Group Names ____________________________________________Date ______________ Period

____

Living, Non-Living or Dead? That is the

Question!
40 points

Pre-Lab Directions
As a group, brainstorm at least 6 traits you believe living things have in common, and list
them in the Characteristic column of the data table.
Directions for the Lab
As a group, you will be moving from station to station and determining if each
specimen has the characteristics of life. What to do as you observe the unknown
specimens:
1. Make observations: Write a brief description of the item above the unknown
specimens number. Really observe each unknown specimen. Observations mean
using all your senses (when appropriate).
2. Follow Directions: Some unknowns may have special instructions, be sure to follow
those exactly.
3. Mark an X. Now, using your list of characteristics, place an X in the
corresponding column in the data table IF you think that unknown specimen has that
characteristic.
4. Decide- After you have made all of your observations, review the data you collected,
and in the bottom row of the table, indicate whether you believe the unknown to be
Living (L), Nonliving (NL), or Dead (D).

Post-Lab Questions: Once you are done with the lab, answer the following
questions.
1. How did you determine the difference between a living specimen and a
nonliving one?

2. According to your data table, what traits do most living things have in
common?

3. What traits did you list as characteristics of living things, but were not easily
observable?

4. What instruments or technologies might have helped you to determine

whether or not some of the unknowns are living or not?

5. What traits did you pick as characteristics that were NOT helpful (did not
necessarily indicate life)?

Name: _______________________________ Date: ________________ Period: ____

Living, Non-Living or Dead?
For the following specimens, label them as living (L), nonliving (NL), or dead (D) and
then give a short onesentence explanation for why it belongs in this category. This
is NOT meant to be a research project. Just answer what you THINK, based on what
you have learned after completing this activity. And be ready to defend your answer.
(Even if you are ultimately wrong, thats ok, but really think about which category it
belongs.)
1. HIV virus-

2. Brown grass-

3. Fertilized chicken egg-

4. Egg bought in a grocery store-

5. Your skin on the back of your hand-

6. Hair on a fruit flys back-

7. Boiling water-

8. Sperm-

Extra Credit Essay: Pick a specimen from the lab that you characterized as
nonliving and for fun, argue it is living. Be sure to use what you have learned
about the characteristics of living things as part of your argument. Therefore,
include characteristics that this nonliving specimen shares with other living things.

Group Members Names __________________________________Date ______________ Period ____

Living, Non-Living, or Dead? Data Table

In the first column, list qualities your group thinks living things must have in order to be classified as living.
Carefully observe the specimens at each numbered station and check off any of the characteristics that you believe
that specimen may have. In the first row of the table, write in a description of what is at that lab station. Then before
moving onto the next station, at the bottom of that column, determine the specimen to be Living = L, NonLiving
(NL), or Dead (D).
Describe
Specimen

Characteri
stic

L (living,
NL (nonliving) or
D (dead)

10

11

Stations
1- Sewer Lice (demo)
2- Candle flame (demo)
3- Running Water (demo)
4- Algae floating in water
5- Air bubble under microscope
6- Package of seeds
7- Triscuits
8- Piece of fruit or vegetable
9- Algae under microscope
10Potted plant
11Human blood smear under microscope