EVS / Science
Living and Non-Living Things
Learning Objectives
- I can tell the difference between living and non-living things.
- I can list the characteristics of living things (breathe, eat, grow, move, reproduce, respond, die).
- I can give examples of living and non-living things around me.
- I can classify non-living things as natural or man-made.
- I can identify things that were once living but are now non-living.
- I can observe and classify things in my surroundings correctly.
Introduction
Look around you! You can see many things — a neem tree in the garden, a cow on the road, a stone on the ground, and a book on your desk. Are all these things the same? No!
Some things are alive — they breathe, eat, grow, and move. These are called living things. Other things do not breathe, eat, or grow on their own. These are called non-living things.
Let us learn how to tell the difference between living and non-living things!
What are Living Things?
Living things are all around us. Plants, animals, birds, insects, fish, and humans are all living things. They share some special characteristics:
| Characteristic | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Breathe | All living things need air to stay alive | We breathe in oxygen; plants take in carbon dioxide |
| Eat (Need food) | Living things need food for energy | A cow eats grass; a neem tree makes food from sunlight |
| Grow | Living things increase in size over time | A baby grows into an adult; a seed grows into a tree |
| Move | Living things can move on their own | A dog runs; a sunflower turns towards the sun |
| Reproduce | Living things produce young ones like themselves | A hen lays eggs; a mango tree produces seeds |
| Respond | Living things react to changes around them | We feel hot/cold; a touch-me-not plant closes its leaves |
| Die | All living things have a lifespan and eventually die | Leaves dry and fall; animals grow old and die |
Did you know? Even plants are living things! They breathe, eat (make food using sunlight), grow, and respond to light and water — but they cannot move from place to place like animals.
What are Non-Living Things?
Non-living things do not have life. They do not breathe, eat, grow, move on their own, or reproduce. Here are their characteristics:
- Do not breathe — A stone does not need air.
- Do not eat — A chair does not need food.
- Do not grow — A book stays the same size forever.
- Do not move on their own — A car needs a driver; a ball needs someone to kick it.
- Do not reproduce — A table cannot make baby tables!
- Do not respond — A rock does not feel hot or cold.
- Do not die — They can break or wear out, but they do not die like living things.
Examples: Rocks, water, air, soil, chair, book, car, phone, Taj Mahal, Ganga river (the water is non-living, but fish in it are living!)
Differences Between Living and Non-Living Things
| Feature | Living Things | Non-Living Things |
|---|---|---|
| Breathing | Need air to breathe | Do not breathe |
| Food | Need food for energy | Do not need food |
| Growth | Grow in size | Do not grow |
| Movement | Move on their own | Cannot move on their own |
| Reproduction | Produce young ones | Cannot reproduce |
| Response | React to surroundings | Do not respond |
| Lifespan | Born, grow, and die | Do not have a lifespan |
Examples of Living Things
Living things can be grouped into different categories:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Plants | Neem tree, Mango tree, Tulsi, Rose, Banyan tree, Grass |
| Animals | Cow, Dog, Cat, Elephant, Tiger, Monkey |
| Humans | You, your family, your teacher, your friends |
| Insects | Ant, Butterfly, Bee, Mosquito, Ladybird |
| Birds | Sparrow, Peacock, Parrot, Crow, Pigeon |
| Fish & Water Animals | Rohu fish, Frog, Turtle, Dolphin, Whale |
Even tiny things you cannot see — like bacteria — are living things! They breathe, eat, grow, and reproduce, just like us.
Examples of Non-Living Things
Non-living things can be divided into two groups:
1. Natural Non-Living Things
These are found in nature. No one made them.
| Thing | Where Found |
|---|---|
| Rocks and Stones | Mountains, rivers, ground |
| Water | Rivers (Ganga, Yamuna), lakes, oceans, rain |
| Air | All around us |
| Soil and Sand | Ground, deserts (Thar desert), farms |
| Sunlight | From the Sun |
| Mountains | Himalayas, Western Ghats |
2. Man-Made Non-Living Things
These are made by humans from different materials.
| Thing | Made From |
|---|---|
| Chair, Table | Wood or plastic |
| Book, Notebook | Paper (from trees) |
| Car, Bus, Train | Metal, rubber, glass |
| Phone, Computer | Metal, plastic, glass |
| Clothes | Cotton, silk, wool, synthetic |
| Buildings (Taj Mahal) | Stone, marble, cement |
Natural vs Man-Made Non-Living Things
| Feature | Natural Non-Living Things | Man-Made Non-Living Things |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Nature (no human help) | Humans |
| Examples | Rocks, water, air, soil, sunlight | Chair, book, car, phone, buildings |
| Can be destroyed? | Very hard to destroy completely | Can break, tear, or wear out |
| Found where? | Everywhere in nature | In homes, schools, markets |
The Taj Mahal is a non-living thing. It is man-made (built by Shah Jahan). But the marble stone it is made from is a natural non-living thing!
Things That Were Once Living
Some non-living things were once part of a living thing! They come from plants or animals that were alive:
| Non-Living Thing | Came From (Living Thing) |
|---|---|
| Wood (furniture, doors) | Trees (cut down) |
| Paper | Trees (wood pulp) |
| Leather (bags, shoes, belts) | Animal skin (cow, buffalo) |
| Cotton (clothes) | Cotton plant |
| Wool (sweaters, shawls) | Sheep |
| Silk | Silkworm |
| Food (cooked rice, roti) | Plants (rice, wheat were living) |
| Dry leaves | Were once green and alive on a tree |
Your wooden desk was once part of a living tree! The paper in your notebook also came from trees. That is why we should save paper and plant more trees.
Key Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Living things | Things that have life — they breathe, eat, grow, move, reproduce, and die |
| Non-living things | Things that do not have life — they cannot breathe, eat, or grow |
| Breathe | Taking in air (oxygen) to stay alive |
| Reproduce | To produce young ones of the same kind |
| Respond | To react to changes in the surroundings (heat, light, touch) |
| Natural | Found in nature, not made by humans |
| Man-made | Created or built by humans |
| Lifespan | The length of time a living thing stays alive |
| Characteristics | Special features or qualities of something |
| Organism | Any living thing (plant, animal, or human) |
⭐ Key Points to Remember
- Living things breathe, eat, grow, move, reproduce, respond to surroundings, and die.
- Non-living things do not breathe, eat, grow, move on their own, or reproduce.
- Plants are living things even though they cannot move from place to place.
- Non-living things can be natural (rocks, water, air) or man-made (chair, book, car).
- Some non-living things were once living — wood, paper, leather, cotton, wool, silk.
- Living things have a lifespan — they are born, grow, and eventually die.
- Non-living things can break or wear out, but they do not die.
Practice Questions
A. Fill in the Blanks
1. Things that breathe, eat, grow, and move are called things.
2. A stone is a thing.
3. Living things need and to stay alive.
4. Plants make their food using .
5. Non-living things that are found in nature are called non-living things.
6. Paper is made from which was once a living thing.
7. Living things produce young ones. This is called .
8. A plant closes its leaves when touched.
9. Wool comes from which is a living thing.
10. The Taj Mahal is a non-living thing.
B. Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following is a living thing?
2. Which characteristic is NOT found in non-living things?
3. Which of these was once a living thing?
4. Which is a natural non-living thing?
5. Plants are living things because they:
C. Short Answer Questions
1. Write any four characteristics of living things.
2. Give three examples each of living and non-living things.
3. What is the difference between natural and man-made non-living things? Give examples.
4. Name three things that were once living. What living thing did they come from?
5. Why are plants called living things even though they cannot move from place to place?
D. True or False
1. A car is a living thing because it moves.
2. All living things need food and air.
3. Water is a living thing.
4. Wood was once part of a living tree.
5. Non-living things can reproduce.
E. Match the Following
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Neem tree | a. Man-made non-living thing |
| 2. River Ganga | b. Living thing (plant) |
| 3. Wooden chair | c. Once living |
| 4. Cow | d. Natural non-living thing |
| 5. Leather bag | e. Living thing (animal) |
🎨 Fun Activity: Classify Things Around You
Activity: Look around your classroom or home. Find 5 living things and 5 non-living things. Write them in the table below:
| Living Things | Non-Living Things | Natural or Man-Made? |
|---|---|---|
Bonus: Can you find something that was once living but is now non-living? Write it here:
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