Organisms in the Environment (Week 1)

What is an environment?
Environment is everything that is around us. It can be living or non-living things. It includes physical, chemical
and other natural forces. It's everything that makes up our surroundings and affects our ability to live on the
earth—the air we breathe, the water that covers most of the earth's surface, the plants and animals around us,
and much more.

Living Things

The term living thing refers to things that are now or once were alive.

What are living things made of?

Living things are made up of cells. A cell is the basic building block of all organisms. It is the smallest unit of
organization in a living thing.

Non-living Things

Non-living things do not move by themselves, grow, or reproduce. They exist in nature or are made by living
things. There are three groups of nonliving things. They are solids, liquids, and gases. Water is an example of a
liquid. A rock is a solid. Oxygen is an example of a gas. Cars, pencils, and air are examples of nonliving things

Assignment 1:

1. State and describe the four (4) types of plants and give 2 examples with one (1) picture each.
a) Flowering Plants
b) Non-flowering Plants
c) Dicotyledonous Plants
d) Monocotyledonous Plants
2. Explain what a vertebrate is and identify and explain the 5 types of vertebrates and give 2 examples with 1
picture of each.
3. Explain what an invertebrate is and identify and explain the 5 types of invertebrates and give 2 examples
with 1 picture of each.
(20 Marks)
 The 7 Characteristics of Living Things (Week 2)
1. Movement - All living things move in some way. This may be obvious, such as animals that are able to
walk, or less obvious, such as plants that have parts that move to track the movement of the sun.
2. Respiration- Respiration is a chemical reaction that happens within cells to release energy from food.
3. Sensitivity- The ability to detect changes in the surrounding environment.
4. Growth- All living things grow. It is the process of increasing in size.

5. Reproduction- The ability to reproduce and pass genetic information onto their offspring.
6. Excretion- Getting rid of waste.
7. Nutrition- The intake and use of nutrients.

Test 1: (20 Marks)

1. Describe what an environment is. (2 Marks)

2. Define the following terms and give two examples of each:

a) Living things (3 Marks)

b) Non-living things (3 Marks)

3. What are living things made up of? (1 Mark)

4. Draw a plant cell and label any two (2) parts. (4 Marks)

5. State the seven (7) characteristics of living things. (7 Marks)

Grouping Organisms in the Environment (Week 3)
Flowering Plants
Flowering plants are a type of plant that produces flowers in order to reproduce. Flowering plants produce seeds
within a fruit. The scientific name for flowering plants is angiosperms. Some examples are:
 Daisies.
 Tulips.
 Tomatoes.
 Apples.
 Oaks.
 Magnolias.

Life-cycle of a Flowering Plant

Flowering plants follow a specific life cycle.

1. Seed - They begin their lives as seeds. Seeds are like baby plants. They have a hard outer shell that protects
the seed embryo inside.
2. Germination - The seed ends up on the ground. It needs air, water, and soil to grow. When a seed begins to
grow, this is called germination. The first growth will usually be some small roots. Then stems will grow.
3. Sprout or seedling - When the first sign of life appears above the soil, this is called a sprout or seedling.
4. Mature plant - The seedling will continue to grow into a full mature plant with leaves, roots, and stems.
5. Flowering - The mature plant will grow flowers. Through pollination, the flowers will produce seeds.
When the seeds end up on the ground, the cycle will begin again.

Non-flowering Plants

Plants without flowers that can reproduce are called non flowering plants. Non-flowering plants are plants that
grow from spores instead of seeds. A spore is a tiny cell that is created by the plant. Spores are released into the
air or into water, and then travel away from the original plant. If the spore lands somewhere with the right
conditions, it can start to create new cells and eventually become a new plant. Some examples of non-flowering
plants are:
 Ferns
 Liverworts
 Mosses
 Hornworts
 Horsetails
 Conifers
Monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants
Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR
MONOCOTS DICOTS
COMPARISON

Meaning Plants with the seed having only one Plants with the seed having two
cotyledon are called as monocots, and cotyledons are called as dicots
the plant is called as monocotyledons. and plant is called as
dicotyledons.

Embryo Contains one cotyledon. Contains two cotyledons.

Flower parts The flower parts are present in The flower parts are present in
multiples of three. multiples of four or five.

Leaves The venation of the leaf is parallel. There is the net-like or

intersecting type of venation
present in the leaf.

Roots Adventitious or fibrous roots - with Radicle or tap roots - with long
many branches. thick root.

Examples Sugarcane, banana tree, grass, Mint, lettuce, tomato, legumes

daffodils, palm, ginger, grains which which include beans, lentils, pea
include wheat, rice, corn, millets. and peanuts.
Vertebrates and Invertebrates
Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR
INVERTEBRATES VERTEBRATES
COMPARISION

Meaning Animals without the Animals with the backbone are called
backbone. Vertebrates, their internal structure is
made up of numerous bone.

Examples Insects, roundworms, Humans, elephant, birds, snakes, etc.

tapeworms, Sponges,
Annelids.

Characteristics 1. No cell walls. 1. Presence of backbone.

2. Reproduce sexually. 2. Cell walls present.
3. Multicellular. 3. Multicellular.
4. No backbone. 4. Advanced nervous system.
5. Well-developed internal skeleton.

Size Small and slow moving. Vary in size from big to small.

Layers of skin They have only one layer of Two layers of skin, outer one in known
skin. is epidermis and beneath is dermis.

Classes  protozoans  Fishes

 annelids  Amphibians
 echinoderms  Reptiles
 mollusks  Birds
 arthropods  Mammals
 Collecting, Storing and Classifying Organisms (Week 4)
Plants Preservation
1. Microwave Drying - Using a microwave oven for drying flowers is another method to preserve flowers
and other plant materials.
2. Pressing- The colors and forms of many leaves and some flowers can be preserved by placing them
between layers of newspaper or pages of a catalog and weighting the top with a heavy flat object.
Storage
When plant parts have been preserved, take utmost care to prevent them from being damaged. Pack specimens in
closed boxes or in sealed plastic bags containing mothballs. Put packets of silica gel in the boxes to absorb any
moisture in the air. Dried plant materials are highly flammable, so take precautions to prevent fire hazards.

What is the need of biological classification?

1. Classification is needed for convenient study of living organisms.

2. It is necessary for knowing the different varieties of organisms.
3. It helps in the correct identification of various organisms.
4. It helps to know the origin and evolution of organisms.

Difference between Plants and Animals

BASIS FOR
PLANTS ANIMALS
COMPARISON

Meaning Plants are green in colour due to the
presence of the chlorophyll and are
able to prepare their own food with the
help of sunlight, water and air. They
are known for providing oxygen to the
atmosphere.
Animals are the living organisms which feed on the
organic material and are known to have a specialized
system in their body like the nervous system,
reproductive system, sense organs, which make them
unique from the other forms of life.

Movement Plants do not have the ability to move Animals can move from one place to another freely.
from one place to another, as plants are
rooted into the ground.

Mode of nutrition Plants have chlorophyll, due to which Animals depend on plants for their food, either
they have the capability to prepare directly or indirectly.
their own food and are known as
autotrophs.

Respiration Plants take in carbon dioxide and Animals take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide
release oxygen into the atmosphere. into the atmosphere.
Test 2: (20 Marks)
1. What are flowering and Non-flowering Plants and give two (2) examples each (6 Marks)
2. State the five (5) stages of the life cycle of a flowering plant. (5 Marks)
3. State two (2) difference between monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. (4 Marks)
4. State one (1) difference between plants and animals. (1 Mark)
5. Define the following terms and give one (1) example each.
Vertebrates (2 Marks)
Invertebrates (2 Marks)
 Structure of a flower (Week 5)
Flower
Flowers are the reproductive organs of the flowering plant.

The main structures of a flower include:

 Sepal - The sepal is a support structure for the petal. It is typically green and helps to protect and hold up the petal.
 Petal - The petals are the bright colorful leaves of the flower. The petals are often bright and colorful in order to
attract insects that help with pollination. All of the petals together are called the corolla.
 Stamen - The stamen is the part of the flower that produces pollen. There are two main parts of the stamen: the
filament and anther.
 Filament - The filament is the stalk that holds the anther.
 Anther - The anther is made up of lobes that attach to the filament. These lobes hold sacs which contain pollen.
 Pistil (Carpel) - The pistil is the female part of the flower. It contains the carpel and the stigma.
 Stigma - The stigma is the area where pollen is received. The stigma may be located at the end of a stalk called the
style.
 Ovary- The ovary of the flower contains ovules which are potential seeds.
Structure of a seed (Week 6)
A seed develops from an ovule after fertilization. It consists of a tough coat or testa enclosing an embryo which
is made up of a plumule, a radicle and one or two cotyledons.

1. Testa (Seed coat) - A tough, hard, outer coat. The testa protects the seed from fungi, bacteria and insects.

2. Hilum- The hilum is a scar left by the stalk which attached the ovule to the ovary wall.

3. Micropyle - The micropyle is a tiny pore in the testa. It admits water to the embryo before active
germination.

4. Radicle - The radicle is the embryonic root which grows and develops into the root system of the plant.

5. Plumule (Epicotyl) - The plumule is the embryonic shoot.

6. Cotyledons - A cotyledon is part of the embryo within the seed of a plant. Often when the seed germinates,
or begins to grow, the cotyledon may become the first leaves of the seedling.

7. Hypocotyl - The hypocotyl is the stem of a germinating seedling, found below the cotyledons and above
the radicle.

What is Seed Germination?

Seed germination may be defined as the fundamental process by which different plant species grow from a
single seed into a plant.
 Process of Germination

1) The radicle pushes through the seed coat into the soil
2) Primary roots begin to develop and the hypocotyl forms a hook that straightens out, pulling the cotyledons
above ground.
3) The emergent seedling begin to straighten out, taking the cotyledons with it.
4) The primary leaves begin unfolding and the stem elongates.
5) The true leaves completely emerge and the cotyledons eventually fall off.

Test 3: (15 Mark)

1. What is a flower? (1 Mark)

2. Draw and label 5 parts of a flower. (5 Marks)
3. What is germination? (2 Mark)
4. What is the function of the radicle and plumule of a bean seed? (2 Mark)
5. What are the five (5) processes of germination? ( 5 Marks)
Pollination (Week 7)
Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma. The goal
of every living organism, including plants, is to create offspring for the next generation.

What is Self-Pollination?
Self-pollination occurs by transferring the pollen grains directly from anther into the stigma of the same flower.

What is Cross-Pollination?
Cross Pollination is a type of pollination during which the pollen grains are transferred from the anther of one
flower into the stigma of another flower.

Fertilization

Fertilization is the process whereby the pollen grains fuse with the ovules in the ovary of a female flower. After
the pollen lands on the stigma, a pollen tube forms, and the pollens travels down the style and into the ovary,
where it fertilizes an ovule. The ovule becomes a seed, and the ovary becomes the fruit of the plant.
The Root and Leaf (Week 8)
Functions of the root

1. It absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil.

2. It fixes the plant to the ground.
3. In some plants it acts as a storage organ.

Types of root

Tap Root
A tap root system has a main root that grows down vertically, and from which many smaller lateral roots arise. A
tap root system penetrates deep into the soil. Some plants with tap roots are:

 Beetroot.
 Carrot.
 Sugar beet.
 Dandelion.

TAP ROOT  NET VEINS  DICOTYLEDONS

Fibrous Root
A Fibrous root system is located closer to the soil surface, and forms a dense network of roots that also helps
prevent soil erosion. Some plants with fibrous roots are:
 Lawn grasses
 Wheat
 Rice
 Corn

FIBROUS ROOT  STRAIGHT VEIN  MONOCOTYLEDONS

 The leaf

External Parts of a Leaf

Tip/Leaf Apex: This is the tip of the leaf

Lamina/Blade: This is the blade of the leaf

Margin: This is the outer edging of the leaf. They can be in many
different forms, i.e. serrated, and parted.

Midrib: This is the middle vein of the leaf, it connects with

the Petiole

Lateral Veins: These veins are one of the most important parts of
the leaf, they transport the food and water the leaf needs to all its
necessary places.

Petiole: This part attaches the leaf to the actual plant stalk.

Stipules: These are found at the base of the plant in pairs attached
in between the petiole and the stalk of the plant.

Functions of a Leaf

 Photosynthesis: This is the most important function of a leaf. They contain chloroplasts which have the pigment
chlorophyll that is responsible for helping in photosynthesis. The prepared food is transported to the other parts of
the plant via phloem tissue.

 Helps the plant breathe: Stomata are responsible for regulating water in and out of the cell. It is also responsible
for the exchange of gases across the epidermis.

 Storage of food: In some plants, the leaves are modified to store food. These plants generally have succulent
leaves as seen in xerophytic plants.
 Mixing and separating (Week 9)
What is a mixture?

A mixture is a substance made by combining two or more different materials in such a way that no chemical
reaction occurs. Some examples of Mixtures are:

 Sand and water.

 Salt and water.
 Sugar and salt.
 Ethanol in water.
 Salt and pepper.

What is a Solution?

A solution is made when one substance called the solute (solid) "dissolves" into another substance called the
solvent (liquid). Some examples of solutions are:

 Coffee or tea.
 Juice.
 Saltwater.
 Bleach (sodium hypochlorite dissolved in water)
 carbonated beverages (carbon dioxide dissolved in water is what gives sodas their fizz)

Types of solution

Solid in solid - A solid is mixed with another solid. Examples are brass, which is composed of zinc and copper,
and steel, which is composed of carbon and iron.

Liquid in solid - a solvent (liquid) is mixed with s solute (solid). Examples will be salt (solute) dissolved
in water (solvent) and sugar (solute) dissolved in water (solvent).

Liquid in liquid - this is when a solvent mixes with another solvent. The typical example is water and ethanol,
Water and acetone and Ethanol and acetone.

Gas in liquid - this is where a gas mixes with a solvent. Some examples are Oxygen in water and Carbon
dioxide in water

Gas in gas - this is where a gas can mix and dissolve into another gas. Some examples are carbon and oxygen to
make carbon dioxide and Xenon, krypton and Helium gas are used to produce lights for special effects- neon
lights.
Separating Techniques (Week 10)
Chromatography:

Chromatography is a separation technique used to separate the different components in a liquid mixture. For
example, to separate colors in a dye, to separate pigments from natural color and to separate drugs from blood.

Separating funnel:

A separating funnel is used for the separation of components of a mixture between two immiscible liquid phases.
For example, to separate a mixture of oil and water and to separate a mixture of kerosene oil and water.

Simple Distillation

Simple distillation is a method used for the separation of components of a mixture containing two miscible liquids.
For example, Distillation of alcohol.

Filtration

Filtration is a method of separating an insoluble solid from a liquid. For example, separating sand from water.

Evaporation

Evaporation is the process of separating a solid from a liquid which has been dissolved. For example, water can
be evaporated from a salt solution to get back the salt.
Physical Properties (Week 11)
What are Physical Properties and Changes?

Physical Properties:

Physical properties can be observed or measured without changing the composition of matter.
Physical properties are used to observe and describe matter. Physical properties include:
appearance, texture, color, odor, melting point, boiling point and many others.

Physical Changes:

Physical changes are changes affecting the form of a chemical substance, but not its chemical
composition. A physical change does not produce a new substance. Changes in state or phase
(melting, freezing, vaporization, condensation, sublimation) are physical
changes. Examples of physical changes include crushing a can, melting an ice cube, and
breaking a bottle.

Chemical Properties:

Chemical properties are properties that can be measured or observed only

when matter undergoes a change to become an entirely different kind of matter. They
include reactivity, flammability, and the ability to rust.

Chemical Changes:

Chemical changes occur when a substance combines with another to form a new substance.