Living vs Non-Living Notes & Questions | Class 1 Biology | Drishti OS

Living vs Non-Living

NCERT anchor: NCERT Looking Around Class 1 — Theme: Living and Non-Living (sorting things around us)

What you'll learn

We can sort things around us into living and non-living groups.
Living examples: trees, dogs, birds, fish, people.
Non-living examples: stones, chairs, toys, books — even ones that can move.

Key concepts

1. Living examples

Verbal: Tree, dog, bird, fish, person — all eat, grow, and breathe.

Visual: Garden and playground scene with living things circled.

2. Non-living examples

Verbal: Stone, chair, toy, book, water bottle — none of these eat, grow, or breathe.

Visual: Classroom scene with non-living things circled.

3. Tricky ones

Verbal: A ball can roll and a fan can spin, but they do not grow or eat — so they are non-living.

Worked example

Sorting the school bag

Step 1 — Take out a pencil, a book, and a small potted plant.
Step 2 — Ask: does it eat, grow, or breathe?
Step 3 — Pencil and book: no — they are non-living.
Step 4 — Potted plant: yes, it grows — it is living.
Answer: two non-living items, one living item.

Common mistakes

Mistake	Why	Fix
Calling a rolling ball living	It moves like an animal	It cannot grow, eat, or breathe
Calling a toy animal living	It looks like a real animal	Toys cannot eat, grow, or breathe
Forgetting plants are living	Plants do not walk or talk	Plants grow, drink water, and make food

Quick check

Sort: is a cat living or non-living?
Sort: is a chair living or non-living?
Name one living and one non-living thing in your classroom.
Stretch: Why is a rolling ball still non-living even though it moves?

Revision tip: Play 'sort it out' at home — point to five objects and say living or non-living.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Living vs Non-Living.

Living vs Non-Living