Unicellular organism

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/unicellular-organism

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Includes prokaryotes (Bacteria, Archaea) and eukaryotes (protozoa, unicellular algae, unicellular fungi)
2. What is the biotechnological applications?Production of pharmaceuticals, enzymes, biofuels; bioremediation; genetic engineering hosts
3. How do single‑cell organisms get food?They can absorb food from their surroundings, eat tiny particles with phagocytosis, or make food with sunlight through photosynthesis.
4. Are single‑cell organisms the first life on Earth?Yes, scientists think the first living things were single‑cell organisms that appeared about 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago.

Cellular Differentiation: The process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type.
Biogeochemical Cycles: The pathways by which chemical elements move through Earth's biotic and abiotic components.
Extremophiles: Organisms that thrive in physically or geochemically extreme conditions detrimental to most life.