LESSON NO.

2 LIFE SCIENCE
Second Quarter S.Y. 2023-2024

TOPIC UNIFYING THEME IN THE STUDY OF LIFE

Content Standard
Performance Standard The learners should be able to Value life by taking good care of all beings, humans,
plants, and animals.
Learning Competency Describe how unifying themes (e.g. structure and function, evolution, and
with Code ecosystems) in the study of life show the connections among living things and how
they interact with each other and with their environment (S12LT-11a-3)
After going through this lesson, 85% of the learners are expected to:
K- Explain the evolving concept of life based on emerging pieces of evidence.
Objectives S- Describe the conditions on early Earth that made the origin of life possible and the
first life forms.
A- Cite ways on how to preserve and conserve various life forms.

I. Background Information

Even though an amazing variety of living things exist on Earth, they are all alike in several ways. Does a
dove have anything in common with a tree? What does a fish have in common with a mushroom? Do you have
something in common with other living things?

In your study of Biology, there is an array of biological properties and certain themes about how the living
world works that are discussed. These properties are shared by all living things, passed down over billions of years
from the first organisms to have evolved on Earth.

The properties common to all living things that are considered in the study of live are: cellular organization,
metabolism, homeostasis, reproduction, and heredity.

Cellular Organization

All cells have the same basic structure: a membrane that encloses the cell and controls materials that move
in and out; an internal fluid where the organelles are suspended; and nucleus that contains the hereditary genes
called DNA.

Organisms can either be made up of only one cell (unicellular) or made up of many cells (multicellular).

Metabolism

All living things use energy. Moving, growing, thinking – everything you do requires energy. Where does all
this energy come from? It is captured from sunlight by plants and algae. To get the energy needed, plants or plant-
eating animals are consumed in a process called metabolism. All organisms use energy to grow, and all organisms
transport this energy from one place to another within cells using special energy-carrying molecules called ATP
molecules.

Homeostasis

All living things maintain stable internal conditions. While the environment often varies a lot organisms act to
keep their interior conditions relatively constant in a process called homeostasis. The human body will maintain an
internal temperature of 37OC (98.5OF), however hot or cold the weather might be.
Reproduction

All living things reproduce. Reproduction involves the transfer of genetic information from parents to
offspring. Reproduction can be asexual or sexual.

Heredity

All organisms possess a genetic system that is based on the replication and duplication of a long molecule
called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The information that determines what an individual organism will be like is written
in a code dictated by the sequence of the DNA molecule. Each set of instructions within the DNA is called a gene.
Because DNA is faithfully copied from one generation to the next, any change in a gene is also preserved and
passed on to future generations. The transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring is called heredity.

Other Unifying Themes

In addition to these properties, the study of biology is unified by certain themes. These six general themes
are levels of organization, the flow of energy, evolution, interacting systems, structures determine function, ecology
and science and society.

Level of Organizations

There is a hierarchy of increasing complexity within cells, from the molecular level of DNA (where the
chemistry of life occurs), to the organelle level (where the cellular activities are organized), to the cell (the smallest
level of organization).

Refer the figure below illustrating the organizational levels in living things.
The Flow of Energy

Energy is used to grow and do work. Without it, life stops. Almost all the energy that living things need is
obtained from the sun. Plants capture the energy of sunlight and use it to make complex molecules in a process
called photosynthesis. These molecules then serve as the source of fuel for animals that eat them. The flow of
energy among organisms helps determine how organisms interact within their environment which is another concept
studied in biology.

Evolution

The theory of evolution helps explain how all the kinds of organisms came into existence It helps explain
why organisms look the way they do and how organisms of the past are related to organisms alive today. It also
explains the relationships among various groups of living organisms.

Life forms are slowly changing and have apparently been changing. Charles Darwin proposed the Theory of
Evolution by Natural Selection, which proposes organisms with more favorable traits will be more likely to survive and
reproduce. These favorable traits are called adaptations. For example, the cactus plant is adapted to a desert
environment. In time, organisms that lack the necessary adaptations will die out and individuals with favorable
adaptations live. This process changes the species over time.

Interacting Systems

Living things interact with each other and with the environment. A living community is highly structured and
interdependent. A living community is highly structured and interdependent. Interdependence is the result of a long
process of evolution in which selection has favored cooperation. For example, animal cells possess organelles that
are descendants of symbiotic bacteria, and symbiotic fungi helped plants first invade land from the sea. The
coevolution of flowering plants and insects has been responsible for the diversity of both species.

Structure determines Function

A relationship exists between structure and function at all levels of biological organization. In biology,
structure is always related to function. Hence, the hierarchy of structural levels is the basis for the biological
organization. Structural levels are built on the levels that precedes it. Within the many kinds of organisms in the living
world, body structures seem carefully designed to carry out their functions. For example, hummingbird sucks nectar
from a deep flower through its long tongue.

Ecology

To fully understand the biological world, biologists have recognized and studied the interdepende3nce of
organisms w2ith each other and with the environment. This branch of biology is called ecology. Ecology is the study
of complex communities of organisms in relation to their environment. Organisms need the physical environment to
survive. They need substances like water, nutrients, and gases from the environment. The stability of the
environment in turn depends on the healthy functioning of organisms in that environment. For example, all organisms
depend on the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle which releases vital gases in the atmosphere. However, this complex
web of interactions is easily disrupted when the environment is polluted, and individual species become extinct as is
happening in much of the world today.
Science and Society

Knowledge from biological science can be applied to specific problems in society to improve human life. For
example, the development of the polio vaccine in the 1950’s was a significant scientific breakthrough that had a large
impact on society. By producing the polio vaccine in bulk and distributing it throughout the world, scientists, business
leaders and governments have worked together to reduce the threat of polio.

Section Review

Answer the following:

1. Give an example for each of the organizational levels in living things.

2. Identify the unifying them describe by the following evidence.
a. Plants capture the energy of sunlight in the process of photosynthesis.
b. Living things have their own degree of organization, structure, and function different
from nonliving things.
c. Life forms are slowly changing and have been apparently changing since Earth formed.
d. Millions of species of living things have been identified and ranked according to
hierarchy.
3. Give an example of how structure is related to function.

A. Process/Skills

These seeds are the start of new life, but is the seed itself alive? Use the properties of life to decide.

B. Understanding

1. What ability of cyanobacteria enabled them to produce oxygen and change the Earth’s
atmosphere?
2. Explain the rapid diversification of multicellular life on Earth.

C. Performance

1. Form a small group of four to five students. Within your group, discuss why you value life and why
living things have to be cared for. Cite specific examples based on your own actual experiences. You
may use poster or PowerPoint presentations for your discussion.
2. From your group, research on how Earth looked like before life began. Using indigenous materials,
construct a model of the Earth showing the conditions required for the origin of life. You may use
video to explain how life began through your model of the Earth. Be ready for a class presentation.

SUBMISSION: on or before November 17, 2023

Key Points!

○ Ecology is the study of living organisms and their relationships with each other and their environment.

○ An organism’s structure is related to how it works. An organism consists of many organ systems but functions as
one individual.

○ The function of an organism or a part of it depends on its form and structure.

○ Reproduction ensures the survival of species.

○ Living things obtain energy from the food they eat.

○ The ability of an organism to regulate their internal conditions is called homeostasis.

○ Organisms undergo adaptation or evolution in order to survive.

○ All living things share fundamental properties that define a living organism.

○ Unifying themes in the study of life show the connections among living things and how they interact with each other
and with their environment.

Reference:

You and the Natural World: Earth and Life Science

Author: Lilia G. Vengco and Teresita F. Religioso