Living and Non-Living Things in Watery Environments. If there is a pond, lake, ocean, swamp, brook, or other body of water near your home, spend at least 1/2 hour observing it through the use of your sight, touch, hearing, and smell. What living things do you observe? What non-living things are present? How are they dependent upon each other? Take notes and/or make sketches about your observations, and then create a poster-size drawing of the natural body of water that you studied. Label the living and non-living parts with their names and note whether they are living or non-living. Use paints, crayons, or colored pencils to color the drawing. Some parts may be difficult to decide whether they are living or not. For example, water itself is non-living, but it may be filled with tiny, living aquatic organisms as well as larger organisms such as fish.