Living Things Sort

Overview

In this first lesson of the unit “Exploring Living Things”, students explore what living things are by sorting pictures of animals and plants. Students use data-collection and comparing strategies to answer an investigative question about which group has more living things in their set.

Learning intentions

• Students will recognise that animals and plants are living things found in local environments.
• Students will collect and sort pictures into categories of “animals” and “plants”.
• Students will compare the two groups by counting the pictures and explaining which has more.
• Students will represent their thinking using a simple classroom chart (stickers or tokens).
• Students will identify the five senses and understand how animals use their senses to explore the environment.
• Students will observe and describe how living things use their senses to interact with the world around them.

Success criteria

• I can sort pictures into animals and plants.
• I can count how many pictures are in each group.
• I can tell which group has more and explain how I know.
• I can use a simple chart to show my class results.

Curriculum links

• Mathematics: AC9MFST01 (collect, sort and compare data represented by objects and images in response to given investigative questions).
• Mathematics: AC9MFN03 (quantify and compare collections to at least 20 using counting and demonstrate reasoning).
• Mathematics: AC9MFN05 (represent practical situations involving quantification with physical/virtual materials and use counting or subitising strategies).
• Mathematics: AC9MFM01 (identify and compare attributes using direct comparisons and communicate reasoning).
• Science: AC9SFS01 (recognise and describe the five senses and how animals use them to explore their environment).
• Science: AC9SFS02 (observe and describe how living things use their senses to interact with the world around them).

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and hook. Teacher shows a slide with two large pictures: an animal and a plant, and asks, “Are these living things? Why?” Students share quick ideas with a partner.

2. 5–15 min · Engage with the PowerPoint. Teacher presents short examples from the local area (e.g. bird in the garden, gum tree, cat, weeds) and uses consistent prompts: “Is it living? What can we notice about it?” Students point to examples on the screen and say “animal” or “plant” when asked.

3. 15–25 min · Teach the sorting rule (data idea). Teacher explains: “Today we will collect information using pictures. We will sort them into two categories: animals and plants.” Teacher models sorting 4–6 sample pictures on the board, placing each image into one group and naming the category. Students join in with whole-class responses and repeat the sorting language: “This one is an animal / This one is a plant.”

4. 25–45 min · Hands-on sorting activity (group work). Teacher gives each student (or pairs, depending on class organisation) a small set of picture cards and two sorting mats labelled Animals and Plants.

• Teacher sets the investigative question: “Which living things picture group has more: animals or plants?” Students sort their cards into the two groups, then count each group using one-to-one counting, moving cards as they count so nothing is missed or counted twice.

5. 45–52 min · Class data chart (represent and compare). Teacher collects class results by asking groups to report counts. Teacher places stickers/tokens onto a simple bar-style chart: one row for animals and one row for plants. Students help place tokens/stickers and practise comparing: “Animals has ___ and plants has ___.” Teacher prompts: “How do we know?” Students answer using counting.

6. 52–58 min · Quick reasoning share. Teacher asks two comparison questions:

• “Which group has more? Animals or plants?”
• “How many more?” (Supported: students may just say “more” and point to the higher row; exact “difference” can be informal in Foundation.) Students turn and talk, then share a sentence stem: “I know ___ has more because we counted ___.”

7. 58–60 min · Exit check. Teacher shows 1 image on the board and asks: “Is it an animal or a plant?” Students respond with a thumbs signal and say one word.

Resources

• PowerPoint presentation: “Introduction to Living Things” with local animal and plant examples
• Picture cards (enough sets for groups/pairs), mixed animals and plants
• Two labelled sorting mats: Animals, Plants
• Token/sticker chart template for class results (Animals vs Plants)
• Counting supports (e.g. small counters, mini number lines, or cue cards)
• Teacher display or interactive board for modelling sorting
• Observation checklist clipboards/paper for teacher quick notes

Assessment

• Teacher observation during sorting: can students correctly categorise pictures as animals or plants?
• Teacher check while counting: do students use one-to-one counting and confidently state group totals?
• Exit check at the end: quick oral identification of one image as animal or plant.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters (“It is an animal because…”, “It is a plant because…”, “I counted ___.”) and allow pair sorting for students needing extra time.
• Support: pre-teach key labels on posters (“animal”, “plant”) and use consistent gestures when sorting.
• Extension: give a second investigative question for early finishers: “Which group has less?” Students also explain how they know using their counts.
• EAL/SEN considerations: use visual cues, repeat language consistently, and accept pointing/short responses while gradually moving to full sentences.