both? Describe ways in which microorganisms are Helpful, Harmful - or Both? Microorganisms (define) Trait or Behavior Harmful or Helpful Main Idea Sentence(s) (describe how they are helpful or harmful) 12