CU 3.01Living and Non-Living
The child sorts real objects and pictures into things that are living and things that are not living.
Presentation
- 1
Invite the child to sit near the class plant and fish.
- 2
Say: 'The fish is living. It eats, it breathes, it grows.' Say the same for the plant: 'It drinks water, it grows.'
- 3
Pick up the rock: 'This rock does not eat. It does not grow. It is non-living.'
- 4
Place the living and non-living header cards on the mat.
- 5
Place a picture of the fish and plant under living and the rock under non-living.
- 6
Take out one picture card at a time, ask 'Does it eat? Does it grow?', and place it.
- 7
Invite the child to sort the rest and check with the control chart.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Go outside and point to living and non-living things
- Sort a larger set of picture cards independently
- Add a third group, 'once living' (wood, leaf, shell), for older children
- Draw pictures for a living and non-living booklet
Control of error
A control chart shows every picture card in its correct group.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Sorts clear examples correctly
- Gives one reason something is living, such as 'it grows' or 'it eats'
- Sorts pictures outdoors or in books without the cards
Guide note
Leave out confusing items (shells, seeds, wood, fire) until the child is secure with clear examples; then introduce 'once living' as an extension.