Living Things

What are Living Things?

A living thing is anything that is alive! People, dogs, trees, and even tiny bugs are all living things. To be considered "living," an object must be able to do certain things on its own.

The 5 Secrets of Living Things How can you tell if something is alive? Check for these five clues:

1. They Grow: Living things start small and get bigger over time (like a seedling becoming a tree).
2. They Need Energy: They need food and water to stay alive.
3. They Breathe: Animals breathe air (oxygen), and plants breathe in gases through their leaves.
4. They Move: Animals walk, fly, or swim. Plants move slowly by turning toward the sunlight.
5. They Have Babies: Living things make more of themselves (reproduction), like a cat having kittens or a flower making seeds.

What Living Things Need to Survive To stay healthy and alive, living things need four very important things:

• Food: For energy to play and grow.
• Water: To keep their bodies working.
• Air: To breathe.
• Space / Shelter: A place to live and stay safe from the weather.

Why Do We Learn This?

• To Care for Nature: When we know what plants and animals need, we can help take care of the Earth.
• To Understand Our Bodies: Learning about living things helps us understand how we grow and stay healthy!

Lesson Summary

• Living things grow, eat, breathe, move, and reproduce.
• They need food, water, air, and shelter.
• Non-living things (like a car or a rock) do not need these things.