Third graders examine living and non-living things and observe a plant growing in the classroom.  There are many additional resources to assist learning and extension work, they can read books, interact with PowerPoint...

What does it mean to be living? Help your young scientists identify living and non-living things as a result of their learning through discovery. Observation of and interaction with a set of natural phenomena in their community will make...

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...

A great resource for your unit on Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Small groups conduct research about related topics (list included), write papers, present PowerPoint slide shows, and take a student-created test. Fill in a few...

Fourth graders study and identify the basic needs of a variety of organisms. Terrariums and aquariums are used to demonstrate what plants, animals, and fish need to stay alive. These two classic models are used to effectively convey what...

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

Students photograph five objects from a bag and five objects from the outdoors. Students categorize things by living and non-living and by properties such as color, size, structure and needs. Students draw conclusions about the basic...

When life gives you mold, make penicillin. Scholars design an inquiry experiment to determine what causes rotting and mold growth. It also covers decomposers and the important role they play for other living things. 

How has the Internet of Things affected our lives? Scholars examine the massive influence of mobile devices in this analysis instructional activity, which begins with a seven-minute documentary clip. They also read a New York Times...

During a three-part lesson, learners make a cabbage juice pH indicator and use it to analyze the waste products of yeast after feeding them with sugar. The intent is to demonstrate how living organisms produce carbon dioxide, which is...

An interesting way of teaching about basic needs of different organisms awaits your fourth graders. Pupils take part in class discussions and demonstrations which should lead to a greater understanding of how to determine basic needs. As...

It's a classification sensation! Demystify why we classify using an inquiry activity that helps your class sort things out. Groups begin by classifying a variety of shoes before they research organisms and design their own dichotomous...

Students explore the concept of classification. In this classification lesson, students collaborate to create lists of living thing similarities in order to differentiate between living and non-living things. Students create a list of...

First graders identify the characteristics of living and non living things. In this living and non living things lesson plan, 1st graders look through bags and categorize items that they see.

Students examine the characteristics of living things. They list the differences between living and non-living things, explore areas around the school, and create a Venn diagram for items found in the school areas.

Students identify how to classify living things. They classify various concepts including family members, kinds of clothing, numbers, shapes, and vocabulary words. They discuss how to classify various concepts and classify pictures of...

Fourth graders explore the basic needs of living things. They observe a variety of living things and identify the basic needs of each living item. Students create food balls of peanut butter and nuts to feed animals. They hang their food...

Students discuss the criteria for living things with their groups. They come to a consensus on at least five or more characteristics of a living thing. They determine if the lab samples are living, non-living, or other.

First graders distinguish between living and nonliving objects, and compare living organisms and nonliving objects.

Learners observe how nail polish on a fingernail and petals on a flower grow over time. In this change and grow lesson plan, students observe, discuss, and draw how living things change and grow.

Practice making predictions by looking at the cover of a book. You can use The Hungry Thing, as suggested here, or any other book you may be reading in class. Use the predictions to talk about good reading strategies. A chart is...

Fourth graders discover how heat is produced from human-based activities and mechanical and electrical machines. They discover characteristics of things that give off heat and those that don't. Students create a chart to record...

Second graders classify and analyze living things by structure and function and make predictions based on observations rather than random guesses. They make predictions about where dinosaurs lived and correctly place their databases onto...

From more empathetic individuals to greater tolerance in government, learners explore the benefits of a culturally diverse world through a series of collaborative, discussion-based activities.