The Stone, the Seed and the Wind-up Beetle

Emily had three things on her window shelf (a small flat board on the wall), and she loved them all. A smooth grey stone from the beach. A little bean seed in a cup of soil (earth). And a shiny gold wind-up beetle (a toy insect) that walked when you turned its key.

One morning she asked, “Which of my three friends is alive (living)?” Pepper the dog barked, as if to say, “Let’s find out!”

Emily made a test. “A living thing does five things,” she said. “It grows (gets bigger). It moves by itself. It needs food, water and air. It can make young ones (babies). And it senses (notices) the world around it. Let’s check!”

First, the stone. Emily watered it and waited a week. It did not grow. It sat motionless (not moving at all), no move, no munch, nothing. Clunk. “Stone, you are non-living (not alive),” she smiled.

Next, the wind-up beetle. She turned the key. Whirr, click, click! It walked across the shelf. “You move!” said Emily. But then it stopped. It only moved because SHE wound it. It never grew. It never got hungry. “Beetle, you are clever (smart), but you are non-living too.”

Last, the bean seed. Emily gave it water, sunlight and air. She waited. On day three, crack!, a tiny green shoot (baby plant) pushed up. It grew taller each day. It bent its leaves towards the sun, all by itself. One day it would make beans, and beans make new plants. “Seed,” whispered Emily, “YOU are alive!”

So the stone and the beetle were non-living, and the little bean was living. Emily learnt the secret: a thing can shine, and even move, and still not be alive. Living things grow, feed, sense, and make new life.