The Circle of Life: How Living Things Reproduce — Guided Notes
Video-Based Note-Taking Activity with Class Review
Learning Objectives
Identify the six characteristics shared by all living organisms (growth/development, response to environment, obtaining/using energy, movement, cellular composition, and reproduction).
Compare and contrast reproductive strategies across the four groups covered in the video: plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.
Distinguish between sexual and asexual reproduction and provide examples of each from the video.
Define and correctly use key vocabulary: organism, reproduction, germinate, spore, dispersal, asexual reproduction, sexual reproduction, offspring, budding, and binary fission.
Setup & Instructions
~2 minutesGuided Notes: The Circle of Life — How Living Things Reproduce
Today you're going to watch a 9-minute video and complete these guided notes as you go. Don't try to write everything — just fill in the blanks. The video will give you every answer if you listen carefully. After the video, we'll review your notes together and then you'll complete a short assessment.
Instructions: Fill in each blank as you hear the answer in the video. The timestamp next to each section tells you approximately when that information appears. If you miss one, leave it blank — we'll fill in any gaps during our class review.
Organism — a living thing. All organisms share certain characteristics that distinguish them from non-living things.
Video Watch & Guided Notes
~10 minutes---
Section 1: Characteristics of Living Things ⏱️ 0:00 – 1:25
All organisms:
1. They __________ and develop 2. They respond to changes in their __________ 3. They obtain and use __________ 4. They move either __________ or __________ 5. They are made up of one or more __________ 6. They can produce new young of the same kind — this is called __________
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Section 2: Reproduction in Plants ⏱️ 1:48 – 3:57
Most flowering plants reproduce by producing __________.
These seeds develop inside __________, which help protect them and aid in their __________.
Some non-flowering plants also produce seeds, such as __________ and cycads.
These plants do not produce flowers. Instead, they form seeds in __________ or exposed structures.
Their seeds are usually dispersed by __________.
Under the right conditions (usually __________ and __________), each seed has the potential to __________ and grow into a new plant.
Ferns and mosses do NOT produce seeds. Instead, they produce __________ — tiny reproductive units that can grow into new plants.
Ferns have spore cases on the __________ of their leaves.
Mosses release spores from small __________.
These plants rely on __________ for reproduction, since their spores need water to develop.
Some plants reproduce asexually, meaning they can produce new plants without seeds or spores.
Three examples of asexual plant structures: 1. __________ (like in strawberry plants) 2. __________ (like onions) 3. __________ from stems and leaves
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Section 3: Reproduction in Animals ⏱️ 4:01 – 5:57
Most animals reproduce __________, meaning they require both a __________ and a __________ to produce offspring.
Many animals reproduce by laying eggs. Five groups that lay eggs: 1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ 4. __________ 5. __________
Some eggs have hard __________ (like bird eggs).
Others have soft, __________ coverings (like amphibian eggs).
Most reptiles and birds __________ their eggs until they hatch.
But many fish and amphibians leave their eggs in __________ to develop on their own.
Mammals (including humans) reproduce by giving birth to __________ young.
The young develop inside the __________ body, receiving __________ and oxygen to grow.
Female mammals also produce __________ to feed their young.
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Section 4: Reproduction in Fungi ⏱️ 5:57 – 7:38
Many fungi, like mushrooms, release __________ from special structures.
Mushrooms have __________ under their caps where spores are produced.
Spores are spread by __________ or water.
__________ are fungi with a round shape that release clouds of spores when they burst open.
Under the right conditions, each spore can grow into a new __________.
Molds (found on bread and fruit) also reproduce by producing __________.
These spores form in __________, which break open and release them into the air.
When spores land in a __________, __________ place, they grow into new mold.
Some fungi, like __________, reproduce asexually by budding — where a small part of the cell grows and __________ to form a new organism.
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Section 5: Reproduction in Microorganisms ⏱️ 7:38 – 8:53
Microorganisms such as __________ and __________ reproduce quickly.
Most bacteria reproduce asexually by __________: a single bacterial cell grows and then divides into __________ identical cells.
This happens especially quickly in __________ and __________ conditions.
Protists like __________ and paramecia also reproduce by splitting — one cell divides into __________ new ones.
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Section 6: The Big Takeaway ⏱️ 8:30 – 8:53
Reproduction is essential for the __________ of all living things.
The goal is always the same: to create new __________ of the same kind.
Without reproduction, life on Earth simply would not __________.
Class Review of Guided Notes
~8 minutesNice work! Now we're going to go through the notes together as a class. Get ready to share your answers and fill in any blanks you missed. After the review, you'll complete a short assessment to show what you learned.
Assessment — Auto-Graded Questions
~7 minutesThe six characteristics of all living organisms are: (1) they grow and ___1___, (2) they respond to their ___2___, (3) they obtain and use ___3___, (4) they ___4___ either internally or externally, (5) they are made of one or more ___5___, and (6) they ___6___.
Flowering plants reproduce by producing seeds that develop inside ___1___. Ferns and mosses reproduce differently — instead of seeds, they produce tiny reproductive units called ___2___. Some plants reproduce asexually using structures like ___3___ (strawberry plants), ___4___ (onions), or cuttings from stems and leaves.
Most animals reproduce ___1___, requiring both a male and a female. Animals like birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects reproduce by laying ___2___. Mammals give birth to ___3___ young, and female mammals produce ___4___ to feed them.
Mushrooms release spores from ___1___ under their caps. Mold spores grow in ___2___, ___3___ places. Yeast reproduces asexually by ___4___, where a small part of the cell grows and separates.
Bacteria reproduce asexually by ___1___ — a single cell divides into ___2___ identical cells. Protists like ___3___ and paramecia also reproduce by splitting.
What is the main difference between sexual and asexual reproduction?
A student finds an unknown object that grows larger over time, seems to react when touched, and is made of cells. However, the student has not observed it reproducing. Is the object an organism?
Which of the following are examples of ASEXUAL reproduction from the video? (Select all that apply)
Select all that apply.
Match each organism group to HOW it reproduces, based on what you learned in the video.
Match each vocabulary term to its correct definition.
Both ferns and mushrooms reproduce using spores, even though ferns are plants and mushrooms are fungi.
When bacteria split into two cells, the two new cells are genetically different from each other.
Deeper Thinking — Short Answer
~3 minutesThe video showed four groups of organisms: plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Choose TWO of these groups and compare how they reproduce. In your answer, (a) name a specific example from each group, (b) state whether the reproduction is sexual or asexual (or both), and (c) describe one similarity and one difference between the two groups' reproductive strategies.
Expected length: 4-6 words