Understanding Living Things

Lesson Overview

Unit: Exploring the Living World
Lesson Number: 1 of 10
Year Level: Year 4
Subject: Science
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 15 students

Australian Curriculum Alignment

Curriculum Area: Science Understanding – Biological Sciences
Content Descriptor: ACSSU044 – Living things have life cycles
Key Concept: Students will explore the characteristics of living things, distinguishing them from non-living things based on their ability to grow, reproduce, and respond to stimuli.

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

✅ Identify the key characteristics of living things (growth, reproduction, response to stimuli)
✅ Compare living and non-living things using a visual chart
✅ Engage in a hands-on classification activity to reinforce learning

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Materials Needed

• Large chart paper
• Markers
• Cut-out pictures of various objects/organisms (e.g., tree, rock, dog, fire, fish, sun, mushroom)
• Small plant in a pot
• Paper and pencils for student notes

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes) – "What Makes Something Alive?"

Hook:
Place a small potted plant on one side of the room and a rock on the other. Ask students:
👉 Which of these is alive? How do you know?

Write responses on the whiteboard, encouraging students to share their reasoning. Lead into a discussion:

• Does fire count as alive? Why or why not?
• What about a robot?
• How can we sort things into "living" and "non-living"?

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2. Explicit Teaching (15 minutes) – Characteristics of Living Things

Explain the three key characteristics of living things:
1️⃣ Growth – Living things grow over time (e.g., plants getting taller, humans ageing)
2️⃣ Reproduction – Living things create offspring (e.g., birds laying eggs, humans having babies)
3️⃣ Response to Stimuli – Living things react to their environment (e.g., plants turning towards light, humans shivering in the cold)

Use the potted plant as an example:

• How does it grow?
• Can it reproduce?
• How does it respond to sunlight?

To challenge their thinking, ask:

• Why do some non-living things (like fire) appear to "grow" but aren’t alive?

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3. Group Activity (20 minutes) – Sorting Challenge

Activity Instructions:

1. Provide each small group of 3 students with picture cut-outs of various objects (tree, rock, fire, fish, robot, sun, mushroom).
2. Ask groups to sort their objects into 'Living' and 'Non-Living'.
3. Encourage discussion and justification: "Why did you place that object in that category?"
4. Bring the class together and go through the answers, discussing any disagreements.

✏️ Bonus Challenge: Have students brainstorm "borderline cases" (e.g., viruses, seeds, robots with AI).

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4. Class Discussion & Chart Creation (10 minutes) – Comparing Living & Non-Living

On a large chart paper, create two columns: "Living Things" and "Non-Living Things".
With student input, fill in examples and characteristics under each.

Ask reflection questions:

• What surprised you about today’s lesson?
• Can something become alive or stop being alive?

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5. Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 minutes) – Quick Reflection

Before students leave, have them write their response to the prompt:
"One thing I learned today about living things is..."

Collect their responses to assess understanding.

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Assessment & Differentiation

✅ Formative Assessment:

• Observing student discussions during sorting activity
• Reviewing responses to the exit ticket

✅ Differentiation Strategies:

• Support: Pair struggling students with confident peers in group work
• Extension: Have advanced students think about "once living" objects (e.g., wood, paper)

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Did students grasp the key characteristics of living things?
• Were there any misconceptions that need addressing next lesson?
• Which students may need extra support in future lessons?

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Next Lesson Preview

📌 Lesson 2: Life Cycles of Different Organisms
Students will explore the stages of life in various living things, including insects, amphibians, and plants.

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This lesson plan is designed to engage students in active learning, discussion, and hands-on sorting, fostering their ability to think critically about what makes something alive. 🚀