Living vs Nonliving Things

Core Idea

Some things in the world are alive and some are not. Living things grow, need food and water, and can make more of themselves. Rocks, water, and toys are not alive because they do not do these things.

How It's Best Learned

Go on a nature walk and sort things into "alive" and "not alive" groups. Touch, observe, and talk about why each thing belongs in its group.

Common Misconceptions

• Children often think cars are alive because they move.
• Fire can seem alive because it grows, moves, and "eats" wood.
• Some children think dead leaves are nonliving because they are no longer growing.

Explainer

Look around you right now. Some of the things you see are alive, and some are not. Your dog is alive. The grass outside is alive. But the chair you sit on? Not alive. The cup on the table? Not alive either. How can you tell the difference?

Living things all do certain things. They grow — a kitten gets bigger and becomes a cat. They need food and water — you eat lunch because your body needs it. They can make more of themselves — a mother bird lays eggs that hatch into baby birds, and a plant makes seeds that grow into new plants.

Nonliving things do not do any of these things on their own. A rock does not get hungry. A toy does not grow bigger. A shoe cannot make baby shoes. Even though some nonliving things can move (like a ball rolling down a hill) or seem to change (like ice melting), they are still not alive because they do not grow, eat, or have babies.

Here is a trick: if you are not sure whether something is alive, ask yourself three questions. Does it grow? Does it need food or water? Can it make more of itself? If the answer to all three is yes, it is alive. If not, it is nonliving.