Living things have three main traits: They grow, take in nutrients (that means food and water), and reproduce (which means they make more living things like themselves). Non-living things do not grow, need nutrients or reproduce.
To better understand living vs non-living things…
LET’S BREAK IT DOWN!
Living things grow.
An animal, such as a kitten, gets bigger and bigger and becomes a full-grown cat. A plant, such as a flower, starts from a seed and grows taller and taller. A non-living thing, like a rock, doesn’t grow.
Living things need food and water.
In science we say that they take in nutrients. An animal, like a kitten, takes in food and water through its mouth. A plant, like a tree, takes in nutrients through its roots and leaves. A non-living thing does not take in nutrients.
Living things reproduce.
A mother cat and a father cat will make more cats. Plants also reproduce. They start from a seed, grow, and then produce seeds of their own. Non-living things do not reproduce.
There are many living things on Earth.
Living things include kittens, fish, birds, insects and even people. They all have something in common: they grow, need nutrients and they reproduce!
Plants are also living things.
Plants are living because they grow, take in nutrients and reproduce. Trees, bushes, a cactus, flowers and grass are examples of plants.
LIVING VS. NON-LIVING VOCABULARY
QUESTIONS ABOUT LIVING VS. NON-LIVING THINGS
What do we mean when we say something grows?
What do we mean by the word ‘nutrients’?
What do we mean when we say something reproduces?
Name some examples of living things.
Name some examples of non-living things.
Is a dead cockroach living or non-living?
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