Curated OER
Living vs. Non-Living Things
Fourth graders describe the characteristics that determine if something is living, dead, or non-living. They determine the difference between living and non-living things. Students determine if an object is living or non-living and...
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It's Alive
Students identify the differences between a nonliving and living thing. They describe what is needed for any living thing to survive. They create one page for the class book identifying why the object is a living thing.
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Cell Structures and Functions
Fifth graders search into animal and cell characteristics and their functions in this seven instructional activity unit. Replicas of the cell are constructed out of Jell-O as students probe the internet for details of the concepts.
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How Are We Alike and Different?
Students review an online database and look for similarities and differences among the plants, animals, and non-living things that were listed. They compose a narrative based on their conclusions.
Curated OER
Field Trip to your Square
Students visit an outdoors area and mark out a square on the ground that they examine. They look for and record the plants, animals, and non-living things they find in the square and post their findings on the Internet for other classes...
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Reconstructing the Squares
Students visit an outdoors area and mark out a square on the ground that they examine, looking for living and non-living things. They make a model or drawing of the findings from the actual square.
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It's Alive
First graders critically analyze living and nonliving objects, then develop a list of characteristics to classify objects on a science walk. They make a book to close out the lesson.
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IDENTIFYING AND SORTING BEARS
Students study the difference between living and nonliving bears by classifying pictures of bears and placing them on the appropriate posterboard. Given pictures of bears, students recognize types of bears by placing the pictures correctly.
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Living vs. Nonliving
Young scholars explore the characteristics that distinguish living things from nonliving things. Students examine video clips and still photographs to gather evidence and develop criteria to decide if something is living or nonliving.
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Living or Nonliving
Young scholars explore the characteristics that distinguish living things from nonliving things. By examining video and photographs, students gather evidence and develop criteria to decide if something is living or nonliving.
Curated OER
Investigation 1 - Intro: Living & Nonliving
Third graders distinguish between living and nonliving things.
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Living and Nonliving Things
First graders distinguish between living and nonliving objects, and compare living organisms and nonliving objects.
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It's Alive! Or is it?
Pupils differentiate the characteristics of living and nonliving things. In this life science lesson plan, students compare and contrast robots and living things. Given an object, they decide whether it's is living or not and defend...
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Cricket Wars
Third graders explore living and nonliving things in a garden environment. In this garden environment lesson plan, 3rd graders study the effects of crickets in a garden. Students explore the interaction between living and nonliving...
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Where is DNA found?
In this DNA worksheet, 3rd graders think about where DNA is found by looking at three possible examples. Student write a short answer to explain where DNA is found.
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What Lives in Forests?
In this forest activity, students complete a graphic organizer by filling in 3 statements about what lives in a forest habitat.
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Looking at the Community Tree
Third graders review the characteristics of living and nonliving organisms. As a class, they observe a tree and describe the interactions between the living and nonliving organisms surrounding it. To end the lesson, they ask a question...
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What It Is, What It Isn't
Third graders classify and sort different types of beans to be introduced to the classification system in science. As a class, they identify the characteristics of living and non-living organisms and make a chart in their journal to ...
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Shrink to Fit
Third graders review the characteristics of living and non-living organisms. After viewing a transparency of a forest scene, they complete a worksheet to identify what would be needed to make a small model of the forest having the same...
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Land Use Issues
Students examine living and non-living things in their environment. They identify trees, plants, and grasses in their neighborhood and those that originate in Illinois in this unit of lessons.
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Can Bacteria Arise from Non-living Things?
Fourth graders, in groups, determine whether bacteria arises from non-living things,
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Investigation 2 - Greenhouses
Third graders set up a miniature greenhouse to help them explain how nonliving things affect the growth of living things.
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What Makes a Dog a Dog
First graders recall and verbally list the parts of a dog, or a chosen subject, based on observations using the senses. They discriminate between living and non-living subjects, and create artistic representations of the parts of a dog.
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Introduction to the Characteristics of Life
Earth is the only place we have found life so far. The following tutorial provides a unique look into the characteristics of life.