🌱 Lesson Note: Living Things and Non-Living Things
Subject: Basic Science Class: Basic 4 Topic: Living Things and Non-Living Things Duration: 40 minutes
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
- Explain the meaning of living things.
- Explain the meaning of non-living things.
- Mention examples of living things.
- Mention examples of non-living things.
- State the characteristics of living things.
- Differentiate between living and non-living things.
1. What Are Living Things?
Living things are things that have life. They carry out activities that show they are alive. Examples of living things include:
- Human beings
- Dogs
- Cats
- Birds
- Fish
- Trees
- Flowers
- Grass
- Insects
2. Characteristics of Living Things
Living things have certain characteristics. We can remember some of them with MRS GREN.
M – Movement
Living things can move or show movement. Examples: A child can walk, and a bird can fly. Plants also show movement, although they cannot move from one place to another like humans and animals.
R – Respiration
Living things respire to release energy from food. Humans and animals breathe in oxygen during respiration.
S – Sensitivity
Living things can respond to changes around them. For example, we quickly remove our hand when we touch something very hot.
G – Growth
Living things grow and increase in size. For example, a baby grows into an adult, and a small seed can grow into a large plant.
R – Reproduction
Living things can produce young ones or new organisms of their own kind. For example:
- Dogs give birth to puppies.
- Cats give birth to kittens.
- Plants produce new plants from seeds.
E – Excretion
Living things remove waste materials from their bodies. For example, humans remove waste through urine, sweat, and faeces.
N – Nutrition
Living things need food or nutrients for energy, growth, and health. Humans and animals eat food, while green plants make their own food using sunlight.
3. What Are Non-Living Things?
Non-living things are things that do not have life. Examples include:
- Chair
- Table
- Book
- Stone
- Car
- Pencil
- Cup
- Bicycle
- Computer
- Water
- Air
Non-living things do not carry out all the life processes of living things.
4. Differences Between Living and Non-Living Things
| Living Things | Non-Living Things |
|---|---|
| They are alive. | They are not alive. |
| They grow. | They do not grow by themselves. |
| They need nutrients. | They do not need food. |
| They respire. | They do not respire. |
| They reproduce. | They do not reproduce. |
| They respond to changes. | They do not respond like living things. |
| They remove waste. | They do not excrete. |
| Examples: humans, animals, plants. | Examples: tables, stones, books. |
5. Things That May Confuse Us
Some things may move but are not living. For example, a car can move, but it is not living because it does not grow, reproduce, respire, or carry out other life processes. A robot can move and respond to instructions, but it is not a living thing. A fire can grow bigger and spread, but it is not a living thing because it does not reproduce or carry out all the characteristics of life.
⭐ Easy Way to Remember
Living things:
They have life and carry out life processes. Examples: 🌳 Tree 🐕 Dog 👧 Child 🐟 Fish 🐦 Bird
Non-living things:
They do not have life. Examples: 🪑 Chair 📚 Book 🚗 Car 🪨 Stone ✏️ Pencil
📝 Class Activity
Look around your classroom and identify:
Five living things
Five non-living things
🎯 Evaluation Questions
- What are living things?
- What are non-living things?
- Mention five examples of living things.
- Mention five examples of non-living things.
- State five characteristics of living things.
- Do cars belong to living or non-living things?
- Why is a tree a living thing?
- Why is a chair a non-living thing?
- What does growth mean?
- What does reproduction mean?
🏠 Homework
Draw and colour:
- Three living things
- Three non-living things
Write the name of each thing under your drawing.
Summary
Living things have life and carry out life processes such as growth, respiration, nutrition, movement, sensitivity, reproduction, and excretion.
Non-living things do not have life and do not carry out these life processes.