NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 91

HUMAN REPRODUCTION

UNIT 3
Unit 3

HUMAN REPRODUCTION
CONTENTS EVALUATION CRITERIA
Pupils will be able to:

The stages of life Identify the different stages of life and the characteristics of
each one.

Describe the characteristics of puberty in females and males.

Human sexual characteristics and reproduction Identify primary and secondary sexual characteristics.

Describe the processes of fertilisation, pregnancy, labour

and birth.

OPENING PAGES UNIT SUMMARY

Pictures of a pregnant woman holding an ultrasound
image and two pairs of hands holding a baby.
REFLECT
Review of the stages of life and genetics.
WORK TOGETHER
Like two peas in a pod!
In this unit, pupils will learn about:
• the stages of life and how genes are inherited
• primary and secondary sexual characteristics
• the female reproductive organs
• the male reproductive organs
• how puberty affects girls and boys
• the menstrual cycle
• pregnancy from fertilisation to birth

LANGUAGE FOCUS
CONTENT PAGES
• Female organs
The female reproductive system
• Puberty
The male reproductive system
• Male organs
Pregnancy and birth • Pregnancy
• Describing a process
• Giving explanations
OUR WORLD
• Comparing things
Parental leave • Parenting
• Giving opinions

STUDY SKILLS KEY STRUCTURES

Writing an essay
• Present tenses: You get tired …
• Negative questions: Why don’t children …?
REVIEW • Infinitive of purpose: This is important to produce
healthy sperm.
• Question forms: How long is …?
• Imperatives: Label the plastic cups
• Modal verbs: need, should, must
 NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 93

LEARNING STANDARDS KEY COMPETENCES

Pupils are able to:

MST

AUT
SOC

CUL
DIG
LIN

LTL
Observe and recognise the different stages of life and define their characteristics.

Describe changes that girls and boys experience during puberty.

Name and locate the parts of the female reproductive system.

Recognise and locate the parts of the male reproductive system.

Understand the functions of female and male reproductive organs.

Classify the processes of fertilisation, pregnancy, labour and birth.

LIN Competence in linguistic communication SOC Competence in social awareness and citizenship

MST Competence in mathematics, science and technology AUT Competence in autonomous learning and personal initiative

UNIT 3
DIG Competence in the use of new technologies CUL Competence in artistic and cultural awareness
LTL Competence in learning to learn

DIGITAL RESOURCES UNIT TRACK LIST

Scripts on page 216
PUPIL’S IWB
Page 44 2.02  2.03 2.04
MY COMMUNITY
Page 45 2.05  2.06 2.07
LEARNING KIT Page 46 2.08 2.09  2.10 2.11
• Interactive content activities, Interactive
Page 47 2.12 2.13
language activities, Flashcards, Presentations,
Multimedia Page 48 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17

Page 49 2.18 2.19

TEACHER’S KIT
Page 53 2.20
• Teacher’s Book, Test generator, Methodology,
Wordlist, Worksheets, Multimedia,
360° Evaluations

FAMILY CORNER
• Presentations, Wordlist, Family guide
94

40 OPENING PAGES

SUMMARY
In this lesson, pupils will review what they know about
human reproduction and how certain characteristics are
passed from parents to children. Pupils will also discuss
how improvements in health and medicine have reduced
the rate of infant mortality.

LANGUAGE
• Question forms: How long is …? How do / does …?
What do ...? What happens ...?
• Describing a process: It begins with …; This is when the
…; Nutrients pass from …
• Vocabulary: reproduction, nutrients, foetus, pregnant,
medical check-up

MATERIALS
Flashcards.

GETTING STARTED Activity 2

• Show the flashcards and ask questions about the
people: What do you see? Do you think the people
are related? Who are the grandparents / parents /
children? How old do you think this / that person is?
What makes you say that? How do people change
as they get older?
• Write the word generation on the board. Explain
that a generation is a group of people that are
similar in age, such as their parents or their
grandparents.
STEP BY STEP PAGES 40–41
Invite a volunteer to read the question at the top of
page 41. Explain that a woman is pregnant for 40
weeks before the baby is born. Say: After 40 weeks of
pregnancy, a woman has a baby. She gives birth. Write
the phrase give birth on the board.
Activity 1
Write new words on the board: pregnant, abdomen,
ultrasound, image, newborn baby. Ask additional
questions: How many months pregnant do you think
the woman is? How old do you think the baby is?
Preview the questions and model the phrases from the
Useful language box. After pupils have spoken in pairs,
have a class discussion.
Activity 3
Show the flashcards and point out the three
generations. Ask: Do the people look similar to each
other? What about you? Are you like your parents?
Activity 4
Elicit different reasons why children might have died
young in the past espacio (disease, malnutrition,
accidents, war, poor hygiene, no medicine) Write
pupils’ ideas on the board as a spider diagram. Ask:
How have things changed? (We have vaccines and
other medicines. People eat better. Life is safer and
there are fewer wars.)
TARGETED QUESTIONS
 Eggs and babies. Write the words eggs and babies
on the board. Ask pupils to brainstorm the names of
animals that reproduce by laying eggs and animals that
give birth to live babies.

 What do babies need? Pupils write down things
babies need to be healthy and happy. (good food, a
warm bed, loving parents, safe toys, medical care)
Invite volunteers to read their ideas.
 Birth order. Ask pupils about birth order. Ask:
Is it better to be the oldest, youngest or middle child?
Is it good to have lots of sisters and brothers? What are
the pros and cons of bigger / smaller families?
 Research: Seahorses. Ask pupils to find
information about seahorses. Ask: What is unusual
about how seahorses reproduce? (The male carries the
fertilised eggs in a pouch until they hatch.)
WRAP IT UP
Ask pupils to draw their own family tree in their
notebooks. If time permits, ask them to discuss their
family tree with a partner. Ask volunteers to present
their family tree to the class.
360º EVALUATION
Download, print and distribute the Diagnostic test and
Self-evaluation for the pupils to complete.
NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 95
41
UNIT 3
SOLUTIONS
1  M odel answers: Main photo. It shows a
pregnant woman. She is holding a photo from
an ultrasound scan of an unborn baby. Small
photo. It shows a newborn baby lying asleep
in the hands of two people.
2  Model answers: a. Human reproduction begins
when a woman becomes pregnant. This
happens through sexual intercourse, when
sperm cells, deposited in the woman’s vagina by
a man when he ejaculates, move up through the
uterus and into the fallopian tubes and join with
an ovum. b. Nutrients pass from the mother to
the foetus through the placenta and the
umbilical cord. c. A pregnant woman should
have regular check-ups to make sure that the
baby is growing normally and that she herself is
well.
3  Model answers: Children are similar to their
parents and grandparents because they share
the same genes. They can share eye and hair
colour, facial features, and body shape as well
as character traits.
4  Pupils’ own answers.
96

42 REFLECT

SUMMARY
Pupils will match images with the stages of life and the
events and abilities which characterise them. Pupils will
also test their knowledge of genes and chromosomes and
discuss how we inherit characteristics from our parents.

LANGUAGE
• Present tenses: You get tired …; You are learning …
You need …; You like playing …; Your body is changing
• Nouns related to genetics: ancestors, chromosomes,
descendants, DNA, inheritance, nucleus, siblings

GETTING STARTED WRAP IT UP

Ask pupils to think about when they were babies. Ask:
What was a typical day like when you were two years
old? What did you do? What could / couldn’t you do?
How is your life different now? What things can you
do for yourself now? Are you looking forward to being
a teenager? Why or why not?
Ask pupils to write sentences about their personal plans
and predictions for the future. Write prompts on the
board: I’m going to be a … when I’m older; When I’m
… years old, I will … ; In my old age, I want to live in …
SOLUTIONS

STEP BY STEP PAGE 42 1  a. adolescence; b. adulthood; c. infancy; d. old

Activity 1
Invite volunteers to describe what they see. Encourage
them to use complete sentences (e.g. I see seven
teenagers. A couple are celebrating their wedding.).
Activity 2
Ask pupils to write more sentences about the events
and abilities for each stage of life. Ask: What else
happens during (childhood)? (They attend school.)
Activity 3
Ask pupils to work in pairs to write more multiple-
choice quiz questions about genes.
Activity 4
Ask volunteers to share their findings.
age; e. birth; f. childhood
2  a. infancy; b. old age; c. adulthood;
d. childhood; e. adolescence
3  1. b; 2. c; 3. a; 4. b; 5. c
4   Model answer: Chromosomes are very small
structures inside cells made from DNA and protein.
They contain information that acts as a set of
instructions for the cells for how a person will be
physically, e.g. blood type, height and eye colour.
Whether a person is male or female is also
determined by chromosomes. These are called X
and Y chromosomes. Girls have two X
chromosomes and boys have an X and a Y
chromosome.
 NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 97

WORK TOGETHER 43

SUMMARY
Pupils will use the Cooperative investigation technique
applied to an enquiry-based activity to encourage their
curiosity about the world around them. First, pupils will
discuss their ideas in groups and then share them with the
class, in order to form a class hypothesis. Next, they will
agree on a plan and work in their group to carry it out.
They will develop their conclusions and share them with the
class. Finally, pupils will test their hypothesis by comparing
their conclusion to their original hypothesis.

LANGUAGE
• Imperatives: Label six plastic cups. Put six (red) pompons
in the cup. Colour the six squares.
• Negative questions: Why don’t children …? Why aren’t
brothers …?

MATERIALS
Six plastic cups, felt-tip pen, small red, blue, green and

UNIT 3
yellow pompons (six of each colour), coloured pencils,
experiment worksheet. One set per group.

GETTING STARTED WRAP IT UP

Tell pupils that today they are going to do an
experiment about family characteristics and how they
are inherited. Ask a volunteer to read aloud the Think
first section and the key questions on page 43.
STEP BY STEP PAGE 43
Ask questions about twins: What do we call two brothers
or sisters who are born at the same time and look the
same? (identical twins) What do we call twins who don’t
look the same? (fraternal twins) Can a brother and a sister
be identical twins? (No, they can’t.) Ask pupils if there are
any identical or fraternal twins in their family.

• Step 1. Show pupils how to prepare their cups. To 360º EVALUATION

save time, prepare the cups in advance of the lesson.
Download, print and distribute the Cooperative
• Step 2. Ask a volunteer to demonstrate this step
learning evaluation for the pupils to complete.
while others follow along.
• Step 3. Ensure that all pupils have completed the
worksheet correctly up to this point.
• Step 4. Say: Now you are going to choose six
pompons for each child: Tommy, Elena, Mike and
Lisa. You must do this without looking. When pupils
have finished, check that everyone has completed
their worksheet. Invite volunteers to present their
results for Tommy and the other children.
Write the words ‘directly’ and ‘indirectly’ on the board.
Explain that children inherit characteristics directly from
their parents, and indirectly from their grandparents.
98

44 THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

SUMMARY
In these pages, pupils will learn about the female
reproductive system and how it functions. Pupils will also
learn how a girl’s body changes and develops during
puberty, and what happens during the menstrual cycle. In
addition, pupils will learn about the causes of acne and
how to prevent and treat it.

LANGUAGE
• Phrases with called: It is / They are called …
• Comparing things: become fuller / thicker, get older
• Female organs: ovaries, ova, fallopian tubes, uterus,
ovum, cervix, vagina, vulva
• Vocabulary: puberty, menstrual cycle, ovulation,
oestrogen, progesterone, period, ovulation, menopause

MATERIALS
Photos of women from the early 20th century performing
traditional roles, e.g. doing housework, to show how
times have changed, photos of women from the 21st
century, e.g. in positions of leadership in the workplace.

GETTING STARTED Activity 1

Show the photos of women from the past. Ask: How
old do you think this photo is? What was life like for
women then? Explain that in the past many women
got married young and couldn’t attend school, or work
outside the home. They often had many children and
they took care of the family and the house without any
modern conveniences. Then show pupils photos of
women today and ask how life has changed.
STEP BY STEP PAGES 44–45
• Ask the question at the top of page 44 and elicit
answers. Say: Most girls go through puberty
between 10 and 16 years of age. Some girls begin
puberty quite early, and other girls much later.
• Ask pupils to preview the bold words in the texts on
pages 44–45 and the labels on the diagrams. Ask:
Which words are familiar to you? Which words are
new? Model the correct pronunciation of these
words and any others that pupils mention from the
texts.
Invite pupils to write examples of female secondary
sexual characteristics that appear during puberty.
Activity 2 2.04
To extend the activity, ask pupils to write more true /
false questions about the text on page 44. They can also
write Wh- information questions and test each other.
Example questions: Where are the ovaries located? (in
the abdomen) How long are the fallopian tubes?
(10  cm) What is the external part of the female
reproductive system? (the vulva)
Activity 3
After correcting the activity, ask pupils to rewrite the
information from the exercise as complete sentences, for
example: The uterus contracts during birth. Extend the
activity by asking them to write sentences about other
words, such as ‘ovum’, ‘cervix’, ‘puberty’ and ‘vulva’.
 NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 99

45

2.02 The female reproductive system

2.03 The female reproductive organs
2.04 Activity 2
2.05 Puberty in girls
2.06 The menstrual cycle
2.07 Activity 5

Activity 4
• Preview the questions and model the phrases from
the Useful language box. When pupils have finished,
have a class discussion.
• Write the following adjectives from the text on the
board, calling attention to their endings: primary,
secondary, physical, sexual, reproductive, internal,
external, lower, mature, long, fertilised, muscular,
narrow, taller, fuller, thicker, older. Ask pupils to
write them in the notebooks and check any words
they don’t know with a dictionary.
UNIT 3
SOLUTIONS
1  P rimary sexual characteristics are the
differences between male and female
reproductive organs whereas secondary sexual
characteristics are other physical differences
that appear in puberty.
2  1. True; 2. False (A girl is born with all the ova
she will have in her life.); 3. False (at different
ages usually between 10 and 15); 4. True;
5. False (It is when menstruation stops.)

Activity 5 2.07 3  a. uterus; b. fallopian tubes; c. vagina; d. ovaries

• Before pupils start the listening activity, ask: Do you
know what acne is? (Spots that you get on your
face.) How can it be a problem? (It makes people
self-conscious and it may need medical treatment if
it’s serious.)
• Ask pupils to look for more information about acne
online. Pupils can write their findings on the board.
WRAP IT UP
Have a spelling competition with words from the
lesson. Pupils can play in pairs or in teams.
4  a. During puberty, girls grow taller and their
bodies becomes fuller. Their breasts start to
develop and hair grows in the pubic area and
armpits. b. Most girls start having a period
between 10 and 15 years old. c. Ovulation
occurs approximately every 28 days. d. During
menstruation, the uterus releases blood and
tissue, which leave the body through the vagina.
5  Model answers: Blocked pores can cause acne.
Keep your face clean. Don’t touch it with dirty
hands. Don’t squeeze spots. Get advice from
your doctor.
100

46 THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

SUMMARY
Pupils will learn about the parts of the male reproductive
system and how they work together to produce and
transport sperm cells. Pupils will also learn about and
discuss the effects of testosterone and puberty on boys.

LANGUAGE
• Infinitive of purpose: … relaxes to regulate the
temperature. This is important to produce healthy
sperm.
• Giving explanations: The tail helps sperm …; Semen is
necessary because …; The scrotum … and …
• Male organs: testicles, scrotum, vasa deferntia, seminal
vesicles, postrate, penis, urethra
• Vocabulary: semen, sperm cells, ejaculation, testosterone

MATERIALS
Photos of men from the past and present that show how
traditional stereotypes are changing as regards jobs,
personal relationships and family life. A list of websites to
show if girls and boys reach puberty earlier now.

GETTING STARTED Activity 1

Show photos of men from the past and present to the
class. Ask: What traditional roles did men have in the
past? (They worked to bring home money. They had to
join the army and fight in wars. They often did hard,
physical jobs. Men couldn’t show weakness.) How are
men’s roles different today? (They can stay home to
care for children. There aren’t as many wars now. We
use machines for the most dangerous jobs.)
STEP BY STEP PAGES 46­– 47
• Call attention to the question at the top of page 46
and say: Male reproductive cells are called sperm or
spermatozoa. They are microscopic so we need a
microscope to see them.
• Ask pupils to look at the bold words in the text on
page 46 and the labels of the diagram. Model these
keywords for pupils to practise their pronunciation.
• Write the following words on the board and ask
pupils to find them in the text and write the words
that follow them: lower (abdomen), fallopian (tubes),
sperm (cells), seminal (vesicles), tubular (organ),
physical (changes), facial (hair), body (hair / shape).
Ask pupils to write a description of how sperm cells are
transported. They can use bullet points or write a
paragraph. When pupils have finished, they can
compare their work with the text on page 46.
Activity 2 2.13
After pupils have answered, use the recording for a
dictation, pausing after every sentence so that pupils
have time to write. Play the recording more than once
if necessary.
Activity 3
Model the Useful language phrases for the class. Invite
pairs of volunteers to share their answers. Extend the
activity by asking pupils to describe other parts of the
male reproductive system and their functions.
Activity 4
Write the answers on the board and ask pupils to think
of other things that change when boys go through
puberty. Ask: Do boys’ shoulders change? (Yes, they
get wider.) Do boys become stronger? (Yes, they do,
especially if they do exercise and sports.) What about
their facial hair? What do boys do about it? (They shave
if they don’t want a moustache or a beard.)

2.08
2.09
2.10
2.11
2.12
2.13
Activity 5
Prepare in advance a list of useful links, in case pupils
have difficulty finding a suitable website. Ask pupils:
What are the similar characteristics between boys and
girls during puberty? (They grow taller, hair grows on
the body and the glands produce more oil.)
WRAP IT UP
Ask pupils to play a memory game in groups of three.
One person says a word and the other person repeats
the word and adds another word. The first person
must then repeat both words and add a third word,
and so on. The third person in the group is the
secretary who writes down the words and listens for
mistakes. When someone makes a mistake, they
become the secretary.
NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 101
47
The male reproductive system
Testicles
Vasa deferentia and prostate
Penis
Puberty in boys
Activity 2
UNIT 3
SOLUTIONS
1  testicles, vasa deferentia, seminal vesicles,
prostate, urethra
2  N o, both men and women produce
testosterone. Men: in the testicles. Women: in
the ovaries. Both: in the adrenal glands.
3  The tail helps sperm to move along the fallopian
tubes and fertilise the ovum. Semen is necessary
because it helps the sperm cells to move more
easily and also provides them with nutrients.
The scrotum regulates the temperature of the
testicles, which is important for the production
of healthy sperm.
4  Model answer: Boys often go through puberty
later than girls. The brain produces hormones
that affect the testicles, which start producing
a hormone called testosterone. Testosterone
causes physical changes: boys become taller
and heavier and the reproductive organs
grow; their voice becomes deeper and body
hair grows.
5  Pupils’ own answers.
102

48 PREGNANCY AND BIRTH

SUMMARY
Pupils will learn about the various stages of pregnancy,
from fertilisation to labour and birth. They will also learn
about the differences between a zygote, embryo, foetus
and fully-developed baby. In addition, pupils will do
research about prenatal care and maternal health.

LANGUAGE
• Time phrases: During sexual intercourse, …; After
fertilisation occurs …; After two weeks …; At nine
weeks …
• Describing a process: The foetus gets nutrients through
…; It eliminates waste through …
• Pregnancy: pregnant, genes, fertilisation, zygote,
embryo, foetus, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord, placenta,
labour, contractions, cervix, amniotic sac, birth canal,
placenta/afterbirth

GETTING STARTED
• Display objects of increasing size (see examples in
Materials) to show pupils the change in size as a
zygote becomes an embryo and then a foetus. Say:
This is how you grew before you were born. At
(two) weeks, you were the size of (a pin head). After
(four) weeks, you were the size of (a pea). At
(sixteen) weeks, you were as big as (an avocado).
• Explain to pupils that today they will learn about
how this growth process occurs, from the
fertilisation of an ovum to the birth of a baby.
STEP BY STEP PAGE 48–49
• Ask the question at the top of page 48 and elicit
answers. (During a woman’s fertile period, after
ovulation and before menstruation begins.)
• Preview the diagrams on pages 48–49 and clarify
the meaning and pronunciation of the keywords.
• Pupils could read the texts on these two pages as a
jigsaw reading activity. Pupils work in groups of four.
All four read the introductory paragraph on page 48.
Then each person in the group reads one of the
following paragraphs. After that, the pupils explain
their paragraphs to the others in the proper order.
Activity 1
Remind pupils of the experiment they conducted on
page 43, using pompons to represent inherited
characteristics. Ask: How many of our genes do we
get from each of our parents? (12 000) And how many
of those genes come from each grandparent? (6 000)
Activity 2
Ask pupils to cover page 48 with a piece of paper
before doing this activity. When pupils have finished,
they can check their answers against the text and
diagram. Ask pupils to draw a flow chart in their
notebooks.
Activity 3 2.19
Ask pupils to write definitions for other words in the
text, such as fertilisation, embryo, amniotic sac, labour,
contractions, cervix, etc. Alternatively, they can look up
the words in a dictionary and copy the definitions.
 NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 103

49

2.14 Pregnancy and birth

2.15 Fertilisation
2.16 From zygote to embryo
2.17 From embryo to foetus
2.18 Labour and birth
2.19 Activity 3

MATERIALS
Objects to represent the size of a zygote at 2 weeks (pin
head), an embryo at 4 weeks (1 cm, e.g. a pea), a foetus
at 9–10 weeks (2.5 cm, e.g. an olive), a foetus at 12 weeks
(5 cm, e.g. a lime), a foetus at 16 weeks (11 cm, e.g. an
avocado), a 20-week foetus (25 cm, e.g. a standard size
football + 3 cm).

Activity 4
Remind pupils of the relative sizes of a zygote, embryo
and foetus at various stages of development. Ask
about later stages of development: How big do you
think a baby is after (30) weeks? And during the last
week of pregnancy?
Activity 5
Model the Useful language phrases. Invite pairs of
volunteers to share their answers with the class. Extend
the activity by asking pupils to describe other
processes: How is the foetus protected from impacts?
How does the baby leave the uterus?
Activity 6
Ask pupils to find out how many extra calories a
preganant woman needs per day. (about 200–300
calories in the final three months) Elicit what pupils
think the idiom ‘eat for two’ means. (eating for mother
and baby)
WRAP IT UP
Play ‘Odd one out’ by writing sets of words on the
board for pupils to decide in pairs which one is the odd
one out.
UNIT 3
Suggested sets:
1 embryo zygote sperm foetus
2 cervix vagina vulva prostate
3 scrotum ovary testicle penis
SOLUTIONS
1  A bout 24,000. To determine the baby’s
characteristics, e.g. eye colour.
2  fertilised ovum, zygote, embryo, foetus, labour,
birth
3  1. pregnancy; 2. fallopian tubes; 3. umbilical
cord; 4. labour; 5. afterbirth
4  Model answer: A zygote is a ball of cells that
forms after fertilisation. After two weeks, the
zygote becomes an embryo and continues to
grow and develop. At nine weeks, when all of
the baby’s organs have formed, the embryo
becomes a foetus.
5  The foetus gets nutrients and eliminates waste
through the placenta and umbilical cord.
6  Pupils’ own answers.
104

50 OUR WORLD

SUMMARY
Pupils will learn about parental leave and how it helps new
parents adjust to the arrival of a baby. Pupils will also
discuss the advantages and disadvantages of parental
leave for the parents as well as the child.

LANGUAGE
• Talking about the future: Our new baby will probably …;
I won’t be paid.
• First conditional: If I stay home …, my employers can’t
promise that they’ll …
• Wishes: We wish we could get …
• Giving opinions: In my opinion …; The first advantage of
… is …; Another positive point is …
• Parenting: parental leave, childcare, earnings, nursery,
incubator, salary

GETTING STARTED Activity 2

On the board, write the word parenthood and explain
that this means being a parent. Ask: What do people
have to think about when they become parents? What
problems and worries do they have? Should both
parents have the same responsibilities when a new
baby is born?
STEP BY STEP PAGE 50
Explain to pupils that today’s lesson is about parental
leave – the time when new parents can stop working
and stay at home to look after their children. Read
aloud the sentences at the top of page 50. Ask: Do
parents in Spain get parental leave? How much time
do they get?
Activity 1
Explain the task and invite pupils to read their texts.
Model the pronunciation of new vocabulary, such as
concern, childcare, employers, earnings, nursery,
incubator, salary, feeding, law. Invite volunteers to
guess the meaning or ask pupils to look up the words
in the dictionary.
Model and explain the Useful language before pupils
do the activity. Ask pupils to take notes about their
ideas, making lists of the advantages and disadvantages
for each person in their notebooks. Have a class
discussion as a follow-up.
WRAP IT UP
Ask pupils to play a brainstorming game in pairs. Write 10
random letters of the alphabet on the board. Ask pupils
to think of words from the unit that begin with those
letters. They can write a maximum of two words for each
letter. Ask pairs to say their words and give them a point
for each word that no one else has.
SOLUTIONS
1  a. both texts; b. text A; c. text B; d. text A;
e. text B
2 Pupils’ own answers.
 NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 105

STUDY SKILLS 51

SUMMARY
Pupils will learn how to organise and write an essay. They
will study an example that includes an introduction, main
points and a conclusion. Then pupils will write their own
essay about the possible difficulties involved with the
pregnancy and birth of twins.

LANGUAGE
• Modal verbs: You need to …; Puberty can be …; They
may feel …
• Parts of an essay: title, introduction, topic, body, main
points, paragraph, supporting ideas, conclusion

MATERIALS
Photocopies of the essay and notes from the page cut up
so that the title, paragraphs and notes are on separate
pieces of paper.

GETTING STARTED
• Ask pupils to think about the previous lesson in
which they learned about parental leave. On the
board, write the following:
Topic: Taking care of a new baby is difficult.
1 Parents need …
2 They have to …
3 Parents should / must …
• Ask pupils to complete the three sentences with
ideas that support the topic sentence. Have a class
discussion and write the best ideas on the board.
Ask pupils to vote for the three best ideas.
UNIT 3
notes are all separated. In pairs, pupils then organise
the paragraphs of the essay and the notes.
Activity 1
Write the topic on the board. Brainstorm with the class
what they already know about it and give them
suggestions for what to look up online.
Activities 2 and 3
• Ask pupils to think about a possible introduction to
the topic and compare their ideas with a partner.
• After they write their essays, pupils can ask a partner
to read their work and give feedback.
WRAP IT UP

STEP BY STEP PAGE 51 Ask pupils to think about how many children they
might like to have one day. What is the best number?
• Elicit from pupils what an essay is (a piece of writing Pupils should think of reasons to support their opinion.
about a topic) and how it is organised (in
paragraphs). Explain that each paragraph has a
specific purpose. SOLUTIONS
• Alternatively, you could photocopy the essay and notes 1 to 3   Pupils’ own answers.
in advance of the lesson, one copy for each pair of
pupils, and cut it up so that the title, paragraphs and
106

52 REVIEW

SUMMARY
Pupils review unit content by completing a variety of
activities. They can also talk about maternal healthcare in
the past and in the present. Pupils can then complete the
End-of-unit test.

LANGUAGE
• Present simple
• Describing a process: One sperm fertilises an ovum …
Then the zygote … After two weeks …
• Zero conditional: If + present simple, .... present simple
• Nouns ending in -ing and -ment: screening, treatment
• Vocabulary for the female and male reproductive
systems, puberty, menstruation and pregnancy

MATERIALS
Flashcards.
A list of websites that give information about advances in
childbirth procedures and treatment during pregnancy.

GETTING STARTED Activity 3

Ask pupils to look back through the unit. Ask
questions: What interesting facts did you learn about
the female and male reproductive systems? Did you
learn anything new and surprising about puberty?
What was the most important thing you learned about
pregnancy?
STEP BY STEP PAGES 52–53
Activity 1
Ask pupils to add boxes to the chart for female and
male puberty.
Female reproductive system: ovaries (- ova); fallopian
tubes; (uterus); cervix; (vagina); vulva
Male reproductive system: testicles (- sperm); (vasa)
deferentia; (seminal vesicles); prostate; penis; (urethra)
Activity 2
Tell pupils to read each sentence completely before
trying to fill the gap.
a. sexual; b. contract; c. menstrual; d. ovulation;
e. menopause
Ask pupils to write definitions for two more words to
test a partner. They should include the number of
letters.
a. vasa deferentia; b. tail; c. semen; d. testosterone;
e. scrotum
Activity 4
Prepare two or three appropriate websites in case
pupils cannot find one on their own. Pupils can use the
information they find to create an informative leaflet.
Pupils’ own answers.
Activity 5
Before copying the diagrams, pupils can test each
other by covering the words in the box.
Female: 1. ovary; 2. uterus; 3. fallopian tube; 4. cervix;
5. vagina
Male: 1. vas deferens; 2. seminal vesicle; 3. prostate;
4. testicle; 5. urethra; 6. penis; 7. scrotum
Activity 6
Ask pupils to add additional details to the description
of the menstrual cycle.
c, d, a, b

2.20
Activity 7 2.20
Play the recording once without stopping. Then play it
again, pausing while pupils take notes. Invite volunteers
to write key ideas on the board.
The uterus may start to contract and relax regularly.
The cervix becomes softer and thinner. The baby
moves down into the pelvis, usually with its head
down.
Activity 8
Model answer: Girls: grow taller; menstrual cycle
starts; body becomes fuller; breasts start to develop;
hair grows in pubic area and armpits. Boys: testicles
start producing testosterone; become taller and
heavier; reproductive organs grow; voice becomes
deeper; hair starts to grow on face, armpits and pubic
area.
Activity 9
Ask pupils to compare their answers in pairs.
a. divides; b. attaches; c. becomes; d. floats;
e. connects; f. provides; g. absorbs; h. produces
NATURAL SCIENCE LEARN TOGETHER PRIMARY 6 107
53
Activity 7
UNIT 3
Activity 10
Model answer: Identical twins develop from a single
fertilised egg that divides and becomes two separate
zygotes. Non-identical twins develop from two different
eggs that are fertilised by two different sperm cells.
Activity 11
After pupils have finished the activity, ask volunteers to
report back on what they discussed.
Pupils’ own answers.
WRAP IT UP
Play ‘Bingo’ with the class, using 12–15 words from the
unit. Write the words on the board for pupils to choose
three, and write them on slips of papers to be drawn.
360º EVALUATION
Download, print and distribute the End-of-unit test.
Compare the End-of-unit test with the test the pupils
did at the beginning of the unit. Ask pupils to then
complete the Self-evaluation again to see what they
have learnt.