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Students explore objects that are not alive, such as rocks and toys, and learn why they do not need food or water.
Have you ever wondered why your favorite teddy bear never asks for a snack or grows too big for his bed?
Non-living things are objects that are not alive. They do not breathe, they do not eat, and they do not grow. Think about a rock or a swing set. They stay exactly the same every day! Unlike you, a rock doesn't need a lunchbox or a glass of water. It doesn't have a heart, and it doesn't have feelings. Most non-living things are made by people, like toys and cars, or they are found in nature, like water and stones.
1. Look at a flower. It needs water to stay pretty and tall. 2. Look at a rock. If you give a rock a glass of water, nothing happens. 3. The flower is living, but the rock is non-living.
Quick Check
If you leave a toy car in a box for a whole year, will it grow into a big truck?
Answer
No, because non-living things do not grow.
Living things like plants and animals need three main things to stay alive: food, water, and air. Since non-living things are not alive, they don't need any of these! A backpack can sit in your room for years and it will never get hungry. It won't grow into a bigger backpack either. If you have toy and you don't feed it, you will still have toy tomorrow.
Imagine you go for a long bike ride. 1. You feel hot and thirsty, so you drink water. 2. Does your bicycle need a drink of water too? 3. No! The bicycle is made of metal and rubber. It is non-living.
Quick Check
What are three things living things need that non-living things do NOT need?
Answer
Food, water, and air.
Sometimes non-living things look like they are alive. A toy dog might have soft fur and shiny eyes, but it is made of plastic and cloth. It cannot bark on its own or run to the door to meet you. It doesn't have babies, and it doesn't grow up to be a big dog. Even if a toy has batteries and moves, it is still non-living because it doesn't grow or breathe.
A robot can talk, walk, and even dance! 1. Does the robot breathe air? No. 2. Does the robot grow taller every year? No. 3. Is the robot alive? No, it is a non-living machine made of parts.
Which of these is a non-living thing?
Why doesn't a doll need to eat a sandwich?
A toy car is alive because its wheels can move.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, look at your breakfast. Is your spoon alive? How do you know?
Practice Activity
Go on a 'Non-Living Scavenger Hunt' in your house. Find 5 things that do not need to breathe air.