Tag: science

Uncategorized, Year 3 Science

What Makes Something Alive?

Mr. Greenly

Year 3 Science | Living, Non-Living, Once-Living and Life Cycles of Living Things
Aligned with the Australian Curriculum: AC9S3U01

Welcome, curious critters and fantastic educators! 🐸🌻
Have you ever looked at a butterfly and wondered what makes it alive? Why does it flutter and fly, while a rock just sits there doing… well, nothing? And what about fossils? They’re not alive anymore, but they used to be!

If you’ve asked questions like these, you’re thinking like a scientist — and this post is for you.

Let’s explore what makes something living, non-living, or once-living, and take a peek into the life cycles that all living things go through.

🔍 What Is a Living Thing?

All living things share seven key features. These features help us tell the difference between something that is alive, something that was once alive, and something that has never been alive at all. Here they are in no particular order:

Movement

Living things can move. Sometimes it’s easy to spot — like a kangaroo hopping — and sometimes it’s slower or more subtle, like a plant bending towards the sunlight.

Nutrition

All living things need food to get energy.

  • Animals eat plants or other animals — just like we do!
  • Plants make their own food from sunlight through photosynthesis.

Respiration

This is the process of turning food into energy. All living things do it — even plants! It might sound tricky, but just remember: respiration is how living things power their bodies.

Excretion

Living things must get rid of waste. It might seem gross (we see you, dung beetle!), but it’s a vital process that keeps organisms healthy — and often helps other life forms too.

Sensitivity (Response to Environment)

Living things can sense and respond to changes around them:

  • Plants grow towards light or close their leaves when touched.
  • Worms wriggle when they feel vibrations.
  • Humans respond to temperature, light, sound… and even emotions!

Reproduction

Living things can make more of themselves. Whether it’s turtles laying eggs or plants making seeds, reproduction is essential to keeping life going.

Growth (and Life Cycles!)

All living things grow and change over time — this is called a life cycle. From baby animals to blooming flowers, every living thing has a journey of growth.

🤔 What About Non-Living and Once-Living Things?

Let’s test your science smarts! Think about each of these — are they living, non-living, or once-living?

  • 🐸 A frog – Living! It moves, eats, grows, and can make more frogs.
  • 🪨 A rock – Non-living. It doesn’t move on its own, eat, or reproduce.
  • 🦴 A fossil – Once-living. It was part of something alive long ago, like a dinosaur!
  • 🌳 A tree – Living. It makes food, grows, and responds to sunlight.
  • 🪵 A log – Once-living. It was once a tree, but it’s no longer alive.
  • 🤖 A toy robot – Non-living. It can move, but only when someone turns it on. It doesn’t grow, eat, or make baby robots!

🌱 Life Cycles in Action

Let’s take a closer look at how living things grow and change.

🐸 Frog Life Cycle

  1. Egg – Frogs begin life as jelly-like eggs in water.
  2. Tadpole – The eggs hatch into tadpoles that swim using tails.
  3. Froglet – Legs grow, tails shrink, and lungs start to work.
  4. Adult Frog – Now they can hop on land, breathe air, and reproduce!

This big change is called metamorphosis.

🌻 Sunflower Life Cycle

  1. Seed – It all starts with a tiny seed.
  2. Germination – Roots and shoots begin to grow.
  3. Seedling – Leaves appear and the plant grows taller.
  4. Adult Plant – It blooms into a sunflower, which makes new seeds!

Even though frogs and sunflowers live in very different environments, they both grow, change, and reproduce — because they are living things.

🧠 Quick Recap: How Can You Tell If Something Is Living?

Ask yourself (note: I’ve changed the order from above):

  • Move — Can it move?
  • Respiration — Does it use energy?
  • Sensitivity — Does it respond to the world around it?
  • Growth — Does it grow?
  • Reproduce — Can it make more of itself?
  • Excretion — Does it get rid of waste?
  • Nutrition — Does it need food?

If the answer is yes to most of these — it’s alive!

🎒 For Teachers

This blog post supports Year 3 Science, particularly the content description AC9S3U01 from the Australian Curriculum, which focuses on how scientists group things as living, non-living, or once-living based on observable features.

You can use this resource:

  • As pre-learning before a unit on life cycles or biological classification
  • Alongside a nature walk, science incursion, or museum visit
  • With the Critter Quest Education video as an engaging multimedia introduction
  • As a formative check-in after a hands-on activity

🧪 Final Thoughts

Whether it crawls, swims, grows in soil, or even used to be alive — the world is full of clues to what makes something living. By learning to observe and ask questions, we can start seeing life in all its wonderful forms.

Keep questioning, keep exploring — and don’t forget to check out more resources and videos at Critter Quest Education!

climate change, environment, Environmental Lessons, Fiction, Uncategorized

Wrong Place, Wrong Time: A Time Travel Tale from the Brave New World

Mr. Greenly

Once a month my local writing group sets a theme for a piece of writing each member will submit. This month’s topic was “Brave New World”.

Brave New World

‘Welcome passengers to Brave New World Futurelines maiden future flight, flight BNWF001. The first-ever flight taking you into the future,’ announced the voice over the in-flight PA system.

The announcement certainly didn’t go unnoticed as everyone on board, bar me, clapped in recognition of what was to be a truly historical journey. Our plane was not too dissimilar to most planes, full of excited passengers and their carry-on luggage, knowing exactly where they were going and when they’d get there. Except, when most planes take off, the passengers on board expect to arrive at their destination within an hour or two, maybe more. Not our plane. Our plane would set down again in just a few minutes time according to our watches, but in the year 2165, some one hundred and forty years from when it departed.

‘This is your captain speaking, today we are expecting smooth time travelling conditions, little if any timebulance, and we will set down as per schedule in the year 2165 in around about fourteen minutes from now. I’ve just been in contact with Sydney Futureport and as pre-empted, they’re expecting our arrival. The tarmac will be clear, and we expect no delays. Sit back, enjoy the futureflight, and dream of a wonderful time in the future.’

Even with just fourteen minutes, I planned to do just that. I’d already located the complimentary inflight magazine and began flicking the pages.

Climate Change. Over Exploitation. Plastic Pollution. Overpopulation.

‘Ugh! No thanks!’ I announced in disgust. As per usual, the headlines were rather distasteful. Gladly, I wouldn’t have to worry about all that where I was going, and I wasn’t going to spend my time reading about it on this futureflight either. I swapped the inflight magazine for the headset I’d located in the back pocket of the seat in front of me and I was just sliding them over my ears when…

‘Exciting isn’t it,’ said the small lady sitting beside me.

In an effort to show I wasn’t interested in idle conversation I overaccentuated the lifting of the headphone from my left ear as I leant closer.

‘Sorry, what’s that?’

‘Exciting isn’t it,’ repeated the lady, her grin almost as wide as the Futureplane was long.

‘Oh yes, indeed,’ I agreed, before quickly turning away and releasing the headset back onto my ear.

By shutting my eyes and leaning back into my chair I thought I had made it obvious I wasn’t up for idle chit-chat. I still heard the woman’s muffled voice saying something, possibly along the lines of ‘What if we aren’t the first to arrive’. But, I wasn’t even sure if she was speaking to me, and I certainly wasn’t opening my eyes to find out. A few more moments passed, and I’d barely flicked through all the optional channels and decided on something before the sound cut out and the Captain’s voice rang over the PA once again.

‘Passengers, we are now reducing time travelling speed and we will be appearing on Sydney Futureport future strip in under around thirty seconds. We hope you’ve had a memorable flight and wish you all the best in the future.’

Just as the captain instructed, about thirty seconds from his announcement the seatbelt light switched off and the cabin door opened. Within a few seconds, the other passengers and I on Brave New World Futurelines maiden future flight were scurrying across the tarmac. We followed the painted arrows on the ground to where they stopped just short of a set of electronic doors not too dissimilar to those we were used to.

‘Hello future migrants, welcome to 2165,’ said a softened electronically charged voice as a small light mounted on the eve above the doors flashed reds and greens in unison with it.

‘Have your passports ready and your medical clear…,’ suddenly, the electronic voice cut out.

We all stood there staring at the small light, not knowing what to do. We waited, half expecting the voice to begin talking again. A couple of minutes went by before a frazzled man approached the door from the inside. We watched as he took a set of keys from his pocket trying a few before using his arms to pry the doors open.

‘Sorry everybody,’ he said. ‘The future is not short of technical problems.’

Just as he paused, the small light dropped out of the eave above his head and hung there, dangling by a lone wire.

‘Or financial problems,’ added the man as he peered up. ‘Everyone, please have your passports and medical clearances ready and follow me. We’ll get you all checked in within a jiffy.’

As we followed, we all sifted through our pockets and carry-on luggage in search of the documents he’d requested we have ready. Looking around, it became obvious that not much was different in this present from the one we’d left a little over six minutes ago. The futureport seemed similar to the airports from 2025. There were possibly some technological advances, all be it in need of repair, and there seemed to be more of a security and police presence. But apart from that, not much seemed different.

‘Here we are then,’ said the man as he stopped by a tall counter that separated us from the attendants sitting behind.

Standing there waiting to be served reminded me of waiting for service at the bank as the attendants were separated from us by not only the tall counter but a thick, glass security screen. The only difference being, here there were several armed security guards observing us.

‘Who’s next?’ asked one of the attendants, raising her arm.

During the short walk from the doors where the man had met us to the desk, I’d been sure to get in front of everybody. I stepped forward. I hoped to speed things up by placing my passport and medical clearance down on the desk face up ready for the attendant.

‘Just off of flight BNWF001, the first flight ever to leave the past,’ I announced proudly. ‘Frank Laidlaw’s the name.’

However, the attendant didn’t seem impressed. She just gave me the faintest of smiles, looked back at her screen, and processed my documents.

‘Ah, okay then. Well, I’ll be needing to book a flight back to the past,’ I said as I looked around. ‘Where can I do that?’

The attendant looked over toward me, then directly at the group of security guards standing nearby.

‘Sir, I regretfully inform you that here in the year 2165 time travel is outlawed. Has been for some decades now,’ explained the attendant.

Immediately I was taken back. How would I ever get back? There must be some way! But voicing these questions and concerns to the attendant didn’t get me anywhere.

‘Sir I’m going to have to ask you to calm down.’

Then I noticed two of the security guards heading over.

‘But there must be some way? There must be something you can do?’

The security guards now stood right by me on either side.

‘I’m finished with this one,’ said the lady, holding out my documents.

But before I could, one of the security guards reached forward and took them from her.

‘Right, come on sir, we’ll show you the way.’

This time I stayed quiet as both the men who now escorted me seemed to be the type not to argue with. They led me out the front door of the futureport where a couple of police officers took up tail following behind, and right up to a large police bus that sat out the front. Strangely, there were several of these lined up, all in a row one behind the other.

‘Right, on you get,’ announced one of the officers from behind me.

‘What?’ I responded in shock. ‘This can’t be, I haven’t done anything. If I was rude in there I apologise. Just let me go and I’ll find some accommodation nearby and be out of your hands.’

‘Ha!’ scoffed the officer. ‘Wrong place, wrong time!’ he mocked me. ‘Typical entitled pasty. You time jumpers just think you can rock up anywhere and live free without causing anyone any issues do you? All while our time suffers, overflowing with pastys like yourself looking to experience the wonderful future. Well, your future is our present, and you’ve ruined it!’

The look of disgust on the pair of officers’ faces was frightening. I didn’t know what to say, and I hadn’t the chance before the security guard shoved me through the door and onto the awaiting bus.

‘Accommodation you say,’ added the other officer as he looked at my passport before he tossed it on board. ‘Well Frank Laidlaw, we’ve got your accommodation sorted!’

‘Oh, thank heavens,’ I said in relief.

‘The timegration camp north of here!’ said the officer, before shutting the door swiftly and locking it behind me.

As I sat there pondering what had just occurred, the other passengers from flight BNWF001 arrived one after the other, each just as shocked as me. It occurred to me, that the woman I had set next to during the futureflight was right. While we were on the first plane that took off destined for the future, it was obvious now we most certainly weren’t the first to arrive here from the past.

science

Understanding Science: The Key to Knowledge

Mr. Greenly

Theme: Science, educational, inciteful.

Reading Time: 5 minutes.

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Throughout my blog, I plan to write informative articles about our Earth, its environments and systems, and what we can do to enjoy them and protect them. However, anything I write will fall on deaf ears if a basic understanding of science is not obtained by my readers.

What is science? And how does it work?

Science, or Scientia in Latin, means knowledge.

Put simply, that’s what science is all about. Building a network of knowledge.

For a more specific definition of the word as it’s used today, a quick google search would result in a definition such as this:

“The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment” (Definition: Oxford Languages).

Now, the key to that definition lies within the words “systematic study”.

Science works because it relies on its age-old, refined method of systematic study, or as you may have heard it referred to as, the scientific method.

This method is what makes science a robust tool for understanding everything there is to know. Or at least, everything there is to know about that which can be tested.

What is the scientific method?

The scientific method is more or less a problem-solving approach. It relies on a series of steps that need to be addressed and by doing so we can come to a robust conclusion on the issue at hand.

The scientific method is simple by nature and incorporates these 7 steps:

Step 1. Make an observation.

Example: My plants die during long, dry periods.

Step 2. Ask a question.

Example: Why do my plants die during long, dry periods?

Step 3. Form a hypothesis.

Example: My plants require regular watering to live!

Step 4. Make a prediction based on the hypothesis.

Example: If I do not regularly water my plants they will die.

Step 5. Test this prediction.

Example: Set up an experiment exposing my different plants to different treatments of water including no water and then various amounts of water at regular temporal intervals and collect data that can be used to determine the health of the plants, including whether they survive or die.

Step 6. Analyse findings and draw conclusions.

Example: An experiment of this nature would likely reveal that plants don’t simply die from no water, they also die from too much water, and different plants require varying amounts at different temporal intervals to maintain their health and survive.

However, as simple as the above steps are, and although they fit just about any scenario, simply carrying them out does not fulfil the scientific method. The most important step is still to come.

What’s the most important step of the scientific method?

The above steps and example scenarios may be enough for the person or scientist carrying them out to say.

“It is likely that the amount of water and the frequency of watering affects a plant’s health”.

But a good experiment and a scientist who has reported unbiasedly on their results should also state.

“However, the degree to which water affects any plant’s health depends on the species of plant in question and other variables such as climate, weather, and soil type/nutrients are likely to play a role”.

As you can see the above statements offer no real, strong conclusion.

That’s because the most important steps of the scientific method are:

Repetition and follow on research.

Any robust scientific conclusion can only be drawn after repeat testing and scrutiny has taken place.

If a hypothesis is initially disproven, that hypothesis will be rejected. Importantly, even rejected hypotheses are then subject to ongoing scrutiny and testing and this ensures no hypothesis is widely accepted as rejected until a significant amount of evidence amounts to do so.

Basically, one stand-alone experiment or a couple of experiments, are not enough.

Once a hypothesis has been tested time and time again and has stood up against all scrutiny and testing while accumulating a significant amount of evidence to support it, then and only then will it be accepted by the scientific community as being a strongly supported hypothesis.

Strongly supported hypotheses, that have stood the test of time and continue to do so while providing a foundation for understanding, will likely go on to become scientific theory.

Importantly, rejected or supported hypotheses will always pave the way for follow on research. For instance, in our example study above, the results have paved the way for further research investigating more species-specific outcomes and controlling variables such as climate, weather, and soil type/nutrient availability.

All studies will close a door (while leaving it ajar) and in the same turn open a new one for further investigation.

It is commonly accepted within the scientific community that had it not been for the vast amounts of research compiled before ours, we would not be able to draw the conclusions we have come to today.

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” – Isaac Newton, 1675.

The above statement is now often used to symbolise scientific progress.

Two of science’s giants, left: Charles Darwin, right: Albert Einstein.

What’s the difference between a theory and a scientific theory?

The term “theory” when used in common language refers to:

“An idea used to account for a situation or justify a course of action” (Definition: Oxford Languages).

For example, if I were at school and I were to say that I was stressed out, a suitable theory offered by my peer, or a teacher may be that I have had a large workload and was simply struggling to keep up with it. Charles Darwin had a theory on the origin of species being by means of natural selection.

Now stand alone, these are both just theories and theories alone.

The difference between a theory and a scientific theory relies on the scientific method.

Charles Darwin had accumulated a strong amount of evidence from across the globe to support his theory of evolution. That theory has also been tested using the scientific method since 1859 (over 150 years) and has survived so much scepticism, scrutiny and testing to which it has never been disproved only supported. Therefore, it is now widely accepted within the scientific community as scientific theory.

I like to think of the term “scientific theory” as meaning the most likely explanation after significant amounts of scrutiny and testing, and therefore the closest explanation we have to the actual fact.

In summary.

Importantly, science, or the scientific method, is the best tool we currently have to understand our world, the universe, and the underlying processes.

As scientists and educated people, we must acknowledge that science does not and cannot prove things to be factual. It does however allow us to test things and exclude unlikely explanations through the processes of elimination and we can then strengthen conclusions by subjecting them to repeat, ongoing scrutiny. So, although we cannot prove “facts”, we can identify the best possible or likely explanation we have based on the tools, technology, and knowledge we have at the time of testing. This means that scientists themselves or at least the scientists with a good understanding of the scientific method will never refer to scientific fact; it is a fundamental driver of science that facts are impossible to prove.

A scientific theory is indeed the closest thing we have to a “fact” without being one. Examples such as Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, or Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, are considered scientific theories as they are heavily supported by a large weight of evidence and, using the scientific method, all other possible explanations (hypotheses) that could be tested have been rejected. Quite simply, they have stood the test of time. Importantly, scientific theories provide us with the foundations we need to understand the world and its processes.

Lastly, science has been developing and utilised by us humans for more than 3,000 years now. To date, it is the best tool we have to make informed decisions that allow us to draw conclusions about our Earth, the universe, and its fundamental processes.

If you find a better way, I’m sure the world would love to hear it.

Thoughts? Comments? Post them below and I will be sure to respond.

Thank you and enjoy,

W. A. Greenly.

W. A. Greenly’s upcoming articles include:

  • The Mystery of the Australian Megafauna.
  • Recycling Made Simple.
  • The Climate Change Vortex.