Discovering hidden worlds

Bugs of Aotearoa

Living or not living?

Everything can be sorted into either LIVING or NOT LIVING. While this might seem like a simple thing to do, it's actually a bit tricky. So scientists came up with the acronym MRS GREN to decide whether something was alive or not.

What is a living thing?Get information about living things from the DK Find Out website for kids. Find out more about the seven life processes of living things from DK Find Out

Movement

Respiration

Sensitivity

Growth

Reproduction

Excretion

Nutrition

The kingdoms of life

Once you know something is alive you can sort it into one of 5 categories. Scientists call these KINGDOMS. There are 5 main kingdoms (although some scientists argue that there are 6, or even 7!).

Are you familiar with the five kingdoms of living things?Millions of living things inhabit our planet, but did you know that they are divided into five separate kingdoms? Some, like animals and plants, are visible to the naked eye; but others, like bacteria, can only be seen under a microscope. Let's delve into the world of the five kingdoms of nature and find out a bit more about them.

Animals

The animal kingdom is the kingdom of humans, mammals, insects, fish, sharks, and lots more! It's the kingdom that's probably easiest to identify if something is alive.

Plants

Yes, plants are alive! But unlike animals, who have to find food, plants make their own food with a process called PHOTOSYNTHESIS.

Fungi

You know fungi ... mushrooms, toadstools, yeast. They are all around us! And they are their own kingdom!!!

Protista

Red, green algae. More to come later

Monera

The kingdom of BACTERIA!