Understand Whether Something is Alive or Not Alive

All around us we are surrounded by living, dead and non-living things.

 

Humans, animals and plants are all living - they are alive.

 

 

Objects like computers, plastic bottles and bricks are not alive and haven't ever been alive. They are made of man-made materials, not from an animal or living thing.

 

 

Other things, like leaves on the ground or the bones of an animal are dead and once belonged to a living creature, for example a living tree or a living bird.

 

 

 

In this activity, we will look at each of the pictures and then decide if they show something that is alive, dead or never been alive.

 

Example

Is it alive, dead or never living?

 

 

Answer 

It has never been living because it is not a living creature and it is made of metal, not a material that could have once been alive, like wood.

 

Ready to try some questions yourself?

 

Let's go!