Unicellular
Organisms
Objective 7.L.1.1
Compare the structures and life
functions of single-celled
organisms that carry out all of the
basic functions of life.
Essential Question:
What are the characteristics of
the following single-celled
organisms?
Euglena
Amoeba
Paramecium
Volvox
All of the Organisms we
talk about today will be
eukaryotic.
They are protists:
eukaryotes that cannot
be classified as animals,
plants, or fungi.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNTQL
qWEpXU
Vocabulary
• unicellular organism:
an organism made of
one cell
• prokaryotic cell: a
cell that doesn’t
have a nucleus
• eukaryotic cell: a
cell that does have a
nucleus
Definitions
• locomotive structures:
structures that help an
organism move
• flagellum: long tail like
projection of cell membrane
which is adapted as a
locomotory organ
• cilia: small hair like
projections of cell membrane
which are adapted as a
locomotory organ
Definitions
• pseudopod: a temporary projection of
the cytoplasm of certain cells, especially
amoebas, that serves in locomotion and
phagocytosis.
Talk with a partner:
What is a protist?
FOLDABLE TIME
Comparisons of Singlecelled Organisms
• Please write down anything that is in
RED in your own words. These are
the important concepts.
Euglena
• Move by flagellum
• Known for a unique
feature—eye spot
• Contain chloroplasts photosynthesis
• Common in fresh water
• Does not contain a cell
wall
Euglena
• Found in calm fresh and salt water
• Autotrophs and Heterotropshs– can make
their own food and also eat other things.
• Have features of both plants and animals.
Euglena
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI7nEWU
jk3A
Amoeba
• Move by cytoplasmic streaming
• Surrounds food and engulfs it using
pseudopods, it is then enveloped,
stored, and digested in vacuoles
Amoeba
•
•
•
•
•
Can change shape
Heterotrophic
Eats bacteria, algae, and other protozoa
Reproduce asexually
Can survive forcible division
Amoeba
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvOz4
V699gk
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pR7T
NzJ_pA
Tell me one characteristic
of a euglena and one
characteristic of an
amoeba.
Paramecium
• Most complex and specialized of the protists
• Moves by cilia (hairlike projections)
Paramecium
• Can move about 12 body lengths per
second
• Shape of a pill capsule
• Heterotrophic
• Relatively large
• Common in pond scum and freshwater
• Contain two nuclei (macro and micro)
Paramecium
• Uses cilia to sweep food into the oral
groove
• Feeds on micro-organisms like
bacteria, algae, and yeasts
• Stiff elastic membrane gives it shape
and is covered in cilia that allow it to
spiral through water
Paramecium
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn3M
TYNe8mM
What did one
paramecium
say to the
other
paramecium?
You’re Cilia
than me
Volvox
• A spherical colony of
ciliates may include
up to 50,000 cells
• Contain chloroplasts
•Move and act as one multi-cellular
organism
•Can survive independent of the colony
Volvox
• Type of green algae
• Lives in lots of freshwater habitats –
ponds, ditches, puddles, lagoons
• Colonies use flagella to swim
• Cells have eyespots
• Make food via photosynthesis
• Autotrophic
VOLVOX
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8xs8F
9gln0
RAFT
Role – Paramecium
Audience – Euglena
Format – Letter
Topic – Why I am better than you!
Quiz
Be sure you have these in
your notes!!!
Which single-celled organisms
moves by flagellum?
A. Euglena
B. Amoeba
C. Paramecium
D. Volvox
A. Euglena
Which single-celled organism
moves by cilia or hairlike
projections?
A. Euglena
B. Amoeba
C. Paramecium
D. Volvox
C. Paramecium
Which single-celled organism uses
pseudopods to surround and engulf
their food?
A. Euglena
B. Amoeba
C. Paramecium
D. Volvox
B. Amoeba
Which single-celled organism is a
colony of ciliates of which some
contain chlorophyll?
A. Euglena
B. Amoeba
C. Paramecium
D. Volvox
D. Volvox
Which single-celled organism has a
unique feature of an eye spot?
A. Euglena
B. Amoeba
C. Paramecium
D. Volvox
A. Euglena
Which single-celled organism
moves by cytoplasmic streaming?
A. Euglena
B. Amoeba
C. Paramecium
D. Volvox
B. Amoeba
Which types of single-celled
organisms can have chlorophyll?
A. Euglena and Amoeba
B. Amoeba and Paramecium
C. Paramecium and Volvox
D. Euglena and Volvox
D. Euglena and Volvox
Which organism appears in the
photos?
• paramecium
Look at the picture.
Be able to answer the questions on the
following slide!
What organelle engulfs food?
A. cytoplasm
B. pseudopods
C. vacuoles
D. nucleus
What organelle digests the food?
A. cytoplasm
B. pseudopods
C. vacuoles
D. nucleus
B. pseudopods
C. vacuoles
A.
B.
Name the organelles located
at A. and B.
A. nucleus
B. cytoplasm