The student will reserach the characteristics of living things listed and provide a 1-3 sentence explanation of each:

# Living things are made of cells.
# Living things obtain and use energy.
# Living things grow and develop.
# Living things reproduce.
# Living things respond to their environment.
# Living things adapt to their environment.

To be considered alive, an object must exhibit all of the characteristics of living things.

Source: http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/CURR/Science/sciber00/7th/classify/living/2.htm