My students love to look at the interesting specimens I have scattered about my classroom and what better way to let them do that than by learning the characteristics of life? This lab is a great introduction to the characteristics of life and is also a great beginning of the year activity for a life science or biology class. It gives students the opportunity to get to know other students in the class while simultaneously observing all of the weird and interesting specimens around the classroom.  For this lab activity, have your students brainstorm 8 characteristics of life. It’s okay if they come up with incorrect characteristics. Students then travel around the room to look at 20 different specimens (you must provide the specimens). At each specimen, students try to determine what characteristics of life each one has and what the specimen is. After they observe all 20 specimens, there are a few post lab questions for them to answer.  The Google Doc lab activity includes a full description of how to use the activity in your classroom and what types of specimens you could put out for your students. It also includes a link to a Google Slide that lists the 8 scientist approved characteristics of life. Check out the preview for more! Time to Complete: 40 - 60 minutes  Topics Covered: Characteristics of Life What's Included: 2 Pages Data Table for Activity 8 Post-Lab Questions Google Slide of All 8 Characteristics of Life Answer Key Need to Teach Macromolecules Next?  Making and Breaking Polymers WS Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis WS Building and Breaking Carbohydrates Virtual Activity Forming Fats Virtual Activity Piecing Together Proteins Virtual Activity Assembling Nucleic Acids Virtual Activity Macromolecules Review Activity Looking for a Deal? Macromolecules Virtual Activities Bundle Like what you see? Head over to Beautiful Biology for more or follow me for updates! © Beautiful Biology