Is it Alive? by bbc.co.uk
Characteristics of living things
An animated sequence by the BBC that shows the key differences between living things, dead things and things that have never been alive. In a park setting, we see birds, trees and rabbits.
The commentary tells us that like all living things, they react to their surroundings, grow, reproduce, feed and get rid of waste. They need air, too.
These characteristics are contrasted with dead items, such as fallen leaves, and things that have never been alive at all, such as lamp posts and stones. The scene is rich with other examples of living, dead and non-living things. Pupils are challenged to spot them all.
The BBC suggests that this could be used to introduce the topic of ‘living things’. Pupils could go on to play ‘Living, dead, never lived’. They take turns to place coloured counters next to three things in the room. One of their choices should be living, one should be dead and one should never have lived. For instance, a pupil might choose a plant, a wooden ruler and a window pane.
A great introductory activity which seems to play on most on most devices.