Seems like a fairly simple question—until you begin asking your class! Get pupils acquainted with the characteristics of life through pairs classification, discussion, and scientific reading. The lesson plan, part of the K20 series, also...

Twenty questions make up an assessment designed to test super scientists' knowledge of ecosystems. Scholars answer multiple-choice and short-answer questions about organisms, food chains, energy flow, and more.

Which of these pictures is living? Which one is non-living? Use a set of pictures to introduce living and non-living objects to young scientists.

Classify living things with a set of worksheets that has pupils sorting and indentifying living and non-living things. Learners use the worksheets as a basis for finding their answers. 

Interestingly enough, movement is not a characteristic of living things. The first activity in a series of 20 introduces learners to the concepts of living versus non-living things and then focuses on biologists and what they study....

Be prepared the next time you're in need of a substitute with a daily plan equipped with an assortment of activities covering subjects math, reading, word work, writing, and science. 

What is an alien's favorite game? All-star baseball! Scholars start defining living and non-living. Then, they conduct experiments to research if life exists, keeping in mind that life could be in many forms, not just human. 

We all know what it means for something to be living, right? In the first installment of a five-part video series, viewers first learn about the seven characteristics of life. The video then analyzes these characteristics in relation to...

Earth has four spheres. What are these spheres and what makes them unique? This is the focus of a video that describes what makes up two of the four spheres: the geosphere and biosphere.

Why can't a polar bear live in the desert? Because the bear's food source lives in the habitat in which it thrives. This is the focus of a video that explains why certain animals live in specific habitats.

Why do we eat? We eat because we need energy, and humans need energy to grow. This is the focus of a video that explains why organisms need food to live.

What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in learning about the...

Is a rock living? How about lima beans? You'll find everything you need for an interactive sorting activity exploring living and non-living things. 

It's alive! Or is it? Through a series of shared readings, whole class activities, and independent exercises children explore the difference between living and non-living things, creating a pair of printable books to demonstrate their...

What do an ice cream cone, bicycle, and alarm clock all have in common? That's exactly what young scientists will find out as sort these pictures and learn about the differences between living and non-living things.

Is a deer an herbivore? What about a spider? Experiment with the food chain in an interactive science experiment. After listing the herbivores from a selection of animals, third and fourth graders compare the skulls and teeth of...

Students determine that environments have living and nonliving parts. They discuss what makes something a living thing and something a nonliving thing. They make a chart and list characteristics of living things and nonliving things.

Display seven items for your biologists to consider. Are they living or non-living? How can you tell? This is a simple outline of what you can display and questions that can be discussed as this topic is explored. One way to use this...

Students explore the physical properties of sand, soil, and rocks and sort, classify, compare, and contrast the materials found in the soil. The differences between the living and non-living parts of the soil is discussed.

In this guided reading lesson plan, students do a picture walk through a book to predict what the story will be about. each child should point to words as they read to show a 1-1 correspondence, word to print. and then discuss living and...

Your students will look at pictures of objects and learn to classify them as living or non-living.  For a primary class the pictures should be quite obvious, but this activity helps not only the specific topic, but also the practice of...

The relationships within and between ecosystems can be explored. after examining an area for living and non-living things students complete the same examination in the forest ecosystem. Students identify abiotic and biotic elements in an...

Take a walk and observe living and non-living things on the way. Young scientists practice making valuable observations and draw the details.  You could require that your students complete a T chart of living and non-living things and...

Students sort through soil and put items into categories of living and non living things. In this soil lesson plan, students also start a composting box.