Science · Animals & plants
Living or not?
Sort living and non-living.
What does living mean?
Living things can grow and change. They need food and water. They can make babies like themselves. Plants and animals are living. They move in their own way. Even tiny seeds are living!
What are non-living things?
Non-living things do not grow by themselves. They do not need food or water. They cannot make babies. A rock stays a rock forever. A toy car will not grow bigger. These things are not alive.
Tricky ones to watch out for
Some things seem alive but are not. A toy dog can move but is not living. Fire moves and grows but is not alive. A cloud moves but is not living. Think: does it need food and water?
How to tell the difference
Ask yourself these questions. Does it grow? Does it need food or water? Can it have babies? If you say yes, it is living. If you say no, it is not living.
Worked examples
1. Is a cat living or not living?
- A cat grows from a kitten to an adult.
- A cat needs food and water every day.
- A cat can have kittens of its own.
- So a cat is living!
2. Is a bicycle living or not living?
- A bicycle does not grow bigger.
- It does not need food or water.
- It cannot make baby bicycles.
- So a bicycle is not living.
3. Is a flower living or not living?
- A flower grows from a tiny seed.
- It needs water and sunlight to stay healthy.
- It can make seeds for new flowers.
- So a flower is living!
Try it yourself
Look at a tree in your garden. Is it living or not living?
Ready to test yourself?
Take a short topic test — every question maps to a syllabus point so you’ll see exactly which parts you’ve mastered.