Unit

1: Scientific Investigation
Daysheet 20: Characteristics of Life Summative Assessment
Name ___________________________

Biology I

Date: ___________________

Bellringer: Match the characteristics below with their correct definitions. The characteristics of life
can be used more than once!
A. Reproduction

B. Homeostasis

D. Cellular Organization

C. Metabolism
E. Heredity

1.

The passing of traits from parents to offspring

2.

The process involving a set of chemical reactions that modifies a molecule into
another for storage, or for immediate use in another reaction or as a by product.

3.

The passing of genetic factors from parent to offspring (or from one generation to
the next)

4.

Physical and chemical changes in an organism in which energy is released or used

5.

The ability to use energy

6.

The tendency of an organism or a cell to regulate its internal conditions, usually by a

system of feedback controls, so as to stabilize health and functioning, regardless of
the outside changing conditions

7.

The ability to participate in growth and repair of cells, tissues and organs

8.

The ability of the body or a cell to seek and maintain a condition of equilibrium or
stability within its internal environment when dealing with external changes

9.

The production of offspring by organized bodies.

10.

The process by which organisms make more of their own kind

Objective: I can use my knowledge of the 5 characteristics of life to mastery my assessment.

Homework: Complete HW#20. Complete and submit your missing work ASAP!

Activity 1: Summative Assessment

Activity 2: Analyzing Your Score
1. What grade did you earn on your assessment? _______________________
2. Are you happy with your grade? ___________________________
3. List the questions you answered incorrectly: __________________________________
4. Did you answer any questions incorrectly for the following terms:
a. Heredity: YES or NO
b. Homeostasis: YES or NO
c. Reproduction: YES or NO
d. Cellular Organization: YES or NO
e. Metabolism: YES or NO
5. Do you understand what the correct answer should be for the questions you answered
incorrectly?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
6. How can you improve your performance on the next quiz or test?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
7. What was the most challenging vocabulary term in the Characteristics of Life unit?
__________________________________________________________________________

Activity 3: Is Sammy Alive?

Directions: For each paragraph below, determine whether or not Sammy is alive based on the
characteristics of living things.
P1: Sammy was a normal, healthy boy. There was nothing in his life to indicate that he was anything
different from anyone else. When he completed high school, he obtained a job in a factory, operating
a machine press. On this job he had an accident and lost his hand. It was replaced with an artificial
hand that looked and operated almost like a real one. In your opinion: IS SAMMY ALIVE?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
P2: Soon afterward, Sammy developed a severe intestinal difficulty, and a large portion of his lower
intestine had to be removed. It was replaced with an elastic silicon tube.
In your opinion: IS SAMMY ALIVE?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
P3: Everything looked good for Sammy until he was involved in a serious car accident. Both of his legs
and his good arm were crushed and had to be amputated. He also lost an ear. Artificial legs enabled
Sammy to walk again, and an artificial arm replaced the real arm. Plastic surgery enabled doctors to
rebuild the ear. In your opinion: IS SAMMY ALIVE?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

P4: Over the next several years, Sammy was plagued with internal disorders. First, he had to have an
operation to remove his aorta (major blood vessel leaving the heart) and replace it with a synthetic
vessel. Next, he developed a kidney malfunction, and the only way he could survive was to use a
kidney dialysis machine (no donor was found for a kidney transplant). Later, his digestive system
became cancerous and was removed. He received nourishment (nutrients/food) intravenously.
Finally, his heart failed. Luckily for Sammy, a donor heart was available, and he had a heart
transplant.
In your opinion: IS SAMMY ALIVE?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
P5: It was now obvious that Sammy had become a medical phenomenon. He had artificial limbs.
Nourishment was supplied to him through his veins, so he had no solid wastes. All waste material
was removed by the kidney dialysis machine. The heart that pumped his blood to carry oxygen and
food to his cells was not his original heart. Unfortunately, Sammys transplanted heart began to fail.
He was immediately placed on a heart-lung machine. This machine supplied oxygen and removed
carbon dioxide from his blood, and it circulated blood through is body. In your opinion: IS SAMMY
ALIVE?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
P6: The doctors consulted bioengineers about Sammy. Because almost all of his life-sustaining
functions were being carried on by machine, it might be possible to compress all of these machines
into one mobile unit, which would be controlled by electrical impulses from Sammys brain. This unit
would be equipped with mechanical arms to enable him to perform manipulative tasks. A mechanism
to create a flow of air over his vocal chords might enable him to speak. To do all this, they would have
to amputate at the neck and attach his head to the machine, which would then supply all the
nutrients to his brain. Sammy consented, and the operation was successfully performed.
In your opinion: IS SAMMY ALIVE?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

P7: Sammy functioned well for a few years. However, a slow deterioration of his brain cells was
observed and was diagnosed as terminal. Thus, the medical team that had developed around Sammy
began to program his brain. A miniature computer was developed. It could be housed in a machine
that was human-like in appearance, movement, and mannerisms. As the computer was installed,
Sammys brain cells completely deteriorated. Sammy was once again able to leave the hospital with
complete assurance that he would not return with biological illness.
In your opinion: IS SAMMY ALIVE?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________