What is the environment?
Our environment consists of all the things around us. Our environment is made up of living and non-living things.
Living organisms, plants, animals and people are part of our environment. Grasses, shrubs and trees are plants. We grow and cultivate some plants, such as rice or wheat. Insects, birds, mammals (e.g. cat and dog) are animals. People are animals too.
Characteristics of living organisms
All living things share certain characteristics.
- Growth: A human baby gradually grows into an adult, and a plant grows from a small seed into a large tree.
- Movement: Most living beings can move from one place to another.
- Respiration: Humans and other animals breathe oxygen from the air with their lungs.
- Sensitivity: Living organisms sense things that happen to them or around them. For example, a sunflower turns its flowers towards the sun, or a dog drinks water when it is thirsty.
- Nutrition: Living organisms need a source of energy to stay alive. For example, a sheep eats grass and gets energy from it.
- Excretion: Living organisms have to get rid of unnecessary waste. For example, animals release unnecessary matter in urine and excrement. Similarly, plants release oxygen into the air.
- Reproduction: All living things reproduce and create new individuals.
Non-living nature
Non-living nature includes air, water, soil and rock.
Humans have a big impact on the environment. So many of the things you see around you are made by humans. These include buildings, furniture, cars, computers, streets, etc.
Humans need non-living things. We need clean air and water. It is also hard for us to live without machines and devices that are built by humans.
Exercises
- sun
- school
- water
- stone
- brick
- watch
- sand
- car
- a green plant in a rainforest
- a log of wood
- a river
- a cow
- a bacterium
- the Moon
- oil
- wind
- a boat
- a coral
Summary
- The environment consists of living and non-living things.
- Plants and animals are living things.
- Soil, rock, air and water are non-living things.
- Some non-living things are made by people, for example telephones and buildings.
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