Review Characteristics of Living Things
How to use: Download the PDF to print the worksheet. Then use this page to repeat activities and check answers.
Learning Objectives
- 1Identify the characteristics of living things
- 2Sort objects as living or nonliving
- 3Name the six signs of life
Mini Lesson
Look around you — some things are alive and some are not. But how do scientists tell the difference?
What living things do
- Living things grow and change over time.
- Example: A tiny seed grows into a tall sunflower.
- They need food, water, and air to survive.
Six signs of life
- All living things grow, move, breathe, eat, reproduce (make babies), and respond to the world around them.
- A thing must show ALL six signs to be considered living.
Nonliving things
- Nonliving things do NOT grow on their own, breathe, eat, or reproduce.
- Some nonliving things — like a wooden table — came FROM a living thing, but they are no longer alive.
Tricky cases
- Water and air are nonliving — but living things need them to survive.
- A dead leaf was once living but is now nonliving.
Ask yourself: Does it grow on its own? Does it need food and water? Can it produce offspring? If YES to all — it is living!
Guided Practice
Pick a word from the Trace menu and pass over the ghost letters with your finger or pen. Tap 🔍 Bigger for a fullscreen practice canvas.
Tip: Say each word aloud as you trace it. Think of one living example that fits!
Exercises
Tap a word to select it, then tap a bucket to place it.
🌿 Living
🪨 Nonliving
1. Which of the following is a sign that something is living?
2. A rock is nonliving because it does NOT —
3. What do ALL living things need to survive?
4. A wooden chair was made from a tree. Is the chair living?
5. Which of these is a sign of life that a sunflower shows but a pebble does NOT?
6. Water is nonliving, but it is important because —
7. A plant turns its leaves toward sunlight. This shows that living things —
8. What do scientists call all living things?
9. A fallen dead leaf —
10. How many signs of life must something show to be called living?
Assessment
Parent / Teacher Checklist