How Do Korean Young Children Conceptualize Living Things and Nonliving Things?

한국 유치원 및 국민학교 저학년 아동들의 생명 개념에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study was to identify how young children conceptualize living things and nonliving things. For this study, a total of 465 young children was sampled in Krea, and a questionnaire of paper test was administered to them. The results were as follows. 1. More than 80% of young children recognized dogs and dandelions as living things, but less than 60% of children recognized bird's eggs and chestnuts as living things. 2. Mostly, young children's ability to distinguish exactly between living things and nonliving things improved by increasing grade level. 3. Criteria to distinguish about living things and nonliving things are firstly to be mobilized and secondly to be breathed.