Y E A R 2
- Some things are alive, some things are dead and others have never lived.
Living things independently move, sense, breathe, get rid of waste products (excrete), create new living things and eat.
Dead things used to be alive but no longer do these things.
Never alive things might do some of these thing, but not all.
Plants do all of these things but cannot always see them do it.
- The place where living things live is called their habitat. Living things are usually well suited to their habitat. Their habitat provides everything they need to survive (food, shelter and water) and do well (prosper).
Microhabitats exist inside habitats. These are tiny habitats such as under a leaf in a woodland.
- Living things depend on other living things to survive and prosper.
Plants depend on animals to spread their seeds.
Living things can depend on trees for shelter.
- Living things depend on each other for food.
Carnivores depend on their prey for food.
Herbivores depend on plants for food.
Omnivores depend on both for food.
Y E A R 4
- We can group living things in a variety of ways, particularly by their appearance.
- We can use classification keys to find out the names of living things.
- Habitats can change over time and this sometimes causes dangers to living things. Some of these changes are affected by humans. Others, such as weather, are natural changes. Some living things are able to respond to these changes; others are not always able to.
Y E A R 5
- All living things reproduce which we have seen before with offspring and new plants.
- Most animals reproduce sexually which involves sperm from a male, and an egg from a female. When a sperm enters an egg, this is called fertilisation.
- Animals' life cycles are different.
Mammals are born live and as smaller versions of their adult form. Offspring grow inside their mother for different periods of time until they are born.
Amphibians are born as eggs and their form changes as they grow.
Insects are born as eggs and their form changes as they grow. Their form completely changes when they become adults and this is called metamorphosis.
Birds are born as eggs and then as smaller versions of their adult form, once they hatch.
Y E A R 6
- There are other living things apart from animals and plants. Some of these things are so small that we cannot see them. These are called micro-organisms. Some living things belong to the fungus family: the most famous example is a mushroom.