Class 6 Science Chapter 10 Living Creatures – Exploring their Characteristics Notes & Summary in English for CBSE students
CBSE Class 6 Science Chapter 10 Notes & Summary in English for “Living Creatures – Exploring their Characteristics” (based on NCERT textbook Curiosity ).
Chapter 10 – Living Creatures – Exploring their Characteristics Complete Notes
(Complete Notes + Concept-wise Explanation + Summary CBSE Class 6 Science – Curiosity Book)
1. Living and Non-living Things
Living and non-living things surround us everywhere. To classify them correctly, we compare each object with ourselves, because we are living beings.
How do we identify living and non-living things?
A living thing shows all or most of the following characteristics:
- Movement
- Growth
- Need for food (nutrition)
- Respiration
- Excretion
- Response to stimuli
- Reproduction
- Death
A non-living thing does not show these characteristics.
Examples
- Pencil, book, car → non-living
- Pigeon, plant, dog → living
- A seed → shows germination under favourable conditions, so it is living.
2. Characteristics of Living Beings
Movement
Living beings can move on their own.
Animals move from place to place.
Plants do not move from place to place but show movements such as:
• Opening of flowers
• Movement in insectivorous plants (Drosera)
• Climbers winding around support
Growth
Living beings grow in size. Seeds grow into seedlings, children grow into adults. Non-living things do not grow.
Nutrition
All living beings need food to grow and live. Plants prepare food by photosynthesis; animals depend on plants or other animals.
Respiration
Living beings breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.
Plants respire through stomata on the leaves.
Mosquito larvae and pupae come to the water surface for air.
Excretion
Living beings remove waste from their bodies.
Animals excrete sweat, urine, etc.
Plants excrete excess water as tiny droplets on leaves (guttation).
Response to Stimuli
A stimulus is anything that causes a change in response.
Examples:
• Touch-me-not (chhui-mui) folds leaves when touched.
• Amla plants fold leaves at night.
• Humans respond by withdrawing hand from hot object.
Reproduction
Living beings produce young ones of their own kind.
Plants reproduce through seeds.
Animals give birth or lay eggs.
Death
All living beings eventually die when life processes stop.
3. Essential Conditions for Germination of Seeds
Germination is the process in which a seed develops into a sprout.
The conditions required:
- Water
- Air
- Proper temperature
- Light or dark depending on seed type (bean seeds do not require light to germinate)
Observations from four pots in Activity 10.2:
- Pot A: No water → seeds do not germinate.
- Pot B: Excess water → no air → seeds do not germinate.
- Pot C: Dark + moist → seeds germinate.
- Pot D: Sunlight + moist → seeds germinate best.
Conclusion
Seeds need:
• Water (to soften seed coat and activate embryo)
• Air (oxygen for respiration)
• Suitable temperature
Light is not essential for bean seed germination; however, sunlight is needed later for growth.
4. Growth and Movement in Plants
Roots and shoots grow in specific directions due to stimuli.
Observations from Activity 10.3:
- A normal upright seedling
• Root grows downward.
• Shoot grows upward. - An inverted seedling
• Root bends downwards.
• Shoot bends upwards. - Seedling receiving light from one direction
• Shoot grows towards light (phototropism).
• Root still grows downward (geotropism).
Conclusions
- Shoots respond to light.
- Roots respond to gravity.
- Both movements help plants grow correctly.
5. Life Cycle of a Plant
A plant goes through many stages in its life.
Stages of a bean plant:
- Seed
- Germination
- Appearance of leaves
- Flowering
- Formation of fruits
- Seed formation
- Death of plant
The life cycle shows continuity because seeds from the fruit grow into new plants.
6. Life Cycle of Animals
Animals also have life cycles, but they differ from plants because body shape and form can change completely.
7. Life Cycle of a Mosquito
It has four stages:
- Egg
- Larva
- Pupa
- Adult mosquito
Larva and pupa live in water and keep coming to the surface to breathe.
Kerosene on stagnant water stops air supply and kills larvae and pupae.
8. Life Cycle of a Frog
Frog life cycle has four stages:
- Egg → covered in jelly-like spawn
- Embryo
- Tadpole
• Early tadpole with a tail
• Later tadpole with legs - Froglet → small frog
- Adult frog → lives on land and water
Changes observed:
• Tadpoles have tails for swimming.
• Froglets develop legs and adapt to land.
9. Similarities and Differences Between Plant and Animal Life Cycles
Similarities
• Both begin life as a new organism (seed or newborn).
• Both grow and mature.
• Both reproduce.
• Both die.
Differences
• Plants germinate from seeds; animals are born alive or hatch from eggs.
• Animals move freely; plants are fixed in soil.
• Stages in animal life cycles can show drastic physical changes (metamorphosis).
10. Important Keywords (Definitions)
Respiration – exchange of gases (intake of oxygen, release of CO₂)
Germination – sprouting of a seed
Larva – worm-like stage of insects
Pupa – stage between larva and adult in some insects
Stimulus – event causing response
Reproduction – producing new individuals
Excretion – removal of waste
Tadpole – young stage of a frog
Froglet – developing frog with legs
Final Summary
• All objects around us are classified into living and non-living based on life characteristics.
• Living beings show movement, growth, nutrition, respiration, excretion, response to stimuli, reproduction, and death.
• Seeds need water, air, and proper temperature for germination.
• Plant shoots grow towards light and roots grow downward.
• Plants complete a life cycle from seed to maturity and seed production.
• Mosquitoes and frogs show distinct stages in their life cycles.
• Understanding life cycles helps in plant care, pest control, and environmental protection.