How plants and animals are different
Biology · Early Years · The School
Plants make their own food
A plant does not go looking for its dinner. It makes its OWN food. It does this in its leaves. It uses sunlight, water and air. That is why a plant can stay in one spot its whole life. It does not need to move to eat. Its food-making happens right where it stands.
Animals find and eat food
An animal cannot make food from sunlight. It has to find food and eat it. Plants. Other animals. Or both. That is one big reason most animals can move. A rabbit hops to find grass. A bird flies to find seeds. A fish swims to find smaller creatures.
Both are living, just different jobs
Plants and animals both do the same seven living-thing jobs. Feeding, growing, breathing, and the rest. They just do the FEEDING job in very different ways. A plant is a quiet, patient food-maker. An animal is an active food-finder. Neither way is better. They are just different jobs, done well.
A SUNFLOWER: does it make its own food? Yes, in its leaves, from sunlight. Can it move to find food? No. It stays rooted where it grew. A RABBIT: does it make its own food? No. It must eat grass and plants. Can it move to find food? Yes, easily. It hops wherever the grass is best. Same two questions. Opposite answers. That is exactly how you tell a plant from an animal.