Living and Non-Living Things
World around us is full of beautiful things.
We see green plants, colourful flower, different animals,
mountain, birds, moving buildings, buses, mobile phones etc in
our everyday life.
These things are divided in two groups
Living things and Non-living things
Human beings make artificial non-living things like chair, car,
pen, clothes, houses. These things make our life easy and
comfortable.
Features or characteristics of living and non-living things
1 Living things show some movement.
The moment in living things shows that they are alive.
Animal moves from one place to another in search of food,
shelter and escape from enemies.
Plants do not move from one place to another but they show
some gentle movements.
Some non-living things can move. Example- Car and buses can
move but none of them can move on their own. These are
driven by either human or animals.
2 Living things need food and water.
All living things need food to stay alive and grow.
Food gives them energy to do work.
Animals can not prepare their own food as they feed on plants
and other animals.
Eg. Cows and horses eat grass.
Tiger kills rabbit and deer for their food
Humans eat both plants and small animals such as chicken and
fish etc.
Plants are the only living things that makes this own food.
Green plants make their own food with the help of air, sunlight
and water.
Few plants like mushrooms which are not green cannot make
their own food, they feed on other plants and dead animals.
Water is very important for all living things.
Non living things do not need food and water.
Our Environment
Living Things
Non-living things Birds
Pencil
Plants car
Humans table
Animals book
mountain
river
Food chain
Grass - Grasshopper - Frog - Snake – Owl
3) Living things grow.
All living things whether plant or animal grow.
The increase in size and shape of a living things is called
growth.
Non living things do not grow.
4) Living things feel
All living things can feel the changes around with the help of
their senses.
They react or responds to the changes around them.
Animals also feel but they express their feelings in different
manner.
Eg - Dogs bark at strangers
Birds react to dim light in the evening and return to the
nests.
Non living things do not feel or respond to the change
around them
5) Living things breath.
All living things need air to breath.
Human beings take in air through our nose and our lungs help
us to breath.
Animals Organs used
for breathing
Fish gills
Earthworm skin
Insect Air holes
(pores)
Frog In water -
skin
On land -
lungs
Plants have tiny holes present in their leaves called stomata to
take up air from surroundings.
Non-living things do not breath.
6) Living things reproduce.
All living things reproduce that is they give birth to their young
ones.
Human beings and animals like lion, tigers, dogs, cats and
elephant reproduce their young ones.
All the birds fishes and reptiles lay eggs of different sizes and
colours which hatch to produce the respective young ones.
Plant produces seeds which grow into saplings and develop into
mature plants. Some new plants can be reproduced from its
stem, roots or leaves.
Example- stem of a rose plant can be used to produce a new
plant.
Non-living things cannot reproduce.
Living Things Non-Living things
All things which have life are Things which do not have life
called as living things are called as non-living things
All natural things All man made and natural
Can grow Can not grow
Can move or show movement Can not move
Need food and water Do not need food and water
Can breathe Do not breathe
Can reproduce Can not reproduce
Can feel Can not feel
Human beings animals plants Mountains, rock, soil, car,
birds river, pencil, table etc
