| Full lesson | Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle} |
| Which subject | Science |
| What topic | Living and non living things |
| What length (min) | 30 |
| What age group | Year or Grade 3 |
| Class size | 20 |
| What curriculum | |
| Include full script | |
| Check previous homework | |
| Ask some students to presents their homework | |
| Add a physical break | |
| Add group activities | |
| Include homework | |
| Show correct answers | |
| Prepare slide templates | |
| Number of slides | 5 |
| Create fill-in cards for students | |
| Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments |
Living and Non-Living Things
Year 3
Science
20 students
30 minutes
This lesson plan adheres to the National Curriculum for Science in Australia.
| Step Number | Step Title | Length | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | 5 mins | Briefly introduce the concept of living and non-living things using examples. |
| 2 | Explanation of Characteristics | 5 mins | Discuss key characteristics of living things (growth, reproduction, response to stimuli) versus non-living things. |
| 3 | Card Distribution | 5 mins | Hand out printable cards to students; explain how they will categorize examples during the lesson. |
| 4 | Hands-On Activity | 10 mins | Students will fill out their cards as they observe various items or images of living and non-living things provided around the classroom. |
| 5 | Collection of Cards | 3 mins | Randomly collect the students' filled cards for review, without student presentations. |
| 6 | Wrap-Up Discussion | 2 mins | Recap the main points about living and non-living things, addressing any misconceptions that arose during the activity. |
Students will take home a worksheet where they will list three living and three non-living things they see in their home or local environment. This will be checked but not presented in class.
By following this structured lesson plan, students in Year 3 will gain practical experience differentiating between living and non-living things while adhering to Australian educational standards.
"Good morning, everyone! Today, we are going to explore a really exciting topic in science: living and non-living things. Can anyone tell me what they think a living thing is? Yes, that's right! Living things are things that can grow and change. Now, can anyone share what they think a non-living thing might be? Exactly! Non-living things do not grow or respond like living things do. Throughout this lesson, we’ll discover the characteristics that differentiate these two categories. Let’s get started!"
"Now, let’s talk a bit more about the characteristics of living things. There are a few key features that help us identify them. Living things can grow, reproduce, and respond to what happens around them. For example, a plant grows towards the sunlight, which shows it is responding to its environment.
On the other hand, non-living things don’t have these characteristics. They do not grow, reproduce, or react to their surroundings. Think about a rock—no matter how long it sits in the sun, it won’t change or grow. Can anyone give me another example of a living thing and a non-living thing? Fantastic examples!"
"Now, I’m going to hand out some printable cards to each of you. These cards have spaces where you will write down the examples we've discussed during our lesson. Each card has two sections: one for living things and one for non-living things. Make sure to pay close attention to what we’ll observe in just a moment. Are we ready to categorize? Let’s go!"
"Okay, now it’s time for some fun! Around the classroom, I have set up various items and pictures of living and non-living things. Your task is to walk around, look at the items carefully, and fill out your cards based on what you see. If you think something is a living thing, write it down in the living section; if it’s non-living, jot it down in the non-living section. You’ve got 10 minutes, so work quickly but carefully!"
"Time’s up, everyone! Please return to your seats and hand in your filled-out cards. I will collect them randomly without needing to hear your answers right now. I will review your work to check how well you've categorized the items. Be proud of what you have done!"
"Great work today, class! Let's quickly recap what we've learned about living and non-living things. Can anyone remind us of a characteristic of living things? Excellent! And what about non-living things? Perfect! Make sure you keep these differences in mind when you're observing things in the world around you. If you had any questions or didn’t quite understand something during the activity, now is the time to ask!"
"Before we finish, remember that for homework, I’d like you to observe your home or local environment. Please list three living things and three non-living things you can find. We’ll go over them in class next time. Have a wonderful day, everyone, and enjoy exploring the living and non-living things around you!"
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the key characteristics that define living things? | |
| Can you provide an example of a living thing? | |
| What characteristics do non-living things lack? | |
| How do living things respond to their environment? | |
| Can you name a non-living thing and explain why it fits that category? | |
| What activities did we do in class today to identify living and non-living things? | |
| How can observing your local environment help you learn about living and non-living things? | |
| Why is it important to understand the differences between living and non-living things? | |
| What might you have learned about categorization from the card activity? | |
| How would you explain the importance of these concepts to someone who has never studied them? |