Organisms in the Environment (Week 1)

What is an environment?
Environment is everything that is around us. It can be living or non-living things. It includes physical, chemical
and other natural forces. It's everything that makes up our surroundings and affects our ability to live on the
earth—the air we breathe, the water that covers most of the earth's surface, the plants and animals around us,
and much more.

Living Things

The term living thing refers to things that are now or once were alive. 

What are living things made of?

Living things are made up of cells. A cell is the basic building block of all organisms. It is the smallest unit of
organization in a living thing.
 Organelle Function

Cell Membrane A selectively permeable wall that surrounds and protects the contents
of the cell.
Cytoplasm The fluid which fills the cell and keeps the organelles in place.
Nucleus The command center of the cell that controls the various processes of
the cell. The nucleus also contains most of the cell's genetic material.
Nucleolus Nucleolus helps in protein synthesis (production of proteins) and
production of the ribosome in the cells.
Mitochondria The powerhouse of the cell. Here, food is converted into energy.
Ribosomes Ribosomes generate proteins from amino acids.
Endoplasmic Reticulum A series of sacs and tubes used to process substances and transport
them to Golgi Apparatus for further distribution.
Golgi Apparatus Golgi apparatus process and transfer substances to the correct
location. They are also responsible for excreting waste from the cell.
Vacuoles Sacs that serve as storage units.
Chloroplast Aids in photosynthesis
Cell wall Give the cell strength and structure, and to filter molecules that pass
in and out of the cell.
Plasmodesmata Allows the passage of substances between cells
Centrioles Help to create multiple cells
Lysosomes They digest excess food particles, and engulfed viruses or bacteria.
Centrosomes They help to keep the cell in shape.

Non-living Things

Non-living things do not move by themselves, grow, or reproduce. They exist in nature or are made by living
things. There are three groups of nonliving things. They are solids, liquids, and gases. Water is an example of a
liquid. A rock is a solid. Oxygen is an example of a gas. Cars, pencils, and air are examples of nonliving things

Assignment 1:

1. State and describe the four (4) types of plants and give 2 examples with one (1) picture each.
a) Flowering Plants
b) Non-flowering Plants
c) Dicotyledonous Plants
d) Monocotyledonous Plants
2. Explain what a vertebrate is and identify and explain the 5 types of vertebrates and give 2 examples
with 1 picture of each.
3. Explain what an invertebrate is and identify and explain the 5 types of invertebrates and give 2
examples with 1 picture of each.
(20 Marks)

Test 1: (20 Marks)

1. Describe what an environment is. (2 Marks)
2. Define the following terms and give two examples of each:

a) Living things (3 Marks)

b) Flowering plants (3 Marks)
c) Non-flowering plants (3 Marks)

3. State and explain what living things are made up of? (2 Marks)
4. Draw a plant cell and label any four (4) parts. (4 Marks)
5. State three (3) differences between the plant and animal cell. (3 Marks)

Grouping Organisms in the Environment (Week 3)

Flowering Plants
Flowering plants are a type of plant that produces flowers in order to reproduce. Flowering plants produce seeds
within a fruit. The scientific name for flowering plants is angiosperms. Some examples are:
  Daisies.
 Tulips.
 Tomatoes.
 Apples.
 Oaks.
 Magnolias.

Life-cycle of a Flowering Plant

Flowering plants follow a specific life cycle.

1. Seed - They begin their lives as seeds. Seeds are like baby plants. They have a hard outer shell that
protects the seed embryo inside.
2. Germination - The seed ends up on the ground. It needs air, water, and soil to grow. When a seed begins
to grow, this is called germination. The first growth will usually be some small roots. Then stems will
grow.
3. Sprout or seedling - When the first sign of life appears above the soil, this is called a sprout or seedling.
4. Mature plant - The seedling will continue to grow into a full mature plant with leaves, roots, and stems.
5. Flowering - The mature plant will grow flowers. Through pollination, the flowers will produce seeds.
When the seeds end up on the ground, the cycle will begin again.

Non-flowering Plants

Plants without flowers that can reproduce are called non flowering plants. Non-flowering plants are plants that
grow from spores instead of seeds. A spore is a tiny cell that is created by the plant. Spores are released into the
air or into water, and then travel away from the original plant. If the spore lands somewhere with the right
conditions, it can start to create new cells and eventually become a new plant. Some examples of non-flowering
plants are:
 Ferns
 Liverworts
 Mosses
 Hornworts
 Horsetails
 Conifers

Monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants

Comparison Chart
 BASIS FOR
MONOCOTS DICOTS
COMPARISON

Meaning Plants with the seed having only one Plants with the seed having two
cotyledon are called as monocots, and cotyledons are called as dicots
the plant is called as monocotyledons. and plant is called as
dicotyledons.

Embryo Contains one cotyledon. Contains two cotyledons.

Flower parts The flower parts are present in The flower parts are present in
multiples of three. multiples of four or five.

Leaves The venation of the leaf is parallel. There is the net-like or

intersecting type of venation
present in the leaf.

Roots Adventitious or fibrous roots - with Radicle or tap roots - with long
many branches. thick root.

Examples Sugarcane, banana tree, grass, Mint, lettuce, tomato, legumes

daffodils, palm, ginger, grains which which include beans, lentils, pea
include wheat, rice, corn, millets. and peanuts.

Vertebrates and Invertebrates

Comparison Chart
 BASIS FOR
INVERTEBRATES VERTEBRATES
COMPARISION

Meaning Animals without the Animals with the backbone are called
backbone. Vertebrates, their internal structure is
made up of numerous bone.

Examples Insects, roundworms, Humans, elephant, birds, snakes, etc.

tapeworms, Sponges,
Annelids.

Characteristics 1. No cell walls. 1. Presence of backbone.

2. Reproduce sexually. 2. Cell walls present.
3. Multicellular. 3. Multicellular.
4. No backbone. 4. Advanced nervous system.
5. Well-developed internal skeleton.

Size Small and slow moving. Vary in size from big to small.

Layers of skin They have only one layer of Two layers of skin, outer one in known
skin. is epidermis and beneath is dermis.

Classes  protozoans  Fishes

 annelids  Amphibians
 echinoderms  Reptiles
 mollusks  Birds
 arthropods  Mammals

Collecting, Storing and Classifying Organisms (Week 4)

Collecting
Specimens should be representative of the population, but should include the range of variation of the plants.
Roots, bulbs, and other underground parts should be carefully dug up, and the soil removed with care.
Make sure the specimen includes flowers and/or fruits. It may be a good idea to collect extra flowers and fruit
for identification purposes.

Pressing and Care of Specimens

Specimens should be pressed as quickly as possible after collection. If this is not possible, specimens may be
stored in plastic bags, preferably wrapped in damp (but not wet) papers. Bags should not be packed tightly, and
should be kept cool and moist. Make sure that each bag is correctly labelled for locality.
Place each specimen, with numbered tie-on tag attached, in a fold of several sheets of newspaper, and place in
the press. The plants in the press should be dried fairly quickly, in a warm place if possible. The specimens
must not be left in damp papers or they will go moldy. It is therefore necessary to go through the press daily
during the first few days and change the plants into dry newspapers. Then continue to inspect press daily and
change newspapers as necessary until the plants are dry.

Storing
When plant parts have been preserved, take utmost care to prevent them from being damaged. Pack specimens
in closed boxes or in sealed plastic bags containing mothballs. Put packets of silica gel in the boxes to absorb
any moisture in the air. Dried plant materials are highly flammable, so take precautions to prevent fire hazards.

Why do we classify living things?

All living organisms are classified into groups based on very basic, shared characteristics. Organisms within
each group are then further divided into smaller groups. These smaller groups are based on more detailed
similarities within each larger group. This grouping system makes it easier for scientists to study certain groups
of organisms. Characteristics such as appearance, reproduction, mobility, and functionality are just a few ways
in which living organisms are grouped together. These specialized groups are collectively called the
classification of living things. In science, the practice of classifying organisms is called taxonomy. Taxonomy is
the science of naming, describing and classifying organisms and includes all plants, animals and
microorganisms of the world.

Test 2: (20 Marks)

1. What are flowering and Non-flowering Plants and give two (2) examples each (6 Marks)
2. State the five (5) stages of the life cycle of a flowering plant. (5 Marks)
3. State two (2) difference between monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. (4 Marks)
4. State one (1) difference between plants and animals. (1 Mark)
5. Define the following terms and give one (1) example each.
Vertebrates (2 Marks)
Invertebrates (2 Marks)
 Structure of a flower (Week 5)
Flower
Flowers are the reproductive organs of the flowering plant. They are not only involved in reproduction but are also
a source of food for other living organisms. They are a rich source of nectar.

The main structures of a flower include:

 Sepal - The sepal is a support structure for the petal. It is typically green and helps to protect and
hold up the petal.
 Petal - The petals are the bright colorful leaves of the flower. The petals are often bright and
colorful in order to attract insects that help with pollination. All of the petals together are called the corolla.
 Stamen - The stamen is the part of the flower that produces pollen. There are two main parts of the
stamen: the filament and anther.
 Filament - The filament is the stalk that holds the anther.
 Anther - The anther is made up of lobes that attach to the filament. These lobes hold sacs which
contain pollen.
 Pistil (Carpel) - The pistil is the female part of the flower. It contains the carpel and the stigma.
 Stigma - The stigma is the area where pollen is received. The stigma may be located at the end of a
stalk called the style.
 Ovary- The ovary of the flower contains ovules which are potential seeds.
Structure of a seed (Week 6)
A seed develops from an ovule after fertilization. It consists of a tough coat or testa enclosing an embryo which
is made up of a plumule, a radicle and one or two cotyledons.

1. Testa (Seed coat) - A tough, hard, outer coat. The testa protects the seed from fungi, bacteria and
insects.

2. Hilum- The hilum is a scar left by the stalk which attached the ovule to the ovary wall.

3. Micropyle - The micropyle is a tiny pore in the testa. It admits water to the embryo before active
germination.

4. Radicle - The radicle is the embryonic root which grows and develops into the root system of the
plant.

5. Plumule (Epicotyl) - The plumule is the embryonic shoot.

6. Cotyledons - A cotyledon is part of the embryo within the seed of a plant. Often when the seed
germinates, or begins to grow, the cotyledon may become the first leaves of the seedling. 

7. Hypocotyl - The hypocotyl is the stem of a germinating seedling, found below the cotyledons
and above the radicle.

What is Seed Germination?

Seed germination may be defined as the fundamental process by which different plant species grow from a
single seed into a plant. 
 Process of Germination

1) The radicle pushes through the seed coat into the soil
2) Primary roots begin to develop and the hypocotyl forms a hook that straightens out, pulling the
cotyledons above ground.
3) The emergent seedling begin to straighten out, taking the cotyledons with it.
4) The primary leaves begin unfolding and the stem elongates.
5) The true leaves completely emerge and the cotyledons eventually fall off.

Test 3: (15 Mark)

1. What is a flower? (1 Mark)

2. Draw and label 5 parts of a flower. (5 Marks)
3. What is germination? (2 Mark)
4. What is the function of the radicle and plumule of a bean seed? (2 Mark)
5. What are the five (5) processes of germination? ( 5 Marks)
Pollination (Week 7)
Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma. The
goal of every living organism, including plants, is to create offspring for the next generation.

What is Self-Pollination?
Self-pollination occurs by transferring the pollen grains directly from anther into the stigma of the same flower.

What is Cross-Pollination?
Cross Pollination is a type of pollination during which the pollen grains are transferred from the anther of one
flower into the stigma of another flower.

Fertilization

Fertilization is the process whereby the pollen grains fuse with the ovules in the ovary of a female flower. After
the pollen lands on the stigma, a pollen tube forms, and the pollens travels down the style and into the ovary,
where it fertilizes an ovule. The ovule becomes a seed, and the ovary becomes the fruit of the plant.

Explain the following terms:

 Solution
 Mixture
 Separation Techniques

Explain the following different types of separation techniques and give two pictures each.
 Filtration
 Evaporation
 Distillation
 Chromatography
 Separating funnel
The Root and Leaf (Week 8)
Functions of the root

1. It absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil.

2. It fixes the plant to the ground.
3. In some plants it acts as a storage organ.

Types of root

Tap Root
A tap root system has a main root that grows down vertically, and from which many smaller lateral roots
arise. A tap root system penetrates deep into the soil. Some plants with tap roots are:

 Beetroot.
 Carrot.
 Sugar beet.
 Dandelion.

TAP ROOT  NET VEINS  DICOTYLEDONS

Fibrous Root
A Fibrous root system is located closer to the soil surface, and forms a dense network of roots that also helps
prevent soil erosion. Some plants with fibrous roots are:
 Lawn grasses
 Wheat
 Rice
 Corn

FIBROUS ROOT  STRAIGHT VEIN  MONOCOTYLEDONS

 The leaf

External Parts of a Leaf

Tip/Leaf Apex: This is the tip of the leaf

Lamina/Blade: This is the blade of the leaf

Margin: This is the outer edging of the leaf. They can be in many
different forms, i.e. serrated, and parted.

Midrib: This is the middle vein of the leaf, it

connects with the     Petiole

Lateral Veins: These veins are one of the

most important parts of the leaf, they
transport the food and water the leaf needs to
all its necessary places.

Petiole: This part attaches the leaf to the actual plant stalk.

Stipules: These are found at the base of the plant in pairs attached in
between the petiole and the stalk of the plant.

Functions of a Leaf

 Photosynthesis: This is the most important function of a leaf. They contain chloroplasts which
have the pigment chlorophyll that is responsible for helping in photosynthesis. The prepared food is transported
to the other parts of the plant via phloem tissue.
 Helps the plant breathe:  Stomata are responsible for regulating water in and out of the cell. It is
also responsible for the exchange of gases across the epidermis.

 Storage of food: In some plants, the leaves are modified to store food. These plants generally
have succulent leaves as seen in xerophytic plants.

Mixing and separating (Week 9)

What is a mixture?

A mixture is a substance made by combining two or more different materials in such a way that no chemical
reaction occurs. Some examples of Mixtures are:

 Sand and water.

 Salt and water.
 Sugar and salt.
 Ethanol in water.
 Salt and pepper.

What is a Solution?

A solution is made when one substance called the solute (solid) "dissolves" into another substance called the
solvent (liquid). Some examples of solutions are:

  Coffee or tea.
 Juice.
 Saltwater.
 Bleach (sodium hypochlorite dissolved in water)
 carbonated beverages (carbon dioxide dissolved in water is what gives sodas their fizz)

Types of solution

Solid in solid - A solid is mixed with another solid. Examples are brass, which is composed of zinc and copper,
and steel, which is composed of carbon and iron.
Liquid in solid - a solvent (liquid) is mixed with s solute (solid). Examples will be salt (solute) dissolved
in water (solvent) and sugar (solute) dissolved in water (solvent).

Liquid in liquid - this is when a solvent mixes with another solvent. The typical example is water and ethanol,
Water and acetone and Ethanol and acetone.

Gas in liquid - this is where a gas mixes with a solvent. Some examples are Oxygen in water and Carbon
dioxide in water

Gas in gas - this is where a gas can mix and dissolve into another gas. Some examples are carbon and oxygen to
make carbon dioxide and Xenon, krypton and Helium gas are used to produce lights for special effects- neon
lights.

Separating Techniques (Week 10)

Chromatography:

Chromatography is a separation technique used to separate the different components in a liquid mixture. For
example, to separate colors in a dye, to separate pigments from natural color and to separate drugs from blood.

Separating funnel:

A separating funnel is used for the separation of components of a mixture between two immiscible liquid
phases. For example, to separate a mixture of oil and water and to separate a mixture of kerosene oil and water.

Simple Distillation

Simple distillation is a method used for the separation of components of a mixture containing two miscible
liquids. For example, Distillation of alcohol.

Filtration

Filtration is a method of separating an insoluble solid from a liquid. For example, separating sand from water.

Evaporation

Evaporation is the process of separating a solid from a liquid which has been dissolved. For example, water can
be evaporated from a salt solution to get back the salt.
Physical Properties (Week 11)
What are Physical Properties and Changes?

Physical Properties:

Physical properties can be observed or measured without changing the composition of matter.

Physical properties are used to observe and describe matter. Physical properties include:
appearance, texture, color, odor, melting point, boiling point and many others.

Physical Changes:

Physical changes are changes affecting the form of a chemical substance, but not its chemical
composition. A physical change does not produce a new substance. Changes in state or phase
(melting, freezing, vaporization, condensation, sublimation) are physical
changes. Examples of physical changes include crushing a can, melting an ice cube, and
breaking a bottle.

Chemical Properties:

Chemical properties are properties that can be measured or observed only

when matter undergoes a change to become an entirely different kind of matter. They include
reactivity, flammability, and the ability to rust.

Chemical Changes:

Chemical changes occur when a substance combines with another to form a new substance.