5. Bridge course for class 8.

Science

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN

RO CHENNAI REGION
BRIDGE COURSE
SESSION 2021-22

CLASS: VIII SUBJECT: SCIENCE

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

The learner will be able to:

1. Bridge the gap of knowledge of different animals, plants, their food sources, crops,
seasons, and their importance in daily life.
2. Understand microbes, uses and ill-effects of microorganisms and recollect amoeba, fungi,
bacteria, algae, and lichens.
3. Identify cells-structural and functional unit, cheek cells, guard cells, stomata, amoeba,
plant, and animal cells.
4. Understand the definition of reproduction, types of reproduction, reproductive parts of a
flower, fertilization, zygote.
5. Understand the importance of fibres.
6. Classify materials on different basis.
7. Know the physical and chemical changes.
8. Understand water and air, formation of wind etc.
9. Knows about natural resources and our environment
10. Understand light, properties of light, importance of light etc.
11. Understand the different components of electric current and its applications
12. Know about the natural resources and our environment.
13. Analyze the different types of pollution and causes.

I. NUTRITION IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS:

What is nutrition? Intake of food by an organism and its utilization by the

body is called nutrition.
Different modes of nutrition autotrophs-plants are called autotrophs and the mode
of nutrition is called autotrophic nutrition, heterotrophs-animals and few plants are
called heterotrophs, they depend on others for their nutrition, insectivorous plants-
some plants trap insects and get nutrition from them
 [pitcher plant], saprophytes -which feed on dead and decaying matter[fungi]
parasites-organisms which derive readymade food from other organisms [hook worm,
cuscuta] symbiosis- some organisms live together for their mutual benefits. [Lichen-
algae and fungi]
Photosynthesis-process of synthesis of food by green plants- essential raw materials
for photosynthesis-sun light, CO2, water, chlorophyll, word equation of
photosynthesis- hydrate +water +oxygen.
Stomata-tiny pores present on the surface of leaves, chlorophyll- green pigment
Agriculture-cultivation of crops involves several activities undertaken by farmers
over a period of time, crops -plants of the same kind are grown at a place in regular
intervals on a large scale, [kharif crops, rabi crops and summer crops] fertilizer and
manure-substances added to the soil in the form of nutrients for the healthy growth of
plants, storage-proper storage of grains to protect them from pests and
microorganisms.
Nutrition in animals- different ways of taking food, digestion- the breakdown of
complex components of food into simpler substances, human digestive system,
digestion of ruminants and amoeba.

II. MICRO-ORGANISMS:

What are micro-organisms? Organisms which are not visible to the naked
eye and can be seen only through microscope.
Examples of micro-organisms Amoeba, Euglena, Yeast, Bacteria, Virus, Algae,
Fungi.
Uses of micro-organisms -production of antibiotics, source of food, in bread making,
recycling of nutrients.
Some common human diseases caused by micro-organisms [bacteria-Typhoid,
Cholera. Virus-Covid-19, AIDS, Flu.]
Special mention on Corona virus [Covid-19-Novel Corona Virus]

III. CELL THE FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE:

Definition of cell- structural and functional unit of life.

Single-cell- unicell [amoeba] and Multi-cell -many cell [plants and animals]
Difference between plant cell and animal cell plant cells are generally larger than
animal cells, plant cell contains cell wall and plastids, centrosome is present only in
animal cells, large vacuoles are present in plant cells.
IV. REPRODUCTION:

Definition of reproduction -capacity of living beings to produce young ones of their

own kind.
Types of reproduction Sexual and Asexual reproduction Reproduction resulting
from the fusion of male and female gametes is called sexual reproduction, the type of
reproduction in which only a single parent involved is asexual reproduction.
Vegetative propagation- type of asexual reproduction in which new plants are
produced from roots, stems, leaves and buds.
Unisexual and Bisexual flowers [the flowers which contain either male or female
gamete are unisexual -papaya, the flowers which contain both male and female
gametes are bisexual -mustard, rose.
Fertilization Zygote [fusion of male and female gamete to form a zygote] Cloning
and Tissue culture [Cloning is the production of an exact copy of a cell-Dolly-first
cloned sheep.]

V. FIBRES:

Name few animal and plant fibres

Animal fibres (ex) silk, wool. Plant fibres (ex) Jute, cotton.
Discovery of silk-The exact time of discovery of silk is perhaps unknown. According
to an old Chinese legend, the empress Si-lung-Chi was asked by the emperor Huang-
ti to find the cause of the damaged leaves of mulberry trees growing in their garden.
The empress found white worms eating up mulberry leaves. She also noticed that
they were spinning shiny cocoons around them. Accidentally a cocoon dropped into
her cup of tea and a tangle of delicate threads separated from the cocoon. Silk
industry began in China and was kept a closely guarded secret for hundreds of years.
Later on, traders and travelers introduced silk to other countries. The route they

Processing of silk-A pile of cocoons is used for obtaining silk fibres. The cocoons are
kept under the sun or boiled or exposed to steam. The silk fibres separate out. The
process of taking out threads from the cocoon for use as silk is called reeling the silk.
Reeling is done in special machines, which unwind the threads or fibers of silk from
the cocoon. Silk fibres are then spun into silk threads, which are woven into silk
cloth by weavers.
What are synthetic fibers? -obtained from chemicals
Few examples of synthetic fibers- nylon, poly ester
Is plastic a boon or curse? discussion and debate
Biodegradable materials can be broken by microbes and they are plants or animal
origin
 Non-biodegradable materials cannot be broken by microbes and they are man made
Four R principles- The 4R's in principle refers to the four words starting with the
alphabet R. They are Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover.

VI. MATERIALS:

Name few useful materials present at home-copper, plastic, aluminum, rubber, steel,
wood
Examples of metals - copper, aluminum, steel
Non-metals- plastic, rubber, wood
Physical properties of metals and non-metals
Metals Non-metals

Shiny Dull

High melting points Low melting points

Good conductors of electricity Poor conductors of electricity

Good conductors of heat Poor conductors of heat

High density Low density

Malleable and ductile Brittle

Chemical properties of metals and non-metals

*Metals react with oxygen to form basic oxides. Non-metals react with oxygen to
form acidic or neutral oxides.
*Non-metals do not react with water.
*Metals react with dilute acids to form metal salts and they displace hydrogen from
acids.
Conductors-allow current to pass through
Insulators- do not allow current to pass through
Rusting and Corrosion- Corrosion is the process of deterioration of metals and non-
metals by oxidation. Rusting is oxidation of iron (or steel) in presence of air and
moisture.
Prevention of corrosion- By applying oil, grease, paint, or varnish on the surface. By
coating/depositing a thin layer of any other metal which does not corrode.
VII. HEAT:

Definition of heat-it is a form of energy

How is heat produced? - Solar radiation. Rubbing. Burning., Electricity
Temperature - A reliable measure of the hotness of an object is its temperature
Thermometer. - Temperature is measured by a device called thermometer
Combustion and its types- A chemical process in which a substance reacts with
oxygen to give off heat is called combustion. Types are rapid combustion,
spontaneous combustion, explosion.
Ignition temperature- The lowest temperature at which a substance catches fire is
called its ignition temperature.
Transfer of heat- heat flows from a body at a higher temperature to a body at a lower
temperature. There are three ways in which heat can flow from one object to another.
These are conduction, convection, and radiation.
How do we control fire? - Fire can be controlled by removing one or more
requirements essential for producing fire. Water is commonly used to control fires.
Water cannot be used to control fires involving electrical equipment or oils. Fire
extinguishers are used

VIII. AIR AND WATER:

Why is air called a mixture of gases? -because air consists of many gases.
Air pressure- air around us exerts pressure, Wind formation-moving air is called
wind and uneven heating on the earth causes wind movements, Thunderstorm-the
swift movement of the falling water droplets along with the rising air create lightning
and sound - Cyclones [a very low pressure system with a very high speed winds
which revolves around]
Groundwater- rainwater or the other sources of water percolates under the ground
and collects over. Rainwater harvesting- collection of rainwater can be used to
recharge ground water, Water cycle water on the earth has been maintained for
millions of years by various processes.
Reasons for depletion of groundwater-poor water management, increasing population

Pollution -undesirable changes in air, water, soil- pollutants- substances cause

Causes of air and water pollution [smoke, dust, CO, CO2 / domestic and industrial
wastes.]
Greenhouse effect
heat from the sun and prevent it from escaping into the outer space thereby warming
- gradual increase in the average temperature of
 mosphere.
Potable water- water which is purified and fit for drinking.

IX. FORESTS OUR LIFELINE:

Visit a forest, canopy, crown, vegetation- Forest is a dynamic living entity. The
branches of tall trees merge together from the top to form a protective umbrella and
look like a roof over the other plants in the forest. [canopy], the branchy part of a tall
tree above the stem [crown].
Forest products-
Components of forest- microbes, insects, plants, animals
Interaction between soil, water, air and living organism-there is close interaction
between these components which ensures the forests to serve as green lungs and
water purifying systems in nature.
What is soil erosion? Removal of topmost layer of soil [fertile layer] by wind mostly.
How does forest influence climate, water cycle and air quality? Forest ensures a
balance of oxygen and carbon di oxide, good rain fall and cycling of water.
Deforestation and its causes -cutting down of the forest on a large scale. Main causes
of deforestation is more cultivation, construction of roads, houses, dams.
Conservation of forest and wildlife- must follow the legislations to conserve the
forest and its resources.
Flora and Fauna plants and animals found in a particular area are termed flora and
fauna.
Sanctuary-areas where animals and their habitat are protected.
Role of decomposers- the microorganisms which convert dead plants and animals
into humus, decomposers clean the environment, enrich nutrient content of the soil.

X. LIGHT:

Properties of light Light travels in straight line

Reflection of light Scattering of light by polished surface
Lateral inversion - in an image formed by a mirror the left of the object appears on
the right and the right appears on the left. This is known as lateral inversion.
Real image and Virtual image Real image can be obtained on the screen but virtual
image cannot.
Spherical lenses The lenses are transparent and light can pass through them. It can
be convex or concave.
Is sunlight white or coloured? Sunlight consists of seven colours (VIBGYOR)
Regular and diffused reflection - reflection from a smooth surface like that of a
 mirror is called regular reflection. When all the parallel rays reflected from a plane
surface are not parallel, the reflection is known as diffused or irregular reflection.
Structure of human eye Discussion using diagram

XI. ELECTRIC CURRENT AND ITS EFFECTS:

Symbols of electric components

 Battery Collection of cells
Heating effect Wire gets hot when electric current passes through it
Electric fuse A safety device to protect the electrical equipment from overloading
and short circuit.
Electromagnets - A current carrying coil of an insulated wire wrapped around a piece
of iron is called an electromagnet.
Do liquids conduct electricity? Some liquids like water conduct electricity.
Chemical effects of electric current Electrolysis, Electroplating.

XII. NATURAL RESOURCES AND OUR ENVIRONMENT:

Renewable and Non-renewable resources -resources available in nature are of

renewable and non-renewable resources. [water, air, sunlight, soil, fossil fuels]
Soil texture and profile- soil texture is determined by the relative proportion of
particles of different textures. The soil formation over a period of time results in
vertical stratification of horizontal layers one over the other and such a vertical
section through different layers of the soil is called soil profile.
Properties of soil-percolation rate of soil, moisture in soil, water absorption
Soil and crops-different crops are grown in clayey soil, loamy soil, sandy soil.
Fossil fuels and their formation- fossil fuels are organic remains of plants and
animals formed millions of years ago.
Why are few natural resources limited? They can be exhausted by human activities
and formation itself takes many more years.

XIII. MOVING THINGS, PEOPLE, AND IDEAS:

Some examples of different types of motion Rectilinear, periodic, circular

Speed and average speed - The distance covered by an object in a unit time is the
speed of the object. Average speed is the total distance covered divided by the total
time taken.
Simple pendulum experiment - A simple pendulum consists of a small metallic ball
or a piece of stone suspended from a rigid stand by a thread
Units of time and speed second and metre /second
Uses of speedometer and odometer Speedometer records the speed directly in
km/h. Odometer measures the distance moved by the vehicle.
Force a push or pull
What are the effects of force?
may make an object move from rest.
may change the speed of an object if it is moving.
 may change the direction of motion of an object.
may bring about a change in the shape of an object.
may cause some or all of these
Friction Factors affecting friction Surface area, Mass
Friction A necessary evil - Frictional force causes a lot of losses wear and tear of
machinery. Hence it is considered as an evil. Basic activities like walking and writing
on a surface are possible due to friction. Hence it is considered as a necessary evil.
Sound and vibrating bodies Sound is caused by vibrating objects.
Audible sounds - For human ear, the range of audible frequencies is roughly from 20
to 20,000 Hz. (That can be sensed by human ear).
Inaudible sounds - Sounds of frequencies less than about 20 vibrations per second
(20 Hz) cannot be detected by the human ear. Such sounds are called inaudible. On
the higher side, sounds of frequencies higher than about 20,000 vibrations per second
(20 kHz) are also not audible to the human ear.