At Bodhiclasses, we believe that true learning begins with deep curiosity and thoughtful exploration.
In this post, we present an in-depth analysis of Class 6 Science Chapter 10: Living Creatures – Exploring Their Characteristics, covering every important point with examples, explanations, and SEO-rich insights to help students master the topic easily.
Introduction: Why Understanding “Living vs Non-Living” is Important
The first step in studying biology is to differentiate between living beings and non-living things. This chapter gently introduces students to the essential characteristics of life, starting with a simple observation — a stationary shell can still house a living snail!
Through real-life examples, students begin to ask critical questions about what truly defines life.
Core Differences Between Living and Non-Living Things
Key takeaway:
Objects around us can be categorized into living and non-living based on certain shared characteristics.
Living beings exhibit:
- Movement (plants and animals)
- Growth (size increase and development)
- Nutrition (need for food or nutrients)
- Respiration (breathing or exchanging gases)
- Excretion (removal of waste products)
- Response to stimuli (reaction to touch, light, etc.)
- Reproduction (giving rise to new life)
- Death (end of life activities)
Non-living things lack one or more of these features.
Example: A car moves but does not grow, respire, or reproduce — thus, it is non-living.
Movement in Living Beings: A Deeper Look (Living Creatures)
Animals: Move from one place to another actively.
Plants: Although rooted, plants exhibit movements:
- Flowers blooming.
- Leaves folding (e.g., Touch-Me-Not (Mimosa pudica)).
- Insectivorous plants like Drosera trap insects with movement.
Thus, movement alone is not enough — we must see how and why something moves to conclude if it’s living.
Growth in Living Creatures: A Universal Trait of Life
Growth is visible across all living beings:
- Humans grow from infants to adults.
- Plants grow from seeds to mature trees.
Unlike non-living objects, growth in living beings is internal and progressive.
Nutrition and Respiration in Living Creatures: Life’s Fuel
All living organisms need food for energy and development:
- Animals eat food.
- Plants make food via photosynthesis and also require nutrients from soil.
Respiration is crucial:
- Humans, animals, and even plants use oxygen to break down food for energy.
- Plants have stomata (tiny pores) for gas exchange.
Without respiration, no living organism can survive.
Excretion: Eliminating Waste
All living beings produce waste as part of their bodily functions:
- Humans sweat, urinate, and exhale carbon dioxide.
- Plants excrete extra water through droplets (guttation).
Excretion is a necessary process to maintain internal balance.
Response to Stimuli: A Defining Feature
The ability to respond to external stimuli distinguishes the living from the non-living:
- We pull back when touching something hot.
- A Touch-Me-Not plant folds its leaves on touch.
- Some plants adjust their leaves based on sunlight.
Stimuli include changes in:
- Light
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Touch
Reproduction in Living Creatures: Ensuring Life Continues
Living beings reproduce to sustain their species:
- Animals reproduce sexually or asexually.
- Plants reproduce by seeds, cuttings, or spores.
Without reproduction, life would end with each individual.
Death: The End of the Cycle
When a living being no longer exhibits any life processes — despite available food, water, and air — it is considered dead.
Death is a natural part of the life cycle.
Deep Dive: Seed Germination and Plant Growth
Seed Germination requires:
- Water: Activates enzymes, softens seed coat.
- Air (Oxygen): Supports cellular respiration.
- Suitable temperature: Facilitates enzymatic activities.
- Sunlight: Essential after sprouting for photosynthesis.
Key experiments in the chapter showed:
- Without water or air, seeds do not germinate.
- Excess water can also prevent germination due to lack of oxygen.
Growth and Movement in Plants: Tropisms
Plants exhibit:
- Phototropism: Shoots grow toward light.
- Geotropism: Roots grow downward due to gravity.
Even an inverted plant adjusts its shoot and root direction — proving that plants respond dynamically to their environment.
Life Cycles: Plants and Animals
Plants:
- Seed → Seedling → Mature Plant → Flower → Fruit → New Seeds.
Animals: Each species follows a different life cycle pattern.
Life Cycle of a Mosquito
- Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult Mosquito
- Stagnant water promotes mosquito breeding.
Life Cycle of a Frog
- Spawn (Eggs) → Embryo → Tadpole → Froglet → Adult Frog
- Tadpoles initially live underwater and gradually adapt to land life.
These transformations show metamorphosis, a dramatic change in body form during development.
Important Scientists
The chapter highlights Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, who proved plants can respond to stimuli and even built the crescograph to measure plant growth.
Conclusion: The Magic of Living Creatures
From breathing and growing to responding and reproducing, life is a dynamic, interconnected process.
Understanding these characteristics helps young learners appreciate the complex beauty of nature and prepares them for more advanced biology topics.
