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CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY
Science
Learnerí s Book

3
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Jon Board and Alan Cross

University Printing House, Cambridge cb2 8bs, United Kingdom

Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge.

It furthers the University’s mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of
education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence.

Information on this title: education.cambridge.org

© Cambridge University Press 2014
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without the written
permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2014
Reprinted 2015
Printed by Multivista Global Ltd, India
A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library
isbn 978-1-107-61141-2 Paperback

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Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy
of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication,
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
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accurate or appropriate. Information regarding prices, travel timetables, and other
factual information given in this work is correct at the time of first printing but
Cambridge University Press does not guarantee the accuracy of such information
thereafter.
Cover artwork: Bill Bolton

notice to teachers
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References to Activities contained in these resources are provided ‘as is’ and information
provided is on the understanding that teachers and technicians shall undertake a thorough
and appropriate risk assessment before undertaking any of the Activities listed. Cambridge
University Press makes no warranties, representations or claims of any kind concerning the
Activities. To the extent permitted by law, Cambridge University Press will not be liable for
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any loss, injury, claim, liability or damage of any kind resulting from the use of
the Activities.
Introduction
Contents
Introduction

The Cambridge Primary Science series has been developed to match

the Cambridge International Examinations Primary Science curriculum
framework. It is a fun, flexible and easy-to-use course that gives both
learners and teachers the support they need. In keeping with the aims of
the curriculum itself, it encourages learners to be actively engaged with
the content, and to develop enquiry skills as well as subject knowledge.

This Learner’s Book for Stage 3 covers all the content in Stage 3 of the
curriculum framework. The topics are covered in the order in which they are
presented in the curriculum for easy navigation, but can be taught in any
order that is appropriate to you.

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Throughout the book you will find ideas for practical activities, which will
help learners to develop their scientific enquiry skills as well as introduce
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them to the thrill of scientific discovery.

The ‘Talk about it!’ question in each topic can be used as a starting point
for classroom discussion, encouraging learners to use scientific vocabulary
and develop their understanding.
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‘Check your progress’ questions at the end of each unit can be used to
assess learners’ understanding. Learners who will be taking the Cambridge
Primary Progression test for Stage 3 will find these questions useful
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preparation.

We strongly advise you to use the Teacher’s Resource for Stage 3,

ISBN 978-1-107-61150-4, alongside this book. This resource contains
extensive guidance on all the topics, ideas for classroom activities, and
guidance notes on all the activities presented in this Learner’s Book. You will
also find a large collection of worksheets, and answers to all the questions
from the Stage 3 products.

Also available is the Activity Book for Stage 3, ISBN 978-1-107-61150-4.

This book offers a variety of exercises to help learners consolidate
understanding, practise vocabulary, apply knowledge to new situations
and develop enquiry skills. Learners can complete the exercises in class or
be given them as homework.

We hope you enjoy using this series.

With best wishes,

the Cambridge Primary Science team.

Introduction 3
 Contents
Contents
Contents

Introduction 3

1 Looking after plants

1.1 Plants and their parts 6
1.2 Plants need light and water 8
1.3 Transporting water 10

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1.4 Plant growth and temperature 12
Check your progress 14

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Looking after ourselves
2.1 Food groups 16
2.2 A healthy diet 18
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2.3 An unhealthy diet 20
2.4 Exercise and sleep 22
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Check your progress 24

3 Living things
3.1 Living and non-living 26
3.2 Growth and nutrition 28
3.3 Movement and reproduction 30
3.4 Sorting humans 32
3.5 Sorting living things 34
Check your progress 36

4 Contents
4 Our five senses
4.1 Hearing and touch 38
4.2 Taste and smell 40
4.3 Sight 42
Check your progress 44

5 Investigating materials

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5.1 Properties of materials 46
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5.2 Sorting materials
5.3 Uses of materials
48
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5.4 Testing materials 52
5.5 Magnetic materials 54
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Check your progress 56

6
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Forces and movement

6.1 Push and pull 58
6.2 Changing shape 60
6.3 How big is that force? 62
6.4 Forcemeters 64
6.5 Friction 66
Check your progress 68

Reference 70
Glossary and index 74
Acknowledgements 80

Contents 5
 1 Looking after plants

1.1 Plants and their parts Words to learn

Plants can look very different. leaves flowers
stem transport
Most have four main parts.
roots healthy
leaves – make food for the plant unhealthy

flowers – help the

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plant to make seeds

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transport
water
around
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the plant
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roots – support the plant and

collect water from the soil

Activity 1.1
You will need:
Make a model plant string t straws
coloured paper or card
Make a plant like this one. sticky tape t glue

Make labels for the stem,

roots, leaves and flower.
Stick them to your plant.

6 1 Looking after plants

 Healthy plants have healthy
roots, stems and leaves.

Healthy leaves.

A plant with unhealthy roots, stems

and leaves will not grow well.

A plant with
healthy roots.

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with rust disease.

Unhealthy roots with

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root knot disease.

Questions
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1 List four things that most plants have.

2 Describe how plants are different
from each other. Talk about it!
Why don’t plants have
flowers all year round?
W hat you have learnt
Most plants have roots, a stem, leaves
and flowers.
Healthy plants have healthy roots, stem and leaves.
A plant with unhealthy roots, stem and leaves will
not grow well.

1 Looking after plants 7

 1.2 Plants need light and water
Sunil has an Words to learn
unhealthy plant. predict investigation
fair test wilt
explain
What does a plant need
to stay healthy and grow?

Activity 1.2a
You will need:
six young plants t watering can t box
Do plants need light to grow?
to cover three plants

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Look at the pictures to see what to do.
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light no light
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Water all the plants every day.

What do you predict will happen to the leaves, stems
and roots of the plants?
In this investigation both groups of plants are given water.
What else do you need to keep the same to make this a fair test ?

If plants do not get enough light and water the roots, stem or leaves,
become unhealthy. The plant will wilt.

Light and water both help the plant to make food.

8 1 Looking after plants

Activity 1.2b You will need:
nine young plants t watering can
Do plants need water to grow?
Look at the pictures to see what to do.

Water every day. Water twice a week. Do not water.

What do you predict will happen to the plants’ leaves,

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stems and roots in each case?
What do plants need to grow? How do you know?
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Explain what you have found out.

The surface of
the Moon.
Questions
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1 What does a plant need to grow and stay healthy?
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2 Explain what happens to the stem and leaves

when you put a plant in a dark place.
3 Would a plant grow if it was given juice instead
of water? Draw a picture to show how
you could investigate this.
Talk about it!
Could plants ever grow
W hat you have learnt on the Moon?

All plants need light to grow and keep their stems

and leaves healthy.
All plants need some water to grow and keep their
stems and leaves healthy.

1 Looking after plants 9

 1.3 Transporting water
The roots and the stem Words to learn
absorb
Helene has a plant that looks unhealthy.
Look at the roots.

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This pot is too small
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The roots are really close Putting the plant in a
for the roots. together and cannot bigger pot will allow the
absorb water well. roots to spread out.
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The stem transports

water to the leaves
and flowers.
The roots absorb
water from the soil.

The roots transport

water to the stem.

10 1 Looking after plants

 You will need:
Activity 1.3 a white flower t some celery t a container of water
blue food colouring t a plastic knife
Making plants go blue
A plant stem can transport water to the leaves and flowers.
Predict what would happen if the water was blue.

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Your apparatus to use.

knife dropper

white
flower

food Place the

celery and

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colouring
the flower
in the water.
celery
PL Add a few
drops of
container of water
colouring.

After one day, cut the celery and look inside.

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Can you explain what has happened to the celery and the flower?

Questions
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1 Why do plants sometimes need to be moved

to a bigger pot?
2 How do plants get water to their leaves?
3 What would happen to a plant with
no roots? Why?
Talk about it!
What happens to flowers
W hat you have learnt when they are cut and
put into water?
Roots absorb water from the soil.
Roots transport water to the stem.
The stem transports water around the plant.

1 Looking after plants 11

 1.4 Plant growth and temperature
Activity 1.4 Words to learn
You will need: thermometer temperature
two similar bean plants t a thermometer t a ruler results bar chart
conclusion

At which temperatures do plants grow best?

Set up an investigation like one of the pictures below.

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Put one plant in Put one plant Put one plant in Put one plant
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the classroom. outside in cold the classroom. outside in warm
weather. weather.
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Predict which plant will grow the best. Use a ruler to measure the height of
the plants and a thermometer to measure the temperature every few days.
Record your results in a table.

Day Cold/hot plant Warm plant

Temperature Height in cm Temperature Height in cm

in ºC in ºC

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Draw a bar chart to show the height of the plants on the last day.
What is your conclusion ? At what temperatures do plants grow best?

12 1 Looking after plants

 This is a rainforest.
Many plants find it easy to
Think about the place grow here. It is warm but
you live. Is there not too hot and there is
plenty of water.
enough warmth for
plants to grow?
When is the warmest time of year? When is the coldest?
Can plants grow all year?

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At over 56 ºC, Death Valley in At −89 ºC, Antarctica is
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America is one of the hottest the coldest place on Earth.
places on Earth.

Questions
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1 Where do plants grow best? Cold places,

hot places or warm places?
2 What happens when a plant gets too hot?
3 How is plant growth affected by
temperature? Talk about it!
Why are there no plants
in Death Valley or
Antarctica?
W hat you have learnt
Plants grow more slowly when it is cold.
Plants grow more quickly when it is warm.
Plants die when they get too cold or too hot.

1 Looking after plants 13

 1 Check your progress
1 Here is a flowering plant.
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Copy and complete these sentences.

A is the . C
B is the .
C is a . B
D is the .

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2 Copy and complete the sentences using the missing words.
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You may use each word more than once.

roots flowers stem leaves water

Plants have that are under the ground. These hold the
plant up and also absorb . The water is transported to
the and then to the and the .

The make food for the plant. The help the

plant to make seeds.

14 1 Looking after plants

3 Which two of these does a plant need for it to to grow?

water light

food plant pot

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Copy and complete this sentence.
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A plant needs and to grow.
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4 Luiz and Cheng have planned an investigation.

a What are they investigating?

b What do they need to keep the same to make the test fair?
c Which plant will grow the best?

1 Looking after plants 15

 2 Looking after ourselves

2.1 Food groups Words to learn

dairy fruit
Foods can be put into groups. vegetables fat
carbohydrate energy
protein meat
fish

You need dairy

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foods for strong
bones and teeth.
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Food
groups
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You need fruit and
vegetables to
be healthy.
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You should not

eat too much
fat and sugar.

You need carbohydrate

for energy .

You need protein (such as

meat and fish ) for growth.

16 2 Looking after ourselves