secondary education

1
Biology
and Geology
S . C l em en t e, A . D o m í ng u ez , A . B . R u i z

teacher’s guide
Contents
Units
The scientific method
1. Living beings demo
2. Moneras, protoctista and fungi
3. Plants
4. Animals: vital functions
5. Animals: classification
6. Ecosytems
7. The universe
8. The atmosphere and the hydrosphere
9. The geosphere: rocks and minerals
1 LIVING BEINGS
Unit introduction
KC: key competences, LC: linguistic communication, MCBCST:
mathematic competence and basic competences in science and
technology, DC: digital competence, LL: learning to learn, SACC:
social and civic competence, SIE: sense of initiative and
entrepreneurship, and CAE: cultural awareness and expression.

CONTENTS AND COMPETENCES

The unit begins by addressing the characteristics of planet Earth that
Key
make the development of life possible and introducing the different Unit contents
competences
‘terrestrial spheres’ that will be studied again in the final units. Firstly, we
First page LC
will study the basic characteristics of living beings: their chemical
• Lynn Margulis. MCBCST
composition, cell structure and their ability to carry out the three vital
An exceptional biologist DC
functions. Then, we will classify the Earth’s vast biodiversity and introduce
SACC
students to the classification criteria.
CAE
It should take four weeks to study this unit and complete the
corresponding individual and group tasks. 1. Our planet and conditions LC
for life on Earth MCBCST
• The Earth DC
Resources and materials • The conditions necessary SACC
Alongside the Student’s Book, which includes a glossary at the end of for life LL
each unit, the Teacher’s Guide, and the digital resources (Language Bank, 2. What is life on Earth made LC
suggested learning activities, audios, science workshops etc.), you might of? MCBCST
want to use classification guides, encyclopaedias and internet searches. • The chemical DC
composition of life SACC
General suggestions • Inorganic substances
• Organic substances
Prior knowledge and learning difficulties 3. Cells: the building blocks LC
Students might find it difficult to identify different types of cellular of life MCBCST
organisation: in particular, being able to identify the two types of • What are cells like? DC
eukaryotic cells, not only in animals and plants, but also in other living • Types of cells LL
beings such as algae or protozoa. When studying vital functions, it can be • Cell size
helpful to emphasize the differences between cellular respiration and gas • Cell shape
exchange. Teaching emphasis can also be placed on comparing the 4. Vital functions LC
similarities and differences of the vital functions in highly complex living • Nutrition MCBCST
beings, such as animals, with other simpler living beings like protozoa. • Interaction DC
Related tasks • Reproduction SACC
We have proposed a research project which can be completed over the 5. The classification of living LC
space of a term (or three units); you can find the research project steps at beings MCBCST
the end of the unit. The purpose of this research project is to make students • Taxonomy SIE
more familiar with the scientific method, while developing a variety of • Binomial nomenclature CAE
skills, such as recording data, group work and evidence-based decision 6. The five kingdoms LC
making. It should also encourage a sense of wonder in the natural world • The organisation of living MCBCST
and an interest in science. To tackle the first step which is found in this unit, beings DC
we suggest that you plan the tasks involved towards the beginning of the • The five kingdoms
unit. In particular, we recommend that you organise the students into
groups. These groups could also be the same ones that do some of the
Research project LC
recommended group work activities both inside and outside the classroom.
• Researching seed MCBCST
As the unit progresses, you may also find that it is useful and motivating
germination (step 1) SIE
for the students to carry out a series of tasks focusing on practical skills
CAE
and scientific procedure. This would contribute to consolidating students
Review and practise LC
understanding of the scientific method and to developing a wider range
• Organising your ideas MCBCST
of learning competencies. You will find these tasks, such as observing
• Summarising DC
cells under a microscope, on the Anaya Educación website in the ‘Science
• Applying your knowledge LL
workshop’ section of the resource bank.
• Moving forward SIE
Through encouraging students to present their work in an organised way,
• Sustainable Development
prioritising accuracy and cooperative learning, students will develop
Goals: Target 13.3
perseverance and a personal motivation to carry out high quality work.

4
 Cooperative learning
We recommend using the ‘My profession: Microbiology’
resource in which students get information about this
profession and helps them to understand Margulis’s work.

ICT
The ‘What you need to know’ section brings together the
basic concepts that students should know before starting the
unit.
Key elements
Commitment to the SDG 1
Living beings
Speaking

3 Play a guessing game in small groups. Follow the instructions.

Step 1: Take it in turns to think of a living being – but don’t

• Target 13.3.
tell anyone what it is!
Step 2: Ask the person whose turn it is questions to discover
Reading and listening which living being they’re thinking of.
Step 3: Can you guess what it is? Now it’s your turn to think
Lynn Margulis. An exceptional biologist of a living being.

If you hear the word ‘microorganism’, what do you think

of? Lots of people only associate them with danger and Is it a protozoa? No

Language plan
illness, but for me they’re much more than that. They’re
life itself!
Let’s take bacteria as an example. They have existed for
a very long time, they are incredibly varied and they have
colonized all possible environments. I bet you won’t believe
me if I tell you that I carry photos of bacteria in my purse,

• Skills: Listening and Reading (receptive

next to the photos of my children!
My name is Lynn Margulis. I was born in 1938, in Chicago,
in the USA. When I was only 16 I started university. I was
fascinated by living beings and wanted to study Biology.
When I graduated, I decided to become a teacher and help

skills), Speaking and Writing

others to learn about the work that scientists do.
As a scientific researcher, I dedicated a great part of
my life to the study of microbes. I was even the author
of a revolutionary theory: the theory of endosymbiosis.
Also, together with my colleague Karlene V. Schwartz, I

(productive skills)
proposed a modification to the classification of living
beings into the five kingdoms. Thanks to us, protozoa 4 Lynn Margulis once said ‘Life did not take over the world by
and unicellular and multicellular algae became known as combat, but by networking.’ What do you think she means?
Kingdom Protoctista.
My friends have described me as a short, restless woman
who is curious about everything, and I think that’s a very
good summary! Writing
1 Find words in the text that mean… A newspaper article

Learning to think
a) A situation of risk 5 You have been asked to write a short article about the work
b) Diverse of microbiologists for your school newspaper. Do research
c) Take control and include the information below.
d) A small bag for money ➜ What do microbiologists do?
e) Not able to rest or relax ➜ What qualifications do they have?

• The what if.

➜ Where do they work?
GE BANK
2 Lynn says that her friends describe her as short, restless
BANK
LANGUA LANGUAGE
and curious. What three words best describe you? ➜ What is a typical day like for a microbiologist?

GE BANK BANK GE BANK

LANGUA LANGUAGE NK LANGUA
GE BANK BANK GE BA BANK 27
• The mirror LANGUA LANGUAGE NK LANGUA LANGUAGE
26

BANK NGUAGE BA UAGE BANK

LANGUAGE LA LANG

• Concept map
Cooperative learning
• Thinking hats
• 1-2-4
Entrepreneurial culture
• Responsibility, community and common
good (social aspect)
ICT
• Language Bank worksheet: Speaking
• Language bank worksheet: Writing
• Presentation: ‘What you need to know’
• Document: “How to apply ‘The What If’
key”.
• Video: ‘Cell theory’
• Video: ‘Using the microscope’
• Language bank worksheet: create
• Document: “How to apply the ‘The
mirror’ skill”
• Presentation: ‘Dichotomous keys’
• Presentation: ‘Are viruses living beings?’
• Document: ‘Guidelines for carrying out
group work’
• Document: ‘Science workshop’
• Document: ‘How to draw a concept map’
• Fact files: ‘Key concepts’
• Video: ‘Sustainable Development Goals.
Target 13.3’
• Fun activities: ‘Learn by playing’
• And also: Interactive activities, videos
and presentations to revise content and
provide extension tasks
Living beings
Methodological suggestions
The activities on the opening page combine unit content with English
acquisition focused activities. They could be led by either a teacher or by a
Language Assistant, if you have one in your classroom. We suggest that you
read or listen to the audio of the biography of the biologist, Lynn Margulis,
who proposed classifying living beings into five kingdoms together with
Karlene Schwartz. While listening to the text, you could focus the students’
attention on the stress, rhythm and intonation of words and sentences. This
supports correct pronunciation and the association of the written word with
spoken English.
1 a) a situation of risk – danger d) a small bag for money – purse
b) diverse – varied e) not able to rest or relax – restless
c) take control – colonise
2 Open answer. Encourage students to think beyond physical characteristics
to talk about personality traits.
Speaking
3 This activity both helps students to remember prior knowledge of living
beings, as well as supporting their confidence in asking questions. The
resource in the Language Bank reminds students of the structure for
formulating a yes/no answer question. This activity could also be used
towards the end of the unit, to help students practising classifying animals.
4 Students are likely to struggle with the word networking. You, or a
Language Assistant, could get students to reflect on what a net looks
like, guiding students to notice that a net is interconnected and full of
meeting points. You can also tell students that networking is when people
connect with the aim to work together and benefit from each other.
Therefore, with this phrase, Margulis wanted to highlight the important
role that symbiosis played in evolution. In a symbiotic relationship, both
organisms benefit to the point that this has often been the key to their
evolutionary success, as is the case for the endosymbiotic process that
gave rise to the eukaryotic cell.

Academic and professional guidance Writing

• Document: ‘My profession: Microbiology’ 5 Open answer. By getting students to write an article about
microbiologists, they will start to reflect on potential scientific careers.
Assessment The worksheet found in the Language Bank includes: questions to help
• Review and practise student reflect on the purpose of newspapers; vocabulary to help
students structure their writing; and an example text gives students a
• Portfolio
guide to follow.

5
 1
OUR PLANET
AND CONDITIONS
There are eight planets in our Solar System and we live on the planet
Earth. The Earth orbits the Sun, which is one of the hundreds of
thousands of millions of stars that form our galaxy, known as the Milky
1.2 The conditions neccesary for life
The Earth is the only planet in our Solar System that contains living
Unit 1

Our planet and conditions for life on Earth

beings. Life on Earth is able to exist only because of the conditions F ocus on English
FOR LIFE ON EARTH Way.
found here, which is not the case for any other planet near to ours. Bio- is a combining form which
➜ The distance between the Earth and the Sun is ideal for life to literally means life. It comes from
1.1 The Earth exist. Solar radiation produces light and heat. If we were closer to the Greek bíos (life). Biology,
The Earth is a solid planet mainly made up of rocks. It is surrounded the Sun, there would be too much solar radiation. If we were further biodiversity and biosphere are
by a layer of gases and also has liquid water on its surface. It is the away, there would be too little. compound words which use this
only planet in our Solar System that contains life. combining form. This will help you to
➜ The atmosphere protects the Earth from some solar radiation that
understand better what they mean.
The four things mentioned above, that is, rocks, gases, liquid water is harmful to life and it also helps to keep our planet warm. It also
Bio- is used to indicate a human life
contains two gases, namely oxygen and carbon dioxide, which we

and life, correspond to the Earth’s four different layers or ‘spheres’ and
how they interact with each other.
➜ The average temperature on Earth is 15°C, which makes it possible
The Earth is divided into four layers or ‘spheres’ that constantly
interact with each other: the biosphere, the atmosphere, the
hydrosphere and the geosphere.
Methodological suggestions
or career: biography, biopic.
need for respiration and which plants need for photosynthesis.
for liquid water to exist. Liquid water is essential for both living
beings and their environments. The Sun’s energy makes it possible
for liquid water to change states (for example, liquid to solid or
Life could no longer exist
liquid to water vapour). It causes liquid water to evaporate, which
is then recycled in the clouds and, as a result of gravity, eventually
falls back down to the Earth. This process occurs constantly and is

The greatest challenge on this double spread is helping students to better understand the
All the liquid water
The Earth’s different layers known as the water cycle. would evaporate from
➜ The Earth’s climate is also less hostile because we have seasons our atmosphere and
hydrosphere.
and there is a quick change between day and night.

The atmosphere The poles There would

be widespread

characteristics of our planet, what makes life on Earth possible, and especially, the presence of
Understand, think, search... would melt.
A layer of gases
drought.
surrounding the Earth
1 Why do we say that the Earth’s four layers or spheres interact
with each other? The temperature
would increase.
2 Look up the prefixes bio-, hydro-, atmos- and geo- in the

atmosphere and its relationship with maintaining temperature.

The hydrosphere dictionary and write a word beginning with each one.

All of the liquid water 3 The atmosphere is the gaseous mass surrounding the Earth and
is made up of many different gases. Find out which gases make What would happen if the
The biosphere on the Earth Earth was closer to the Sun?
it up. Which of them are essential for life? Why?
All the living beings 4 The What If...? Life is possible on Earth thanks to our
inhabiting the Earth planet’s location in relation to the Sun. However, life on our planet

In anticipation of these challenges, we have included a diagram which, besides showing the
could be affected if the Earth were to move closer to or further The Earth would orbit
away from the Sun, or if there were a change in atmospheric closer to the Sun.
conditions. On the right is a chart visually organising ideas about
what would happen if the Earth were closer to the Sun. Look at
it carefully and apply this thinking tool to each of the following
cases (go to the resource bank at anayaeducacion.es to learn

Earth’s layers, gives us an idea of how they interact with each other. It was not considered
The geosphere
how to apply this thinking tool). Gravity on the Earth A different orbit would
The solid base would change. change the seasons.
a) What would happen if the Earth moved slightly further away
made up of rocks
from the Sun?
and minerals
b) What would happen if there was a change in the atmosphere’s
composition, for example if its carbon dioxide concentration

necessary to include the term: natural greenhouse effect, but the students are meant to
increased?
Life could no longer exist.

28 29

understand this effect (mild temperature) intuitively, as well as its cause (presence of
atmosphere).
Language plan
We will continue to study the greenhouse effect in upcoming units in which students will study
Remember to check the ‘Language plan’ section in the atmosphere in greater depth.
your resource bank for the answers to activity 2, in
which you will find the necessary information on how
to write an informative text and a descriptive one. Answer key
Learning to think Understand, think, search...
The ‘What would happen if ...?’ resource is available 1 Answer in your own words. Potential answers could include the following points:
so that students can learn the basis for applying this
thinker’s key in activity 4. The four spheres that make up our planet are constantly interacting. Matter moves between
spheres; the living beings in the biosphere are made up of substances which have formed part
Focus on English
of the other layers at some point. Water, which is an essential element for living beings,
The Focus on English gives students the linguistic
root for biology and gives examples of other words
constantly circulates through the four spheres. The hydrosphere and atmosphere change the
that have the same root. geosphere throughout the rock cycle. Living beings changed the primitive atmosphere, which
had a composition very different to that of the present atmosphere. These organisms also play
a part in the weathering of rocks. Nowadays, human beings are constantly changing the
geosphere, the atmosphere and the hydrosphere on which our survival depends.
2 In this activity, which is especially recommend to promote interdisciplinary work, students
have to relate some scientific concepts to the English language and their Greek or Latin origin:
the prefixes bio-, hydro-, atmos- and geo- mean ‘life’ (biography, biology), ‘water’ (hydroplane,
hydrocarbon), ‘vapour’ (atmosphere, atmospheric) and ‘earth’ (geography, geocentric).
3 The atmosphere is formed by a highly complex mixture of gases called ‘air’. Air is mainly made
up of nitrogen (N2, 78 %) and oxygen (O2, 21 %), as well as many other gases in much smaller
proportions, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3). Oxygen and carbon dioxide are
essential gases for living beings, and they are necessary for the two most important metabolic
processes, which are photosynthesis (which requires CO2) and respiration (which requires O2).
Furthermore, carbon dioxide is the main gas of the greenhouse effect, due to which the
temperature on the Earth’s surface is suitable for life. Some atmospheric gases are a source of
certain chemical elements that form part of biomolecules, like nitrogen, for example. Ozone is
an essential molecule for life on Earth, as it protects the Earth’s surface from much of the
ultraviolet radiation that reaches our planet from the Sun.
4 In this activity, we suggest that students use the ‘What would happen if…?’ thinker’s key, so
that they can put into practice what they have learnt about the importance of the conditions
for life on Earth. This thinker’s key prompts very interesting responses, as it is designed to
make students think about the consequences that might arise from two hypothetical
situations. It is highly likely that it will encourage innovative ideas that will let students consider
the importance of where our planet is situated, and how the conditions which allow the
presence of life on Earth are the result of this.
Below are the answers to these two situations. There are also model diagrams which provide
an example of how to apply this thinker’s key.
a) If Earth were to move further away from the Sun, the temperature on Earth would decrease
because it would receive less solar radiation. This decrease in temperature would lead to
more ice forming in the poles, which would lower the sea level. As a result of the Earth
moving away from the Sun it’s orbit would change, causing changes to the seasons, and
therefore to the temperature. The increasing distance between the Earth and the Sun would
also change the force of gravity. All of these changes could affect living beings, which
might die in the new conditions.
b) If the concentration of carbon dioxide on Earth were to increase (which would change the
conditions of the atmosphere), the greenhouse effect would increase, thus causing an
increase in the Earth’s temperature. This increase in temperature would cause the ice to
melt in both poles, which would lead to the sea level rising in some areas. Other areas
would experience drought and there would be less water for living beings, which could lead
to them dying.

6
 A Living beings could die B Living beings could die

The sea level

More ice in the poles There would be less
would lower
water available for
living beings
The temperature would decrease
The sea level
would rise
The water would evaporate
What would happen if the from the atmosphere and
Earth were to move further the hydrosphere
away from the Sun?

The poles It would cause

The Earth would move away would melt widespread drought
from the Sun’s orbit

It would cause The orbit changes The temperature would increase

changes in Earth’s and, therefore, the
gravity seasons also change
What would happen if the
Changes in composition of the atmosphere
temperature were to change (increase in the
Living beings could die greenhouse effect)?

2
WHAT IS LIFE
ON EARTH MADE OF?
As you already know, the biosphere consists of all the living
beings that inhabit the Earth.
2.3 Organic substances
Carbohydrates
Organic substances
Unit 1

What is life on earth made of?

All living beings have three things in common which enable us
to distinguish them from non-living beings:
➜ All living beings are made up of the same kind of substances:
organic and inorganic substances.
➜ They are all made up of similar units: cells.
➜ They perform three vital functions: nutrition, interaction and
reproduction.
2.1 The chemical composition of life
Carbohydrates are a type of biomolecule that
provide cells with energy. They also form part of
some cell structures, such as the cell wall, which you
will study in this unit.
Lipids
Lipids are molecules that contain a lot of energy. Cells
use them to store energy. They also provide heat
insulation and form part of certain cell structures, Glucose molecule (carbohydrate)

Methodological suggestions
such as the plasma membrane, which you will study
Everything in the universe is made up of tiny units called atoms. in this unit.
Inorganic substances
Oxygen and hydrogen are examples of different kinds of atoms.
Proteins
Oxygen Atoms join together to form different substances. For example,
Living beings contain billions of protein molecules.
atom two hydrogen atoms join together with one oxygen atom and
Proteins are essential for many different functions. Fatty acid molecule (lipid)
form a water molecule.
For example, they help us to contract our muscles.
Living beings are made up of two kinds of substances:
Nucleic acids

➜ Inorganic substances, which can be found in both living and
Hydrogen non-living beings. Examples include liquid water and mineral
atoms salts.
Water molecules are made up of two
➜ Organic substances or biomolecules, which are exclusively
hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
found in living beings. Examples include carbohydrates,
The foundation of the unit is shown on this double spread. It is important that students
Nucleic acids are relatively large molecules. In fact,
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which contains vital
information that organisms need to function, is an
example of a nucleic acid.

understand and remember basic concepts like cell, biomolecule and vital function. The greatest
lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.
Chlorine
Understand, think, search...
atom
Sodium 2.2 Inorganic substances
atom
Liquid water
4 Look at the information about the chemical
composition of a human being.

difficulty can be found in identifying that all living beings -including those that seem to have a
Liquid water is an essential component for living beings. In fact,
a) Calculate the percentages of organic
70% of living matter is made up of liquid water.
substances and inorganic substances in this
Liquid water also plays a key role in most transformations that Protein
living being.
happen inside cells. macromolecule
b) Which biomolecules provide living beings with
Mineral salts Nucleic acid
energy?

bigger difference between each other such as animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms- are
macromolecule
Mineral salts help to regulate many vital processes. Carbohydrates
Lipids 4!% Mineral salts Working with pictures
They also have a structural function in the skeletons of living
9!% 1!%
beings.
a) Look at the glucose and fatty acid molecules in
the picture. The black spheres represent carbon,

formed from the same kind of substances, are organised from cells and perform three vital
Protein while the white ones represent hydrogen and the
16!% red ones represent oxygen. How many carbon,
Sodium chloride, commonly known as salt, Understand, think, search... hydrogen and oxygen molecules are there in each
Water
is made up of chlorine and sodium atoms. of these substances?
1 Name the three things that all living beings have in common. 70!%
In its solid state, this salt forms a crystalline
structure, which means it is organised like in b) Thinking hats. Proteins and nucleic acids are
2 What are the main components of all living beings?

the picture. However, when it is in an aqueous
solution, the bonds between the ions
(positive and negative atoms) dissociate.
functions. This latter characteristic is perhaps the least difficult, as students have previously
macromolecules. In other words, they are molecules
3 Explain why carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids with very complex structures. Do some research to
are called biomolecules. find out about the structure of these molecules.
What are they made up of?

studied this content in some detail.

30 31

We suggest that teachers make sure students understand the difference between organic and
Thinking hats
inorganic material. This could be demonstrated by creating lists of real-life examples, such as
The ‘Thinking hats’ resource is available so that oxygen, wood, rocks, cotton, water, wool, etc.
students can learn how to apply this cooperative
learning skill in the proposed activity: ‘Working with Teachers will notice that section 2.2 is called ‘Inorganic substances’, instead of inorganic
pictures’. biomolecules, as it is traditionally known in biology. This is because mineral salts are included in
the summary and these salts are either in ionic form in a solution, or in crystal form and without
molecules when in their solid state.

Answer key
Understand, think, search...
1 Living beings are made up of the same kind of substances: organic and inorganic substances;
they are organised from similar units - cells; and they carry out three vital functions - nutrition,
interaction and reproduction.
2 The most important organic components of all cells are inorganic components (water and
mineral salts) and organic components (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids).
3 Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids are called biomolecules because they are
unique among living beings and are not found in non-living matter.
Working with pictures
a) The glucose molecule is made up of 6 glucose atoms, 6 oxygen atoms and 12 hydrogen atoms.
The fatty acid molecule in the image is made up of 16 carbon atoms, 32 hydrogen atoms and 2
oxygen atoms.
b) We suggest using the ‘Thinking hats’ cooperative learning skill to carry out this activity (in
which students search for information on these macromolecules). This skill will help the
students be more involved in learning as well as consolidating the key concepts through the
process of repetition: the key concept being the differences between proteins and nucleic
acids.
Therefore, this an open answer question but you may want to use the following information to
offer clues or guide students in their information search:
Proteins are formed by the combination of units called amino acids. The sequence of these
amino acids makes different types of proteins. Nucleic acids are formed by nucleotides which,
in turn, are formed by three units: a sugar molecule called deoxyribose, a phosphate group
and one of four possible nitrogenous compounds called bases: Adenine (A), Guanine (G),
Thymine (T) and Cytosine (C).

7
 3
CELLS: THE BUILDING
BLOCKS OF LIFE
3.1 What are cells like?
Biomolecules group together to form more complex structures inside
Eukaryotic cells
Eukaryotic cells are more complex than prokaryotic
Understand, think, search...
Unit 1

Cells: The building blocks of life

cells. These structures enable cells to perform their functions.
In general, cells are microscopic in size, so we cannot see them with
the naked eye. As a result, we could not study them until microscopes
were invented and further developed.
All cells are made up of the following fundamental components:
➜ The plasma membrane, which is a thin layer that protects the cell.
It regulates the exchange of substances coming in and out of the
cell from the surrounding environment.
cells. The DNA they contain is surrounded by a 4 The mirror. Look at the images of the eukaryotic
membrane, which forms the nucleus. They have a plant cell and the eukaryotic animal cell, then copy
plasma membrane and cytoplasm, which contain many the following chart into your notebook and fill it in
different types of organelles, as well as ribosomes. (learn more about this tool at anayaeducacion.es).
Mitochondria are an example of this type of organelle.
They are specialised in generating energy. Eukaryotic animal cell Eukaryotic plant cell
Most living beings are made up of eukaryotic cells.
Distinguishing Distinguishing
There are two different types of eukaryotic cells: characteristics Similarities characteristics
➜ Eukaryotic animal cells, found in animals and ? ? ?

Methodological suggestions
➜ The cytoplasm, which is a kind of liquid that fills the inside of the certain unicellular organisms such as protozoa,
cell. It contains many different substances and cell components. which you will study later on. ? ? ?
➜ Genetic material, which is made up of DNA fibres. This contains all ➜ Eukaryotic plant cells, which are found in plants ? ? ?
Prokaryotic cell the information needed to control cell functions and can be passed and algae. They have a cell wall and organelles that
on to the next generation of daughter cells during reproduction. can only be found in plants. For example, organelles
➜ Organelles, which are small structures that specialise in performing specific to plant cells include chloroplasts, which
Cell wall specific functions. Not all organelles are found in all the different are specialised in photosynthesis. Large vacuoles
types of cells. are used to store substances.

The students’ prior knowledge of cells is limited, as they have only studied the basics previously.
Eukaryotic animal cell Eukaryotic plant cell
Plasma 3.2 Types of cells
membrane Genetic
There are two different types of cells. These are prokaryotic and Plasma material
eukaryotic cells. Nucleus membrane Nucleus (DNA)
Cell wall

When asking students about cellular components, they often mention the nucleus and leave out
Genetic
Prokaryotic cells
material Plasma
Mitochondria
(DNA) Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus. As a result, the DNA found in membrane
these cells is contained in the cytoplasm. Genetic
material
They have a cell wall and just one type of organelle known as a
(DNA)
ribosome, whose task is to synthesise proteins. They may have flagella,

the cytoplasm. This means that students are not considering the existence of cells without a
which are a kind of filament that help the cell to move.

Understand, think, search...

1 How do we classify cells as prokaryotic or eukaryotic?

nucleus (prokaryotes) and they are thinking of the existence of cells with a nucleus. Another
2 Which cellular structures are being defined in the phrases below?
Cytoplasm
a) This contains mainly water and dissolved substances.
b) This structure forms a boundary around the cell.
Ribosomes
c) This controls cellular activity.

difficulty for understanding cells lies in being able to visualise three-dimensional structures
3 Using a search engine, look for three images of prokaryotic
cells taken under an electron microscope.
Flagella a) Draw the shape of them in your notebook and label the structures
you identify. Cytoplasm Chloroplast
Cytoplasm

through the use of two-dimensional images, such as diagrams, photos or microscopic

b) Which structures have you identified? Which are present in all
Mitochondria
the prokaryotic cells you found? Which are not present? What is
Vacuole Ribosomes
the function of each structure? Ribosomes

anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Cell theory’ in

preparations. Students usually use the term ‘round’ as a synonym of ‘circular’ (flat) and ‘sphere’
32 33
your resource bank.

(three-dimensional).
ICT
In anticipation of these difficulties, it is highly recommended that students make coloured
To make students work on accurately searching for drawings of the three types of cells in their notebook. They may also make models of cells using
information, they are asked to find microscopic images
of cells. plasticine.
The ‘Cell theory’ resource is available, which explains If you want to observe cells using a microscope, which will help to consolidate the concepts
this content in an entertaining way.
students are learning, there is a ‘Science workshop’ available in the resource bank on the Anaya
Learning to think website, which is dedicated to the microscopic observation of cells. We refer to this workshop at
‘The mirror’ resource is available so that students can
the end of the unit, as we think it would be very useful as a final review.
learn the basics for applying this thinking skill in
activity 4. Answer key
Understand, think, search...
1 Cells are classified into prokaryotes and eukaryotes, according to whether their dispersed
repetitive DNA is in the cytoplasm (prokaryotes) or inside a nucleus (eukaryotes), and
according to whether they have a large variety of organelles, such as mitochondria,
chloroplasts etc. (eukaryotes), or only ribosomes (prokaryotes).
2 a) The cytoplasm.
b) The cell membrane or plasma membrane.
c) Genetic material (DNA).
3 Answer in your own words.
As well as the interest, effort and ability to select information demonstrated by students when
carrying out the activity, the planning and knowledge gained through conducting research
online is also valuable. There is more information available online at the Anaya Educación
website explaining how to develop digital citizenship.
4 In this activity, we suggest that students use the thinker’s key called ‘The mirror’. Using this
key, students will compare animal and plant eukaryotic cells based on their similarities and
differences and then reflect on this comparison.

Eukaryotic animal cells Eukaryotic plant cells

Distinguishing characteristics Similarities Distinguishing characteristics

Plasma membrane Cell wall

Cytoplasm

A nucleus that contains

the DNA, the nucleoplasm
and the nucleolus protected
by the nuclear membrane

Common eukaryote organelles:

ribosomes, endoplasmic
Centrioles reticulum, Golgi apparatus, Chloroplast
cytoskeleton, vesicles,
lysosomes

Cilia and flagella Large vacuoles

8
 3 CELLS: THE BUILDING BLOCKS
OF LIFE
3.3 Cell size
Cells* vary greatly in size. Nevertheless, most cells are microscopic.
3.4 Cell shape
In addition to having different sizes, cells also have different shapes.
Unit 1

Cells: the building blocks of life

This means that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. We use a Cells can be round, cylindrical, spindle-shaped (fusiform), prismatic,
microscope to see them. flat or star-shaped. There are other shapes too. Visual art
Cells are measured in units of length known as micrometres (μm). The shape of a cell is determined by its function. For example, red C REATE A cells mosaic. Mosaics
blood cells are biconcave in shape, like discs with a flattened centre. are a type of work of art made
This allows them to carry as much oxygen as possible.
F ocus on English One micrometre is one thousandth of a millimetre.
of pieces (called tesserae) of
different materials. In the same
Neurons are star-shaped with branches that allow them to communicate
When Robert Hooke looked through 1 μm = 0.001 mm way as tesserae in a mosaic, cells
with one another.
a microscope at a thin piece of cork, join together to form tissues and
he saw a series of walled boxes. They 1000 μm = 1 mm Muscle cells are long, to allow them to contract. The cells covering our
organs. Let’s make a cells mosaic!
reminded him of the small rooms, organs are usually cube or prism shaped.

called cells, that monks lived in.
Nowadays, cell is more commonly
used as a name for a different type
of room; a prison cell.
Methodological suggestions
Bacteria are the smallest kind of cell. In general, they measure between
1 and 2 micrometres in length. Different cell shapes
Animal cells vary greatly in size. For example, red blood cells measure Spermatozoon (sperm cell)
7 micrometres, cells in the liver measure 20 micrometres, sperm
cells measure 53 micrometres and egg cells (ovum) measure 150
micrometres.
Plant cells vary between 10 and 100 micrometres in length. Some cells

We continue the study of cells on this double spread. Students usually do not fully understand
in the plant’s epidermis can almost be seen without a microscope!

Hepatocyte (liver cell)

0.2 μm 15 μm 10 μm Ovum (egg cell)

micro and macro in the context of cells, which may cause difficulties when studying the size of
Adipocyte (fat cell)

Muscle cell

cells. We also suggest asking about students’ prior knowledge of scales, powers and conversion
Epithelial cells

Pigment cell Cone cell

Red blood cells

Neuron
Schwann cell
of units.
Working with pictures 2

Answer key
Working with pictures 1 a) Look at the cells in the picture above. Describe the shape of each one.
b) Choose four cells. Find out what their function is. Try to link their shape to the
The photos show what cells look like under different microscopes. Look at them functions they carry out.
and answer the following questions.
c) The cells in the picture are not to scale. This means that they are not the same
a) Calculate the true size of the cell by using the scale above each image. size as in real life. Find out the true size of the cells you picked for question b.
b) What kind of cells are they? How do you know? Then, put them in order from the smallest to the largest.

anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Using

Working with picture 1

34 35
a microscope’ in your resource bank.

ICT a) From left to right: 1.6 x 0.6 μm; 105 μm diameter; 80 x 30 μm.

The video ‘Using a microscope’ is available for students b) From left to right:
to become familiar with how to use this equipment.
• Bacteria, prokaryotic cell, as we can see it lacks a nucleus, and we can observe dispersed,
Focus on English repetitive DNA in the cytoplasm.
This Focus on English gives students some history on • Eukaryotic plant cell. We can identify this by the presence of the nucleus, in which we can
why cells are called cells, and lets them know another
common use of the word cell: a prison cell. see the nucleolus and the chromatin, as well as the presence of the plant cell’s own
organelles, such as chloroplasts and large vacuoles.
Create
• Ciliate protozoa, paramecium, and eukaryotic animal cell, as we can see the ciliates on the
This Create develops an inter-curricular project
between biology and visual art. It could be a good entire surface of the cell, the typical shoe shape, as well as several vacuoles, some of which
developmental project, if there is time within the look like stars, and lysosomes.
classroom, which gets students to consider cells from
a different perspective using a kinaesthetic learning Working with picture 2
style. There is a worksheet to explain this activity,
which can be found in the Language Bank. This could a) Answer in your own words. Students should write descriptions that are not only correct and
be a useful activity to do with a Language Assistant.
related to the content studied, but also correct as regards- grammar and spelling. Example
phrases include:
Spermatozoon: A cell divided into a small oval-shaped body with a long flagellum.
Ovum: A large round cell.
Adipose cell: A round cell which has a cytoplasm mainly made up of fat.
Muscle cell: A long cell with several nuclei.
Hepatocyte: A cell with many different sides.
Cone: A long cell in which we can see a central body, an extension in the form of a cone at one
end, and an extension with nerve endings at the opposite end.
Pigment cell: A cell with an oval-shaped nucleus and several extensions that give it an irregular
shape.
Red blood cells: Small round cells in the shape of a button.
Neuron: A star-shaped cell in which we can see a central body with several extensions, and a
long extension that is covered.
Epithelial cells: Cells with a prismatic shape which are arranged close to one another without
leaving any spaces and that have several villi at one of their ends.
b) Answer in your own words. Besides what has been mentioned in the previous section, students
shall be assessed on how they search and select information following the guidelines
mentioned in unit 0. Example phrases include:
Ovum: It is the female gamete. Its function is to transmit the genetic material of the organism
to its offspring. The DNA of the ovum joins the DNA of the spermatozoon, which completes
the genetic transfer that is characteristic of the species. Furthermore, once the ovum is
fertilised, it will turn into an embryo, which feeds off the nutritional substances that the ovum
contains during its initial stages. This is why it is a large cell that contains a large amount of
reserve substances.
Muscle cell: Muscle cells are responsible for muscle contraction and movement. This is why
they are long and contain a large amount of fibres.
Red blood cells: These cells have the function of transporting oxygen through blood due to
the fact that they contain a large quantity of haemoglobin, a protein which is able to bind with
oxygen. Its round shape and small size allow it to flow through even the smallest blood vessels
(capillaries).
Neuron: Cells in the nervous tissue that transmit the nerve impulse due to their extensions,
dendrites and axon, which allow different neurons to connect to one another.
c) Red blood cells; small muscle cell; neuron (without taking into account the length of the
axon); ovum; and large muscle cell.

9
 4
VITAL FUNCTIONS Living beings perform three vital functions. These
are fundamental processes that must be carried out
in order to sustain life.
4.2 Interaction Interaction
Unit 1

When it is hot, dogs

Vital functions
Interaction is the vital function through which react by sticking
The two types of nutrition living beings respond to internal or external their tongues out and
4.1 Nutrition changes. It can be broken down into three panting in order to
Autotrophic nutrition regulate their body
different stages: temperature.
Inorganic nutrients are taken in and used to produce Nutrition is the vital function through which
organic nutrients. living beings obtain the matter and energy
Detecting stimuli: receptors
they need to survive, using the following
The Sun’s processes: Stimuli are the changes that occur in an organism’s
energy internal or external environment and can be perceived Some plants react to

Methodological suggestions
by living beings. light by turning their
Oxygen Obtaining nutrients flowers towards it.
Living beings are able to detect certain stimuli, such as
Organic nutrients Nutrients can be organic or inorganic. Nutrients are light, heat and movement, with their receptors.
Carbon
Carbon substances that living beings take in. They are used Types of reproduction
Inorganic nutrients

dioxide Preparing a response: coordination

dioxide by cells to perform their functions. There are two
types of nutrition: Asexual reproduction
Living beings process the information from the
Oxygen
➜ Autotrophic nutrition means that inorganic receptors and decide how to respond through a series
substances are taken in and used to synthesise of processes known as coordination.

We suggest taking advantage of the images included on these pages to help students better
organic nutrients. Examples of inorganic substances Coordination can take place within one cell or it can be
Liquid water and
include carbon dioxide and the Sun’s energy. This carried out by complex systems made up of specialised
mineral salts
process is known as photosynthesis. tissues and organs.
➜ Heterotrophic nutrition means that organic Parent cell
Responding: effectors
matter from other living beings is consumed in (progenitor)

understand all of the processes carried out in the vital functions. The greatest difficulties come
order to produce organic nutrients and energy. The response prepared during the coordination stage Daughter cells
is then carried out by specialist cells called effectors. (descendants),
Respiration Sexual reproduction which are identical
These effectors produce movement, substances and
to the parent
Heterotrophic nutrition All living beings take in oxygen (O2) and expel changes in body shape or function, amongst other
Male and
carbon dioxide (CO2) in a process we call respiration. things. Male
Organic nutrients are obtained through food. female gametes
Respiration takes place inside our cells within gametes

from misconceptions students have about nutrition and interaction. Students often think that
come together
the mitochondria. In the presence of oxygen (O2) 4.3 Reproduction to create a new
complex molecules are converted into liquid water living being,
Organic nutrients and carbon dioxide (CO2), which is then released
Carbon Reproduction is the vital function carried out which has
from the cell. This process also generates energy, characteristics
dioxide by living beings to create new living beings
which cells use to synthesise their components and that are
that are either identical or similar to them. It

nutrition refers only to eating and that interaction is only about interactions between individuals.
carry out their functions. similar to both
guarantees species survival. There are two progenitors. Female
Oxygen Transporting substances gamete
types of reproduction: asexual and sexual.
Substances pass in and out of unicellular organisms
Food through the plasma membrane. Multicellular Understand, think, search...
Asexual reproduction
organisms do not come into direct contact with

the external environment. Instead, they use specific
mechanisms for absorbing, transporting and
eliminating substances.
Working with pictures
Cellular excretion
Both of the pictures have blue labels naming specific
Asexual reproduction refers to one single parent
(progenitor) producing a copy of itself, by itself. This
copy is identical to the progenitor.
Sexual reproduction
To make it easier for students to understand, we recommend drawing a diagram, which lists the
1 1-2-4. Give some examples of stimuli to which
living beings can respond.
2 Do you think a unicellular organism can perform
the function of interaction? Give reasons for your
answer.

different processes and links them to real-life examples.

compounds. Which process are these compounds Excretion is the process of eliminating waste Sexual reproduction involves one male and one female
used in? Why are the compounds the same in both substances, such as CO2 and liquid water. Other progenitor. Together, they produce a descendant that is 3 In your words, explain what asexual reproduction
pictures? substances produced during cellular activity are also similar to them. Specialised reproductive cells known as and sexual reproduction are.
eliminated. gametes are necessary for this process.

36 37

Answer key
1-2-4
Working with pictures
The ‘1-2-4’ resource is available so that students can
learn the dynamics of this cooperative learning skill. The labels correspond to the respiration process which takes place in all cells (in the mitochondria)
This allows it to be used in the most flexible way in the and is carried out by all living beings.
classroom for activity 1.
Understand, think, search...
1 We suggest carrying out this activity with the ‘1-2-4’ cooperative learning skill. If you decide
to use this skill, prepare the groups beforehand. Changes in temperature, light, pressure,
presence of chemical substances, sound and movement.
2 It can perform the function of interaction, because it detects stimuli such as light or chemical
substances, analyses the information and produces responses such as to get closer, to move
away, to change the shape of its membrane, etc.
3 In asexual reproduction, offspring are produced that are identical to one parent individual. In
sexual reproduction, two parent individuals of the opposite sex (which produce masculine and
feminine gametes) produce offspring which are similar to them.

5
THE CLASSIFICATION
OF LIVING BEINGS
There are many different types of living beings. We use specific
criteria to classify them into groups. This helps us to identify them
more easily and to study them better. The criteria used to separate
An example of plant and animal taxonomy
Unit 1

Classification of living beings

them into different groups must be a natural trait.

Plants Kingdom Animals

5.1 Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of
classifying living beings. In
Taxa are groups used to
the 18!th century, the Swedish
botanist Carl Linnaeus classify living beings. There are
began to group living beings seven different taxa, namely: Angiosperms Phylum Arthropods

Methodological suggestions
together by looking for kingdom, phylum, class, order,
common characteristics. He family, genus and species.
organised them into different
taxonomic ranks called taxa.
The broadest taxon is called kingdom. Each kingdom groups many
different living beings together based on the few characteristics they
have in common. The narrowest taxon is called species. Each species
Dicotyledons Class Insects
is a group of living beings that are so similar they are capable of

Students often have an intuitive capacity for classifying living beings, which you can take
reproducing with one another to produce fertile descendants.
The diagram shows the different taxa.
The plant kingdom includes anything from the oak tree to the common
Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778)
fern. The animal kingdom includes living beings from tiny fish to Asterales Order Beetles
giraffes! Each time we move down a taxon, the living beings included

advantage of while teaching the concept of taxonomy. Scientific characteristics that students
in each group become more similar to one another. This finally brings
us to species.

5.2 Binomial nomenclature

Linnaeus also introduced binomial nomenclature, where a Latin name Pseudanthiums Family Scarabaeidae

already know, such as cell types, internal organs and the vertebral column can be used to illustrate
was given to all living beings. This name is usually written in italics and
consists of two words. The first word, beginning with a capital letter,
is the generic name and it identifies the genus. The second word,
which is always written in the lower case, is the specific name and
is used only to refer to that specific species.

this concept. You might want to ask your students to research and write a short biography of Carl
Together, both words form the scientific name. For example, the Bellis Genus Copris
scientific name for a sparrow is Passer domesticus.

Understand, think, search...

Carl Linnaeus is often referred to as the father
of taxonomy. Taxonomy is a hierarchical
system used to classify living beings into
different groups. An organism included in
a broader taxa may also appear in the taxa
below it. Changes have been introduced
Species
Linnaeus, which will help them get a better understanding both of the need for a system of
1 What is a species? Bellis perennis Copris hispanus
2 Many of the names we commonly use to refer to living beings do
not correspond to a specific species. They often refer to groups
of species corresponding to higher-level taxa. Which taxa do the
following common names refer to: beetle, insect, ant, giraffe? Working with pictures

classification and for the rules to follower in order to name living beings. Remember that there is
ever since Linnaeus first introduced the
classification method. Nevertheless, even 3 Find out the scientific name for: the holm oak, the Iberian lynx, Using the diagram above as an example, create a taxonomic classification for the
today, the main principles are still the same. and the dog rose. Canis lupus (wolf) and Papaver rhoeas (poppy) species.

anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘How to use a dichotomous key’

also a reading related to this subject in the ‘Scientific readings’ section in the resource bank.
38 39
in your resource bank.

ICT Answer key

In order for students to work on accurately searching Understand, think, search...
for information, they are asked to find the scientific
name of some living beings by using a search engine. 1 Species: a group of living beings or taxon, which groups together individuals that are similar
The ‘How to use a dichotomous key’ resource is enough to be able to reproduce with one other and produce fertile offspring.
available which will help students learn how to use this
classification tool. 2 Beetles: Order Coleoptera.
Insect: Class Insecta.
Ant: Family Formicidae.
Giraffe: Genus Giraffa.
3 Holm oak: Quercus ilex.
Iberian lynx: Lynx pardinus.
Dog rose: Rosa canina.
Working with pictures
In this activity, students are expected to apply the rules they have learnt for carrying out
taxonomic classification.
Canis lupus
Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordate; Class: Mammalia;
Order: Carnivora; Family: Canidae;
Genus: Canis; Species: lupus
Papaver rhoeas
Kingdom: Plantae; Phylum: Magnoliophyta; Class: Magnoliopsida;
Order: Papaverales; Family: Papaveraceae;
Genus: Papaver; Species: rhoeas

10
 6
THE FIVE KINGDOMS 6.1 The organisation of living beings
Living beings can be unicellular or multicellular.
6.2 The five kingdoms
Organisms are organised into five main groups, based on factors such Working with pictures
Unit 1

The five kingdoms

➜ Unicellular organisms are made up of just one single cell that carries as:
Use the picture to answer the
out all the vital functions. They can be prokaryotic or eukaryotic ➜ Cell type. Organisms can be prokaryotic or eukaryotic. following questions:
cells. ➜ Number of cells. Organisms can be unicellular or multicellular. a) Which kingdoms include
➜ Multicellular organisms are made up of more than one cell and ➜ Whether or not they have tissues autotrophs?
are always eukaryotic. Most of the time, the cells in multicellular
➜ The type of nutrition performed. Organisms can either be b) Which kingdoms include
organisms join together to form:
autotrophs or heterotrophs. unicellular organisms?
• Tissues, which are groups of specialist cells that carry out the
c) Which kingdoms include
same function.
These criteria are used to divide living beings into five different organisms with tissues?

Methodological suggestions
• Organs, which are groups of different tissues, designed to carry
kingdoms: Kingdom Monera, Kingdom Protoctista, Kingdom d) Which kingdoms include
out a broader function.
Fungi, Kingdom Plantae and Kingdom Animalia. organisms with tissues, organs
• Systems, which are made up of different organs and carry out a and systems?
more complex process.

Kingdom Monera

Levels of organisation in plants Levels of organisation in animals Unicellular, prokaryotic organisms which can be either

We recommend that your start studying this content by getting students to recap the types of
autotrophs or heterotrophs. They sometimes form
colonies.

Kingdom Protoctista
form form
Organisms in this group are made up of eukaryotic cells.
They may be made up of one cell (for example, protozoa and

cells and nutrition, which they have already studied in this unit. Then you could proceed to
microscopic alga) or may be multicellular but not form
tissues (for example, larger algae). Protozoa
are heterotrophic organisms. Algae
Cells Cells are autotrophic organisms.

Kingdom Fungi

explain the five kingdoms and their characteristics. It could be a useful activity to get students to
which form which form
Organisms in this group are made up of eukaryotic cells. They are
Tissues heterotrophic organisms. There are some unicellular varieties of
Tissues
fungi, for example yeast. Other types are multicellular but do not
form tissues. Examples include mould and mushrooms.

which form Kingdom Plantae

Organs
which form
Organisms in this group consist of eukaryotic cells, with
a rigid cell wall and chloroplasts. They are multicellular,
made up of tissues and almost always have organs.
They are autotrophs.
copy the diagram into their notebooks, as it has been designed to help them better understand
the content.
Organs
Kingdom Animalia

Organisms in this group are made up of eukaryotic cells.

They are multicellular, form tissues and almost always have
Systems
organs and systems. They are heterotrophic organisms.
Living within
beings the living
being

40
anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Are viruses living beings?’
in your resource bank.
41
It is also important to correct some common mistakes: for example, including algae in the Plant
Kingdom or confusing mushroom-producing species with plants, etc.

ICT Answer key

The ‘Are viruses living beings?’ resource is available in Working with pictures
which students will focus on the concept of living
beings and broaden their knowledge on viruses. a) In the monera, protoctista and plant kingdoms. b) In the monera, protoctista and fungi
kingdoms. c) In the plant and animal kingdoms. d) In the animal kingdom.

research proje
ct
UNIT 1

Research project
researching Seed germination
Project
The term germination refers to the process through which seeds grow STEP Background research and project planning
into new plants (under the right conditions). During this process, the
presentation plant embryo expands, which causes the outer coating of the seed to
1
split. Planning your work
Your teacher will divide the class into groups of three or four students.
In order for germination to occur, seeds need the right amount of
Once you have been placed in a group, discuss the project and how

Methodological suggestions
light, correct temperature and an appropriate amount of moisture.
you intend to carry it out. Divide the work between all members of
Each species has its own specific requirements.
the group.
Once the seed has germinated, a seedling emerges. As it continues
Before you begin, remember to consult the ‘Steps to be followed
to grow, it is affected by other environmental factors, such as the
in group work’ resource, which is available at anayaeducacion.es.
concentration of salt in the soil (salinity) and the amount of liquid
water present. Each group will select two different types of seeds for the experiment.
All of the groups should choose different seeds. This will make it
possible for the class as a whole to study more seeds of different
plant types.

Finding and analysing information

Before starting any kind of experiment, you must research the
topic that you are going to study. You should try to gather as much
This double page spread sets out the first step (of three) in the first term’s research project.
information as possible and make sure you consult a variety of
different sources. It is also important to check that the sources you

It gives the students the background to the project, including the project objective and a basic
use are reliable. Don’t forget to cite your sources when you present
your results!

Project
objective
During this experiment, you will observe how environmental factors
affect the germination of different types of seeds. You will also
observe how this impacts subsequent plant growth. At the end of the
overview of the steps that will be found in later units, in order to plan and prepare what will be
needed to carry them out.
experiment, you will create a scientific article to present your findings
and conclusions. Use your research to answer the questions:
Monocotyledon
➜ What are seeds? Draw a diagram of a seed and label the different
This experiment consists of three different steps: parts.
Steps Dicotyledon
➜ What differences can you find between the different types of seeds?
➜ Step 1 (in this unit). Doing the necessary background research
and project planning in order to plan how you will conduct your You could look at lentils, beans, chickpeas and corn, for example.
How many cotyledons do the seeds you have chosen have? They

In this first step, we recommend organising students into groups, with each student taking
experiment.
should have one or two.
➜ Step 2 (in unit 2). Formulating a hypothesis, then planning and
➜ What conditions do you need to ensure that your seeds thrive?
Methodology conducting the experiment in order to prove your theory.
➜ Step 3 (in unit 3). Analysing your results and coming to a conclusion. ➜ What factors can influence germination?
Once you have completed these steps, you should write a scientific ➜ What is salinity? Where does the salt found in the liquid water used

responsibility for a different task: this allows them to work on the social aspect of the
article in order to present and explain your findings to the class. for plants come from? How might salinity affect plants?

42 43

‘Entrepreneurial culture’ key. Through this value, students develop social skills and abilities: they
Entrepreneurial culture will identify which role they should carry out within their group, they will find out their
responsibilities and they will learn that when working in a team it is important to prioritise the
Remember to read the document ‘Project Keys:
Adding Up Pieces’ which provides information on the group’s success, over individual gain (community and common good).
core values that students work on in this key. Furthermore, the ‘Guidelines for carrying out group work` resource gives students the
ICT fundamental rules to enable respectful and productive group work which students must bear in
mind (respecting the opinions of others, knowing how to listen, not interrupting while classmates
The ‘Guidelines for carrying out a group project’
resource is available in the resource bank, which are speaking, etc.). The resource also says what information should be searched and analysed.
provides further information on how to organise the Remember that the students studied the scientific method in unit 0.
work groups, distribute tasks, etc.

Review and practise

this unit for
resources from
r to choose
Remembe UNIT 1
your portfolio.
ISE
review and PRACT
Organising your ideas Interpreting pictures Applying your knowledge Moving forward
1 In your notebook, fill in the spaces in the 3 Name the labelled structures. What type of cell is 5 Are the following statements about cell components 10 Read this text and answer the questions:
concept map and extend its branches. Go to the this? true or false?
resource at anayaeducacion.es. a) Nucleic acids are the main source of cell energy. Some animals, like starfish and lizards, can regenerate
1 amputated parts of their bodies.
? b) Proteins are important because of their structure
Human beings can’t regenerate an arm or a leg, but
Nutrition ? and their regulatory functions. our bodies are constantly regenerating cells like those
Prokaryotic c) Lipids are carbohydrates that regulate cell in our blood, our skin and our liver. But not all the
? cells in our bodies can regenerate; differentiated cells,
cell activity.
Formed for example, have lost the ability to make copies of
d) The genetic material of cells is composed mainly
of cells themselves.
? 4 of nucleic acids.
? Cells that can regenerate are called stem cells. Stem
? 6 If 5 kg of animal mass contains approximately cells can multiply and transform into any type of cell in
Living beings
10"000"000 million cells: order to replace others that are damaged or old. They
? a) How many millions of millions of cells are there act as reserves for regenerating different parts of the
Have the same body.
composition in a human being with a mass of 55 kg?

Organising your ideas

?
3 b) How many millions of millions of cells are there
2
in an elephant with a mass of 6"800 kg?
Summarising
4 Look at the pictures below and answer the c) What is the approximate mass of one animal cell?
2 Use these points to write your own unit summary:
questions: 7 A protozoan measuring 110 micrometres was
• What makes life possible on our planet? a) Can all the body’s cells regenerate? Give some
observed in a sample of pond water.
A C D examples to support your answer.
• What do all living beings have in common? a) If we put 1"320 similar protozoa in a line, how
b) Do you think it is possible to regenerate any
• What is the difference between autotrophic and long would the line be?

1 Living beings carry out nutrition, interaction and reproduction.

heterotrophic nutrition? And between sexual and
asexual reproduction?
• What is the main difference between prokaryotic
cells and eukaryotic cells?
• What is the main difference between eukaryotic
animal cells and eukaryotic plant cells?
tissue from stem cells?
b) How many protozoa would you need to make a
c) Do some research and describe how stem cells
line measuring 250 metres?
are used.
B 8 Are the these statements true or false?
a) Fungi use solar energy to make their organic Sustainable Development Goals
nutrients.
E
11 According to Sustainable Development Goal
b) Plants use solar energy to make their organic
13, greenhouse gas emissions have caused

Living beings are made up of prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells: animal or plant.

• What are the main taxa for classifying living
beings?
• What is a species? Can you think of two examples?
Give the scientific name and the common name.
• What are the five kingdoms of living beings?
What are their main characteristics?
nutrients.
c) Plants don’t use energy from food because they
F use energy from sunlight.
d) All living beings extract the energy they need
from organic nutrients.
9 Do the following words refer to a type of cell,
an increase of 0.85 °C in the planet’s average
temperature. This is having serious consequences,
such as ocean warming, melting ice and rising sea
levels. If things continue as they are, the global
temperature could increase by 1.5 °C by the middle
of the century.

Living beings have the same composition: inorganic substances (water and salts) and organic
• What are: G tissue, organ or system? Look at the information about Target 13.3 (at
a) The kingdoms with prokaryotic cells and the anayaeducacion.es) and answer the following
a) Lymphocyte
kingdoms with eukaryotic cells? questions.
a) What kingdom does each living being belong b) Skin
b) The kingdoms with beings that have tissues a) If the planet’s average temperature increases as
to? c) Digestion predicted, what will it be by the middle of the
and the kingdoms with beings that don’t have

substances (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids).

tissues? b) Which living being are unicellular and which are d) Neuron century? And by the end of next century?
multicellular? b) Do some research and describe how greenhouse
c) The kingdoms with beings that only use e) Heart
autotrophic nutrition, the kingdoms with c) Which form tissues and which don’t? Which gases affect the climate.
f) Circulatory
beings that only use heterotrophic nutrition, have organs? Which have systems? c) In groups, think of some measures you
and the kingdoms with beings that use both d) What type of nutrition and reproduction does could take to educate people around you about
types of nutrition? each living being use? the dangers of climate change.

Summarising
anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Science workshop: observing anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Key concepts’ and ‘Learn by
44 plant cells under a microscope’ in your resource bank. playing’ in your resource bank.
45

Entrepreneurial culture 2 • The characteristics which make life possible on Earth are: the distance of the Earth from
the Sun; the existence of a protective atmosphere which contains vital gases such as
Remember to read the document titled ‘Project Keys:
Adding Up Pieces’ which provides information on the oxygen and carbon dioxide; the existence of liquid water, and the existence of seasons
core skills that students work on in this key. that moderate the climate.
ICT • All living beings are made up of the same type of substances: organic and inorganic
The following resources are available:
substances. Living beings are organised from similar units: cells. Living beings carry out the
‘Observe cells under a microscope’ in the resource three vital functions: nutrition, interaction and reproduction.
bank may be used as a review of the unit. • The difference between autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition is that autotrophic
‘Key concepts’ will let students review the fundamental nutrition consists of synthesising organic nutrients from inorganic nutrients, such as carbon
concepts, and ‘Learn by playing’ will let students check
their learning progress in an entertaining way. dioxide. An example of autotrophic nutrition is when solar energy is used in photosynthesis.
Heterotrophic nutrition consists of obtaining organic nutrients and energy from the organic
Commitment to the SDG
matter of other living beings.
The ‘Target 13.3’ video is available which will provide
students with information to help them with the
answers to activity 11.

11
 Remembe
r to choose
your portfolio.
review and PRACT
resources from
this unit for
ISE
Organising your ideas
1 In your notebook, fill in the spaces in the
concept map and extend its branches. Go to the
resource at anayaeducacion.es.
Interpreting pictures
3 Name the labelled structures. What type of cell is
? b) Proteins are important because of their structure
Nutrition ? and their regulatory functions.
Prokaryotic
? cells in our bodies can regenerate; differentiated cells,
cell
Formed
of cells
? 4
? Cells that can regenerate are called stem cells. Stem
? 6 If 5 kg of animal mass contains approximately
Living beings
? a) How many millions of millions of cells are there
Have the same
composition
?
Summarising
4 Look at the pictures below and answer the
2 Use these points to write your own unit summary:
• What makes life possible on our planet?
• What do all living beings have in common?
• What is the difference between autotrophic and
heterotrophic nutrition? And between sexual and
asexual reproduction?
• What is the main difference between prokaryotic
cells and eukaryotic cells?
• What is the main difference between eukaryotic
animal cells and eukaryotic plant cells?
• What are the main taxa for classifying living
beings?
• What is a species? Can you think of two examples?
Give the scientific name and the common name.
• What are the five kingdoms of living beings?
What are their main characteristics?
• What are:
a) The kingdoms with prokaryotic cells and the
kingdoms with eukaryotic cells?
b) The kingdoms with beings that have tissues
and the kingdoms with beings that don’t have
tissues?
c) The kingdoms with beings that only use
autotrophic nutrition, the kingdoms with
beings that only use heterotrophic nutrition,
and the kingdoms with beings that use both
types of nutrition?
44
plant cells under a microscope’ in your resource bank.
Entrepreneurial culture
Remember to read the document titled ‘Project Keys:
Adding Up Pieces’ which provides information on the
core skills that students work on in this key.
ICT
The following resources are available:
‘Observe cells under a microscope’ in the resource
bank may be used as a review of the unit.
‘Key concepts’ will let students review the fundamental
concepts, and ‘Learn by playing’ will let students check
their learning progress in an entertaining way.
Commitment to the SDG
The ‘Target 13.3’ video is available which will provide
students with information to help them with the
answers to activity 11.
12
this?
Applying your knowledge
5 Are the following statements about cell components
true or false?
a) Nucleic acids are the main source of cell energy.
1 amputated parts of their bodies.
c) Lipids are carbohydrates that regulate cell
activity.
d) The genetic material of cells is composed mainly
of nucleic acids.
10"000"000 million cells:
in a human being with a mass of 55 kg?
3 b) How many millions of millions of cells are there
2
in an elephant with a mass of 6"800 kg?
c) What is the approximate mass of one animal cell?
questions: 7 A protozoan measuring 110 micrometres was
observed in a sample of pond water.
A C D examples to support your answer.
a) If we put 1"320 similar protozoa in a line, how
long would the line be?
b) How many protozoa would you need to make a
line measuring 250 metres?
B 8 Are the these statements true or false?
a) Fungi use solar energy to make their organic
nutrients.
E
b) Plants use solar energy to make their organic
nutrients.
c) Plants don’t use energy from food because they
F use energy from sunlight.
d) All living beings extract the energy they need
from organic nutrients.
9 Do the following words refer to a type of cell,
G tissue, organ or system?
a) Lymphocyte
a) What kingdom does each living being belong b) Skin
to? c) Digestion
b) Which living being are unicellular and which are d) Neuron
multicellular?
e) Heart
c) Which form tissues and which don’t? Which
f) Circulatory
have organs? Which have systems?
d) What type of nutrition and reproduction does
each living being use?
anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Science workshop: observing anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Key concepts’ and ‘Learn by
playing’ in your resource bank.
UNIT 1
• The difference between sexual and asexual reproduction is that in asexual reproduction,
Moving forward
10 Read this text and answer the questions:
Some animals, like starfish and lizards, can regenerate
offspring are produced that are identical to one parent individual whereas, in sexual
reproduction, two parent individuals of the opposite sex (which produce masculine and
Human beings can’t regenerate an arm or a leg, but
our bodies are constantly regenerating cells like those
in our blood, our skin and our liver. But not all the
for example, have lost the ability to make copies of
feminine gametes) produce offspring which are similar to them. Specialised reproductive
themselves.
cells can multiply and transform into any type of cell in
order to replace others that are damaged or old. They
act as reserves for regenerating different parts of the
cells called gametes are necessary for sexual reproduction.
body.
a) Can all the body’s cells regenerate? Give some
• The main difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells is the presence of a nucleus
b) Do you think it is possible to regenerate any
tissue from stem cells?
c) Do some research and describe how stem cells
are used.
(a nuclear membrane that surrounds and protects the genetic material).
Sustainable Development Goals
11 According to Sustainable Development Goal
13, greenhouse gas emissions have caused
an increase of 0.85 °C in the planet’s average
temperature. This is having serious consequences,
• The main difference between animal and plant cells is their type of nutrition and some
such as ocean warming, melting ice and rising sea
levels. If things continue as they are, the global
temperature could increase by 1.5 °C by the middle
of the century.
Look at the information about Target 13.3 (at
anayaeducacion.es) and answer the following
organelles that are only found in one or the other.
questions.
a) If the planet’s average temperature increases as
predicted, what will it be by the middle of the
century? And by the end of next century?
b) Do some research and describe how greenhouse
gases affect the climate.
• Plant cells are autotrophic due to their chloroplasts in which photosynthesis takes place.
c) In groups, think of some measures you
could take to educate people around you about
the dangers of climate change.
45
Animal cells are heterotrophic, as they do not have chloroplasts.
• Other organelles that are exclusive to plant cells are the cell wall and the large vacuoles.
Unlike plant cells, animal cells have centrioles.
• The main taxa for classifying living beings are: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus
and species.
• A species is defined as a group of similar individuals which can reproduce, producing fertile
offspring. Examples: sparrow Passer domesticus, poppy Papaver rhoeas.
• The five kingdoms of living beings and their characteristics are:
– Kingdom Monera, which includes unicellular, prokaryotic organisms. Their nutrition may
be autotrophic or heterotrophic, and sometimes they form colonies.
– Kingdom Protoctista, which includes organisms with eukaryotic cells. There are
unicellular organisms (protozoa, microscopic algae, etc.) and multicellular organisms
that do not form tissues (large algae). Protozoa have heterotrophic nutrition, and algae
have autotrophic nutrition.
– Kingdom Fungi, which includes organisms with eukaryotic cells. Their nutrition is
heterotrophic. There are unicellular fungi such as yeast, or multicellular fungi that do not
form tissue, such as mould and the fungi that form mushrooms.
– Kingdom Plantae, which includes organisms with eukaryotic cells that have rigid walls
and chloroplasts. They are multicellular organisms with tissues and almost always have
organs. Their nutrition is autotrophic.
– Kingdom Animalia, which includes multicellular organisms with eukaryotic cells that
form tissues and, almost always, organs and systems. Their nutrition is heterotrophic.
• The only kingdom with prokaryotic cells is the Kingdom Monera, as the rest of the
kingdoms are formed by organisms with eukaryotic cells.
• The kingdoms which have organisms with tissues are the plant and animal kingdoms,
whereas the monera, protoctista and fungi kingdoms do not have organisms with tissues.
• The kingdom which only has autotrophic nutrition is the plant kingdom. The kingdoms
which only have heterotrophic nutrition are the animal and the fungi kingdoms, and the
ones which have both types of nutrition are the monera and the protoctista kingdoms.
Interpreting pictures
3 1.- nucleus; 2.- cytoplasm; 3.- plasma membrane; 4.- mitochondrion
4 a) C belongs to the animal kingdom, D belongs to the plant kingdom, B and E belong to the
protoctista kingdom, A and F belong to the fungi kingdom and G belongs to the monera
kingdom.
b) Single cells are A, G and E; multi cells are B, C, D and F.
c) The following form tissues: C and D. C and D have organs, and only C has structures or
systems, although they are very basic.
d) Autotrophic nutrition: B, D and G. Heterotrophic nutrition: A, C, E, F and G.
As regards reproduction, some can have the two types: sexual and asexual.
Asexual reproduction: G, A, B, E.
Sexual reproduction: B, C, D, F.
Applying your knowledge
5 a) Nucleic acids are the main source of energy for cells. False. Carbohydrates are the main
source of energy for cells.
b) Proteins are important due to their structural and regulatory functions. True.
c) Lipids are carbohydrates that regulate cell activity. False. Lipids are not carbohydrates.
d) The genetic material of cells is mainly made up of nucleic acids. True.
6 a) 110 billion; b) 13"600 billion; c) A cell will have a mass of approximately 0.0000005 mg.
7 a) 145"200 micrometres; b) 2"272"727 protozoa would have to be put in line.
 Remembe
r to choose
your portfolio.
review and PRACT
resources from
this unit for
ISE
Organising your ideas
1 In your notebook, fill in the spaces in the
concept map and extend its branches. Go to the
resource at anayaeducacion.es.
? Human beings can’t regenerate an arm or a leg, but
Nutrition ? and their regulatory functions.
Prokaryotic
? cells in our bodies can regenerate; differentiated cells,
cell
Formed
of cells
? Cells that can regenerate are called stem cells. Stem
Living beings
? a) How many millions of millions of cells are there
Have the same
composition
?
Summarising
2 Use these points to write your own unit summary:
• What makes life possible on our planet?
• What do all living beings have in common?
• What is the difference between autotrophic and
heterotrophic nutrition? And between sexual and
asexual reproduction?
• What is the main difference between prokaryotic
cells and eukaryotic cells?
• What is the main difference between eukaryotic
animal cells and eukaryotic plant cells?
• What are the main taxa for classifying living
beings?
• What is a species? Can you think of two examples?
Give the scientific name and the common name.
• What are the five kingdoms of living beings?
What are their main characteristics?
• What are:
a) The kingdoms with prokaryotic cells and the
kingdoms with eukaryotic cells?
b) The kingdoms with beings that have tissues
and the kingdoms with beings that don’t have
tissues?
c) The kingdoms with beings that only use
autotrophic nutrition, the kingdoms with
beings that only use heterotrophic nutrition,
and the kingdoms with beings that use both
types of nutrition?
44
Entrepreneurial culture
Remember to read the document titled ‘Project Keys:
Adding Up Pieces’ which provides information on the
core skills that students work on in this key.
ICT
The following resources are available:
‘Observe cells under a microscope’ in the resource
bank may be used as a review of the unit.
‘Key concepts’ will let students review the fundamental
concepts, and ‘Learn by playing’ will let students check
their learning progress in an entertaining way.
Commitment to the SDG
The ‘Target 13.3’ video is available which will provide
students with information to help them with the
answers to activity 11.
Interpreting pictures
3 Name the labelled structures. What type of cell is
this?
Applying your knowledge
5 Are the following statements about cell components
true or false?
a) Nucleic acids are the main source of cell energy.
1 amputated parts of their bodies.
b) Proteins are important because of their structure
c) Lipids are carbohydrates that regulate cell
activity.
d) The genetic material of cells is composed mainly
? 4 of nucleic acids.
6 If 5 kg of animal mass contains approximately
? cells can multiply and transform into any type of cell in
10"000"000 million cells:
in a human being with a mass of 55 kg?
3 b) How many millions of millions of cells are there
2
in an elephant with a mass of 6"800 kg?
4 Look at the pictures below and answer the c) What is the approximate mass of one animal cell?
questions: 7 A protozoan measuring 110 micrometres was
observed in a sample of pond water.
A C D examples to support your answer.
a) If we put 1"320 similar protozoa in a line, how
long would the line be?
b) How many protozoa would you need to make a
line measuring 250 metres?
B 8 Are the these statements true or false?
a) Fungi use solar energy to make their organic
nutrients.
E
b) Plants use solar energy to make their organic
nutrients.
c) Plants don’t use energy from food because they
F use energy from sunlight.
d) All living beings extract the energy they need
from organic nutrients.
9 Do the following words refer to a type of cell,
G Look at the information about Target 13.3 (at
tissue, organ or system?
a) Lymphocyte
a) What kingdom does each living being belong b) Skin
to? c) Digestion
b) Which living being are unicellular and which are d) Neuron
multicellular?
e) Heart
c) Which form tissues and which don’t? Which
f) Circulatory
have organs? Which have systems?
d) What type of nutrition and reproduction does
each living being use?
anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Science workshop: observing anayaeducacion.es Go to ‘Key concepts’ and ‘Learn by
plant cells under a microscope’ in your resource bank. playing’ in your resource bank.
UNIT 1
8 a) False; they are heterotrophic and obtain matter and energy from organic substances they
Moving forward
10 Read this text and answer the questions:
Some animals, like starfish and lizards, can regenerate
take from other living beings.
b) True.
our bodies are constantly regenerating cells like those
in our blood, our skin and our liver. But not all the
for example, have lost the ability to make copies of
themselves.
c) False; firstly, they synthesise organic matter in photosynthesis, then extract the energy
order to replace others that are damaged or old. They
act as reserves for regenerating different parts of the
body.
from this organic matter through cellular respiration.
a) Can all the body’s cells regenerate? Give some
b) Do you think it is possible to regenerate any
tissue from stem cells?
d) True.
c) Do some research and describe how stem cells
are used.
Sustainable Development Goals
11 According to Sustainable Development Goal
9 a) Lymphocyte. Blood cell.
13, greenhouse gas emissions have caused
an increase of 0.85 °C in the planet’s average
temperature. This is having serious consequences,
such as ocean warming, melting ice and rising sea
levels. If things continue as they are, the global
temperature could increase by 1.5 °C by the middle
of the century.
b) Skin. Tissue covering.
anayaeducacion.es) and answer the following
questions.
a) If the planet’s average temperature increases as
predicted, what will it be by the middle of the
century? And by the end of next century?
b) Do some research and describe how greenhouse
c) Digestive. A system involved in nutrition.
gases affect the climate.
c) In groups, think of some measures you
could take to educate people around you about
the dangers of climate change.
45
d) Neuron. Nerve cell.
e) Heart. The organ that pumps blood.
f) Circulatory: a system involved in nutrition.
Moving forward
10 a) Not all cells have the ability to divide. Very specialised cells like neurons have mostly lost
that ability.
b) Stem cells can regenerate any type of cell tissue.
c) Stem cells may be used in regenerative therapy to replace other cells that were damaged,
and this is how they are used to cure diseases like leukaemia.
Sustainable Development Goals
11 The purpose of this project key is to bring students closer to the reality of their time and give
them an opportunity to take part in the analysis of key problems in the 21st century. There is an
explanatory video of Target 13.3. which may help you to guide students in solving this activity.
a) Halfway through this century, the average temperature of the planet will reach 16.5 °"C. At
the end of next century, this temperature could reach 20 °"C.
b) One example answer for the activity may be the following:
Global warming is the effect caused by greenhouse gases, as these gases retain the heat
emitted by Earth (infrared radiation) when solar radiation is reflected from the Earth’s
surface. As the greenhouse gases absorb this infrared radiation, they heat up, thus
increasing the temperature on Earth. The heating of the planet is changing the climate: as
higher temperatures are reached, rainfall is affected, generally decreasing the amount of
rain and making it more irregular. In addition, higher temperatures lead to an increase in
extreme meteorological phenomena (storms, hurricanes, torrential rainfall, etc.).
c) In this section, students will improve their social skills, increase their community
engagement and focus on the common good as part of the ‘Entrepreneurial culture’ key.
Students are asked to propose initiatives for raising awareness about the problem of
climate change i.e. initiatives that will have a beneficial effect on the community that the
students belong to. Some ideas include:
• Making posters with striking images of environmental catastrophes: fires, floods, storms,
typhoons, etc.
• Handing out questionnaires to different social groups with the purpose of finding out
their knowledge on climate change.
• Filming a short video to explain positive and negative actions that affect global warming.
13