Instructions
Read the instructions for each section carefully and write your answers in the spaces provided. This worksheet will test your knowledge of the differences between living and non-living things.
Part 1: Classify It!
Below is a list of items. Decide if each one is a Living Thing, a Non-Living Thing, or was Once-Living (meaning it is no longer alive but came from a living thing). Place each item in the correct column in the table.
Items: Tree, Rock, Laptop, Mushroom, Bacteria, Cloud, River, Seed, Fire, Fox, Wooden Chair, Coral, Sunlight, Virus
| Living Thing | Non-Living Thing | Once-Living |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Part 2: The Seven Signs of Life
All living things share certain characteristics. We can remember them with the acronym MRS GREN. Match each characteristic on the left with its correct description on the right by writing the correct letter in the blank space.
|
Characteristic 1. ___ Movement 2. ___ Respiration 3. ___ Sensitivity 4. ___ Growth 5. ___ Reproduction 6. ___ Excretion 7. ___ Nutrition |
Description A. The ability to produce offspring (more of the same kind). B. Getting rid of waste products from the body. C. Increasing in size, mass, or complexity. D. The process of releasing energy from food. E. Taking in or creating food to get energy. F. An action by all or part of an organism causing a change of position or place. G. The ability to detect and respond to changes in the environment (stimuli). |
Part 3: Think Deeper
Use your knowledge from the first two parts to answer the following questions. Write in full sentences.
-
A river moves, and it can grow larger after heavy rain. Why is a river considered a non-living thing?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
-
Choose one living thing from the list in Part 1. Explain how it shows at least THREE of the characteristics from Part 2 (MRS GREN).
Living Thing: _________________________
Explanation: _____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
-
Challenge Question: A virus is a strange case. It cannot reproduce on its own; it must infect a living cell to do so. It doesn't grow or need nutrition. Based on this, would you classify a virus as living or non-living? Justify your answer.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
ANSWER KEY
Part 1: Classify It!
| Living Thing | Non-Living Thing | Once-Living |
|---|---|---|
|
Tree Mushroom Bacteria Seed Fox Coral |
Rock Laptop Cloud River Fire Sunlight Virus* |
Wooden Chair |
*Note: The classification of a virus is debated. It is often placed in the non-living category because it cannot perform life processes on its own, which is explored in Part 3.
Part 2: The Seven Signs of Life
1. F - Movement
2. D - Respiration
3. G - Sensitivity
4. C - Growth
5. A - Reproduction
6. B - Excretion
7. E - Nutrition
Part 3: Think Deeper
(Note: Student answers may vary. The examples below show the correct reasoning.)
- Why is a river considered a non-living thing?
A river is non-living because it does not show all seven characteristics of life. For example, it does not reproduce to make other rivers, it does not get rid of waste (excretion), and it is not made of cells. Its movement is caused by gravity, not its own power.
- Choose one living thing...
Living Thing: Fox
Explanation: A fox shows many signs of life. For Nutrition, it hunts and eats other animals for energy. For Movement, it runs and walks to find food and escape danger. For Reproduction, it has babies (cubs). It also grows from a cub to an adult, respires, excretes waste, and is sensitive to its surroundings. - Challenge Question: Virus
I would classify a virus as non-living. Although it can reproduce, it cannot do it by itself and must use a host cell's machinery. It does not show the other characteristics of life, like growth, nutrition, or excretion. It is more like a complex chemical than a true living organism.