Human Reproduction Knowledge Organiser

Topic Overview
• There are four stages in the human life cycle: childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old
age. During adolescence, sex hormones are released which cause physical changes to
happen which mean that you are physically ready to reproduce – this is called puberty.
• All mammals reproduce in a similar way. The male and female reproductive systems
produce sex cells (or gametes) known as sperm and egg cells.
• When a male and female mate, the sperm is introduced to the egg which it fertilises.
The fertilised egg can grow into a new life.
The male and female reproductive systems
• The sperm is the male sex cell. It contains half the genetic information needed to
make a baby. Sperm cells have tails so they can swim towards the egg.
• Eggs, or ova, are the female sex cell. They contain the other half the genetic info
needed to make a baby. Eggs cells are moved along the oviduct by ciliated
epithelial cells.

The menstrual cycle

Pregnancy
• Fertilisation happens if the nucleus of a sperm cell joins with the nucleus of an egg
cell. This often happens in the oviduct.
• The fertilised egg divides to form a ball of cells called an embryo. The embryo
attaches to the lining of the uterus – this is called implantation. The woman becomes
pregnant, the lining of the uterus does not break down and menstruation does not
happen. The embryo develops into a baby foetus.

• The amniotic sac contains the amniotic fluid. This fluid cushions and protects the
foetus.
• The umbilical cord connects the foetus to the placenta.
• The placenta transfers substances between the blood of the mother and the foetus.
The blood of the foetus and mother does not mix. Instead, the blood is brought close
enough together that substances can diffuse across (move from a high concentration
to a low concentration).
o Oxygen and glucose for respiration, along with other useful nutrients, diffuse from
the mother to the foetus.
o Harmful chemicals, such as alcohol and nicotine, can also diffuse into the foetus’s
blood.
o Waste products, such as carbon dioxide, diffuse from the foetus’ blood into the
mother’s blood
Birth
• The gestation period is the length of time that an animal is pregnant for. In humans,
this is nine months. At the end of nine month, the baby is ready to be born.
• During the first stage of birth, the amniotic sac ruptures – this is known as the ‘waters
breaking’. During the second stage the uterus wall contracts to push the baby out
and the umbilical cord is cut. During the third stage of birth, the placenta passes out
of the mother’s body – this is known as the ‘after-birth’.
Contraception
• It is important that you do not become pregnant until you are ready to care for a
baby.
• Contraception stops pregnancy from happening. The most common types of
contraception are condoms and the contraceptive pill. Condoms also protect against
the spread of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs).
 Human Reproduction Key Fact Test 1-10

No Questions Answers

What do we call the physical changes which

1 Puberty
happen during adolescence?

• Begin to produce sperm

Name some changes that happen to boys
2 • Voice breaks
during puberty.
• Shoulders broaden
• Release egg cells
Name some changes that happen to girls
3 • Menstruation (periods) start
during puberty.
• Hips become rounder

4 Name the male sex cell (gamete). Sperm cell

5 Which organ produces sperm? Testicles

6 Name the female sex cell (gamete). Egg cell (or ova)

7 Which organ contains egg cells? Ovaries

What is the name of the tube that carries

8 Oviduct (or fallopian tube)
eggs from the ovaries to the uterus?

In which part of the female reproductive

9 system does the baby grow in a pregnant Uterus
woman?

What does the menstrual cycle prepare a

10 Pregnancy
woman’s body for?
 Human Reproduction Key Fact Test 11-20

No Questions Answers

How long, on average, is the menstrual

11 28 days
cycle?

What do we call the release of an egg cell

12 Ovulation
from an ovary?

On what day of the menstrual cycle does

13 Day 14
ovulation occur?

What do we call the joining of a nucleus

14 Fertilisation
from the male and female sex cells?

What do we call the sinking of the embryo

15 Implantation
into the lining of the uterus?
Which organ allows the transfer of
16 substances between the blood of the The placenta
mother and the blood of the foetus?
Which substance cushions and protects the
17 Amniotic fluid
foetus during pregnancy?

The walls of the uterus contract

18 What happens during birth?
and push the baby out

What do we call the length of time an

19 The gestation period
animal is pregnant for?

20 What is the gestation period for humans? 9 months

 Plant Reproduction Knowledge Organiser

Topic Overview
Plant organ: flower
• The main function of the flower is sexual reproduction.

• During plant reproduction, pollen grains need to move from the anther of one flower to
the stigma of another flower. This is called pollination. The flower shown above uses
insects for pollination. Many of the crops we eat depend on insect-pollination. Other
plants such as grasses are pollinated by the wind.

• If the pollen lands on the stigma of a flower of the correct species, a pollen tube will
grow through style of the flower until it reaches an ovule inside the ovary. The
nucleus of the pollen grain then passes along the pollen tube and joins with the
nucleus of the ovule. This process is called fertilisation.

• After fertilisation, the female parts of the flower develop into a fruit:
o the ovules become seeds.
o the ovary becomes the rest of the fruit.

• Seeds must be dispersed (spread) from each other and from the parent plant. This
reduces competition for light, water, space and minerals. Seeds can be dispersed by:
o The wind – seeds with light-weight parts, wings or parachutes are blown to a new
location.
o Animals – seeds are carried by animals that eat the fruit (e.g. blackberries) or hook
onto the coats of animals.
o Self-propulsion – seed pods burst open throwing the seeds away from the plant.
o Water – seeds that float are carried away by water.
 Plant Reproduction Key Fact Test 1-10

No Questions Answers

At part of a plant is responsible for

1 Flower
plant reproduction?

Which part of the flower produces the

2 Ovary
ovules (female sex cells)?

Which part of the flower produces the

3 Anthers
pollen (male sex cell)?
Pollen (transported by insects
4 What happens during pollination? or the wind) lands on the
stigma
The nucleus from pollen and
5 What happens during fertilisation? the nucleus from the ovule join
in the ovary

6 What does the fertilised ovule become? A seed

What does the ovary become after

7 The fruit of the plant
fertilisation?
To reduce competition (for
Why is it important that plants disperse
8 light, space, water and
their seeds?
minerals)

9 What parts of the flower are within the Stigma, Style, Ovary
“female” Carpel?
What parts of the flower are
10 within the “male” Stamen? Anther and Filament