Living or Non-living Things

This inquiry lesson lets the students discover the qualifications for being a living thing. The students watch four videos and one still image video to discover and explore both living and non-living things. Included on the website are all videos and still images for the lesson. Also, there is a discovery checklist for living and non-living things. Listed under each video are discussion questions to use after watching the video.

Weblink address (URL):

Living or Non-living Things

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives:

Students will:

Develop criteria to decide if something is living or nonliving
Classify things as living or nonliving, based on those criteria
Recognize that living things grow, reproduce, and need food, air, and water

Essential and guiding questions:

What characteristics did ALL of the living things have in common?

Did any nonliving things possess some of the same characteristics as living things? Which ones?

How were the living things different from the nonliving things?

Are all things that move "alive"? Have them defend their opinions by referring to the results of their explorations.

What kinds of nonliving things move?

How is the movement of living things different from the movement of nonliving things?

Do all living things move?

What kinds of living things move? What kinds don't move?

Do plants move?

Why do living things move?

Do all living things eat?

Plants don't eat but they need energy. Where do they get it?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level:

Applying

Helpful Hints

Materials needed:

Handout: Exploring the Characteristics of Living Things PDF Document handout

References

Contributors:

Christine Gillum

Originator:

Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation

eduToolbox® is a resource-sharing portal developed by the Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation with collaborative support and funding from the Tennessee Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education's Math & Science Partnership program.