Print one set per group on card and cut along the lines. Students sort the cards onto the three sorting mats. Use the answer key to check and to address misconceptions (a common one is thinking that moving things, such as water or a car, are alive).
Sorting-mat headings
Print these large, one per sheet, as the headings students sort under:
LIVING
(grows, needs food/water, makes more of itself)
(grows, needs food/water, makes more of itself)
NON-LIVING
(never was alive)
(never was alive)
ONCE-LIVING
(was alive, now is not)
(was alive, now is not)
Cards to print and cut
Each cell is one card. Students may write the word on the back if you want a memory-style game as well.
| Card | Card | Card | Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numbat | Gum tree | Granite rock | Bobtail lizard |
| Kangaroo grass | Rain puddle | Wedge-tailed eagle | Fallen gum leaf |
| Honey bee | Plastic bottle | Banksia flower | Sand |
| Rock wallaby | Wooden fence post | Earthworm | Seashell |
| Quenda (bandicoot) | Tap water | Mushroom / fungus | Dry leaf litter |
Teacher answer key
| Category | Cards |
|---|---|
| Living | Numbat, gum tree, kangaroo grass, honey bee, banksia flower, rock wallaby, earthworm, quenda, bobtail lizard, mushroom/fungus, wedge-tailed eagle |
| Non-living | Granite rock, rain puddle, plastic bottle, sand, tap water, seashell* |
| Once-living | Fallen gum leaf, wooden fence post, dry leaf litter, seashell* |