S2.2.1 For the adult
Living and non-living
How can I tell if something is alive?
What this chapter teaches
Living things move, breathe, feel, grow, feed and have young. Some things were once alive, such as wood, and some were never alive. Moving alone does not make a thing alive: a river moves and a tree hardly does.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- A river moves. Is it alive, and how can you tell?
- A tree hardly moves. What shows you it is alive?
- Into which group would you put a dry leaf, and why?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Sort things into living, once living and never living
- List signs of life, such as growing, feeding and breathing
What they copy into their notebook
Living things move, breathe, feel, grow, feed and have young. Once living things came from something alive. Never living things were never alive. Moving alone does not make a thing alive.