Living and Non-Living

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Lesson Overview

Subject: Science
Age Group: Year 1 (ages 5-6)
UK Science Curriculum Area: Understanding the World – Living Things and Their Habitats
Duration: 45 minutes
Focus: Identifying and distinguishing between living and non-living things through examples and simple characteristics.

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Learning Objectives

1. Understand the Concept: Students will understand the difference between living and non-living things.
2. Identify Characteristics: Students will be able to list and describe simple characteristics of living things (e.g., growth, movement, reproduction).
3. Categorise: Students will sort and categorise objects as living or non-living.
4. Engage and Explore: Students will actively observe and discuss examples of living and non-living things.

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Resources Needed

• A small selection of objects (e.g., a potted plant, a wooden stick, a toy, a stone, a stuffed animal, a jar with seeds).
• Picture cards with both living (e.g., a dog, tree, human) and non-living things (e.g., car, balloon, chair).
• A whiteboard or a large sheet of paper for a visual mind-map.
• Markers and sticky notes.
• Access to the outdoor playground (if available).
• A pre-prepared “Living and Non-Living” poster with basic characteristics (visual aids like smiling faces for living things and static objects for non-living things).

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Living or Non-Living Object Sorting Game (Interactive Engagement)

• Set Up:
  Prepare a small basket with objects (potted plant, wooden stick, toy, stone, stuffed animal, seed jar). Use natural curiosity to ignite interest.
• Introduction Dialogue:
  Begin by holding up an object (e.g., the potted plant) and asking, “Is this alive? How do you know?” Encourage responses and discussion. Continue with other objects.
• Key Q&A Points:
  • "What can this object do?"
  • "Does it grow or move on its own?"
  • "Can it eat, breathe, or produce more of itself?"
• Transition:
  Provide excitement by telling students, “By the end of today, you will know exactly how to tell what is living and non-living!”

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2. Teacher Input (10 minutes)

Explaining Characteristics of Living Things (Direct Teaching)

• Use the “Living and Non-Living” poster to break down the laws of life.
• Introduce and list characteristics of living things. Avoid technical jargon, sticking to age-appropriate terms:
  • Movement: "Living things can move on their own, like animals walking or plants leaning toward sunlight."
  • Growth: "Living things grow bigger or change over time, like children growing up."
  • Breathing: "All living things need air (oxygen) to stay alive."
  • Reproduction: "Living things can make more of themselves, like flowers growing new seeds or cats having kittens."
  • Responses: "Living things respond to their surroundings—for example, plants leaning toward the sun or humans jumping at loud sounds."
• On the flip side, highlight how non-living things can’t do these things.

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3. Group Activity (15 minutes)

Living and Non-Living Sorting Challenge (Hands-On Learning)

• Task Introduction:
  Divide students into two small groups. Distribute the picture cards (living and non-living) and have them work together to sort the cards into two categories. They will place “living” cards on one side of a table and “non-living” cards on the other.
• Guided Questions:
  • “How do you know it’s living?”
  • “Does it fit one of the living characteristics we talked about?”
• Review Together:
  Students present their sorted cards to the rest of the group. Use gentle questioning to confirm their reasoning.

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4. Outdoor Exploration (8 minutes)

Mini Nature Walk (Real-World Connections)

• If the school grounds allow, take the students for a brief walk outside.
• Encourage each child to find one example of a living thing and one example of a non-living thing. Examples might include grass, trees, insects, rocks, or swings.
• When they return, allow each student to share their two examples with the group and explain why they are living or non-living, based on what they’ve learned.

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5. Plenary (2 minutes)

Quickfire Recap

• Ask students to call out one characteristic of living things they remember while passing an item (e.g., a soft toy). The student holding the toy at the end must name one non-living thing.
• Finish by saying: “Now, you can all be living and non-living detectives!”

Reflection

• Ask: “What did you enjoy learning about today?” Let each child share a quick thought.

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Assessment Opportunities

1. Observe how students categorise and sort objects during the group activity.
2. Listen for reasoning during group and individual explanations (e.g., in the mini nature walk recap).
3. Use the quickfire recap to gauge understanding and recall.

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Extension Ideas (Optional)

• Encourage students to draw something living and something non-living during their next free time.
• Bring in a magnifying glass for exploring small living things like bugs or grass in a future lesson.
• Discuss the curious case of things that feel in-between (e.g., a seed or a flame).

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Teacher Notes

• Keep the tone short, light, and highly visual.
• For children who may struggle to grasp the abstract idea, focus on tangible comparisons: “This moves on its own / this doesn’t.”
• Repeat key ideas at least twice, and use props for multisensory reinforcement.

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This engaging, interactive lesson will foster curiosity and provide foundational science knowledge tailored to Year 1’s developmental level, leaving students excited to explore the world around them!