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 Living Things 

== The term living thing refers to things that are now or once were alive. A non-living thing is anything that was never alive. Some examples of non-living things include rocks, water, weather, climate, and natural events such as rockfalls or earthquakes. ==

In order for something to be classified as living, it must grow and develop, use energy, reproduce, be made of cells, respond to its environment, and adapt.
Living things feed, grow, move, respire, reproduce, respond to stimuli and excrete are dependent on their environment. Most living things need food, water, light, temperatures within defined limits, and oxygen.

Examples of living things

Birds, insects, animals, trees, human beings, are few examples of living things as they have same characteristic features like eating, breathing, reproduction, growth, and development, etc.

Life Activities of Living Things

Feed

All living things feed. Humans eat both plants and animals. The way in which living things get and use their food is called nutrition. Some animals eat only plants. They are called plant eaters which are herbivores. Some animals eat other plants they are called flesh eaters which are carnivores.

Humans are omnivores. Plants are unique, they make their own food.

 

Grow

Most living things start out small and grow. They increase in size development and change as they get the energy from the food they eat. Only people, plants and animals can grow and change by themselves.

Move

All living things move. Humans and animals can move from place to place. They can move parts of the body as well as the whole body. Humans and animals can:

Stretch

Walk

Run

Reach

Plants cannot move from place to place. Plants can move their:

Roots to stretch down in the ground

Stems to turn as they grow

Branches and leaves to move towards the sun

Some of these plants have flowers that open its petals

Respire

All things respire. Animals and humans respire by breathing when we inhale and exhale air. We use oxygen from the air we breathe in. Living things use oxygen gas to help set free energy from food stored in the body. They produce and pass out carbon dioxide and water vapour as wastes.

Plants also respire. Plants use the carbon dioxide we breathe out to help make food. Respiration in plants is called photosynthesis. Plants take in carbon dioxide through their leaves. They use this carbon dioxide, sunlight, water and nutrients to make their own food.

Reproduce

All living things reproduce. Human beings and some animals reproduce by having babies. They are live breeders. Some animals lay eggs. They are egg-layers. Plants reproduce new plants in different ways. We get plants through suckers, seeds, roots, cuttings, bulbs and rhizomes.

Respond

Living things are sensitive and because of that they react when they are being touched. They react to touch, light, heat, could and sound. This causes them to respond to changes within their surroundings or environment. The Mimosa (Shame Old Lady) is a sensitive plant that reacts when being touched.

Excrete

Living things excrete when waste is removed from the body. Our bodies could become poisoned if we do not get rid of waste matter. Humans and animals excrete or pass out urine, sweat and faeces as waste. When we breathe out, we also excrete waste which is called carbon dioxide.

Plants excrete gums and oxygen.