Willow International School

Biology
IGCSEGrade 7

Introduction to
Biology

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Biology
From Greek words, Bios – which means life and logos
means study or knowledge.
Biology – is the study of living things (the science of
life).
-Is the science that deals with the study of life
processes of living organisms and the search for
solutions to problems associated with them.
The people that study Biology are called biologists.
Biologists use scientific method to solve biological
problems.

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 Branches of Biology
Biology is divided into many branches which deal which
only study a specific field of Biology.
 Botany – branch of Biology that studies plants.
 Zoology – studies animals.
 Taxonomy - is the science of naming and classifying
organisms.
 Microbiology – studies microorganisms.
 Anatomy – studies structures of living things.
 Physiology – studies how organisms function and carry
out physical and chemical processes.
 Biochemistry - chemical processes in living organisms.
 Cytology – studies cells
 Characteristics of living organisms
 There are 7 characteristics that make organisms different
from non-living things. (MRS GREN)
 These are called characteristics of living organisms.
1. Nutrition
2. Respiration
3. Growth or development
4. Reproduction
5. Excretion
6. Sensitivity (irritability)
7. Movement
1. Movement- change of place or position or posture.
2. Respiration: breakdown of food molecules to release
energy using oxygen.
3. Sensitivity (irritability) – the ability to detect changes
in the environment and respond to them
4. Growth and development – the processes by which
organisms change in size and in form.
5. Reproduction – the processes that make more of the
same kind of organism – new individuals, it makes new
organisms of the same species as the parents.
6. Excretion – Removal of toxic materials from
organisms, the waste products of metabolism and
substances in excess of requirements.
7. Nutrition: is the process by which organisms obtain
energy from food.
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Class activity: write down 3 things from previous picture.

LIVING THINGS (biotic) NON-LIVING THINGS (abiotic)

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Questions: Choose the best answer for each question given
below.
1. Scientists are studying how wolves have shaped the
ecosystem in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
They have found that an increase in wolf
populations affects the populations of so many other
living things that the rivers and mountains actually
changed as well. In what branch of biology do these
scientists work?

a) Ecology
b) Botany
c) Cell Biology
d) Anatomy and Physiology 14
2. What is biology?

a) The study of life

b) The study of atoms and molecules
c) The study of the Earth and space
d) The study of fossils

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3. Sports physical therapists study of how joints,
muscles and bones move during athletic activity.
What branch of science do they study?

a) Anatomy and physiology

b) Cell biology
c) Molecular Biology
d) Biochemistry

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 5. To be classified as a living thing, an object
4. Botany is ________________________
must________________
a) Branch of Biology that studies animals a) Maintain homeostasis.
b) Branch of Biology that studies plants b) Have a complex chemistry.
c) Branch of Biology concerned with classification c) Be made of at least one cell.
of living things.
d) all of the options above
d) The study of microscopic organisms, such as
bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi and protozoa.

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QUESTION 6: On the blanks to the left of each
statement, write the life characteristic referred to in the
statement.
Characteristic of living things Statement

A population of wildebeests migrate from Tanzania to South

Africa

A bean flower produces bean seeds which sprout into new

plants

A young giraffe grows and develops into an adult and tall

giraffe

A person secretes urea via the urinary system

A caterpillar eats leaves of a plant

A bear hibernates when it is cold

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You breathe in oxygen
Homework

1. Define the term Biology.

2. Suggest three ways in which is important to study
Biology.
3. State the 7 characteristics of living things. And
describe two of them
4. Suggest one way in which nutrition is important.

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 Willow International School

Grade 7
Subject: Biology
Topic: Characteristics of
living organisms
 ORGANISMS
▪ An ORGANISM is a living thing.
▪ All organisms share characteristics that separate them
from non-living things.
▪ All organisms share SEVEN characteristics that make
them alive. A living (biotic) organism must have all
seven !
 THE CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING
ORGANISMS:
There are 7 easily observable characteristics that all living things do.
NUTRITION
MOVEMENT
EXCRETION

RESPIRATION REPRODUCTION
SENSE GROW
 THE CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING
ORGANISMS: MRS GREN
These 7 characteristics can be remembered using the mnemonics
MRS GREN M ovement
R espiration
S ense
Hi, my name
is MRS GREN G rowth
R eproduction
E xcretion
N utrition
 1. MOVEMENT
All living Organisms can move.

Animals move around to get from place to place.

Plants move towards sunlight.

 2. RESPIRATION
The chemical reactions that break down nutrient molecules in
living cells to release energy.
All living things use the oxygen in the air to convert food into
energy.
 3. SENSITIVITY
Living things respond to their environment.
Organisms detect and respond to signals from their
environment. (shiver when cold, change fur color, plants bend
toward light). Mammals respond to cold temperature
by growing thicker fur.

plants respond to light

by growing
 4. GROWTH
Living organisms grow and
develop.
Growth
a) __________________: increase in
size and shape

b) living things have a lifespan

 5. REPRODUCTION
Living things reproduce.

All organisms reproduce, which means that they produce new

similar organisms.

Birds have two parents, so

these chicks were produced
 6. EXCRETION
Waste substances must be removed from the body. Both plants
and animals need to get rid of water and other waste products.
The removal from organisms of toxic materials, the waste products of
metabolism (chemical reactions in cells including respiration) and
substances in excess of requirements.
 7. NUTRITION
All living things… require and use energy.

Humans (and other animals) get energy from the food we eat.

Plants get energy from the sunlight, through a process called

photosynthesis.
1 of 8 © Boardworks Ltd 2015
 What is a cell?
A cell is the very smallest unit of living
matter.
All living things, including plants and
animals, are made up of cells.
THE STRUCTURE OF AN ANIMAL AND
PLANT CELL
The three common things found in animals
and plant cells are
1.Cell Membrane,
2.Cytoplasm and
3.Nucleus
 Cell membrane
The cell membrane surrounds the cell and holds the cell
together. It controls what chemicals can enter and leave
the cell.
 Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm is a jelly-like substance. Chemical
reactions happen inside the jelly. These reactions
keep the cell alive.
 Nucleus
The nucleus controls the activities of the cell.
 Plant cell parts
Plant cells may contain some extra parts.
 Chloroplasts (plant cells)
Chloroplasts look green because they contain
chlorophyll for photosynthesis. This is where
plants make their food.
 Cell wall (plant cells)
A cell wall which is a strong outer layer to support
the cell and give its shape. Cell walls are made
up of material called cellulose.
 Vacuole (plant cells)
A vacuole where the plant cell stores sap (the
food that it has made; a mixture of sugars, salts
and water).
 The mitochondria
Act as the energy converter (like a battery of a
cell).
Produces energy by respiration.
It is found in both plants and animal cell.
 More complicated!
In reality, most cells are much more
complicated than this!
 Parts of an animal cell
1. Cell membrane
2. Cytoplasm
3. Nucleus
4. Mitochondria
5. Small vacuoles (some have)
 Differences between plant and animal cells

Nucleus Found in the middle of the Found at the side of the

cell cell

2/15/2024
 Interesting cell facts:
Like all living things, cells die. If you watched a clock for
one minute, about three billion cells in your body die.

x 3000000000
 Interesting cell facts:
In that same minute, about three billion
cells divided so that all the cells that died
were replaced.

x 3000000000
 Interesting cell facts:
Dead skin cells flake off and dead cells
from internal organs will pass through and
out of the body with waste products.
 Topic 2: CELL

CELLS, TISSUES AND

ORGANS
Cell specialisations

Animal and plants are

made of many cells. Each
cell is specialized to carry
out particular function.
Specialized animal cells

Animals have special cells in

them
Examples
 Red blood cells
 Nerve cells
Ciliated cells
 Red blood cells

Cytoplasm
containing
hemoglobin

• No nucleus
• Contain haemoglobin to carry
oxygen around the body
 Nerve cells
Short strands
of cytoplasm
Long strand of
cytoplasm
nucleus

• These are Longest cells in the body

•They transfer messages from one part of
body to another.
•Electrical signals flow quickly along the
long strand.
Ciliated cells
• They have tiny threads along one edge, like
microscobic hairs.
• These are called cilia.
• The cilia can move
• They are found in the lining of the tubes leading
from your mouth to your lungs.
 Specialized plant cell

Plant has special cells

Examples:
Root hair cells
Palisade cells
 Root hair cell
 Root hair increases
surface area for uptake thin cell wall
of water and minerals
from soil. root hair

 They have long, thin

extension that allows
water to move easily
from the soil into the
cell. cell membrane

vacuole
Palisade cells
 They are found in the leaves of plant
 Their function is to make food by
photosynthesis.
 They have a lot of chlophyll to absorb
sunlight.
 TISSUES
A group of similar cells is called tissue.

ORGANS
➢ A group of tissues forms an organ.

ORGAN SYSTEM
➢ A group of organs carrying out a
particular function.
Examples
 Activity: Structure and function in plant cells

Name of cell Function of Specialised How this helps

cell structure the cell to
carry out its
function
Root hair cell

Palisade cell
 Activity: Structure and function in animal cells

Name of cell Function of cell Specialised How this helps the

structure cell to carry out its
function

Red blood cell

Neuron

Ciliated cell
 Willow International School
Biology
Grade 7

Microscope
objectives

• History of microscope
• Definition of microscope
• Types of microscope
• The constitution of the optical microscope
• Parts of microscope and their function
• Animal and plant cells on microscope
The first microscope

• Hans Janssen (invented the

microscope)
• Compound microscope
designed by Robert Hooke,
1671-1700
• He is the father of biology
What is a microscope?
▪ Is an instrument with lenses which is used to
make really small objects look bigger by
magnifying them.
 The microscope uses light and lenses to magnify
things, it can make them look up too 1000 times
bigger.
Sorts of microscope
 There are two sorts of Microscope

1. Light microscope

2. Electron microscopes
• SEMs (Scanning electron microscopes) – with this, it is
possible to show the surface of specimens.
• TEMs (Transition electron microscopes) – look through
thin slices like microscopes do.
Sorts of Microscope

Light microscope Electron microscope

Differences between light microscope and electron microscope
(TEMs & SEMs) images.
Parts of Microscope
Class Activity: Label the microscope parts
Class Activity: ANSWERS

eyepiece
Revolving
nosepiece
Arm
Objectives

Stage
Stage clips
Coarse focussing
Diaphragm Knob

Light fine focussing

knob

Base
 How to use a Microscope?

 Connect your light microscope to an outlet;

 Rotate the revolving nosepiece to the lowest power
objective;
 Coverslip over your specimen;
 Mount your specimen into the stages;
 Move the slide until it gets focused in the center;
 Adjust the coarse, mirror, illuminator and
diaphragm;
 Examine your specimen.