Cambridge PRIMARY

Science
Teacher’s Resource

with
CD-ROM

Fiona Baxter and Liz Dilley

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Title page
to be supplied
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 University Printing House, Cambridge cb2 8bs, United Kingdom

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© Cambridge University Press 2014
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no reproduction of any part may take place without the written
permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2014
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isbn 9781-107-66202-5 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,
accurate or appropriate. Information regarding prices, travel timetables, and other
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Cover artwork: Bill Bolton

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notice to teachers
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
any loss, injury, claim, liability or damage of any kind resulting from the use of the Activities.

The publisher is grateful to the experienced teachers Mansoora Shoaib Shah, Lahore
Grammar School, 55 Main, Gulberg, Lahore and Lynne Ransford for their careful reviewing
of the content.

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 Contents

Introduction xx

Unit 1 Worksheets
Teaching ideas xx 2.3 Consumers xx
1.1 Body organs xx 2.5a Wangari, the ‘green lady’ of Kenya xx
1.2 The heart xx 2.5b Deforestation xx
1.3 Heartbeat and pulse xx 2.6a Air pollution I xx
1.4 The lungs and breathing xx 2.6b Air pollution II xx
1.5 The digestive system xx 2.7 The effect of acid rain on stone buildings
1.6 What do the kidneys do? xx and statues xx
1.7 What does the brain do? xx 2.8a Recycle glass jars xx
Check your progress

Resource sheet
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xx 2.8b

Unit 3
Make your own landfill xx

1.5 Organ matching xx

Teaching ideas xx
Worksheets 3.1 Reversible and irreversible changes xx
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1.1 Label body organs xx 3.2 Mixing and separating solids xx
1.2 How William Harvey explained 3.3 Soluble and insoluble substances xx
circulation xx 3.4
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Separating insoluble substances xx

1.3a Comparing heartbeats xx 3.5 Solutions xx
1.3b Draw a bar chart of pulse rate xx 3.6 How can we make solids
1.3c Draw a line graph of pulse rate xx dissolve faster? xx
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1.4 Investigating breathing rate xx 3.7 How does grain size affect dissolving? xx
1.5 Investigating digestion in the mouth xx Check your progress xx
1.6 Where do you get your liquids? xx
Worksheets
1.7 Compare brain sizes xx
1.8 Revising body organs and systems xx 3.1 Investigate changes to substances xx
3.2 Separating mixtures xx
3.3 Observe and draw mixtures xx
Unit 2 3.5a How much do you know about
Teaching ideas xx solutions? xx
2.1 Food chains in a local habitat xx 3.5b How much sugar can dissolve in tea? xx
2.2 Food chains begin with plants xx 3.6a Interpret a graph of dissolving times xx
2.3 Consumers in food chains xx 3.6b Investigate dissolving washing
2.4 Food chains in different habitats xx powder xx
2.5 Deforestation xx 3.6c Identify patterns and draw a
line graph xx
2.6 Air pollution xx
3.7 Compare dissolving rates of sugar xx
2.7 Acid rain xx
2.8 Recycling xx
2.9 Take care of your environment xx
Check your progress xx
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 Contents

Unit 4 Worksheets
Teaching ideas xx 5.1a Electrical conductors and insulators xx
4.1 Mass and weight xx 5.1b Test materials to see if they conduct
4.2 How forces act xx electricity xx
4.3 Balanced and unbalanced forces xx 5.1c Make an electrical quiz xx
4.4 The effects of forces xx 5.3a Test metals to see how well
they conduct xx
4.5 Forces and energy xx
5.3b xxx xx
4.6 Friction xx
5.5 Draw a circuit using symbols xx
4.7 Investigate friction xx
5.6a Spot the problem with the circuit xx
4.8 Air resistance and drag xx
5.6b Changing the number of components xx
Check your progress xx
5.8a Investigate the effect of thick and thin
Worksheets wire on a circuit xx
4.1 How Newton explained gravity x 5.8b Thickness of wire and safety xx
4.3 Identify balanced and unbalanced forces
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4.4 Effects of forces xx
4.6 Measure friction xx
4.7

4.8
Compare friction on different
surfaces
Design a parachute
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xx

Unit 5
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Teaching ideas xx
5.1 Which materials conduct electricity? xx
5.2 Does water conduct electricity? xx
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5.3 Do different material conduct electricity

equally well? xx
5.4 Choosing the right materials for
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electrical appliances xx
5.5 Circuit symbols xx
5.6 Changing the number of components xx
5.7 Adding different components xx
5.8 Length and thickness of wire in
a circuit xx
Check your progress xx

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 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 develop enquiry skills as
well as subject knowledge.
This Teacher’s Resource for Stage 6 gives extensive support for teaching Stage 6 of the curriculum
framework. It frequently references the Learner’s Book, ISBN 9781107699809, and Activity
Book, 9781107643758, for Stage 6, offering guidance on how to get the best out of using those
products. There are also many additional teaching ideas for you to choose from.
The main sections in this Teacher’s Resource are:
Teaching ideas. These give you a whole range of ideas for how to present the topics in the classroom.
This includes ideas for classroom activities, assessment and differentiation, and suggestions for ICT
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resources. References to the Learner’s Book and Activity Book are provided throughout, including
guidance notes on the activities suggested in the Learner’s Book. The Teaching ideas are also
available in editable format on the CD-ROM included with this Teacher’s Resource, so that you can
include your own notes.
Worksheets. A large collection of worksheets offers further activity and exercise ideas in addition to
those included in the Learner’s Book and Activity Book, while some of the worksheets are intended
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to support the Learner’s Book activities. The worksheets are also available in editable format on the
CD-ROM included with this Teacher’s Resource, so that you can adapt them to your own needs.
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Answers to questions. Answers to all the questions from the Learner’s Book, the exercises in the
Activity Book and the worksheets in this resource are provided.
We hope you enjoy using this series.
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With best wishes,

the Cambridge Primary Science team

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 Introduction

Teaching sequence
Throughout the Cambridge Primary Science series, the units are presented in the same order as
in the Cambridge International Examinations Primary Science curriculum framework, for easy
navigation and to help you ensure that the curriculum is covered. However, this is not necessarily the
best sequence in which to teach the material. For example, all the biology topics would be taught in
one large block, whereas you may prefer to present a more balanced and varied route through the
different areas of science.
When planning your teaching sequence, it is advisable to think about how the science topics fit in
with the other subjects you teach. You should also consider topics within the science curriculum that
are best taught at a particular time of year. For example, Unit 2 Living things in the environment
is best taught at a time of year when there are likely to be plants in flower, and insects and birds
around so that learners can study a local habitat. The best time of year to teach this unit will
therefore depend on where you are in the world
We suggest beginning the year with Unit 2 Living things in the environment or Unit 5 Electricity
and Magnetism because both these units start with content that is known and familiar. We advise
not teaching Unit 4 Forces and motion at the beginning of the year since this unit may be the most
difficult conceptually.
There are two alternative sequences you might consider, depending on your geographic location.
Alternatively you may develop a different teaching sequence which suits you better. In the suggested
sequences the following colour code is used: Biology units are dark grey, Chemistry units light grey
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and Physics units white.
Sequence 1:

Unit 2 Unit 5 Unit 1 Humans Unit 3 Material Unit 4 Forces and

Living things in the Electricity and and animals changes motion
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environment magnetism

Sequence 2:
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Unit 5 Unit 1 Humans Unit 4 Unit 2 Unit 3

Electricity and and animals Forces and motion Living things in the Material changes
magnetism environment
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 Introduction

Scientific enquiry
Scientific enquiry is about how scientific ideas come about, supported by investigations and
evaluating the data and other evidence that are produced through those investigations. The ideas
underpin all areas of science. Therefore, the Scientific enquiry section of the curriculum framework
is not included as a separate teaching unit in the teaching sequences suggested above. Rather,
scientific enquiry should be taught in an integrated fashion, alongside teaching of the other content
areas.
The Cambridge Primary Science has been written to support this way of working. By allowing
learners to carry out the activities in the Learner’s Book you will cover all the Scientific enquiry
objectives in the curriculum framework. These activities can be supported by further activities
suggested in the Teaching ideas and Worksheets in this Teacher’s Resource, and through the
exercises focused on planning investigations and evaluating data in the Activity Book.
Here, we give a further introduction to the Scientific enquiry objectives listed in the Cambridge
Primary Science curriculum framework for Stage 6. For each framework statement, some
background information is given on the level that learners are expected to achieve at this stage.
Also, some specific examples are given of activities suggested in this series that can be used to help
learners develop each skill. There is a ‘Reference’ section in the Learner’s Book. This contains skills
that should be taught as part of the activities within these resources. This section can be used to
support learners when needed.

Ideas and evidence

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Consider how scientists have combined evidence from observation and measurement with creative
thinking to suggest new ideas and explanations for phenomena.
Learners should understand by now that scientists make observations ask questions and carry out
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investigations in order to collect evidence to answer the questions and then seek explanations for
the evidence obtained. Science is thus a human endeavour which requires new ways of thinking to
explain observations about the way world works. For example in Worksheet 4.1 learners read and
answer questions about Isaac Newton’s observations and thinking that led him to understand and
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explain the force of gravity.

Collect evidence and data to test ideas including predictions.
At this stage learners carry out investigations in order to test an idea or a prediction. During the
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investigation they collect evidence and/or data which will prove whether their idea or prediction
was correct or not. For example in Activity 4.3 learners predict the effect of exercise on pulse rate
and collect evidence to test their prediction. In Worksheet 3.5b learners collect evidence to test their
prediction of how much sugar can dissolve in tea. In Activities 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 learners test various
materials in a circuit to see if they conduct electricity or not.

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 Introduction

Plan investigative work

Discuss how to turn ideas into a form that can be tested.
By Stage 6 learners have had enough practice in carrying out investigations to be able to plan and
design their own investigation to test an idea. For example they are given the opportunity to do this
in Activity 5.6B where they are given two circuit questions to test. In Exercise 4.8 learners think of a
way to test their ideas on how weight affects the fall of a parachute
Make predictions using scientific knowledge and understanding.
Often learners have a pretty good idea of what will happen in an investigation before they do it
based on scientific knowledge they already have. Ask them to predict what will happen, record their
predictions and then later, after the investigation, compare their results with their predictions.
For example in Activity 2.6 learners predict which slides will pick up the most dirt particles based on
what they have found out about sources of air pollution.
In Activity 4.7, learners use their knowledge of friction to predict its effect on different surfaces. In
Activity 5.1earners predict which materials they think will be electrical conductors and insulators
based on scientific knowledge they already have before testing the materials in a circuit.
Choose what evidence to collect to investigate a question, ensuring that evidence is sufficient.
At this stage learners must develop the skill of deciding how they will investigate a question. During
the planning stage they should consider what evidence they need to collect and try to ensure that the
evidence is sufficient.

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For example in Activity 5.6B learners plan and carry out investigations to answer two questions and
have to make sure that they have collected enough evidence. In Worksheet 4.8 learners decide what
evidence to collect in order to satisfy the requirement for the parachute to drop medicines safely.
Identify factors that are relevant to a particular situation.In this stage we develop the concept of
factors by getting learners to identify relevant factors in a given situation. For example in the
Questions in Topic 1.3 learners identify factors that affect pulse rate and in Exercise 5.2 they must
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identify the factors that caused Jawad to get an electric shock.
Choose which equipment to use.
By Stage 6 learners should be able to choose which equipment they need to use to carry out an
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investigation. In some activities you will provide them with a range of possible things and they must
select what they need.
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For example learners choose what equipment they need in Worksheet 3.5b when they investigate the
amount of sugar that can dissolve in tea and when they make circuits in Activities 5.6B, 5.7, and 5.8.
Obtain and present evidence<
Make a variety of relevant observations and measurements using simple apparatus correctly.
Learners should obtain evidence by making relevant observations and measurements in practical
investigations, and from research using age-appropriate books, websites or from people. They should
be able to do this working in small groups or individually. This will include making visual, auditory
or tactile observations and finding information from different sources. Learners may need support
and guidance in dealing with evidence, for example when sifting relevant information.
Every topic uses this scientific enquiry skill to some extent. It is not therefore always mentioned in
the objectives listed for each topic in the Teacher’s Resource.
Examples of this SE skill feature in Activity 2.1 where learners must observe a habitat very carefully
to be able to identify plants and animals and how they interact.
In Worksheet 2.5A learners research Nobel Peace prizes.
In all the circuit activities in Unit 5 learners must observe carefully when bulbs light up, buzzers buzz
or bells ring and also make careful measurements on the multimeter.

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 Introduction

Decide when observations and measurements need to be checked by repeating to give more reliable data.
By this stage learners know that sometimes we need to repeat measurements to make sure they
are correct. For example, if we use a measuring instrument such as a thermometer incorrectly, the
measurements will not be accurate. However the main reason for repeating measurements is to
make sure they are reliable and will apply each time an investigation or test is repeated. By this stage
learners should be able to decide when this is the case.
A good example is Activity 5.3 where learners test different metals in a circuit to see how well they
conduct electricity. The differences are very small and they should make repeated measurements
with the multimeter.

Use tables, bar charts and line graphs to present results.

At this stage learners should be making measurements and presenting numerical or quantitative data
in tables, line graphs and bar charts. They should be able to decide which is the best way to show
their results,
For example in Activity 2.6 learners record their results in a table provided in Worksheet 2.6A and a
bar graph provided in Worksheet 2.6B. In Worksheet 3.6c they draw a line a graph of the time take
for sugar to dissolve at different temperatures.

Consider evidence and approach

Make comparisons.
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This skill is practised on many occasions. For example in Activity 2.7 learners compare a plant
watered with pure water and a plant watered with acidic water to demonstrate the effects of acid
rain.
Exercise 2.5 provides learners with ten different opinions that they must compare and analyse. In
Question 4 in Topic 4.1, learners compare measurements of weight and mass of different objects. In
Worksheet 4.7 learners compare the effects of friction on different surfaces.
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Evaluate repeated results.
Learners should by now be realising that the more results they get the easier it is to evaluate these
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results and come up with a conclusion. For example, in Activity 1.3 learners evaluate repeated
measurements of their pulses rates.
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Identify patterns in results and results that do not appear to fit the pattern.
Having gathered evidence, learners should consider it and identify whether patterns exist - and
then suggest an explanation for the pattern based on what they have learnt so far. At this stage they
should also be looking out for results that do NOT fit the pattern and trying to explain these.
For example in Activity 2.9 learners work in groups to do a litter audit. They compare their results,
identify patterns in results and also try to explain any audits that do not fit the general pattern. In
Worksheet 1.3a learners identify a pattern relating the size of an animal to the rate at which its heart
beats. In Worksheet 1.7 they find a pattern in brain weight compared with body weight in different
animals and identify the measurement which does not fit the pattern.

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 Introduction

Use results to draw conclusions and to make further predictions.

At the end of an investigation learners must interpret their results or data and reach a conclusion
based on their results. For example, in Worksheet 1.4, learners draw a conclusion about the
breakdown of starch in the mouth from the results they obtain. They can then make further
predictions based on these conclusions. For example, in Worksheet 4.6, learners draw a conclusion
about the effect of rollers on friction on different surfaces and then predict the effect of rollers on an
untested surface.
Suggest and evaluate explanations for predictions using scientific knowledge and understanding and
communicate these to others.
In some activities learners are asked to predict possible results and explain to each other why they
have made these predictions. They can then discuss which predictions the group thinks will be true,
based on scientific knowledge they have already. An example of this is Activity 2.7 where learners
collect data on air pollution in their area. They predict which places are most likely to be polluted
because of factors such as traffic or factory smoke and discuss their predictions and later their
findings with others. In Question 1 in Topic 3.6, learners suggest an explanation for the prediction
made in Activity 3.6 about the water temperature at which sugar dissolves quickest.
Say if and how evidence supports any predictions made.
If learners make predictions they will later see if the evidence they collect supports their predictions.
They might also be able to see in what way or how the evidence supports their predictions.
For example in Worksheet 1.3A learners do some research to find out if the predictions they made
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about the heart rates of different animals are correct. In Activity 2.7 learners predict that a plant
they have watered with lemon juice will be more likely to show signs of acid rain damage than a
plant given water. They show how evidence supports their prediction by describing the colour of
the leaves and the state of the stems on each plant. In Activity 4.7, learners say how their prediction
about friction on different surfaces supports their prediction.
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 Introduction

The following table gives an overview of which resources are available in the Stage 6 products in this
series to support each Scientific enquiry objective.

Framework statement Learner’s Book Activity Book Teacher’s Resource

Ideas and Evidence
Consider how Worksheet 1.2, 4.1
scientists have
combined evidence
from observation and
measurement with
creative thinking to
suggest new ideas
and explanations for
phenomena.

Collect evidence and Activities 1.3, 1.6, 3.7, Worksheets 3.6B, 4.7,
data to test ideas 4.7, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.6, 4.8, 5.8A
including predictions. 5.7, 5.8,

Plan Investigative Work

Discuss how to turn
ideas into a form that
can be tested.
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Activities 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, Exercise 4.8

Make predictions Activities 2.6, 2.7, 2.9, Exercises 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, Worksheets 1.3A, 1.3C,
using scientific 3.1, 3.7, 4.7, 5.1, 5.2, 5.8 1.5, 3.5B, 3.6B, 4.7,
knowledge and 5.3, 5.6 A and B, 5.7, 5.1A, 5.3B, 5.6A, 5.6B,
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understanding 5.8,
Questions Topics 2.5,
2.8, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7,
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5.4
Choose what Activities 5.6B, 5.7, 5.8, Worksheets 3.5B, 3.6B,
evidence to collect 4.8
Questions Topics 3.7
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to investigate a
question, ensuring
that evidence is
sufficient
Identify factors that Activities 1.3, 3.1, Exercises 2.2, 5.2, Worksheets 1.5, 4.8,
are relevant to a 5.6A, 5.8B
Questions Topics 2.5
particular situation

Choose which Activities 3.2B, 3.7, Exercise 5.7 Worksheet 1.3B, 3.2,
equipment to use 5.6B, 5.7, 5.8, 3.5B, 3.6B, 4.8
Questions Topics 3.5,
3.7

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 Introduction

Obtain and Present Evidence

Make a variety of Activities 1.3, 1.6, 2.1, Exercises 2.1, 2.3, 2.4 Worksheets 1.4, 1.5,
relevant observations 2.6, 2.7, 2.9, 3.2B, 3.3, 2.5A, 3.6B, 4.8
and measurements 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4,
using simple 4.6, 4.8, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3,
apparatus correctly. 5.6A and B,5.7, 5.8,
Questions Topics 2.3,
2.4, 2.5, 2.8
Decide when Activities 4.7, 5.1, 5.3, Exercise 1.3
observations and 5.6B, 5.7, 5.8,
measurements need
to be checked by
repeating to give
more reliable data .
Use tables, bar charts Activities 2.4, 2.6, 2.9, Exercises 4.1, 5.1, 5.3, Worksheets 1.3B, 1.3C,
and line graphs to 3.3, 3.7, 4.1, 4.4, 4.4.7, 1.5, 1.6, 2.6A, 2.6B,
present results. 4.8, , 5.1, 5.3, 3.6C, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8,
5.1B, 5.3A, 5.3B
Questions Topic 3.7, 4.1

Consider Evidence and Approach

Make comparisons
3.3, 4.7, 5.2, 5.3,
Questions Topic 2.4,
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Activities 2.6, 2.7, 2.9, Exercises 2.5 Worksheets 1.3A, 1.7,
4.8

2.5, 3.2, 4.1

Evaluate repeated Activities 1.3 and 4.8
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results.
Questions Topic 1.3
Identify patterns in Activities 2.6, 2.7, 2.9, Exercises 1.3. 3.9 Worksheets 1.3A, 1.7,
results and results 4.1, 5.1, 3.6b, 3.6C, 4.6
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that do not appear to

Questions Topic 2.3
fit the pattern
Use results to draw Activities 3.6, 3.7, 5.1, Exercises 3.7 Worksheets 1.3A, 1.4,
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conclusions and 5.2, 5.3, 5.6B, 5.7, 5.8 3.5B, 3.6C, 4.6, 5.8A
to make further
predictions
Suggest and evaluate Activities 2.6, 2.7, Worksheets 4.6, 4.7
explanations for
Questions Topic 3.4, 3.6
predictions using
scientific knowledge
and understanding
and communicate
these to others.
Say whether and how Activities 3.7, 4.7, 2.6, Worksheet 1.3A
evidence supports 2.7, 2.9, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3,
any predictions made 5.6B, 5.7, 5.8

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 Unit 1
Teaching ideas
Humans and animals
Background knowledge
The human body consists of a number of different systems that work together so that we can survive.
At all times, the different body systems work together on specific jobs. These different body systems
depend on one another. The musculo-skeletal system is made of a skeleton of bones with muscle
attached to them. It supports the body and allows movement. The circulatory system consists of the
heart and blood vessels, which ensure that all parts of the body receive food and oxygen and that
wastes are taken away from body organs and tissues. In the digestive system, organs break down large
food molecules into smaller molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The respiratory
system is made up of organs that supply the body cells with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. In the
nervous system, the brain and nerves send messages to and receive messages from body organs. The
messages allow us to regulate body actions and processes. In the excretory system, the kidneys remove
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impurities from the blood and control the concentration of water and salts in the blood. Wastes are
removed as urine. In the reproductive system, organs make sperm in males and ova in females. The
sperm and ova join during fertilisation. The young develop from the fertilised egg. The endocrine
system consists of glands that make chemicals called hormones. These are released into the blood to
control certain body processes.
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This unit focuses on the circulatory, digestive, respiratory, excretory and nervous systems.

The circulatory system

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The main function is to transport substances such as oxygen, food and wastes.
The circulatory system in humans consists of three main parts: (1) a fluid (blood) that transports
substances in the body; (2) blood vessels that carry the blood and; (3) a heart that pumps the blood
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round the body.

The heart pumps blood around the body through the blood vessels. There are three types of blood
vessels: (1) arteries – these pump blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. A good way
of remembering this is that both arteries and away start with the letter ‘a’. Arteries have a thick
muscular wall which contracts and forces the blood along. This can be felt as a pulse. They carry
oxygenated blood, except for the pulmonary artery; (2) capillaries – these are a network of tiny
blood vessels that connect the arteries and veins. The capillaries release substances such as oxygen
and digested food molecules into the cells and carry away waste substances such as carbon dioxide
from cells. They have thin walls and; (3) veins – these carry blood to the heart. Some veins have one-
way valves to stop blood from flowing backwards. Veins are wider than arteries and have thinner
walls. They carry de-oxygenated blood, except for the pulmonary veins.

The heart and double circulation

The heart is really two separate pumps joined together. One pump pushes the blood into the lungs.
In the lungs, oxygen diffuses into the blood through the thin capillary walls and carbon dioxide
diffuses out of the blood. The oxygenated blood is pumped from the lungs to the left side of the
heart. The other pump takes the oxygenated blood and pumps it, under pressure, to other parts of
the body through the arteries.
Note: all the arteries carry oxygenated blood to the body organs except for the pulmonary artery.
The pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs where the blood is
oxygenated.
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 The system of two pumps is called double circulation.
Deoxygenated blood returns to the right side of the heart.
Oxygenated blood enters and leaves the left side of the
heart.
In the rest of the body, cells absorb oxygen and food from
the blood and release carbon dioxide and other wastes
into the blood. In the lungs, blood absorbs oxygen and
carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood.

Heartbeat and pulse

The adult human heart beats about 70 times per minute at
rest. The number of beats can be higher or lower than this
figure depending on factors like a person’s age, fitness and
how active they are. If we feel anxious or scared, our heart
beats faster. Each time the heart beats the heart muscle
contracts and relaxes.
The pulse is the contraction and relaxation of the arteries each time the heart beats. The pulse is
different to the heartbeat. When the ventricles contract, the blood is forced into the arteries. This
makes the arteries expand a little as the blood is pushed into them. The elastic walls of the arteries
then contract until the next heartbeat forces more blood into them. When you take your pulse you
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are feeling the expansion of the artery wall, followed by its contraction. This occurs once every
heartbeat. The easiest place to feel your pulse is on your wrist. We can use a person’s pulse rate as an
indicator of how fit they are. The lower the pulse at rest and after exercise, the fitter the person is.

The digestive system

We need to eat food to get nutrients that supply the body with raw materials and with energy. The job
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of the digestive system is to absorb nutrients from food. In the digestive system, food is broken down
into molecules that are small enough to be absorbed or taken in by the digestive system and then
passed into the blood. The nutrients dissolve in the blood and are carried in the bloodstream to all
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parts of the body.

The main processes that happen to food in the digestive system are: (1) ingestion – taking of food
into the body through the mouth; (2) digestion – the breakdown of large food molecules into small
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soluble food molecules that can be carried in the bloodstream; (3) absorption – the movement of
digested, soluble food molecules through the wall of the digestive system and into the blood and; (4)
egestion – the passing out of food that is not digested in the form of faeces.
The digestive system or alimentary canal is a one-way tube that passes through the body. It starts
at the mouth and ends at the anus. It is about nine metres long and is made up of different parts
including the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.

Digestion
Digestion is a process where large, insoluble food
molecules are broken up into simpler molecules
that are soluble. After digestion the smaller,
soluble molecules can be absorbed through the
gut wall and into the blood. There are two types
of digestion: mechanical digestion and chemical
digestion.
Mechanical digestion is the physical breakdown of
food into smaller pieces. It involves the breaking,
crushing and mashing of food. It starts in the mouth where the teeth tear and crush the moistened
food into a paste. The incisors are used to cut and bite, canine teeth tear food and the large flat
molars are used to crush and mash food.

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 Mechanical digestion is also brought about by the churning action of the alimentary canal. In the
stomach, the muscles of the stomach wall churn and mix stomach fluids with food to produce a
soup-like mixture.
Chemical digestion is the breakdown of chemical bonds in food molecules to produce smaller
molecules. Enzymes are involved in this process. Enzymes are chemicals that break down large food
molecules into smaller ones. Different enzymes act on different food molecules. Chemical digestion
starts in the mouth where enzymes in the saliva start to break chemical bonds in the food.

The respiratory system

This consists of the nose and mouth, trachea (wind pipe) and other air passageways (bronchi), lungs
and diaphragm muscle.
The respiratory system supplies oxygen to all cells and removes carbon dioxide. Oxygen is absorbed
into the blood in the lungs. The oxygen is carried in the blood to all cells of the body where it used
for cellular respiration to release energy from simple food molecules such as glucose. The process of
respiration forms carbon dioxide as a waste product. The carbon dioxide moves from all body cells
into the blood and is carried by the blood to the lungs, where it is breathed out.
Breathing is the movement of air into and out of the lungs. Breathing in is called inhalation.
Breathing out is called exhalation. The lungs are inside the chest, surrounded and protected by the
ribs. Muscles between the ribs and a sheet of muscle below the lungs, called the diaphragm, make
the lungs work. FT
Inhalation takes place as follows: (1) the muscles
between the ribs contract and lift the ribs upwards and
outwards; (2) the diaphragm muscle contracts and is
flattened; (3) the volume of the chest increases; (4) the
pressure in the chest decreases and; (5) air is drawn
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into the lungs.
Exhalation takes place as follows: (1) the muscles
between the ribs relax and lower the ribs downwards
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and inwards; (2) the diaphragm muscle relaxes and the

diaphragm bulges upwards; (3) the volume of the chest
decreases; (4) he pressure in the chest increases and; (5)
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air is pushed out of the lungs

The breathing rate is controlled by the nervous system. Breathing speeds up automatically when
the body needs more oxygen or needs to release more carbon dioxide, for example when exercising.
Normal breathing rate at rest in adults is between 12 and 16 times a minute. It is higher in children.
Fitness increases the efficiency of breathing. As a result the breathing rate of fit people increases less
during exercise than that of unfit people.

Excretory system
Our bodies produce many waste products as a
result of body processes. These waste products
must be removed from our bodies because they
can be harmful. The removal of waste products
formed during body processes is called excretion.
The excretory system removes wastes from the
blood and regulates the body’s fluids.
The main components of the excretory system
include the kidneys, bladder and ureters. The
kidneys filter harmful wastes from the blood
and form urine. The ureters carry urine from the
kidneys to the bladder. The bladder stores urine
until it is released.
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 The diagram shows the excretory system in a human female
The function of the excretory system is to collect blood containing waste substances such as urea,
unwanted salts and excess water, and to filter it so that the wastes are removed. Useful substances
such as glucose are absorbed back into the blood.

The nervous system

The main components include: the brain that processes and analyses information; the spinal cord
which is the main communications link between the brain and the rest of the body; the nerves which
are the cells that carry messages in the form of electrical impulses and the receptors or sense organs
which react to stimuli from the environment. The sense organs are: ears which react to sound; nose
which reacts to smells; eyes which react to light; skin which responds to touch; and tongue which
reacts to taste.
This unit deals with the brain. The three main parts of the brain are: (1) the cerebrum – this is
the largest brain structure in humans and accounts for about two-thirds of the brain’s mass. It is
divided into two sides, the left and right hemispheres, which are separated by a deep groove down
the centre from the back of the brain to the forehead. The cerebrum controls most of our body
functions including the senses, the body’s motor
skills, reasoning and language; (2) the cerebellum
– this consists of two peach-sized mounds of
folded tissue located at the top of the brain stem
and is responsible for coordinated movement FT
and balance. The cerebellum is also involved in
some learning pathways and; (3) the brain stem
or medulla oblongata – this part of the brain
connects to the spinal cord. The brain stem
controls functions essential to the survival of all
A
animals, such as heart rate, breathing, digestion
and sleeping.

Unit overview
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Topic Number of Outline of lesson Resources in Resources Resources

lessons content Learner’s Book in Activity in Teacher’s
Book Resource
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1.1 Body 1 The major body Activity 1.1 Exercise 1.1 Worksheet 1.1
organs organs are the Questions 1–5 Su
heart, stomach and
intestines, lungs,
kidneys and brain.
1.2 The 1 The heart pumps Questions 1–3 Exercise 1.2 Worksheet 1.2
heart blood carrying food
and oxygen to all
parts of the body.
1.3 2 Activity 1.3 Exercise 1.3 Worksheet 1.3A
Heartbeat ; Su Ex
and pulse
Questions 1–5 Worksheet 1.3B
; Su
Worksheet 1.3C
Ex
1.4 What 2 Food is broken Questions 1–3 Exercise 1.4 Worksheet 1.4
do the down into small
stomach particles by the
and process of digestion
intestines in the stomach and
do? intestines.
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 1.5 The 2 The lungs breathe Activity 1.5 Exercise 1.5 Worksheet 1.5
lungs and in air containing ;
breathing oxygen and Questions 1–4
breathe out air
containing carbon
dioxide.
1.6 What do 1 The kidneys Questions 1–4 Exercise 1.6 Worksheet 1.6
the kidneys remove waste L Su
do? products from the
body.
1.7 What 1 The brain controls Questions Exercise 1.7 Worksheet 1.7
does the all body functions. 1–3 Challenge
Note: The day
brain do? question Ex
before the lesson
you will need
to prepare the
oatmeal.
Check your 1 Questions 1 Language Worksheet 1.8
progress L activity L
2, 3 L , 5, 6

Ex Extension L Language Enquiry Su Support

Resources
• newspaper
FT •
•
•
saucers
droppers
large container (basin or bucket)
• white paper
• a measuring cylinder
• colouring pens
• water
• crayons
A
• glue • beans

• scissors • oatmeal

• the inner cardboard tube of a roll of kitchen • zip-lock plastic bags

• simple line diagrams of the human brain
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paper or toilet roll or a paper cup with the

bottom cut out • models, posters or pictures of human body
systems
• a plastic washing up liquid bottle or water
bottle with narrow drinking nozzle, filled
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with water Topic 1.1 Body organs

• four empty containers
• red balls The key concepts explored in this topic are that
• balloons or marbles body organs work together to form systems
• blue balls that carry out the functions that keep us alive.
• a watch with a second hand Body organs are found in specific positions
• scrap pieces of paper within the body.
• a stethoscope (if possible)
• a large container of water Learning objectives
• a bulb syringe
Use scientific names for some major organs of
• a long balloon
body systems.
• a ball of string
• cardboard • Identify the position of major organs in
• bottles, the body.
• drinking straws
• plastic or paper bags Curriculum links
• bread
In Stage 4, learners found out that the brain,
• iodine solution
heart and lungs are protected by the skeleton.

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 Ideas for the lesson
In this topic, learners will find out about the
organs of the body through the use of diagrams
and a hands-on activity that will help them
develop an awareness of organ structure
and function. In addition, they will learn the
scientific names of the organs of the body.
• Begin the lesson by telling the class that
we can think of the body in the same way
as a city. Ask them what things a town
or city needs to function. The city needs
things such as an energy supply, a transport
system, a waste removal system, a water
supply system. It needs a police force to
protect and defend it. A city needs a mayor
and local government to make decisions and
manage the activities of the city. You can
then have a brainstorming session on which
body organs and systems they think could
do these jobs in our bodies. Record their
ideas in a mind map on the board. You can
ask them where in the body they think each FT
organ is located and what its function is.
Then get learners to do Activity 1.1.
• Next, ask the class to tell you the function
of each of the organs using their best guess.
They may know quite a few. For your
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reference, the functions of the major organs
in the body are: brain – the part of the body
that thinks and reasons and controls all body
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functions; heart – the circulatory organ that
pumps blood carrying food and oxygen to
all parts of the body (the blood also carries
waste products to organs that remove them);
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lungs – two spongy, saclike organs in the
chest that provide the body with oxygen
and remove carbon dioxide from it; liver – a
large, reddish-brown, organ located in the
upper right portion of the abdominal cavity
that stores energy and break down harmful
substances in the body. It also plays a role in
digestion by secreting bile to help breakdown
fats. Also, it helps in the formation of certain
blood proteins and in the breakdown of
carbohydrates, fats, and proteins; stomach
– the enlarged, saclike portion of the
alimentary canal. It is located in vertebrates
between the oesophagus and the small
intestine. The stomach starts the digestion
of protein and mixes the chewed, swallowed
food with digestive juices; small intestine – the
part of the digestive system where digestion
of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is
completed. It is the place where nutrients are
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absorbed by the blood; large intestine – the
part of the intestine involved in re-absorption
of water from undigested food from which
nutrients have been removed. The remains
of undigested food are then got rid of when
they pass out of the anus; kidneys – a pair of
organs that maintain proper water and salt
balance and regulate blood acidity. It filters
the blood of metabolic wastes, which are then
excreted as urine.
• Finish the lesson by getting learners to
answer questions 1–5 in the Learner’s Book.
Exercise 1.1 in the Activity Book is a useful
support activity.
Notes on practical activities
Activity 1.1
Each group will need:
• a newspaper
• white paper
• colouring pens
• crayons
• glue
• scissors.
Learners should work in groups of 4 to 5.
The group members should be all boys or all
girls to avoid any issues pertaining to gender
relations in different cultures and to respect the
individual feelings of learners.
A large poster of the human body will be
helpful for learners to see the approximate size
and position of the different organs in the body.
Stick sheets of newspaper together to form a
sheet large enough for the size of the upper
body. Each group should pick one learner to be
the model for the body. Have the learner lie on
the newspaper and have another learner trace
around his or her body.
Have each group use the white paper to draw,
label, colour and cut out the major organs
of the body, which should be life size. You
can prepare these in advance if time is short.
Learners should glue the organs in their proper
place on the human body by looking at a
human body poster or the picture of human
body from the Learners’ Book.
Internet and ICT
• http://www.kidsbiology.com/human_biology/
index.php gives interactive explanations of
how different body systems work.
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 Differentiation Answers to Worksheets
• Lower achieving learners can consolidate Worksheet 1.1
their knowledge of the names and positions
of body organ by completing Exercise 1.1 in
the Activity Book.
• Higher achieving learners can do some
research to find out about the functions and
positions in the body of other organs such
as the pancreas and gall bladder.

Talk about it!

Learners should be able to recall from Stage 5
that the skeleton is important in protecting vital
body organs. Ask them to think about the role
of the skeleton in protection. They should know
that the skull protects the brain and the ribs
protect heart and lungs.

Homework ideas
• Worksheet 1.1. Discuss answers in class and
FT
allow learners to check their own work for
self-assessment purposes.

Answers to Learner’s Book

questions Topic 1.2 The heart
A
1 brain The main ideas explored in this topic is that the
2 heart, lungs heart is a muscle found in the chest that pumps
3 lungs, kidneys blood through the blood vessels to all parts of
4 stomach, intestines, kidneys the body. Blood supplies the body with food and
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5 Answers will depend on learner’s existing oxygen and to picks up waste products from
knowledge. Correct answers are: body cells. The heart, blood vessels and blood
brain – control of body functions and allows make up the circulatory system.
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us to think, talk and have feelings

lungs – breathing Learning objectives
heart – circulation of blood
kidneys – excretion • Use scientific names for some major organs
stomach and intestines of body systems.

Answers to Activity Book exercise • Identify the position of major organs in the
body.
• Describe the main functions of the major
organs of the body.
BRAIN
• Explain how the functions of the major
KIDNEYS organs are essential.
• Consider how scientists have combined
evidence from observation and measurement
AW with creative thinking to suggest new ideas
and explanations for phenomena.

Curriculum links
• In Stage 4, learners found out that muscles
work by contracting and relaxing. The heart
is a muscle which contracts and relaxes
continuously.

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 Ideas for the lesson
• Begin the lesson by asking the class to draw
what they think their heart looks like. Does it
really look like the hearts we see on greeting
and playing cards? What does the heart do?
Is it responsible for feelings of love?
• Then show the class a poster or video clip
that shows the external structure of the heart.
Get learners to feel where their heart is and
see how big it is by clenching their fists.
• Have learners work in same gender pairs
and put the inner cardboard tube of a roll
of kitchen paper towel or toilet paper roll or
a paper cup with the bottom cut out on the
chest of their partner and listen. Tell them
that they may move the tube around until
they hear something. Ask learners what
they hear and where they think the sound is
coming from. Explain that the sound is their
hearts beating.
• Tell students that the heart is a muscle that
FT
pumps blood around the body in a system
called the circulatory system. Talk about what
the heart does and how it does it. The heart
works like pump to push the blood all the way
round the body. Emphasise that blood only
moves in ‘tubes’ called blood vessels and their
A
names, arteries veins and capillaries. Also
mention why the blood needs to be pumped
around the body – to carry materials the body
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needs like oxygen and food to the rest of the
body, and to carry waste material away from
the body so it can be removed by other organs
such as the lungs and kidneys.
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• Make a simple model from a plastic washing
up liquid bottle filled with water, which you
squeeze to simulate the pumping action of
the heat. You could also use a water bottle
that has a narrow drinking nozzle as you
need to build up pressure to squeeze the
water through a narrow opening. Learners
will observe that the water is pushed out
of the bottle with force. Explain that by
squeezing the bottle you put pressure on
the water which makes it squirt out of the
bottle. The heart works in the same way.
• Explain that that the heart is a special type
muscle that contracts and relaxes on its own,
constantly. It pumps blood to the lungs to
pick up oxygen, returns the blood to the
heart and then pumps it to the rest of the
body in the arteries. Blood returning to the
heart from body organs is de-oxygenated
(with the exception of blood coming from
the lungs) and contains carbon dioxide.
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• Talk about earlier ideas about how the heart
and circulation, such as the ancient Greeks’
beliefs that that the lungs pumped blood to
other body organs and that blood was used
up when it circulated around the body and
the liver made new blood each time. Explain
that we now know these ideas are incorrect
due to the work of scientists who studied
the human body. Then get learners to read
about William Harvey’s work and answer
the questions in Worksheet 1.2.
• Discuss the functions of the heart and why
we die when our heart stops beating. You
could also talk about diseases and medical
conditions that affect the heart. See the
Internet and ICT section.
• Round off the lesson by getting learners to
answer questions 1–3 in the Learner’s Book.
Internet and ICT
• http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/index.html is a
good website for background information
for teachers.
• http://www.mplsheartfoundation.org/kids/
lets_learn.html is an interactive site for kids
on the heart and healthy lifestyles
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/
gcsebitesize/pe/appliedanatomy/0_
anatomy_circulatorysys_rev1.shtml gives
comprehensive background on the heart and
the circulatory system.
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/
gcsebitesize/science/21c/keeping_healthy/
heartdiseaserev1.shtml has an animation
on heart beat and information about heart
disease.
Assessment
• Can learners name the parts of the
circulatory system and their functions?
• Can learners explain why the blood must be
pumped to the lungs before it goes to the
rest of the body?
Differentiation
• Lower achieving learners may struggle to
understand the pathway of blood through
the body. Use a simple schematic diagram
such as the example given here to explain
that the blood flows though two circuits in
the body – to the lungs to drop off carbon
dioxide and pick up oxygen and then to the
rest of the body to supply food and oxygen
and take away carbon dioxide.
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 A more visual and interactive way to show
the pathway of blood through the body is to
make a large labelled outline of the drawing
below on newsprint or newspaper or even
in chalk on the floor. It should be large
enough for learners to walk through. Place
a container of red balls, marbles or balloons
and an empty container on the part labelled
‘lungs’. Place a container of blue balls,
marbles or balloons and an empty container
on the part labelled ‘rest of the body’. The
red balls represent oxygen blood and the
blue balls represent carbon dioxide. Get
the learners to act the part of the blood by
picking up red balls and carrying them to the
heart and then moving faster to take them to
the rest of the body. Here they drop the red
balls into the empty container and pick up
blue balls which they carry back to the heart
and then to the lungs. At the lungs they drop
the blue balls into the empty container and
pick up more red balls to take to the body.
FT
You can label the containers ‘oxygen’ (red
balls) and carbon dioxide (blue balls).
A
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• Higher achieving learners can discuss the
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Challenge question and do some research
to find the answer. They could look at these
websites: www.medikidz.com/medipedia/
heart-attack; encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/
he/Heart_attack; http://kidshealth.org/kid/
grownup/conditions/heart_disease.html. A
heart attack is when the supply of blood to
the heart muscle is interrupted. This means
that the muscle does not get enough oxygen
so it cannot work properly.
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Common misunderstandings and
misconceptions
• A common misconception at this level is that
the blood in the veins is blue. This is due to
the fact that in diagrams of the circulatory
system we show the veins in blue and the
arteries in red. Venous blood is red, but
darker red than arterial blood as the veins
carry deoxygenated blood which is darker in
colour than oxygenated blood. The exception
to this is the pulmonary vein which carries
oxygenated blood back to the heart.
Talk about it!
Ask learners for their ideas about this. They
may have seen programmes on TV in which
doctors or paramedics feel for the patient’s pulse
to see if they are still alive. Get them to find
their own pulse by feeling their wrist or neck.
Explain that the pulse is caused by the pressure
of blood as the heart pumps it to the rest of
the body.
Homework ideas
• Exercise 1.2 in the Activity Book. Discuss
the answers in class and allow learners to
check their own work for self-assessment
purposes.
Answers to Learner’s Book
questions
1 a It pumps blood through your body.
b To supply all parts of the body with
food and oxygen carried in the blood
and to remove waste products from the
different parts of the body.
2 The heart muscle contracting as it pumps
the blood.
3 To pick up oxygen that is then carried in the
blood to the rest of the body.
Challenge
A heart attack is when the heart muscle itself
does not receive enough oxygen and food and
stops beating or does not beat properly. It is
caused by the blood vessels that supply the
heart muscle with blood becoming blocked so
that they cannot bring enough blood carrying
oxygen and food to the heart.
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 Answers to Activity Book exercise
1 a circulatory system
b blood
blood vessels
2 a The heart pumps blood through the
body.
b The left side of the heart pumps blood
that contains oxygen.
c The right side of the heart pumps blood
without oxygen to the lungs.
d Blood is carried in the blood vessels.
e Blood carries food and oxygen to all
parts of the body and takes away waste
products.
Answers to Worksheets
Worksheet 1.2
1 They thought that that: the lungs moved
the blood around the body; the body used
up the blood for energy as it flowed to the
2
3
different organs; the heart’s job was to
control our feelings.
He observed water pumps in London.
a He studied the heart and blood vessels
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and carried out experiments
b To make sure that his observations and
A
results were reliable and correct.
4 a He observed that one hour the heart
pumps more than the body’s weight in
blood.
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b The heart works by muscle contraction
to pump blood to body organs
Blood is carried away from heart by arteries and
D
returns to heart through veins.
Gases enter and leave the blood in the lungs
Topic 1.3 Heartbeat and pulse
The main concept explored in this topic is the
beating of the heart – this causes a pulse which
we can feel in our wrists or neck. Pulse rate
increases as the heart beats faster, for example,
during exercise.
Learning objectives
• Identify factors that are relevant to a
particular situation.
• Decide when observations and
measurements need to be checked by
repeating to give more reliable data.
• Evaluate repeated results
• Use tables, bar charts and line graphs to
present results
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• Make comparisons.
• Identify patterns in results and results that
do not appear to fit the pattern.
• Identify factors that are relevant to a
particular situation.
Curriculum links
• Learners draw bar charts in Worksheets
1.3B, line graphs in Worksheet 1.3C and
calculate averages in Exercise 1.3, which are
all linked with Mathematics.
Ideas for the lesson
• Begin the lesson by handing out a piece
of scrap paper to each learner. Tell them
to crumple it into a ball and hold it in
their hand. Watch the clock and count to
90 in one minute. You may want to try
this yourself first to make sure you can fit
90 counts into a minute. Tell learners to
squeeze the paper ball each time a number
•
is said. This demonstrates how strong the
heart is and how hard it works.
If possible, bring a stethoscope to class so
learners can listen to their heartbeats. You
could try and borrow one from a local clinic
or medical practitioner or ask a doctor or
nurse to visit the school to demonstrate the
use of the stethoscope.
• You can use a model to demonstrate the
expansion and contraction of blood vessels
as blood is pumped through the blood
vessels. You need a large container of
water, a bulb syringe, a long balloon. Get a
learner to assist you. Fill the bulb with water
and secure the balloon over the tip of the
bulb.  Get the learner to hold the balloon.
Gently squeeze and release the bulb so
that the balloon repeatedly fills with water. 
The learner will feel the expansion and
contraction as the bulb pumps water and
then stops. This models the expansion and
contraction of blood vessels as the heart
beats.
• Show the learners where they can find their
pulse (neck or wrist). Then get them to do
Activity 1.3 where they will collect evidence
by measuring their pulse rates. Learners
should repeat their measurements. They
will then evaluate their repeated results
and should notice that the pulse rate varies
and is not exactly the same each time they
measure it. If time permits, get them to
measure their pulse rates several times and
work out an average pulse rate.
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 • In the next lesson, learners can answer
questions 1–5 in the Learner’s Book where
they identify a factor (exercise) that affects
pulse rate and make predictions about
how exercise affects the pulse rate. They
test their predictions and collect evidence
by measuring pulse rates before and after
exercise. Results should be recorded in
a table or bar graph. Learners use this
evidence to decide if it supports their
predictions and to draw a conclusion.
• Learners can then complete Worksheets
1.3A or 1.3B, depending on their
abilities.  Worksheet 1.3A allows learners to
develop scientific enquiry skills by making
comparisons of the number of heartbeats
of different animals, looking for a pattern
in the results and using the results to form
a conclusion and to make predictions about
the heart rates of other animals.
• In Worksheets 1.3B and 1.3C, learners
present results in the form of charts and
•
conclusions and make predictions.
FT
graphs and use the results given to draw
Exercise 1.3 is suggested as a homework
task. This exercise also addresses scientific
enquiry skills and gives learners the
A
opportunity to practise identifying patterns
in results and recognising results that
do not fit the pattern. When discussing
the answers to this exercise you should
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introduce the idea of checking and repeating
measurements to make sure they are reliable
and that an error has not been made when
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taking or recording the measurements. This
is important for results that do not fit a
pattern.
Notes on practical activities
Activity 1.3
Each group will need:
• a watch with a second hand or a stop watch.
Learners should work in groups of four to five.
Demonstrate to the class how to find their pulse.
Measure and record your own pulse rate on the
board. Then measure a volunteer learner’s pulse
rate and record it too.
Point out that the pulse rates are not the same.
Various factors affect pulse rate. Age is one of
them. Children have faster pulse rates at rest than
adults. There is also normal variation between
individuals of the same age as learners will
observe when they measure their own pulse rates.
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To demonstrate how pulse rate can vary you
can get learners to measure their pulse rates at
different times of day, and report their results
the next day. Can they identify any patterns,
for example pulse rates might be lower shortly
before going to bed, if learners have been
relaxed in the evening.
You might also ask learners to measure their
pulse rates before and after exercise and
compare them, which gives a more direct
illustration of a factor that affects pulse rate.
They can do the exercise in the classroom by
running on the spot for one minute. They then
stop running and measure their pulse rates.
Results should be recorded in a table similar to
the one shown here.
Pulse rate before Pulse rate after
exercise exercise
Answers will vary. Normal pulse rate in children
is about 90 heartbeats per minute.
The number of heartbeats counted will probably
vary slightly when the pulse is taken again.
Learners’ tables should record pulse rates of
group members.
Internet and ICT
• http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/index.html is a
good website for background information
for teachers.
• http://www.mplsheartfoundation.org/kids/
lets_learn.html is an interactive site for kids
on the heart and healthy lifestyles.
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/
gcsebitesize/pe/appliedanatomy/0_
anatomy_circulatorysys_rev1.shtml gives
comprehensive background on the heart and
the circulatory system.
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/
gcsebitesize/science/21c/keeping_healthy/
heartdiseaserev1.shtml has an animation
on heart beat and information about heart
disease.
Assessment
• This topic provides opportunities to assess
both line graphs and bar charts.
• You can assess learners’ line graphs from
Worksheet 1.3c using these criteria:
Does the graph have a suitable heading?
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 Is each data point indicated by an obvious, but
not overly large dot?
Are all data points correctly plotted?
Are the data points correctly connected?
Does the graph represent the data collected?
• You could asses the bar charts learners draw
in Worksheet 1.3b using these criteria:
Does the chart have a heading?
Are the bars correctly plotted and spaced on
the set of axes?
Are the bars the correct height?
Are the bars correctly labelled?
Is the chart neatly drawn using a ruler?
Differentiation
• Lower achieving learners can use Worksheet
1.3b to practise drawing bar charts. Pair them
with more able learners who can assist them.
• Exercise 1.3 helps to check knowledge of
pulse rates and is useful for lower achieving
learners.
• Higher achieving learners can complete
Worksheets 1.3a and 1.3c.
Answers to Learner’s Book
questions
1 Heartbeat is the contraction of the heart
muscle as it pumps blood. Pulse is the
pressure caused by the pressure of the blood
as it is pumped by the heart.
2 no
3 a no
b The pulse rate changes slightly all the
time, and is influenced by things such as
activity and anxiety. Learners may also
not have measured accurately.
c Work out their mean pulse rate by
adding the measurements together and
dividing the total by the number of
measurements taken.
4 Suggested factors might include: physical
activity, anxiety, time of day, illness of
fever, age.
Answers to Activity Book exercise

Common misunderstandings and

FT 1 Beats per minute
2. 93 beats per minute. Add all the pulse rates
and divide the total by the number of people
in the group.
misconceptions 3 a Most of the pulse rates are about 90
beats per minute.
•
A
A common misunderstanding is that pulse
and heartbeat are the same. Heartbeat is b Lisa’s – her pulse rate is 110 beats per
the contraction of the heart muscle as it minute. Perhaps her pulse rate is high
pumps blood. Pulse is the wave caused by because it was measured while she was
R

the pressure of the blood as it pumped by exercising.

the heart. c Measure Lisa’s pulse rate when she is
not exercising or measure the group’s
Talk about it! pulse rates during exercise.
D

Ask the class about the normal pulse rate and Answers to Worksheets
why the heart needs to beat. They should deduce
a very low pulse rate means that your heart is not Worksheet 1.3a
working properly. The heart pumps the blood
which carries the food and oxygen the body 1 a the humming bird
needs to carry out its functions. If the heart beat b the blue whale
is very slow, very little oxygen and food are being 2 a blue whale
pumped around the body so all body processes b humming bird
are slowed down which could be dangerous. 3 a blue whale
elephant
human
Homework ideas cat
• Lower achieving learners can complete mouse
Exercise 1.3 in the Activity Book as a humming bird
homework task. b the heartbeat gets faster as the animal
• Higher achieving learners can complete
4 a
gets smaller.
Large animals have slower heartbeats
Worksheet 1.3c as a homework task.
than small animals , or similar
conclusion.
b horse 45 beats/min
shrew 600 beats/min
c yes/no, depending on prediction
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 Challenge
During hibernation all the bat’s body processes
slow down a lot. It needs very little food and
oxygen during hibernation as it is inactive, so its
heart does not need to beat fast.
Worksheet 1.3b
1 A stopwatch or watch with a second hand
2 •
3 a
b
FT
Exercise makes the pulse rate increase.
Their pulse rates would get higher.
Worksheet 1.3c
1 should breathe normally, then breathe more
A
R
D
2
3
See line graph – pulse rate should be lower.
By 70 beats per minute
4 When you exercise your body muscles need
more food and oxygen. Your heart has to
pump faster to supply these, so the heart
beats faster and pulse rate increases.
Topic 1.4 The lungs and
breathing
The main idea covered in this topic is that the
lungs are the organs that we use for drawing air
containing oxygen into the body and expelling
air containing carbon dioxide.
© Cambridge University Press 2014
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Learning objectives
• Use scientific names for some major organs
of body systems.
• Describe the main functions of the major
organs of the body.
• Explain how the functions of the major
organs are essential.
Make predictions using scientific knowledge
and understanding
• Use tables, bar charts and line graphs to
present results
• Identify factors that are relevant to a
particular situation.
Ideas for the lesson
• Ask learners to think of something they do
about 20 times a minute without thinking
about it. They breathe 15–20 times each
minute. Ask which body organs we use for
breathing.
• Then get learners to do Activity 1.4.
Demonstrate to the class how to place
their hands – fingers forward with thumbs
pushed against the back of the ribs. They
deeply and feel the difference. The ribs push
out more with deeper breaths as the lungs
expand more and fill with air.
• Use a poster, model or video clip of the
respiratory system to trace the pathway
of air in the body (see Internet and ICT
section). Explain that when you breathe
in through your nose or mouth, air travels
down the back of your throat. It passes
through your voice box and into your
trachea, or windpipe. The windpipe is
divided into two air passage tubes. One
leads to the left lung. The other leads to the
right lung.
• Ask why we need to breathe and explain the
purpose of inhalation and exhalation.
• Tell the class that an adult lung is about the
size of a football. When they are healthy,
your lungs feel a little like a sponge and are
pinkish-grey. When lungs are damaged by
smoking, they can appear grey or have black
spots on them.
• One disease that is very common in children
involves the lungs. Asthma narrows the
breathing tubes, making it harder to breathe.
Many children these days suffer from
asthma and have to use inhalers to open up
the air passages and allow them to breathe.
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 (Please be sensitive to learner’s in your class
who may suffer from asthma or any other
respiratory related disease.)
• Finish the lesson by getting learners to
answer questions 1–4 in the Learner’s Book.
In question 4, learners should be able to
use their prior knowledge and experience
to recognise that exercise is a relevant
factor that affects the breathing rate. This
scientific enquiry skill is addressed again in
Worksheet 1.4 where learners are asked to
suggest another factor that affects breathing
rate. In the next lesson, learners can do
Worksheet 1.4.
Notes on practical activities
Activity 1.4
Each learner will need:
• a balloon.
Learners should work individually.
This activity can be done at learners’ desks.
They should stand up, put their hands on their
ribcage and breathe in and breathe out. You can
FT
demonstrate what to do in front of the class.
It is not recommended, for health and hygiene
A
reasons, that learners share balloons. If you are
not able to obtain a balloon for each learner
they can use a small plastic bag instead of a
balloon. Learners could each bring a plastic
R
bag from home. Alternatively you can do a
demonstration of breathing into a balloon for
the class.
D
Worksheet 1.4
Each pair will need:
• a watch with a second hand.
• Learners should work in pairs
Learners can count the number of breaths
taken per minute by observing the rise and fall
of their partner’s chests. Another way to do
this is by placing a hand on their partner’s ribs
and feeling the breathing movements if the pair
is of the same gender, and touching another
person’s body is not considered inappropriate
in your culture. Be aware that, unlike heart rate
which can’t be consciously controlled, you can
consciously control your breathing rate. This
may influence results as often the more someone
is told to ‘breathe naturally’, the less natural
their breathing becomes,
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It may be interesting to compare the pairs’
results at the end of the lesson and see the range
in breathing rates. You could talk about how
factors such as age, gender and fitness affect the
breathing rate.
Internet and ICT
• http://www.neok12.com/Respiratory-System.
htm links to games, diagrams to label of
respiratory system and video animations
on breathing.
• http://www.ehow.com/info_8171953_
respiratory-system-activity-kids.html has
ideas for additional activities related to the
lungs and breathing.
• http://www.coolfacts.in/respiratory-system-
facts-for-kids/ has interesting facts about the
respiratory system.
• http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/RSmovie.html
has an animated movie on the respiratory
system.
• http://teachhealthk-12.uthscsa.edu/
studentresources/AnatomyofBreathing3.swf is
a video clip of the respiratory system.
Assessment
• Are learners able to explain what happens
to the lungs when we breathe in and breathe
out and why? You could ask them to draw a
table of comparison to do this.
Differentiation
• Lower achieving learners may struggle with
drawing line graphs. Therefore, get them to
work with a more able peer who can assist
them in drawing their graphs in
Worksheet 1.5.
• Higher achieving learners can answer this
question: Why are the lungs the only body
organs that can float? The answer is because
they are made of very many air sacs.
Common misunderstandings and
misconceptions
• Teachers often use a balloon to demonstrate
how the lungs expand and contract during
breathing. This practice may lead learners
to think that the lungs are hollow organs
like balloons that can fill up with air when
we inhale and collapse and empty when we
exhale. The lungs are not hollow but are
spongy and made up of numerous tiny air
sacs.
10/12/2013 16:04
 Talk about it! Answers to Worksheets
Talk about the air we breathe in. It is made Worksheet 1.4
up of a mixture of gases and does not contain
only oxygen. Divers have air tanks that contain 3 This is a table of possible results.
a mixture of air with the same proportion
of oxygen as air in the atmosphere that they Time in minutes Breathing rate in
breathe in. The exhaled air is released into breaths per minute
the water. Start: 0 15
2 20
Homework ideas
4 30
• Exercise 1.4 in the Activity Book. Discuss
the answers in class and allow learners to 6 45
check their own work for self-assessment 4
purposes.

Answers to Learner’s Book

questions
1 In order to grow and have energy for our
bodies to work properly.
2 Food must be digested so that it can be used

4
by the body. FT
The stomach mixes the chewed food from
the mouth with digestive juices
Food is digested further into very tiny
particles that can enter the blood.
Undigested food is removed from the body.
A
5 It is carried in the blood.
Answers to Activity Book exercise
1
R

5 a Before exercise started.

b After six minutes.
D

6 Exercise made breathing rate increase. You

need more oxygen when exercising so you
have to breathe more often to get more
oxygen into the body.
7 a How fit a person is.
b If you are fit, your breathing rate will
not increase as much during exercise as
someone who is not fit. This is because
in fit people the heart is more efficient at
pumping blood that carries the oxygen
to the muscles used during exercise - so
fewer breaths need to be taken to supply
oxygen.
8 circulatory system

Topic 1.5 The digestive system

The main idea covered in this topic is that food
must be digested before it can be used by the
body. The stomach and intestines are important
organs in the breakdown of food during digestion
2 nose → windpipe → lungs → blood
and the removal of undigested food material.
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 Learning objectives
• Use scientific names for some major organs
of body systems.
• Describe the main functions of the major
organs of the body.
• Explain how the functions of the major
organs are essential.
• Make a variety of relevant observations
and measurements using simple apparatus
correctly.
• Use results to draw conclusions and to make
further predictions.
Ideas for the lesson
• Ask the class what they ate today or last
night. Why do we need to eat? Remind them
that our bodies need food to get energy and
grow strong and healthy. But how do we
turn food into energy?
• Tell the class that digestion is the process
FT
of turning food into a form the body can
process and use for energy. Explain to
learners that before they even start eating,
the digestion process begins. They produce
saliva, or spit, inside their mouths. Chewing
breaks down food while saliva softens it so it
A
can be swallowed. It passes from the mouth,
down the throat when we swallow and into a
stretchy tube called the gullet or oesophagus.
R
Then it enters the stomach.
• Remind learners that an organ is a body
part that does a special job. The stomach’s
job is to store chewed food and break it
D
down further. Muscles help churn and mix
food and digestive juices are secreted to
break the food down into a soupy mixture.
• Encourage children to touch their stomachs
after they eat and feel their stomachs
working. They may even want to put their
ear to a friend’s stomach to hear it work.
Make sure learners work in same-sex pairs
to do this. They could use the paper towel
roll inners to help amplify the sound.
• After the food is broken down in the
stomach, it passes to the small intestine.
The small intestine is not small at all. It’s
a very long narrow tube about 7 metres
in adults. You could use a ball of string
to demonstrate the length of the small
intestine. Explain it is folded up so that it
can fit into our bodies. Food is pushed along
the small intestine and broken down further
until the food particles are small enough to
be absorbed into the blood.
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• You could also get leaner to work in groups
to make a model of the digestive system
using materials such as plastic bottles,
drinking straws and plastic or paper bags to
represent the various parts
• Talk about healthy diets. Explain that
foods that are high in fibre, such as fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains make it easier
for waste to pass through the body and help
‘clean’ the digestive system. Water is used to
produce digestive juices, so it is important
for people to drink water when they are
thirsty, and not sugary sodas and juices.
Regular exercise also helps things move
through the digestive system and stimulates
muscles in the digestive tract. Encourage
learners to be more aware of what they eat
and drink and make healthy choices when
they eat.
• In the next lesson get learners to answer
questions 1–5 before doing Worksheet 1.5,
which is a practical investigation in which
learners make observations using simple
apparatus to test bread for the presence of
starch. They then observe how the starch in
bread is changed in the mouth by repeating
the starch test on chewed bread. They use
the results to form a conclusion that starch
is digested in the mouth.
Notes on practical activities
Worksheet 1.5
Each group will need:
•
bread
• iodine solution
• two saucers
• dropper (pipette).
Learners should not to drop iodine
onto their clothes as it stains. They
should also not taste or swallow any
iodine as it is harmful. Learners should
also not consume any of the foodstuffs
prepared.
Learners should work in groups of four or five.
Demonstrate the starch test for the class. Use a
known source of starch such as corn starch.
Internet and ICT
• http://www.squidoo.com/learning-about-the-
digestive-system has several fun ideas for
demonstrating how the different parts of the
digestive break down food.
10/12/2013 16:04
 • http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/ Answers to Learner’s Book
digestivesystem.asp has a human digestive questions
system lesson plan.
1 The chest gets bigger as the lungs fill with
• http://www.lessonplanet.com/search?keywor
air.
ds=digestive+system+activities has a number
of lesson plans on the digestive system, but 2 The chest gets smaller as the lungs push air
you will need to become a member. out.
3 Air leaves our body when we breathe out.
• http://kidshealth.org/misc/movie/bodybasics/ The air fills the balloon and balloon inflates/
digestive_system.html is an interactive site blows up.
where learners can find out about all the 4 When we exercise our body needs more
parts of the digestive system. oxygen. We breathe faster to take in more
oxygen.
Assessment
• Can learners match the parts of the digestive Answers to Activity Book exercise
system with their functions? You can use 1
resource sheet 1.5 to make sets of cards with
the pictures of the parts of the digestive
system on them, another set of cards with
the names of the organs and a third set with
the functions of each part. Include some
incorrect organs and functions as well. Hand
FT
the cards out to groups of learners and get
them to match the pictures with the name of
the part and its correct function.

Differentiation
• Lower achieving learners may need help
A
in tracing the pathway of food through
the organs of the digestive system. They
could use this acronym: MOSI – mouth;
R

oesophagus, stomach, intestines. 2 a

• Higher achieving learners could do some Part Function
research to find out about the position and gullet A pushes food into the
D

functions of other organs that are needed stomach

for digestion such as the liver and pancreas. stomach B mixes food with
digestive juices
Common misunderstandings and mouth C chews food and
misconceptions starts digestion
intestine D breaks food down
• Some learners may confuse the oesophagus into very tiny particles
or gullet with the windpipe. The windpipe
connects to the lungs, but the oesophagus b C, A, B, D is the correct order.
connects to the stomach.
Answers to Worksheets
Talk about it!
Learners may have younger brothers and sisters Worksheet 1.5
at home who still eat soft foods. Ask them why 1 a The iodine solution changes colour to
we are able to eat foods that are not soft, such blue-black.
as apples or raw carrots but very young children b There is starch in the bread.
can’t. They should be able to explain that babies 2 The bread starts to taste sweet.
don’t have teeth to chew their food and so can 3 a The iodine solution does not change
only eat soft foods. colour.
b There is no starch in the bread.
Homework ideas c The starch in the bread was digested/
broken down in the mouth.
• Exercise 1.5 in the Activity Book.
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 Topic 1.6 What do the
kidneys do?
The main idea covered in this topic is that
the kidneys are the organs that remove waste
products from the body.
Learning objectives
• Identify positions of major organs in
the body
• Describe the main functions of the major
organs of the body.
• Explain how the functions of the major
organs are essential.
• Make a variety of relevant observations
and measurements using simple apparatus
correctly.
• Collect evidence and data to test ideas
including predictions.
Ideas for the lesson FT
• Ask the class what happens when they drink
a lot of water? They will tell you they need
to go to the toilet. Explain that the body
needs to regulate the amount of fluid in it.
The kidneys are the organs that do this.
A
• Tell learners that the body also produces
waste products. These waste products
are harmful to the body if they are not
R
removed. The kidneys remove the waste
products from the body. This is called
excretion.
• The kidneys are located at the back of
D
the body, slightly above the waistline.
Demonstrate to the class where to find their
kidneys. If any learners are overweight and
struggle to feel their ribs, they should keep
pushing with increased pressure until they
feel them.
• Talk about the volumes of water processed
by the kidneys. About 200 litres of fluid pass
through the kidneys every day. That is about
the same volume of water it takes to fill a
bath. Only one litre of urine is produced.
What happens to the rest of the fluid?
Explain that we don’t have 200 litres of fluid
in our bodies. We have about five litres of
blood which passes through the kidney about
40 times every day in order to be filtered so
the waste products can be removed. Excess
water is also removed this way.
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• Next, get the learners to do Activity 1.6 in
which they predict or estimate how much
water a litre is and test their prediction.
• Talk about why we need to drink water.
Many of our body processes, for example,
digestion, need water so if we don’t drink
enough water our bodies can’t work
properly. We also use water to remove
waste products – this is the function of the
kidneys. Tell the class that we can live for
about two weeks without any food at all but
we could only live for about two days if we
drink no water or other drinks.
• Then get learners to do Worksheet 1.6 in
which they list their liquid intake and think
about the whether they drink enough water
or not. This can be a homework task.
• Discuss the health problems and diseases
caused by kidneys that do not work
properly. See the Internet and ICT section.
Then get learners to answer questions 1–4.
Notes on practical activities
Activity 1.6
Each group will need:
• a large container
• a measuring cylinder or measuring jug
• water.
Learners should work in groups of four or five.
Containers such as two litre plastic ice cream
boxes or small plastic buckets are suitable.
Learners should pour their estimated litre of
water into the container. They should then
pour that water into the measuring cylinder and
record the volume. If the measuring cylinder is
small and will not hold all the water, learners
must pour the water from the measuring
cylinder into another container. They must
keep on doing this and recording the volume
each time until all the water is measured.
The total volume is the sum of the different
measurements.
Assessment
• Discuss the answers to questions 1–4 in class
and allow learners to check each other’s
work for peer assessment purposes.
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 Internet and ICT
• www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/function-
kidneys gives a good overview of healthy
kidney function with a description of
various types of kidney failure.
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/
human-kidney-function/4182.html explains
how blood is filtered by the kidneys. There
are also ideas for using the video clip in class.
• www.nhs.uk/video/pages/
Kidneydiseasedialysis.aspx has a video on
kidney dialysis.
Differentiation
• Exercise 1.6 will help lower achieving
learners who have difficulty with the new
terms introduced in the topic to become
more familiar with the vocabulary.
• Higher achieving learners can do some
research and find out how a dialysis machine
works. They could also make a model of
the excretory system using beans for the
FT
kidneys, string for the ureters and a small
balloon for the bladder. They will need to
look at pictures or models of the excretory
system to do this.
A
Common misunderstandings and
misconceptions
R
• Learners may think the water in urine
comes directly from the water we drink and
not from the blood. Explain that water is
absorbed from the digestive system into the
D
blood. When the blood passes through the
kidneys, excess water is absorbed from the
blood and forms the liquid part of the urine.
Talk about it!
Ask the class to tell you what happens when
they get very hot. Write their ideas on the
board. One of the ideas will most likely be that
they sweat or perspire. Ask them what sweat
is made of. They should say water (or mainly
water). Then pose the question – if there is only
a certain amount of water in our bodies and
we lose some as sweat, how much is left in the
body to form urine? Learners should be able to
deduce that in hot weather we lose more water
from the body by sweating than in cold weather
so there is less excess water in the body to go
into the urine.
Homework ideas
• Worksheet 1.6.
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Answers to Learner’s Book
questions
1 The kidneys are found at the back of the
body, below the ribs.
2 About the same size as a computer mouse.
3 a excretion
b The kidneys filter the blood to remove
the waste products. They excrete the
wastes as urine.
4 Remove a kidney (if the other one is
working properly), put you on a dialysis
machine, give you a kidney transplant.
Answers to Activity Book exercise
1 The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped
organs.
2 The kidneys’ main function is excretion.
3 They filter the blood to remove waste
products. They also help control the amount
of water in the body.
4 The wastes from the kidneys leave the body
5
6
as liquid urine.
We should drink enough water every day to
keep the kidneys healthy.
The kidneys cannot work properly if we
have a kidney disease.
7 Some people need a special machine called
a dialysis machine to do the job of the
kidneys.
Answers to Worksheets
Worksheet 1.6
1 a The list will be personal and will depend
on learners’ daily diets and levels of
activity.
b Most moist foods contain some water,
for example fruit, vegetables, cooked rice
and noodles, meat, fish.
2 a kidneys
b Most learners will normally drink more
than a litre of liquid a day.
c It is used by the body.
Topic 1.7 What does the
brain do?
• This topic deals with the functions of the
brain. Learners will find out about the
different ways in which the brain controls
all functions in the body. Learners at this
age are always interested in their own bodies
and how they work. They find the brain
particularly interesting.
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 Learning objectives
• Describe the main functions of the major
organs of the body.
• Explain how the functions of the major
organs are essential.
• Make comparisons.
• Identify patterns in results and results that
do not appear to fit the pattern.
Curriculum links
• In Stage 4, learners found out that the brain
is protected by the skull. They revisit that
knowledge in this topic.
Ideas for the lesson
• The day before the lesson, cook some
oatmeal or other porridge and put it in three
or four zip-lock plastic bags. The porridge
should be cold and set before you bring it
to class.
• Begin the lesson by passing the bags of
FT
porridge around the class for learner to feel.
Make sure the bags are properly sealed.
• Ask the class to describe how the substance
in the bag feels. Tell them it is porridge.
A
Then ask what body organ they think the
porridge represents.
• Explain that our brain feels and looks very
much like grey porridge. It is very soft and
R
can easily be squashed. That’s why the brain
is protected inside the skull. At this point you
could talk about brain injuries. Explain that
D
unlike other parts of the body, such as the
bones, the brain is not always able to repair
itself, especially if the injury is serious.
• Get learners to clench their fists and put
them together. Each fist represents one
hemisphere or half of the brain. The size
of the two fists together is about the size
of a human brain. Stress that brain size in
humans is not related to intelligence.
• Explain that that the left side of the brain
controls the right side of the body and vice
versa. You could also talk about being ‘left-
brained’ or ‘right brained’. Left-brained
people generally tend to work more with
their right hand and instinctively move their
right foot forward first while walking. But
this may not always be true. Similarly, if you
are right-brained, you will tend to use the
left side of your body more. Tell learners
that the left side of the brain is the side
responsible for logical thought, reasoning,
language and number skills.
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• The right side of the brain is the side
responsible for creative ideas and
imagination and awareness of art and music.
• Ask learners if they think they are left or
right-brained (see Internet and ICT section
for a fun quiz they could do to find out).
• If possible show the class a model or poster
of the brain. Point out the two hemispheres
as well as the three main regions of the
brain and explain their functions. The
cerebrum is the largest part of the brain, it
has many grooves and bumps and controls
our thinking, senses, memory and language.
The cerebellum is found behind and below
the cerebrum, it controls movement, balance
and posture. The brain stem is found at the
base of the brain, extending downwards,
it connects the brain and spinal cord and
controls vital functions such as breathing,
heartbeat, body temperature and digestion.
• After you have discussed the functions of the
•
different parts of the brain get learners to
answer questions 1–3 in the Learner’s Book.
Point out that we have many bumps and
grooves on our cerebrum. The more bumps
and grooves there are, the more information
the cerebrum can store. Demonstrate this idea
by giving learners a piece of newspaper and a
square of paper about the size of a CD box.
Ask them to fit the whole piece of newspaper
onto the smaller square of paper. They
should fold or scrunch up the newspaper. Tell
them that that by folding or scrunching up
the paper they could fit all the words on the
newspaper page onto the small piece of paper.
In the same way the brain is able to fit a lot of
information into a small space.
• Tell learners that animal brains have the
same three main parts that human brains
have. The animal’s brain is bigger or smaller
than ours depending on the size of the
animal. At this stage learners could do
Worksheet 1.7, which compares the sizes of
different animals’ brains.
• Finish this unit by getting learners to
complete Worksheet 1.7b, which summarises
and links the functions of the different
organs and body systems studied.
Internet and ICT
• http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/
HealthTopicDetailsKids.
aspx?p=335&np=152&id=1528 has an
overview of brain structure and function
for learners.
10/12/2013 16:04
 • http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/
humanbody/brain.html has a useful overview
of structure and functions of the brain and
medical conditions that affect it.
• www.ehow.com/info_7902867_human-brain-
kids.html gives a summary for teachers on
the structure and functions of the brain.
• www.partsgeek.com/mmparts/parts_of_the_
brain_for_kids.html has a summary of parts
of the brain and their functions with links to
puzzles and games.
• http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_
basics/brain_nervous_system.html#a_Things_
That_Can_Go_Wrong_With_the_Brain has
information about diseases and disorders
that affect the brain.
• http://homeworktips.about.com/library/
brainquiz/bl_leftrightbrain_quiz.htm has a fun
quiz for learners to do to find out if they are
right or left-brained.
Assessment
Hand out simple line diagrams of the human
FT
brain. Ask the learners to label the main parts.
Write the names of the parts on the board. They
can colour code them as follows: cerebrum –
yellow; cerebellum – red; brain stem – blue. Can
A
learners state two functions of each part? Get
them to write the functions next to each the part
of the brain.
R
Common misunderstandings and
misconceptions
• It is a common misconception that a larger
brain is equal to higher intelligence. This
is not true. It was found for example, that
Albert Einstein’s brain was slightly smaller
than the average male human brain and as
we well know, he was a genius! The brain of
Neanderthals was larger than the modern
human brain and our level of intelligence is
much higher than theirs was.
Talk about it!
Ask the class if they ever dream. Where do the
dreams come from? They should say that their
brain makes them dream. Get them to think
about other functions controlled by the brain.
The brain controls heartbeat and breathing
which still carry on while we are asleep. We
move in our sleep. Some people talk, or even
walk, in their sleep.
Homework ideas
• Exercise 1.7 in the Activity Book. Discuss
the answers in class and allow learners to
check each other’s work for peer assessment
purposes.
Answers to Learner’s Book
questions

Differentiation 1 a The brain is protected inside the skull.

b It is important to protect the brain
• Lower achieving learners may not notice because it controls everything we do.
D

in Worksheet 1.7a that brain weights given If it was injured our bodies could not
are in grams and not kilograms as with the function properly.
body weights. It may help some learners do 2 a The brain sends messages to, and
their comparisons if you convert the brain receives messages from, other parts of
weights in the table to kilograms as follows: the body by means of nerves.
Animal Body weight Brain weight b Your body needs to react quickly in
in kg in kg order to keep you safe/healthy. In this
human 60 1.4
case your brain makes you move fast to
get out of the way of the car]
dolphin 160 1.7 3 Your brain allows to move so that you can
cat 3 0.030 pick up the phone and select the number; it
kangaroo 35 0.056 lets you see what you are doing; it let’s you
elephant 4500 6.0 hear the phone ringing and your friend’s
voice; it lets you talk to your friend.
raccoon 4 0.039
owl 0.7 0.0025 Challenge
baboon 30 0.140
Concussion is when there is small amount
of damage to the brain, which makes you
unconscious or makes you feel sick and have a
• Higher achieving learners should answer the
bad headache for a short time. It is usually caused
Challenge questions in the Learners Book
and in Worksheet 1.7. by something hitting you hard on the head.

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 Answers to Activity Book exercise Ideas for the lesson
1 a nervous system • Ask learners to answer the questions on the
b nerves ‘Check your progress’ pages of the Learner’s
2 breathing Book (pages 00–00) and the ‘Language
heart beat review’ on page 00 of the Activity Book.
3 a 1
b 2
• Worksheet 1.8 offers the opportunity
to review the organs and organ systems
c 1 encountered in this unit.
d 1
e 3 Answers to Learner’s Book
4 The brain cannot repair itself if it badly questions
injured. If the part of the brain that controls
our ability to talk was injured/damaged, the 1 Matches are as follows:
person may not be able to talk. heart - circulation
stomach and intestines - digestion
Answers to Worksheets lungs - breathing
kidneys - excretion
Worksheet 1.7 brain - control
2 a False – the heart pumps blood around
1 and 2 the body.
Animals in order of Animals in order of
b true
c False – your pulse rate tells you how fast
body weight
elephant
dolphin
brain weight
elephant
dolphin
FT your heart is beating.
d true
e False – the blood picks up oxygen in the
lungs.
human human
3 a Food is pushed down the gullet into the
kangaroo baboon stomach.
A
b In the intestines the food is broken down
baboon kangaroo
into very small particles.
raccoon raccoon c The food is mixed with digestive juices
R

cat cat in the stomach.

d Undigested food is pushed out of the
owl owl body through the end of the intestines.
e The food is chewed in the mouth.
D

3 a The larger the body weight, the larger 4 Correct sequence is: e, a, c, b, d.
the brain weight/Brain weight increases 5 a A – lungs; B – brain; C- kidneys.
with an increase in body weight. b organ C (kidneys)
b The baboon. c urine
4 Human – divide the body weight by the d organ B (brain)
brain weight. The smallest answer is the e It controls breathing.
animal which has the biggest brain for its f You breathe faster.
body weight. g By the ribs.
Check your progress h By the skull.
6 a carbon dioxide
Learning objectives b oxygen

• Review the learning for this unit.

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 Answers to Activity Book exercise
Language review
1 a Organs inside our bodies do different
jobs to keep us alive and healthy.
b The pumping of blood around the body
is called circulation.
c The heat, blood vessels and blood form
the circulatory system.
d Your pulse tells you how fast your heart
is beating.
e The mouth, stomach and intestines
carry out the process of digestion.
f We take air into our bodies and let air
out of our bodies by breathing.
g Air moves from the nose, down the
windpipe and into the lungs.
h The kidneys’ main function is excretion.
They produce a liquid called urine.
i A sickness that stops our bodies
working properly is called a disease.
j The brain is part of the nervous system.
FT
It controls all our body functions.

Answers to Worksheets
Worksheet 1.8
A
Body organs work together to form body
systems.
The lungs and windpipe are part of the breathing
R

system, which brings oxygen gas into your body

and releases carbon dioxide gas into the air.
Your heart is part of the circulatory system,
D

which takes blood containing food and oxygen

to all of the parts of your body. Blood is carried
in the blood vessels.
Your stomach is part of the digestive system,
which is responsible for breaking down food so
that your body can use it. Other parts of this
system are the mouth, gullet and intestines.
Your kidneys are part of the excretory system,
which is responsible for removing wastes from
your body in liquid called urine.
Your brain and nerves form the nervous system,
which controls your breathing, heartbeat, muscle
movement and your senses.

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Worksheet 1.1

Plant body
Label huntorgans
Name:
Name: ________________________ Date:
Date: ________________________

Label the drawing of body organs. Use the words in the box to help you.
What plants can you find outside the classroom?
Label the stem, leaves and flowers then draw how the roots might look.
lung kidneys heart stomach intestine brain liver
Example Small plant
flower

FT
stem leaves
A
roots
R

Large plant Another plant

D

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