Biology: Seven Characteristics of Living Things (MRS GREN) Practice
Identify movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion, and nutrition
Biology: Seven Characteristics of Living Things (MRS GREN) Practice
Identify movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion, and nutrition
Biology - Grade 4-5
- 1
Write what each letter in MRS GREN stands for.
Think of the seven life processes that all living things do.
MRS GREN stands for Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion, and Nutrition. - 2
A sunflower turns its flower toward the light during the day. Which characteristic of living things does this show? Explain your answer.
This shows sensitivity because the sunflower is responding to a stimulus, which is light. - 3
A puppy eats food, drinks water, and gets bigger over several months. Name two characteristics of living things shown in this example.
Look for what the puppy takes in and how its body changes.
The puppy shows nutrition because it takes in food and water. It also shows growth because it gets bigger over time. - 4
A robot dog can walk, bark, and follow commands, but it does not grow, reproduce, or need food for energy in the same way living things do. Is the robot dog living or nonliving? Explain your answer using MRS GREN.
The robot dog is nonliving because it does not carry out all seven life processes. It can move and respond, but it does not grow, reproduce, or get nutrition like a living thing. - 5
A fish opens and closes its gills to take in oxygen from the water. Which characteristic of living things is this an example of?
This life process is about getting energy from food, usually using oxygen.
This is respiration because the fish is taking in oxygen to help release energy from food. - 6
A maple tree drops seeds that can grow into new maple trees. Which characteristic of living things does this show? Explain your answer.
This shows reproduction because the tree makes seeds that can grow into new plants of the same kind. - 7
A person sweats on a hot day. The sweat helps remove extra water and salts from the body. Which characteristic of living things does this show?
This life process means removing wastes from the body.
This shows excretion because the body is getting rid of waste materials such as extra water and salts. - 8
A rock is outside for many years. It may crack, change shape, and move downhill during a landslide. Is the rock living or nonliving? Explain using at least two MRS GREN characteristics.
The rock is nonliving because it does not carry out the life processes. It does not need nutrition, reproduce, respire, or grow by making new living material. - 9
A Venus flytrap closes its leaves when an insect touches tiny hairs inside the trap. Which characteristic of living things does this show, and what is the stimulus?
A stimulus is something that causes a living thing to respond.
This shows sensitivity because the plant responds to touch. The stimulus is the insect touching the tiny hairs. - 10
Sort these items into living and nonliving: mushroom, bicycle, grass, pencil, worm, cloud.
The living things are mushroom, grass, and worm because they carry out life processes. The nonliving things are bicycle, pencil, and cloud because they do not carry out all seven life processes. - 11
A bean seed is planted in soil. After several days, a small root and shoot appear. Which characteristic of living things is shown most clearly?
Look for a change in size or development of new body parts.
This most clearly shows growth because the seed is developing into a larger plant with new parts. - 12
Choose one living thing, such as a cat, oak tree, frog, or butterfly. Give one example for each of the seven MRS GREN characteristics for that living thing.
Use the same living thing for all seven examples.
Answers will vary, but the examples should match all seven life processes. For example, a frog moves by jumping and swimming, respires using lungs and skin, responds to light or danger, grows from a tadpole, reproduces by laying eggs, excretes waste, and gets nutrition by eating insects.