Living thing is an organism that has life. That is, it possesses all the characteristics features that enables it to perform certain activities that non-living things cannot perform.
The characteristics of living things can be used to make differences between plants and animals.
EXAMPLES OF LIVING AND NON LIVING THINGS
Examples of living things
Some examples of living things include the following organisms: goat, sheep, bird, cow, toad, rat, rabbit, earthworm, tapeworm, housefly, maize plant, mango tree, orange tree, coconut tree, rhizopus, euglena, etc.
Examples of non living things
The following are examples of some non living things around us: stone, pen, book, table, chair, beg, pencil, shoe, water, cup, bucket, air, radio, hand-set, cleaner. Etc.
Characteristics of Living and Non-living things
- Living things can move, but non-living things cannot.
- Energy is required by living things, while non-livings do not require energy.
- Living things are capable of growth, reproduction and death.
- Non-living things are non-motile, but living things can move around.
- Living things respire; non-living things do not respire.
- Living things adapt to the surroundings and respond to stimulus.
EVALUATION
- State five characteristics of living and non living things.
- List four examples of living things.
Differences in Characteristics of Plants and Animals
| PLANTS | ANIMALS |
| MOVEMENT: Movement in plants is aided by external forces such as wind and current | Animals are active because they Have organs for movement e.g. leg, limbs, cilia, flagella |
| RESPIRATION: Plants take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen | Animal take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide |
| NUTRITION: Animals move from one place Plants make their food by using simple inorganic substance and energy | Animals move from one place to another to obtain ready- made food. |
| IRRITABILITY: Plants respond slowly to external changes | Animals respond quickly to external stimuli |
| GROWTH: Plants have unlimited growth | Animal have limited growth |
| EXCRETION: plants very little waste Products e.g. gum, latex | Animals produce a lot of waste products, because they are active. e.g. urine, faeces |
| REPRODUCTION Plants reproduce to give new individual which are much more resembling each other. E.g. mango and orange fruits | Animals reproduce to give young one. Some animals birth to young one alive, e.g. Other Eg. man, goat, cow, monkey |
EVALUATION
- Give four differences between plants and animals
- State five examples of animals that can give birth to young one alive
IMPORTANCE OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS TO HUMAN BEINGS
Plants are useful to human beings in the following ways:
- They help in the beautification of man’s environment
- They are sources of food for human
- They provide fresh air to human beings by taking dangerous carbon
- Oxide away from the air and releasing oxygen into air
- They provide human beings with industrial raw materials e.g. plants for building
- They provide fire wood for human beings to cook at home
- They provide human beings with roughages to run their bowels
- They return water back into the air to reduce the temperature to a bearable level for the comfort of human beings
- They provide cloud formation by returning water into the atmosphere
- They help to reduce soil erosion by holding the soil particles together.
USES OF ANIMALS TO HUMAN BEINGS
Animals are useful to human beings in the following ways:
- Some animals serves as source of protein to human beings when they are consumed
- Products of some animals are useful for human beings as food or medicine e.g. honey produced by bees
- Products of some animals are raw materials to some manufacturing industries e.g. skin, milk, horn, etc.
- Some animals e.g. horses and camels are used farm works
- Some animals e.g. horses and donkeys serve as a means of transportation to human beings
- Some animals serves as source of revenue to human beings e.g. hen etc.
- Some animals e.g. dogs, provides security to human beings
- Some animals e.g. dogs are used for hunting by farmers
- Some animals are trained to entertain human beings
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANTS ANDS ANIMALS
Plants
- Plants generally are rooted in one place an do not move on their own
- Plants contain chlorophyll and can make their own food
- Plants give off oxygen and take in carbon dioxide given off by animals.
- Plants cells have cell walls and other structures differ from those of animals.
- Plants have either no or very basic ability to sense.
Animals
1. Most animals have the ability to move fairly freely.
2. Animals cannot make their own food and are dependent on plants and other animals for food.
- Animals give off carbon dioxide which plants need to make food and take in oxygen which they need to breathe.
- Animal cells do not have cell walls and have different structures than plant cells
- Animals have a much more highly developed sensory and nervous system.
EVALUATION
- Give four examples of plants and 4 examples of animals.
- State the seven characteristics of plants and animals.
IMPORTANCE OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
PLANTS
1. Plants serve as sources of food to man e.g. okro, cassava, beans, rice, oranges etc.
- As source of medicine to cure diseases e.g.Nyhm leaves to cure fever.
- Plants are used as fire wood.
- They are used in building and construction.
- Plants give oxygen during photosynthesis.
- Flowering plants are used to beautify our environment.
- Some domestic and wild animals can feed on plants.
ANIMALS
1. Human being feed on animals e.g. cow, goat etc.
2. Man can make money from rearing of animals. e.g. cow
3. They are used as means of transportation e.g. horse
4. Some animals are used as toys e.g. puppies
Non – living things are the substances / materials that do not have life in them.
EXAMPLES OF LIVING AND NON LIVING THINGS
Examples of living things
Some examples of living things include the following organisms: goat, sheep, bird, cow, toad, rat, rabbit, earthworm, tapeworm, housefly, maize plant, mango tree, orange tree, coconut tree, rhizopus, euglena, etc.
Examples of nonliving things
The following are examples of some non living things around us: stone, pen, book, table, chair, beg, pencil, shoe, water, cup, bucket, air, radio, hand-set, cleaner. Etc.
Properties of Living Things and Non-Living Things
Living things are made up of cells; exhibit characteristics of life, like growth, movement, reproduction, response to stimuli; they evolve, and require energy for daily activities. Some of the daily life examples of living things around us are human beings, animals, plants and micro organisms.
Non-livings things do not exhibit any characteristics of life. They do not grow, respire, need energy, move, reproduce, evolve, or maintain homeostasis. These things are made up of non-living materials. Some examples of non-living things are stones, paper, electronic goods, books, buildings, and automobiles.
Uses of Living and Non- Living Things
PLANTS
1. Plants serve as sources of food to man e.g. okro, cassava, beans, rice, oranges e.t.c.
2. As source of medicine to cure diseases e.g. Nyhm leaves to cure fever.
3. Plants are used as fire wood
4. They are used in building and construction
5. Plants give oxygen during photosynthesis
6. Flowering plants are used to beautify our environment
7. Some domestic and wild animals can feed on plants.
ANIMALS
1. Human being feed on animals e.g. cow, goat e.t.c.
2. Man can make money from rearing of animals. e.g. cow
3. They are used as means of transportation e.g. horse
4. Some animals are used as toys e.g. puppies
EVALUATION
- Give four uses of plants.
- State four uses of animals
READING ASSIGNMENT
NIGERIA BASIC SCIENCE PROJECT PAGE 77-83,Precious seed BASIC SCIENCE FOR JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS BOOK 1 PAGE 112-117
GENERAL EVALUATION
1. What is non-living thing?
2. State five examples of non-living things around you.
3. Give four examples of plants and four examples of animals.
4. State the seven characteristics of plants and animals.
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
1. ———- is the ability to respond to stimuli [a] Growth [b] Respiration [c]Irritability [d] Excretion
2. Animals are useful to human beings [a] False [b] True [c] All of the above [d] None of the above.
3. One example of the animals is ————- [a] mosquito [b] tomato [c] okro [d] pawpaw
4. Plants are used for the following except———- [a] shelter [b] medicine [c] food [d] transportation
5. Plants and animals can also be classified as [a] non-living things [b] living things [c] cow [d] leguminous
THEORY
- Give four examples of
- plant
- animals
2a) briefly explain seven characteristics of living things.
b) State two uses of plant and two uses of animals.
CLASSIFICATION OF NON – LIVING THING
Non – living things can be divided into two groups
1. Those that are never part of a living things e.g. stone, gold, silver, diamonds, metal.
2. Those that are part of living things e.g. coal, paper, jam, palm oil etc.
METALS
PROPERTIES OF METALS
1. They are shiny .
2. They can be hammered into a sheet.
3. They can be drawn into a wire.
4. They are good conductor of heat.
5. They are good conductor of electricity.
6. They make a sound when hit.
Example of metals are copper, iron, steel, tin, aluminum
USES OF METALS
1. Iron is used in making cars, ships, Lorries, ovens, generator, poles, corrugated iron sheet.
2. Steel is used in making electric fans, steel roofing, pillars, refrigerators etc
3. Copper is used in making electric wire.
4. Aluminum is used in making electric wire and cooking pots.
5. Steel can also be used in making household utensils.
6. Lead is used in making car and Lorries batteries.
7. Zinc is used in making torch batteries covering iron sheet to prevent rusting.
EVALUATION
- State five examples of non-living things.
- Mention three properties of metals.
NON-METALS
PROPERTIES
1. They are not shiny.
2. They cannot be hammered into a sheet because they are brittle.
3. They cannot be drawn into a wire.
4. Bad conductor of electricity.
5. Bad conductor of heat.
6. They do not make sound when hit.
USES OF NON – METALS
1. Carbon is used in torch batteries.
2. Sulphur is used in medicines.
3. Oxygen is used for respiration and burring.
4. Nitrogen is a component of protein.
5. Chlorine is used in treatment of water.
6. Glass is used in making doors and windows.
EVALUATION
1. Give five differences between metals and non-metals.
2. State two uses of metals and three uses of non-metals.
READING ASSIGNMENT
NIGERIAN BASIC SCIENCE PROJECT PG 91-93, Precious seed BASIC SCIENCE FOR JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS BOOK 1 PAGE 129-133
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
1. Which of the following is not a living thing?
a) Grass b) Grasshopper c) Earthworm d) Iron
2. Copper is used to make electric wire because
a) it is a good conductor of electricity b) it is a non-metal c) it is shiny d) it is bristle
3. The following are example of non-metals except
a) carbon b) sulphur c) oxygen d) zinc
4. Example of non-living things that is part of living things is _____
a) coal b) stone c) gold d) silver
5. Movement from one place to another can only be exhibited by ____
a) non-living things b) metals c) non-metals d) living things
THEORY
1. Write five differences between metal and non-metals
2. Name five metals and five non – metals
3. Write four uses of metals and four used of non-metals
4. Give two properties each of metals and non-metals.
EVALUATION
- State five uses of animals to human beings
- State five uses of plants
READING ASSIGNMENT
NIGERIA BASIC SCIENCE PROJECT PAGE 77-83, Precious seed BASIC SCIENCE FOR JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS BOOK 1 PAGE 109-112
GENERAL EVALUATION
- Give four differences between plants and animals
- State five examples of animals that can give birth to young one alive
- State two differences between plants and animals
- State five uses of animals to human beings
- State five uses of plants
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
- —————–is the site for photosynthesis in plants[a] cell wall [b] nucleus [c] chloroplast [d] ribosome
- ————– is an act of changing position of parts or the whole of an organism [a]Excretion [b] Irritability [c] movement [d] reproduction
- The organ that assist mammal to move is [a] leg [b] muscle [c] hand [d] bone
- ————— is the act of getting rid of waste product out of the body of living thing [a] respiration [b] irritability [c] excretion [d] reproduction
- Ability of plants to respond to stimuli is very slow because [a] they are too large [b] they have leaves [c] they do not have organs for movement [d] they have very thick bark.
THEORY
- State eight differences between plants and animals.
- Mention two examples of animals that can
a) give birth to young one alive.
b) lay eggs before hatch them to produce young one.
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