Summary
Daniel explains how scientists distinguish living from non-living things using six key characteristics: growth, reproduction, response to stimuli, need for energy, cellular structure, and homeostasis. Uses familiar examples from animals, plants, rocks, and water.
Viewer safety
All ages
Common Sense Media — not yet ratedIMDb Parents Guide — not yet rated
Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.
Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Living things share traits that separate them from non-living things.
- Name three things that show something is alive.
- Is fire living? Is a virus living? How can you tell?
- Describe one thing that was once living but is no longer (a dead leaf, wood in a desk).
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: living, non-living, organism, growth, reproduction, energy, respond.
Try it: Walk around the classroom and list 10 things. Sort them into a T-chart: Living / Non-Living. Discuss any tricky ones.