Living and Non-Living Things Alphabetical Order Worksheet
This living and non-living things alphabetical order worksheet asks 2nd graders to sort twelve words into living and nonliving, then write each list in ABC order. A full answer key is included for fast checking.
$6.97
Want this one free?
Tell us where to send it and it’s yours — no card, no catch.
One free resource per teacher. We’ll also send free teaching ideas each week — unsubscribe anytime.
Free teacher account · no credit card
Membership
Get every game, song, & printable
- Every game, on any device
- 6,500+ resources
- Assign online with HFT Classroom
Then $39.97/year · cancel anytime · See plans
- Instant digital download
- Printable PDF + answer key
- Made by real teachers
Teacher / Family membership
Teaching is easier with every resource
One membership for your whole year: 6,500+ worksheets, games, songs and videos for Preschool–6th, for your classroom or homeschool.
- Unlimited printables & downloads
- Every game, on any device
- Assign online with HFT Classroom
- Cancel anytime
Teacher / Family membership · 3 days free
Yearly
Monthly would be $119.64 a year
$3.33/month
Billed $39.97 once a year
You save $79.67 every year
Start My 3 Free Days$0 today · cancel anytime
Monthly
$9.97/month
Flexible, month to month
Yearly is just $3.33/mo. Switch and save $79.67
Start My 3 Free Days$0 today · cancel anytime
About this resource
Description
Sorting the world into what is alive and what is not is one of the first big ideas in life science, and putting words in ABC order is one of the first big ideas in reading. This living and non-living things alphabetical order worksheet puts the two skills side by side, so second graders classify a set of familiar nouns and then arrange each group letter by letter. Because several of the words share a first letter, children have to look past the front of the word and compare the second letter before they can decide which one comes first.
Twelve short, decodable words are printed in a scrambled word box at the top of the page: ant, bell, bird, book, cat, fish, frog, lamp, rock, sock, spoon and tree. Students read the box, decide whether each word names a living thing or a nonliving thing, and then write it on the correct card in ABC order. The box is deliberately not alphabetical, so the sheet cannot be finished by copying straight down the list. This 2nd grade alphabetical order worksheet works well as morning work, as a science center task, or as a quick check after a lesson on living and nonliving things, and the completed key on page two makes grading a thirty-second job.
What’s Included
- 1 print-ready PDF worksheet
- Answer key
- 1 scrambled word box of 12 words
- 2 labeled sorting cards with 6 writing lines each
Three things make this living and non-living things alphabetical order worksheet worth the page. First, it asks for two kinds of thinking at once, a science judgment and a language judgment, which is how a skill becomes transferable instead of memorized. Second, the word list is built so that each column holds a pair of words beginning with the same letter, which forces the alphabetizing to reach the second letter rather than stopping at the front of the word. Third, every word is short and easy to read, so a student who is still building fluency can spend attention on the sorting and the ordering rather than on decoding.
Away from the page, take the same two questions outdoors. Ask children to name five things they can see on a short walk, decide which ones are living, and line those names up alphabetically back in the classroom. Index cards help here: write one word per card, shuffle them, and let a small group slide the cards into order by hand, which makes the second-letter comparison visible. You can also keep a running class chart with a Living column and a Nonliving column, adding one new word each morning and inserting it in its correct alphabetical spot instead of at the bottom.
Related Resources
What teachers say
Reviews
Write a review, earn store credit
Get 25¢ in credit for every approved review of a resource you’ve downloaded, played or purchased — up to 15 a month. Credit applies automatically to your membership payments, so your reviews can help pay for your membership.
Honest reviews only — any star rating earns the same. Program rules
Log in to write a review and earn store credit.
This Veteran's Day ABC Order Worksheet gives 2nd Grade students ten patriotic words to put in ABC order on roomy handwriting lines. An answer key is included, so practice checks itself in seconds.
This alphabetical order to the second letter worksheet asks 2nd graders to sort same-letter words and circle the word that comes first in ABC order. An answer key is included, so checking the page takes only seconds.
This ABC order worksheet gives 2nd grade students ten mixed-up animal words to rewrite in alphabetical order, using the second letter when two words match. An answer key is included, so checking takes seconds.
This Thanksgiving ABC Order Worksheet gives 2nd graders eight holiday words to put in alphabetical order, with four pairs that share a first letter. Answer key included for no-prep practice.
This Christmas Alphabetical Order Worksheet gives 2nd graders eight holiday words to put in ABC order, with four pairs that share a first letter. Answer key included for quick, no-prep practice.
The Simple Machine ABC Order Worksheet helps 2nd graders put ten simple machine words in alphabetical order and compare words letter by letter. An answer key is included, making it perfect for quick, no-prep ABC order practice.
This alphabetical order to the third letter worksheet gives 2nd grade students six words to alphabetize and four pairs to compare, with an answer key included, so ABC order finally clicks.
This Reptiles Alphabetical Order Worksheet gives 2nd grade students eight scrambled reptile words to alphabetize plus three second-letter sets, with an answer key, so ABC order practice is ready to hand out.
This shapes abc order worksheet asks 2nd grade kids to put ten shape names in alphabetical order, using the second letter to break ties, and it comes with an answer key to build strong dictionary skills.
This Columbus Day ABC order sorting worksheet has 2nd grade students write ten sailing words in alphabetical order to the second letter. An answer key is included for quick, easy checking.
This Christmas Words ABC Order Worksheet gives 2nd graders ten holiday words to alphabetize and four word pairs to compare. An answer key is included, so seasonal ABC order practice takes no prep at all.
This fish alphabetical order worksheet has 2nd graders write ten fish names in ABC order, using the second letter when two names match, and an answer key is included for quick checking.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet