Subject: Is the shell of a mollusc considered to be a 'living thing' or 'non-living'

We just finished a class on classification using the simple system 
of "living", "dead", and "non-living".  We learned that leaves and other parts 
of living organisms are considered "living" as long as they are connected to 
the living organism, and dead when disconnected, but in all of our examples the 
parts were made of cells.  Shells are deposits of minerals, so are they also 
considered living if they are connected to the living organism?

Re: Is the shell of a mollusc considered to be a 'living thing' or 'non-living'