It’s Alive!

Zoological Society of Milwaukee Field Trip Packet -- K4-1st Grade

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The Zoo is full of wonderful things to see! Some things at the Zoo are living, and some things are non-living. Help your students classify living and non-living items

based on their unique characteristics.

Objectives: Understand characteristics of living and non-living items

Recognize that living things grow, reproduce, and use energy

Classify things as living or nonliving, based on those criteria

Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards: V.B.EL.4 – Uses the attributes of objects for comparison and patterning

V.C.EL.1 – Uses observation to gather information

This curriculum packet provided by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee County and the Ladish Company Foundation.

It's Alive: Field Trip Packet Zoological Society of Milwaukee

Teacher Background Information

The world is made up of living and non-living things. Young children often have difficulty characterizing things as living or nonliving. They may describe anything that moves as alive or living. They may not yet understand the cycle of life, and therefore classify anything that has died as not alive or non-living. Living and non-living are scientific terms, children are often more familiar with the terms living or dead.

In science, the term living is used to describe anything that is or has ever been alive; the term non-living is used to describe anything that is not, nor has ever been, alive. Scientifically, there are seven activities which make living things different from non-living things. These are the seven characteristics of living things:

Nutrition - Living things take in materials from their surroundings that they use for growth or to provide energy.

Respiration - Respiration is the release of energy from food substances in all living cells. Living things break down food within their cells to release energy for carrying out the following processes.

Movement - All living things move. Most animal movement is obvious, but plants move too in different ways. Some movements may be so slow that it is very difficult to see.

Excretion - Excretion is defined as the removal of the waste products of metabolism and substances in excess from the body of an organism.

Growth - Growth involves using food to produce new cells. The permanent increase in cell number and size is called growth.

Reproduction - All living organisms have the ability to produce offspring.

Sensitivity - All living things are able to sense and respond to stimuli around them such as light, temperature, water, gravity and chemical substances.

To simplify things for younger children, the following characteristics can be used. Living things reproduce and grow, they need food and water and they can use energy to move. Non-living things do not grow, do not eat, and do not move. Some non-living things occur naturally (rocks, water). Other non-living things are made by people (houses, toys).

It's Alive: Field Trip Packet Zoological Society of Milwaukee

Classroom Activity

Supplies: Various pictures of living and non-living items (include something that is dead, but still “living” such as a leaf or log)

Display or felt board

Have students make a list of things that are living. Then ask students to list items that are non-living. Explain to students the characteristics of living things and the characteristics of non-living things. Explain that non-living things are not alive and were never alive. Display pictures of various living and non-living items. Ask students to think about which ones are living and which ones are non-living. With the first item, model the process of scientific inquiry for students. Ask questions: Does [item] reproduce and grow? Does it eat? Does it use energy? For example, a dog is a living thing because: a dog can have puppies, a dog eats food, and a dog can use energy to run. A chair is not a living thing because a chair will never have a baby chair, a chair does not get bigger, a chair does not eat, and a chair cannot use energy. As you go through the items, put pictures on the correct side of a t-chart. Once all items are placed on the chart, review to make sure all items are correct.

Classroom Extensions Give each student a bag and have them go outside and collect ten items (rocks, leaves, etc.). Clear classroom tables and have students sort items into living (including previously living) and non-living items.

Have students cut apart magazines/catalogs to find pictures of items that are living and non-living. Glue pictures onto a large piece of paper to make a collage of living things and a collage of non-living things.

Show a photograph or picture from a book. Have students list all the living and non-living things they can find.

Observe an animal in the classroom or show an animal video. Grow a plant in the classroom. List the characteristics of living things that you observe (animals using energy [moving around], plants reproducing [making seeds], etc.).

Make a list of objects that move. Are they living things? Cars can move, but are they alive? Non-living things cannot move on their own, only living things can.

It's Alive: Field Trip Packet Zoological Society of Milwaukee

tiger zookeeper octopus flower moose barn rock bench carousel signpost

snake cow grass bat penguin truck door bucket table umbrella

fish rhino girl duck frog garbage map vending fence cup

turtle armadillo tree bear boy sink playground sky-glide cabin train gate

gorilla plant zebra lizard lion window train rope wagon hat

Living Things at the Zoo Non-Living Things at the Zoo

What Can You Find at the Zoo?Directions: Draw an "X" through all the living and non-living things that you can find at the zoo.

Song - “Are You Living?”

(from “Are You Living?” by Laura Purdie Salas – sung to the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”) Available for download at: www.capstonekids.com/sciencesongs

Are you living? Are you living? Do you eat? Do you sleep? If you need to breathe air, move from here to there, then you’re living, you’re living.

Is it growing? Is it growing? Toward the sky? Green and high? If it needs damp ground and sunshine all around, then it’s a plant. It’s a plant.

Is it moving? Is it moving? Can it fly? Gallop by? Living things need dinner, or they get much thinner. So they need to drink and feed.

Are you thinking? Are you thinking? Do you cry? Wonder why? People have emotions, thoughts and clever notions, feelings, too. Yes, we do!

Are you living? Are you living? Are you not? Are you not? I breathe in and grow so, here’s the fact I now know: I’m alive! I’m alive!

Additional Resources

Are Trees Alive? - Debbie Miller Are You Living? - Laura Purdie Salas Is It a Living Thing? - Bobbie Kalman

It’s Alive– Sunnie Kim

Living and Non-Living – Angela Royston Living and Non-Living – Carol K. Lindeen Living Things: Is it Alive? – Sally Hewitt

What's Alive? - Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Internet Resources

Science videos: www.sesamestreet.org/videos (search videos: “alive”) Sorting game: www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/variation.shtml

Explore living things in Wisconsin: dnr.wi.gov/eek/

Zoo Activity

Supplies: worksheet: “What Can You Find at the Zoo?” writing implements or stickers

Directions: Encourage your students to find as many living and non-living things that they can at the Zoo. During a short visit to the zoo, try to get bingo; during a longer visit, see if

students can fill their entire game board.

tiger zookeeper octopus flower moose barn rock bench carousel signpost

snake cow grass bat penguin truck door bucket table umbrella

fish rhino girl duck frog garbage map vending fence cup

turtle armadillo tree bear boy sink playground sky‐glide cabin train gate

gorilla plant zebra lizard lion window train rope wagon hat

Living Things at the Zoo Non‐Living Things at the Zoo

What Can You Find at the Zoo?Directions:  Mark off all the living and non‐living things that you can find at the zoo.