11 Living and Non-Living Things-High

Living and Non-Living Things Written by Alyse Sweeney

Introduction This clock moves and makes noise. But is it alive? Was it ever alive? What about this log? How do you know if something is living or not?

All living things have six rules in common. 1. Living things grow and develop. Seeds grow into plants. Puppies grow into dogs. Babies grow into children, and children grow into adults. Living things change as they grow. Think About It A dog is fully developed at the age of two. Are people?

2. Living things get and use energy. Energy comes from the Sun. Plants use the Sun's energy to make food. People get energy by eating plants or by eating animals that eat plants.

3. Living things reproduce. This means that living things make more of their own kind. Tigers make more tigers. Roses make more roses. People make more people. But can pens make more pens? Of course not! Wowser! Without reproduction, living things would disappear!

4. Living things are made of cells. Most cells are too small to see without a microscope. But cells have all the material needed for life. Some living things are made of just one cell. People are made of trillions of cells.