Living and Non-Living Things
Can you pick them out?
1-2 What are living things?

Ask yourself
Does it need food, air
and water?
Does it grow and change?
Try Again!

Is a rubber duck a
living or nonliving thing?
Living Thing Nonliving Thing

You’re right!
The rubber duck is
a nonliving thing. It
does not need food,
air or water.

Is a baby a living or a
nonliving thing?
Living Thing Nonliving Thing

You’re right!
The baby is a living
thing. It does need
food, air and water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a teddy bear a living
or a nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The teddy bear is a
nonliving thing. It
does not need food,
air or water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a grizzly bear a
living or a nonliving
thing?

You’re right!
The grizzly bear is
a living thing. It
does grow and
change on it’s own.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a flower a living or
a nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The flower is a living
thing. It does need
food, air and water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a desk a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The desk is a nonliving
thing. It does not need
food, air or water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a jeep a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The jeep is a
nonliving thing. It
does not need food,
air or water.

Is a dog a living or a
nonliving thing?
Living Thing Nonliving Thing

You’re right!
The dog is a living
thing. It does grow and
change on it’s own.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a cake a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The cake is a nonliving
thing. It does not need
food, air or water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a slide a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The slide is a nonliving
thing. It does not need
food, air or water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a nurse a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The nurse is a living
thing. She does need
food, air and water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a flag a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The flag is a nonliving
thing. It does not need
food, air or water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a post office a living
or a nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The post office is a
nonliving thing. It does
not need food, air or
water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a bat a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The bat is a living
thing. It does need
food, air and water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a bus a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The bus is a nonliving
thing. It does not need
food, air or water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a rabbit a living or a
nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The rabbit is a living
thing. It does need
food, air and water.

Living Thing Nonliving Thing
Is a basket a living or
a nonliving thing?

You’re right!
The basket is a
nonliving thing. It does
not need food, air or
water.

You sure know the
difference
between Living
and Nonliving
things!

All sorts of things
Living things Non-Living things
plant animal microbe solid liquid gas
Living things are called organisms!

How do you tell living things
from non-living things?
Biologists use six characteristics,
or qualities, to classify something as
a living thing. All organisms have
these six characteristics.

1，Organisms are made up of one or more cells.
2，Organisms use energy.
3，All organisms have features that help them
adapt to their surroundings.
4，Organisms react to changes in their
surroundings.
5，Organisms change, or develop, during their
lifetime.
6，Organisms can produce more organisms of
their own kind.

1
Organisms are made up of
one or more cells.

1，Organisms are made up of one or more cells.
A cell is the basic unit of structure and function in living things.
Cells often are called the building blocks of life.
Smallest unit capable of all life functions.
Two types of organisms are :
Unicellular organisms Multicellular organisms
 Entire organism is made up of
one single cell.
 Bacteria and protist
 The organism is made up of
many cells.
 Cells have specialized functions
within the organism.

2
Organisms use energy.

Solar energy
Leaves are natural
solar panels.
Absorbing solar energy and
transforming it to chemical
energy which are stored in
lipids, proteins etc.
Plant is eaten by grasshopper is eaten by frog is eaten by bird.
Stored chemical energy is transferred from the plant to the grasshopper, to the
frog, to the bird, enabling each in turn to function as a living organism.
Organisms use energy
Energy is the ability to do work or cause change.

3
All organisms have features
that help them adapt to
their surroundings.

3, All organisms have features that help
them adapt to their surroundings.
Chameleons change color to help blend in
with their environment. This protects
them from predators.
This curlew uses its long bill to probe for
tiny organisms.
These organisms are born with flippers
that enable them to swim well.

4
Organisms react to changes
in their surroundings.

Organisms react to changes in their surroundings.
Any reaction to a change is called a response.
Organisms react to stimuli:
 Light
 Temperature
 Odor
 Sound
 Gravity
 Heat
 Water
 Pressure
An example is a plant’s leaves and
stems growing toward light.

Organisms react to changes in their surroundings.

5
Organisms change, or develop,
during their lifetimes.

Organisms change, or develop, during their lifetimes.
Development involves a change in the physical
form or physiological make-up of an organism.
An example would be how a frog is conceived
and born:
a single cell in a
fertilized egg
tadpole a fully grown frog

6
Organisms can produce more
organisms of their own kind.

5, Organisms can produce more organisms of
their own kind.
 Animals have babies.
 New plants grow from seeds.
 The production of new organisms allows each
kind of organism to continue living on Earth.
 Offspring inherit traits from their parent’s.

1，Organisms are made up of one or more cells.
2，Organisms use energy.
3，All organisms have features that help them
adapt to their surroundings.
4，Organisms react to changes in their
surroundings.
5，Organisms change, or develop, during their
lifetime.
6，Organisms can produce more organisms of
their own kind.

Everything is made up of matter.
Matter is any substance that has mass.

Everything is made up of matter

What are elements and compounds?
Elements are substances which can not be broken
down into simpler substances.
 Hydrogen and oxygen.
 Formed by one kind of atom.
Atom is the smallest part of an element.
Most organisms are made up of the
elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, but
the percentages are different.

What are elements and compounds?
A compound is a substance formed when two or more
chemical elements are chemically bonded together.
 Most compounds found in living things are called
organic compounds.
 Organic compounds contain carbon.

Organic compounds
 carbohydrates
 lipids
 proteins
 nucleic acids
 Made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
 Organisms use carbohydrates for energy. Sugars and starches are types of carbohydrates.
 Made up mostly of carbon and hydrogen.
 Organisms use lipids to store energy.
 Made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.
 Proteins help organisms repair their bodies.
 A combination of sugars, nitrogen, and other elements.
 Nucleic acids contain important genetic information about the organism.

Exercises
Q1: What is an organism?
A1: a living thing
Q2: What is the source of energy for most living things?
A2: the sun
Q3: What are four elements found in most organisms?
A3: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, or
phosphorus etc.
Q4: What kind of information do you think nucleic acids
contain about an organism?
A4: information about how an organism is supposed to
grow and develop.

Thanks!