Science · Stage 6

Groups of Living Things and Microbes

Animals, plants, fungi and microbes are the big groups of living things — learn to compare them, and discover the surprising jobs the tiniest ones do.

✦ Science📘 Stage 6 · S6⏱ ~10 min🧒 Ages 10–12★ Free to start

I can compare groups of living things and describe the role of microorganisms.

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Kavi Meets the Tiny Team

Kavi lifts a damp log in the forest and gasps 🪵. "Look — a whole world lives under here! A beetle scuttles off (an animal), soft moss clings to the bark (a plant), a mushroom pokes through the leaves (a fungus) — and through my magnifying glass, millions of microbes too small to see are quietly turning this old log back into soil. Four big groups, each with its own way of living. Let's learn how to tell them apart — and why the tiniest ones matter most of all!"

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What your child will learn

1Four groups of living thingsScientists sort every living thing into big groups. Tap each one to hear what makes it special.

2Make your food, or take it?The biggest difference between the groups is how they feed themselves. Tap each card to hear it.

3Which group is it?Drop each living thing into its big group. Tap the matching box for each one.

4Helpful or harmful?Microbes are tiny, but they do big jobs. Read each one and predict: helpful or harmful? Tap to check, then tap Next test.

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A peek inside

A honeybee buzzes from flower to flower and drinks nectar. 🐝 Which big group is it in, and how do you know?

A honeybee moves about on its own and must eat other living things (nectar) to live. Living things that move and eat others belong to the animal group.

Try this at home: Name the four big groups of living things.

Ready to play and learn?

Start the free interactive lesson, or print the handout for screen-free play.

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Part of Science · Stage 6 · S6 on KAVI Academy — a secular, whole-child learning platform for ages 5–12.