1. 'An organelle is made of molecules collectively performing a specialized function' (Explanation: Organelles are structures made of molecules that perform a task. For example, chlorophyll in chloroplasts plays the role of the primary pigment during photosynthesis. Chemical reactions and interactions between different molecules in organelles allow the organelle to perform its function, which is producing glucose in this case.) 2. 'A cell consists of organelles performing the functions required for the cell to exist' (Explanation: All cells must carry out functions of life, such as reproduction. In eukaryotic cells, the nucleus carries out the replication of DNA during mitosis. DNA must be replicated in order to pass on genes to offspring, and the nucleus is responsible for carrying that out in this case. Another example is growth in cells. The Endoplasmic Reticulum is an organelle that is responsible for synthesizing the biomolecules require to grow the cell, such as proteins and lipids.) 3. 'Tissues are a group of cells that collectively perform a specialized function' (Explanation: Cells in tissues work together in order to perform a task, such as cells in the skeletal muscle tissues that move your arm by contracting and lengthening.) 4. 'Organs consist of multiple tissues that collectively carry out a function in the body' (Explanation: While a tissue is a group of cells that perform a single specific function, an organ is a group of tissues that play a larger function in the body. For example, the heart, which is made of many kinds of tissue, plays the role of pumping blood through the circulatory system. It is made of many types of tissue that play smaller functions, but they collectively form an organ with a more profound function.) 5. 'Organ systems are groups of organs that cooperate to perform a larger action' (Explanation: While the heart does have the function of pumping blood through the circulatory system, it cannot truly perform its job without the role of other organs. The blood vessels of the body provide pathways for the blood to be pumped by the heart, and the lungs have to take in oxygen. Altogether, this system is called the cardiorespiratory system and has the larger function of cells of the body with oxygen and removing waste products.) 6. 'Organisms are made of organ systems that altogether make up a single living thing' (Explanation: Individual things are called organisms. Complex organisms are made of organ systems that fulfill the different functions of the body required for the organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. An organ system by itself cannot survive and reproduce, but multiple organ systems together can survive and reproduce, thus making up an organism.) 7. 'Populations are made of organisms of the same species living in a specific area' (Explanation: While organisms have only one distinct individual, populations have multiple distinct individuals. For example, a pride of lions is a population because it has multiple lions living in a specific area. Each lion is distinct. And individual lion by itself, is in the end, still a single organism. A population is a group of organisms.) 8. 'A community consists of all of the populations living in a specific area' (Explanation: While a single population only consists of individuals of the same species, a community can contain many populations, and therefore propulations of different species. For example, a forest community may consist of trees, grasses, fungi, and various animals.) 9. 'Ecosystems are made of at least one community and everything that the organisms in the environment interact with (including non-living things) within a given area' (Explanation: While a community only includes living things, an ecosystem includes the non-living things the organisms interact with. This may include soil, water, air, light, and many more things.) 10. 'The biosphere consists of all of the ecosystem on Earth' (Explanation: While an ecosystem only includes the living and non-living things within a given area, the biosphere includes all life on Earth and all that life interacts with. It doesn't matter where the life is one Earth, it is still part of the biosphere.)

Consider the basic parts of each level of organization.