Life or Not? Script

Slide 1: Life or Not? Exploring Our Environment

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to become environmental detectives! We're going to explore our world and figure out what is living and what is... not living. Take a moment to just think: What do you think it means for something to be alive?"

(Allow 1 minute for silent thinking.)

Teacher: "Now, turn to your elbow partner and share your ideas. What does being alive mean to you?"

(Allow 2 minutes for partner discussion. Circulate and listen to conversations.)

Teacher: "Okay, let's hear some of your amazing ideas! Who would like to share one thing they talked about? What does a living thing do or need?" (Write keywords on the board: moves, eats, grows, breathes, feels, has babies, etc.)

Slide 2: What Makes Something LIVING?

Teacher: "You all have some fantastic ideas! Today, we're going to learn about the special jobs that living things do. Living things are active! They grow, they change, and they need certain things to survive and thrive, just like you do!"

Slide 3: Living Things:

Teacher: "Let's look at some of these special characteristics of living things. First, living things grow and change. Think about a tiny little seed. What happens to it over time?" (Pause for answers. Guide towards 'it grows into a plant'.) "Exactly! Or a puppy! Does a puppy stay small forever?" (Pause for answers. Guide towards 'no, it grows into a big dog'.) "Living things also reproduce, which means they can make more of themselves. A mama bird lays eggs, and then baby birds hatch! Living things need food or energy to play and learn, just like you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner to have energy for school! They also need water to stay healthy, and need air to breathe. These are all super important!"

Slide 4: What Makes Something NON-LIVING?

Teacher: "Now, what about things that are not living? These are called non-living things. Non-living things don't do those special jobs we just talked about. They stay pretty much the same unless something else changes them. Can anyone think of something around us right now that is not living?" (Call on 2-3 students for examples.)

Slide 5: Non-Living Things:

Teacher: "Let's look at the differences. Non-living things do NOT grow on their own. My desk, for example, won't suddenly get taller next week, right?" (Students will likely say no.) "A rock won't suddenly get bigger either! They also do NOT reproduce. My pencil can't make baby pencils, no matter how long I leave it in my pencil case!" (Pause for a chuckle.) "And non-living things do NOT need food, water, or air. This chair isn't hungry or thirsty!"

Slide 6: Living Examples:

Teacher: "Let's see some quick examples. When we think of living things, we can think of plants, like the trees outside our window, or the grass on the playground. Animals are living things, like dogs, birds, fish, and all those tiny insects you might see. And, of course, people! We are definitely living things!"

Teacher: "Can anyone name another living thing they can think of?" (Call on a few students.)

Slide 7: Non-Living Examples:

Teacher: "Now for non-living examples. Things like rocks and soil are non-living. The water in our drinking fountains and the air we breathe are non-living. The sun that warms us and the clouds in the sky are non-living. And many things we use every day, like our toys, chairs, and school buildings, are also non-living. These are often called 'man-made' objects."

Teacher: "Can anyone name another non-living thing they can think of?" (Call on a few students.)

Slide 8: Your Turn! Living or Non-Living?

Teacher: "Okay, detectives, it's your turn! Look around our classroom right now. What are some living things you see?" (Give a few seconds for students to look, then call on 1-2 students.)

Teacher: "Great! Now, what are some non-living things you see?" (Call on 1-2 students.)

Slide 9: Why Does It Matter?

Teacher: "Why do you think it's important to know the difference between living and non-living things? Does it even matter?" (Encourage discussion. Guide towards ideas of understanding how nature works, how things depend on each other.) "It matters because living and non-living things work together in something called an ecosystem! They all depend on each other to make our world go round!"

Slide 10: Remember...

Teacher: "Before we move on to our next activity, let's remember our main points. Living things are active! They grow, change, reproduce, and need food, water, and air. Non-living things do not do these things. But guess what? Both are super important in our amazing world! You all did a fantastic job distinguishing between them! Now, let's put your detective skills to the test with an activity!"

Warm-Up: What's Alive?

Instructions:

1. Think: Take one minute to quietly think about the question: What does it mean for something to be alive?
   
   
   
2. Pair: Turn to your elbow partner and share your ideas for two minutes. Discuss what you think makes something alive.
3. Share: We will come back together as a class and share some of your thoughts with everyone.

Living vs. Non-Living: The Big Differences

Hello, amazing environmental detectives! Today, we are going to read about two important types of things in our world: living things and non-living things.

What are Living Things?

Imagine a tiny puppy, a tall tree, or even you! These are all living things. Living things have special ways of growing and changing. Here are some clues that tell us something is living:

• They Grow: A small seed grows into a big plant. A baby bird grows into a grown-up bird.
• They Change: Living things change as they grow, like a caterpillar changing into a butterfly.
• They Need Food (or Energy): Animals eat food, and plants use sunlight to get energy to live and play.
• They Need Water: All living things need water to stay healthy.
• They Need Air: We breathe air, and so do many other living things.
• They Can Reproduce: This means they can make more living things like themselves, like a mother cat having kittens.

What are Non-Living Things?

Now, let's think about a smooth rock, a comfy chair, or the water in a puddle. These are non-living things. Non-living things do not grow, change, or need food, water, or air on their own. They don't have babies!

Here are some clues that tell us something is non-living:

• They Do NOT Grow on their own: A rock stays the same size unless it's broken or weathered.
• They Do NOT Need Food, Water, or Air: A toy car doesn't get hungry or thirsty.
• They Do NOT Reproduce: A book cannot make another book.
• They Do NOT Move on their own: A mountain doesn't get up and walk away!

Why is this important?

Both living and non-living things are super important parts of our environment, or ecosystem. They work together! For example, a plant (living) needs sunlight (non-living) and water (non-living) to grow. A bird (living) might build its nest in a tree (living) using twigs (once living, now non-living) and sit on a rock (non-living). Everything is connected!

As you look around your world, try to be a detective and spot the living and non-living things! It's a fun way to understand how nature works.

Living & Non-Living Sort Activity

Goal: Work with your group to sort the pictures into two groups: Living and Non-Living!

Materials Needed:

• Picture Cards (provided by your teacher)
• Two Sorting Mats: one labeled "Living" and one labeled "Non-Living"

Instructions:

1. Work Together: Sit with your group members.
2. Look at the Cards: Pick up one picture card at a time.
3. Discuss: Talk with your group. Is this picture a living thing or a non-living thing? How do you know? What clues help you decide?
   • Remember: Does it grow? Does it need food, water, and air? Can it reproduce?
4. Sort: Place the card on the correct sorting mat.
5. Repeat: Continue until all the cards have been sorted.
6. Review: Once you are done, look at both mats. Do you agree with all your choices? Discuss any cards where your group had different ideas.

Picture Cards (Cut these out for students):

Sorting Mats (Print and label):

Living Things

Non-Living Things

Ecosystem Challenge Game Cards

Goal: Quickly identify if the picture is a Living or Non-Living thing!

Instructions:

1. Your teacher will hold up one picture card at a time.
2. As soon as you know the answer, call out loud: "Living!" or "Non-Living!"
3. Be ready to explain why you think it's living or non-living!

Game Cards (Cut these out for the teacher to hold up):

Answer Key for Teacher:

• Frog: Living
• Sun: Non-Living
• Leaf: Living (even if fallen, it was once part of a living plant)
• River: Non-Living
• Ant: Living
• Bicycle: Non-Living
• Bird Nest: Non-Living (but made by a living thing)
• Mountain: Non-Living
• Caterpillar: Living
• Grass: Living
• Fire Truck: Non-Living
• Air: Non-Living

Ecosystem Explorers Worksheet

Name: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Part 1: Imagine Your Backyard!

Imagine you are an explorer in your own backyard or a nearby park. What living and non-living things might you see there?

Draw a picture of a backyard or park environment. Make sure to include at least three living things and at least three non-living things in your drawing.

Part 2: List It Out!

Now, list the living and non-living things you drew or imagined. For each, tell why you think it is living or non-living.

Living Things:

1. Name: ________________________
   Why it's living:
   
   
   

2. Name: ________________________
   Why it's living:
   
   
   

3. Name: ________________________
   Why it's living:
   
   
   

Non-Living Things:

1. Name: ________________________
   Why it's non-living:
   
   
   

2. Name: ________________________
   Why it's non-living:
   
   
   

3. Name: ________________________
   Why it's non-living:
   
   
   

Awesome Ecosystem Project Guide: Living & Non-Living!

Goal: Show what you know about living and non-living things by creating your very own mini-ecosystem!

Project Choices:

You can choose to make either a diorama or a poster/drawing.

Option 1: Ecosystem Diorama (3D Scene)

• What is it? A diorama is a small model that shows a scene. You will create a 3D scene of an environment (like a forest, a desert, a pond, or even a backyard).
• Materials you can use: A shoebox, construction paper, small toys (animals, plants), twigs, leaves, cotton balls (for clouds), sand, small rocks, pipe cleaners, glue, scissors, markers, crayons.
• What to include:
  • At least 3 different living things (e.g., animals, plants, trees).
  • At least 3 different non-living things (e.g., rocks, water, soil, sun, air, sand, clouds).
  • Labels! Clearly label each living thing as "Living" and each non-living thing as "Non-Living."

Option 2: Ecosystem Poster or Drawing

• What is it? A detailed drawing or poster showing an environment. You will draw a scene of an environment (like a forest, a desert, a pond, or even a backyard).
• Materials you can use: Large paper (poster board or construction paper), crayons, markers, colored pencils, paint.
• What to include:
  • At least 5 different living things (e.g., animals, plants, trees).
  • At least 5 different non-living things (e.g., rocks, water, soil, sun, air, sand, clouds).
  • Labels! Clearly label each living thing as "Living" and each non-living thing as "Non-Living."

Project Steps:

1. Choose your environment: What kind of ecosystem will you create? (e.g., forest, ocean, backyard, desert)
2. Gather your materials: Collect everything you need for your diorama or drawing.
3. Create your scene: Build your diorama or draw your picture.
4. Add living things: Carefully place or draw your living things.
5. Add non-living things: Carefully place or draw your non-living things.
6. LABEL EVERYTHING! Use clear labels to show which are living and which are non-living. You can write "Living" or "Non-Living" next to each item.
7. Be ready to share! You will get to show your project to the class and tell us about your amazing ecosystem.

Due Date: ______________________

How Your Project Will Be Graded (Rubric: Awesome Ecosystem Project):

See Rubric: Awesome Ecosystem Project for details.

Rubric: Awesome Ecosystem Project

Student Name: ________________________

Project Type (circle one): Diorama / Poster/Drawing

Teacher Comments:

Total Score: ______ / 16

Cool-Down: Nature's Neighbors

Name: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Instructions:

Think about what we learned today about living and non-living things.

1. Name one living thing you observed or learned about today.
   
   
   
   

2. Tell me why it is a living thing.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Name one non-living thing you observed or learned about today.
   
   
   
   

4. Tell me why it is a non-living thing.