AC9S3U01: Compare characteristics of living and non-living things and examine the differences between the life cycles of plants and animals

Students learn to compare characteristics of living and non-living things and examine the differences between the life cycles of plants and animals. They use the visual model, precise vocabulary and evidence to explain and apply the concept.

Learning routine: Observe → Model → Investigate → Record → Explain

Success looks like

• Recognise living
• Use non-living
• Explain life cycle
• Apply in a new context
• Justify with evidence

living thing

an organism that carries out life processes

non-living

not carrying out all life processes

life cycle

the ordered stages of an organism’s life

The content description and elaborations below show the curriculum ideas taught in this unit. Items marked as teaching context support lesson planning.

• Content description: compare characteristics of living and non-living things and examine the differences between the life cycles of plants and animals
• E1: classifying a collection of objects as living, once living or non-living and explaining their reasoning
• E2: observing and describing differences between metamorphic (such as butterflies, beetles or frogs) and non-metamorphic life cycles of animals, including humans
• E3: comparing the physical characteristics of an animal such as a frog or moth with its activity at different stages of its life cycle
• E4: representing stages of a plant or animal’s life cycle using drawings, digital photographs, graphic organisers or concrete materials
• E5: investigating how First Nations Australians understand and utilise the life cycles of certain species (teaching context)

Use reliable, community-approved sources and identify the specific Nation, People or community where the source does. Do not present diverse First Nations knowledges as one generic tradition. Follow local cultural and intellectual property protocols before reproducing cultural material or inviting community participation.

Core idea: Students learn to compare characteristics of living and non-living things and examine the differences between the life cycles of plants and animals. They use the visual model, precise vocabulary and evidence to explain and apply the concept.

Remember

• Recognise living
• Use non-living
• Explain life cycle
• Apply in a new context
• Justify with evidence

Important questions

• Which evidence best shows that a seed is living? Explain using the model or evidence above.
• Complete the characteristic. Explain using the model or evidence above.
• Explain classify using several living characteristics. Explain using the model or evidence above.
• Correct: Movement always means living. Explain using the model or evidence above.

Read the topic guide and use the teacher slide for instruction. Students can then use the worksheet for written work, open Practice for supported feedback, or take the Test when they are ready.

• Movement always means living — Cars and clouds can move without carrying out all life processes.
• Feature named without effect — Explain how the feature changes meaning or outcome.
• One example treated as a rule — Test the idea with another example.

This table gives closest-topic mapping for search and planning. The Australian Curriculum code is exact; overseas entries are broad equivalents because each jurisdiction structures outcomes differently.

Curriculum equivalents for Characteristics of living and non-living things and examine the differences...

Mapped skill: compare characteristics of living and non-living things and examine the differences between the life cycles of plants and animals

These references identify matching or closely related learning. Curriculum sequence, terminology and depth vary, so teachers should use the mapped skill and lesson difficulty to confirm suitability.

Australian Curriculum v9.0 is the canonical source for this SkillrHub lesson. Victoria and NSW entries name the closest published state codes or outcomes; international entries are planning references rather than claims of identical curricula.

• Australian Curriculum Version 9.0
• Victorian Curriculum F-10
• NSW Curriculum
• Common Core State Standards
• Next Generation Science Standards
• England National Curriculum
• New Zealand Curriculum
• NCERT textbooks

• AC9S3U02: Compare the observable properties of soils, rocks and minerals and investigate why they are important Earth resources
• AC9S3U03: Identify sources of heat energy and examine how temperature changes when heat energy is transferred from one object to another
• AC9S3U04: Investigate the observable properties of solids and liquids and how adding or removing heat energy leads to a change of state
• AC9S3H01: Examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations
• AC9S3H02: Consider how people use scientific explanations to meet a need or solve a problem
• AC9S3I01: Pose questions to explore observed patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations
• AC9S3I02: Use provided scaffolds to plan and conduct investigations to answer questions or test predictions, including identifying the elements of fair tests, and considering the safe use of materials and equipment
• AC9S3I03: Follow procedures to make and record observations, including making formal measurements using familiar scaled instruments and using digital tools as appropriate