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.
Finished learning? Now test what you know!