What is Alive?
Look around you! Some things are alive, and some things are not. Let's discover what makes something LIVING and learn about the amazing world of plants, animals, and people!
Learn
A living thing is something that is ALIVE! Living things grow, need food and water, breathe, move, and can make more of themselves (like baby animals or seeds). You are a living thing!
Types of Living Things
Animals
Dogs, cats, birds, fish, bugs, and YOU are all animals! Animals can move around, eat food, breathe, grow, and have babies.
Examples: Dogs, cats, elephants, butterflies, frogs, fish, birds, snakes, rabbits
Plants
Trees, flowers, grass, and vegetables are all plants! Plants need sunlight and water to grow. They stay in one place but are still alive!
Examples: Roses, oak trees, grass, carrots, sunflowers, apple trees, ferns
What Do All Living Things Do?
All living things have special characteristics. We can remember them by asking: Does it do these things?
GROW
Living things start small and get bigger
NEED FOOD
Living things need to eat to have energy
NEED WATER
Living things need water to survive
BREATHE
Living things need air (even fish!)
MOVE
Living things can move (plants move slowly toward light!)
REPRODUCE
Living things make babies or seeds
Examples
Let's figure out if these things are living or not!
Example 1: A Puppy
Let's check:
- Does it grow? YES! Puppies grow into dogs.
- Does it need food and water? YES! Puppies eat and drink.
- Does it breathe? YES! Puppies breathe air.
- Can it move? YES! Puppies run and play.
- Can it have babies? YES! Dogs can have puppies.
Is a puppy living? YES! A puppy is a LIVING thing!
Example 2: A Flower
Let's check:
- Does it grow? YES! Flowers start as seeds and grow bigger.
- Does it need food and water? YES! Flowers need water and sunlight.
- Does it breathe? YES! Plants take in air through their leaves.
- Can it move? A little! Flowers turn toward the sun.
- Can it make more? YES! Flowers make seeds for new flowers.
Is a flower living? YES! A flower is a LIVING thing!
Example 3: A Fish
Let's check:
- Does it grow? YES! Fish start small and grow bigger.
- Does it need food? YES! Fish eat food.
- Does it breathe? YES! Fish breathe through gills in the water.
- Can it move? YES! Fish swim around.
- Can it have babies? YES! Fish lay eggs that become baby fish.
Is a fish living? YES! A fish is a LIVING thing!
Example 4: A Tree
Let's check:
- Does it grow? YES! Trees start as tiny seeds and grow very tall!
- Does it need food and water? YES! Trees drink water and use sunlight.
- Does it breathe? YES! Trees take in air through their leaves.
- Can it have babies? YES! Trees make seeds, nuts, or fruit with seeds inside.
Is a tree living? YES! A tree is a LIVING thing!
Example 5: You!
Let's check:
- Do you grow? YES! You were once a baby, and you're getting bigger!
- Do you need food and water? YES! You eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
- Do you breathe? YES! You breathe air in and out all day!
- Can you move? YES! You can walk, run, jump, and dance!
Are you living? YES! YOU are a LIVING thing! You are amazing!
Practice Problems
Is each thing LIVING or NOT LIVING? Think about what living things do!
Problem 1
Is a butterfly living?
Show Answer
YES! Butterflies are LIVING! They grow (from caterpillars), eat nectar from flowers, breathe, fly around, and lay eggs.
Problem 2
Is a cat living?
Show Answer
YES! Cats are LIVING! They grow, eat food, drink water, breathe, move around, and can have kittens.
Problem 3
Is grass living?
Show Answer
YES! Grass is LIVING! It grows, needs water and sunlight, breathes through its blades, and makes seeds.
Problem 4
Is an ant living?
Show Answer
YES! Ants are LIVING! Even though they're tiny, they grow, eat, breathe, move around, and have baby ants.
Problem 5
Is an apple tree living?
Show Answer
YES! Apple trees are LIVING! They grow from tiny seeds into big trees, need water and sun, breathe, and make apples with seeds inside.
Problem 6
Is a bird living?
Show Answer
YES! Birds are LIVING! They grow from eggs, eat worms and seeds, breathe, fly around, and lay eggs to make baby birds.
Problem 7
Is a sunflower living?
Show Answer
YES! Sunflowers are LIVING! They grow very tall, need water and sunlight, breathe, turn to face the sun, and make seeds.
Problem 8
Is a frog living?
Show Answer
YES! Frogs are LIVING! They grow (from tadpoles), eat bugs, breathe, hop around, and lay eggs.
Problem 9
Is a worm living?
Show Answer
YES! Worms are LIVING! They grow, eat dirt and leaves, breathe through their skin, wiggle around, and have baby worms.
Problem 10
Is your teacher living?
Show Answer
YES! Your teacher is LIVING! Teachers are people, and all people are living things. They grew up, eat food, breathe, and move!
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
Name three things that ALL living things need.
Show Answer
All living things need: Food (or sunlight for plants), Water, and Air!
Question 2
What are the two main types of living things we learned about?
Show Answer
Animals and Plants! (You are an animal too!)
Question 3
Do plants grow? Give an example.
Show Answer
YES, plants grow! For example, a tiny seed grows into a big sunflower, or an acorn grows into a huge oak tree!
Question 4
Are YOU a living thing? How do you know?
Show Answer
YES, you are a living thing! You grow, eat food, drink water, breathe air, and can move around. You do everything living things do!
Next Steps
Living Things Hunt!
Go on a walk around your home or yard. Try to find:
- 3 different animals (insects count!)
- 3 different plants
- Draw or tell someone about what you found!
Remember: All of them are living things because they grow, need food and water, and breathe!
- Look for living things everywhere you go!
- Watch how living things move and grow
- Ready to learn what's NOT alive? Check out Nonliving Things!