Learners are guided using the L-E-A-R-N model.

In order to acquire learning, each part of

the L-E-A-R-N is required to accomplish which are represented by the following icons.

Learning Objectives
This will serve as the learners’ guide per lesson of what expected
competencies they must acquire after completing the activities, reading
the discussions, and answering the assessment.
Look
In this section, the learners are supposed to look back on the past lesson
and to look forward to another lesson that links each other.

Examine
The learners will be able to investigate thoroughly the newly-introduced
lesson by conducting an experiment and answering the guide questions.

Analyze
The learners will have a deeper understanding through discovering
patterns, concepts, and ideas on their own through the discussion in this
section.
Relate
The newly acquired knowledge will now be related or link to the real world
and its applications.

Nurture
This section will further develop your understanding and knowledge by
testing it through evaluation and assessment.

There are other parts that are highlighted in each lesson throughout the module that you
must also accomplish for further understanding of the lesson.

Checkpoint
This part is a short and a quick check of how far the learners are
understanding the discussion.

i
 Grade 7 Science: Quarter 1 – Chemistry

Content Standards
The learners demonstrate understanding of…
1. scientific ways of acquiring knowledge and solving problems;
2. some important properties of solutions;
3. the properties of substances that distinguish them from mixtures; and
4. classifying substances as elements or compounds.

Performance Standards
The learners shall be able to…
1. perform in groups in guided investigations involving community-based
problems using locally available materials;
2. prepare different concentrations of mixtures according to uses and availability
of materials;
3. investigate the properties of mixtures of varying concentrations using available
materials in the community for specific purposes
4. make a chart, poster, or multimedia presentation of common elements showing
their names, symbols, and uses.

Most Essential Learning Competencies

The learners should be able to…
1. Describe the components of a scientific investigation. (S7MT-Ia-1);
Recognize that substances are classified into elements and compounds
2.
(S7MT-Ig-h5);
Distinguish mixtures from substances based on a set of properties (S7MT-Ie-
3.
f4);
4. Investigate properties of unsaturated or saturated solutions. (S7MT-Ic-2); and
Express concentrations of solutions quantitatively by preparing different
5. concentrations of mixtures according to uses and availability of materials.
(S7MT-Id-3).

Lesson 1 – Scientific Investigation

Lesson 2 – Mixtures and Substances
Lesson 3 – Elements and Compounds
Lesson 4 – Solutions

ii
 Quarter 1 - Lesson 1
Scientific Investigation
Have you encountered a colony of ants marching in line from the wall or from the floor
inside or outside your house? Did you follow the line where they came from? What have
you seen? I guess, you saw a leftover of food that the ants were taking up for their
supply of daily food. In that way, you actually did an investigation. In science, we have
steps to be followed for us to find an answer and it is called scientific investigation. In
this lesson, steps of scientific investigation will be introduced and will enable you
become familiar with the terminologies associated with it.

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Describe the components of a scientific investigation;
 Perform a scientific investigatory project at home; and
 Practice scientific investigation in acquiring knowledge and solving problems in
everyday scenario.

1
Scene of the crime: Carefully observe the picture below for 30 seconds. Pay attention
to the details as you observe. After 30 seconds, cover the picture and answer the
following questions.

2
Cover the picture now and answer the following questions.
1. What was the name of the outdoor café? _______________________________
2. How many bank robbers are there? ___________________________________
3. Were the bank robbers armed? ______________________________________
4. Was the bank robber in the street wearing a hat? ________________________
5. How many people are there? ________________________________________

Activity 1
TEST THE SHELLS!

Materials:

 5 raw eggs  A dark-colored sugar-free drink like

Gatorade
 5 cups
 A dark-colored fruit juice like grape
 Masking tape juice
 Marker/Pen
 A dark-colored cola
 Water  Orange Juice

Procedures:
1. Label the cups one with each drink. (Water, Gatorade, Grape juice, Cola, Orange
juice)
2. Pour the drink into the cup based on the labels.
3. Put the eggs carefully in the cup with drinks at the same time.
4. Record the time of when you placed the eggs in the drinks.
5. Store the cups in a safe place.
6. Observe the changes in color after 3 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours. Write your
data on the table.
3
Guide Questions:
Table 1: Observations and color changes on egg shells
Drink After 3 hours After 12 hours After 24 hours

Water

Gatorade

Grape
Juice

Cola

Orange
Juice

4
Scientists solve problems using a systematic process of empirical investigation known
as scientific method. As a student, you can also explore the world and solve everyday
problems using the scientific method. Hence, it is important that you know and
understand the basic steps involved in the investigatory process.

The steps in scientific investigation are:

1. Make observations
2. Ask a question
3. Formulate a hypothesis
4. Test the hypothesis
5. Analyze data
6. Draw a conclusion
7. Reporting of findings

Make observations

This is how we understand the world, by using our senses. Because of our sense of
sight through our eyes, we can see that the sky is blue during daytime and dark blue or
black at night. We can hear the sound of approaching cars on the road because of our
sense of hearing. We can smell what our mother is cooking for dinner by using our
nose. You will also feel that the food is still hot for you to chew because of your skin.

For example, you observe that a slice of apple gets brown easily a few minutes after
you cut it. It would be a good snack if it does not get brown easily.

5
Ask a question

As you observe things, you lead into asking a

question. This part answers the question: What do
you want to know?
To enjoy your fruit snack, you asked yourself, how
can you prevent the apple from turning brown or
how can you extend the time of the apple before it
turns brown.

Form a hypothesis

The next step is forming a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a possible answer to a scientific

question and can be answered by testing it and by gathering information. A hypothesis
must be logical and based from a scientific knowledge. In other words, it must be
possible to make observations that would confirm your hypothesis.

In your science classes, you have learned that oxidation is what makes the inside of
the apple turns brown. Its skin protects the inside of the apple from air. When the apple
becomes exposed to oxygen in the air, a chemical reaction called oxidation occurs.
That’s why fruits spoil much faster than it normally would when it is cut and interacts
with the oxygen in the air such as bananas and some other fruits. From that knowledge,
you hypothesize that apple can be covered with a solution that can stop the process of
oxidation.

6
Testing the Hypothesis and Gathering Data

At this point, you are ready to test your hypothesis by conducting an experiment. An
experiment is a set of manipulations or specific observations of nature, and it is
considered as the most important part of the scientific method. It is done to answer the
research question or investigate a problem.
A controlled experiment generally compares the results obtained from an experiment
sample against the control sample. Under this type, the observer tests the hypothesis
by looking for changes brought about by alteration to a variable.
A variable simply refers to a person, place, thing, or phenomenon you are trying to
measure. The two variables are called independent variable and the dependent
variable.
a. Independent variable (also called the manipulated variable) is a factor that is
changed by the researcher. These variables cause corresponding effects in other
variables.

For example, you will test different chemical solutions that the apple can be
submerged to prevent oxidation. You prepared tap water, salt water (water with
salt), and lemonade (lemon juice) to test what chemical solution can stop the
oxidation process from the apple. These three are your independent variables.

b. Dependent variable (also called responding variable) are the factors that you
observe and considered as the response to an independent variable.
You predicted that different chemical solutions will affect the immediate
brownness of the apple. The oxidation level or color of the apple is your
dependent variable.

c. Controlled variable are the factors that are kept constant throughout the
experiment. Constant variable/s must be held constant so that it will not influence
the outcome of the experiment. So, it is important that the apples are sliced
evenly and the span of time they are submerged in the solution is the same.

7
Analyzing and Presenting Data

Data and observations obtained from experiments should be analysed and presented
systematically. The data may be presented using a table for easy interpretation.

Take a look at the sample data or observations obtain from the apple oxidation
investigation. Study the table and answer the following questions.

Table1: Experimental Data

Solutions After 30 minutes After 60 minutes

Majority of the apple

Few brown spots surface turns to
Tap water are visible brown

Browning of apple is
Few brown spots much lesser
Salt water
are visible compared to tap
water

No appearance of Very few brown

Lemonade brown spots spots are visible

1. What is the table all about?

________________________________________________________________
2. In which solution does the apple oxidize the fastest?
________________________________________________________________

Drawing Conclusions

A conclusion is a summary of the results of the experiment and the statement of how
the results match up to the hypothesis. For example, after 10 minutes, you noticed that
the apple that was submerged in the lemon water has the fewest brown spots. That is
your result. In conclusion, an apple can be covered with a substance that can slow
down the process of oxidation. Lemonade is the solution that works best in slowing
down the oxidation rate in apples.

8
Reporting of Findings

Once the data have been obtained

and analyzed, and the conclusion
has been drawn, the next step is to
share the results. This stage is
important in perpetuating the body
of knowledge gained in conducting
the scientific method.

The scientific method is a potent tool that helps man to magnify truth about the things
around him. By following the steps in the investigatory process, details which are
possible answers to our problem are illuminated. In so doing, we must consider that
there are always two sides of a coin; hence, we have to carry out series of investigation
and experimentation before drawing any conclusion. This is just one way on how we
can apply scientific method in our life.

Find out how Mark Jason applies scientific method in his life by reading his blog below:

Scientific Method Steps Can Help us in Our Everyday Life

Source: https://steemit.com/science/@markjason/importance-of-scientific-method-on-our-everyday-life

Scientific method helps many scientists in solving problems and in making their
experiments, but not only scientific problems can be solved by its steps. It has also a
potential to help us to be successful in our everyday life and solve many personal
problems of an ordinary people.

How to be Successful Using Scientific Methods

So let’s start at the first step by "asking a question" as I said earlier everything starts
in a questions and questions are endless, in every answered questions more questions
appears.
Let’s proceed, first you need to ask a question, ask yourself!, what makes you happy,

9
why you keep on making mistakes and what things you need to do to be successful.

Then gather
information observe the people
around you especially the
successful ones look at the
things they do and what are their
secret to be successful, also look
on the mistakes of other people
and learn from them, you don't
need to do a mistakes to learn,
you can also learn by the
mistakes of others, take note
prevention is better than cure.

Then create a hypothesis, think of the things you need to do, create an Idea, make a
guess or predict things that have a big possibility to make your success.

Then test the hypothesis it is the time to apply your ideas, don't be afraid to try the
things in your mind that you think will work and will help you in your journey to be
successful.

Analyze the result of your works, check its result to know what you need to change,
what you need to improve and what is useful to your life and to be successful.

And last but not the least make a conclusion after analyzing your results, list down and
always remember the steps that can help you to improve your life and don't forget your
mistakes and wrong decisions learn from it, and try not to do the same mistake again.
And don't give up even if you failed many times, don't be afraid to try new things until
you find the right and thee best solution in your life

10
 A. Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer in the space
provided before each number. Use CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY

_____1.Jonas wants to see if fertilizer X really affects plant growth. What is the
dependent variable?

A. Plant growth
B. Fertilizer X
C. Type of plant
D. Type of Soil

_____2.You saw a study entitled, ―The effect of catnip in cat alertness‖. What is the
independent variable?

A. Catnip
B. Cat alertness
C. Number of cats
D. None of the above

_____3.Jorrel has the following objects: (1) two ice cubes, (2) an empty glass, and (3) a
glass of water. Which question could Julie answer most easily by conducting a
scientific investigation?

A. What is the temperature of the water?

B. Does ice melt faster in air or in water?
C. How long does it take for water to freeze?
D. Does the mass of an ice cube change when it melts?

_____4.Edwin conducted an experiment to determine how the amount of salt in a body

of water affects the number of plants that can live in the water. In this experiment the
independent variable is

A. the water
B. the temperature of the water
C. the amount of salt in the water
D. the number of plants in the water

11
_____5.Lhey who wants to study the effects of fertilizer on plants sets up an
experiment. Plant A gets no fertilizer, Plant B gets 5 mg. of fertilizer each day, and Plant
C gets 10mg. of fertilizer each day. Which plant is the constant/control variable?

A. Plant A
B. Plant B
C. Plant C
D. All of them

B. Directions: Write a question for each of the following predictions. Identify the
dependent and the independent variable for each.

1. If plants are watered, then growth height will increase.

___________________________________________________________

Independent variable:__________________________________________

Dependent variable: __________________________________________

2. If chocolate is given to the children, then they will be more hyperactive.

___________________________________________________________

Independent variable: _________________________________________

Dependent variable: __________________________________________

3. If students study with music, then their test scores will increase.

___________________________________________________________

Independent variable: _________________________________________

Dependent variable: __________________________________________

12
 Quarter 1 - Lesson 2
Mixtures and Substances
Every aspect of life is a component of something else. The cell is the basic unit of life,
and the processes inside the cell involve transformation of energy and matter. Matter is
anything that occupies space and has mass. As a result of a series of scientific
investigations, people are now aware that matter is made up of atoms. These atoms
react with one another, forming more complex forms of matter such as elements,
compounds, and other substances. In the following lessons, we will explore matter and
its chemical components.

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Differentiate mixtures from substances;
 Distinguish mixtures from substances based on a set of properties; and
 Enumerate separation techniques for mixtures.

13
We learned from our previous lesson the steps of a scientific investigation. Let us recall
it by writing True if the statement is true and False if the statement is false.
________ 1. The first step in scientific investigation is to ask a question.
________ 2. We use our five senses in making an observation.
________ 3. In formulating a hypothesis, it is not necessarily that you base it from
scientific knowledge because you do not experiment yet.
________ 4. The independent variable is the variable that is affected by the dependent
variable.
________ 5. The controlled variable does not make an effect throughout the
experiment.
________ 6. You can use tables, graphs, and charts in presenting your data.
________ 7. The conclusion in the scientific investigation is an educated guess.
________ 8. By sharing the results of your experiment, you allow other scientists to
improve or correct your work.

Are you sure with you answers? If yes, then you are ready to proceed to our next
lesson.

14
 Activity 1
SUBSTANCE OR MIXTURE?

Materials:

 Iron fillings
 Flour
 Plate
 magnet

Procedures:
1. Place the iron fillings on a plate.
2. Add some flour and gently shake the plate.
3. Place the magnet on top of the plate with iron fillings and flour.
4. Observe.

Guide Questions:
1. Can you still distinguish the iron fillings from the flour?
________________________________________________________________
2. What happens to your iron fillings and flour as you position your magnet on top of
the plate?
________________________________________________________________
3. The iron fillings with flour is an example of a mixture. How can you define a
mixture?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

15
Most of the materials around us are
composed of mixtures of pure substances.
Mixture is a combination of two or more
pure substances in which each pure
substance retains its characteristics and
properties.
In your activity, when you mixed iron filings
and flour on a plate, the component of the
mixture were easy to identify, and they could
be separated physically through à magnet.
However, when the iron fillings are
combined with sulfur powder and heated, it
will form a new substance known as ferrous
sulphide. The original substances cannot be
reobtained or recovered. Mixtures are made
up of two or more substances that are
physically combined.
The main character of mixture is that it has variable composition that it is not combined
chemically. The better three examples of mixtures are air, seawater, and brass. Air is a
mixture of various gases, which have visibly indistinguishable parts. Seawater is a
solution of many different solids, including table salt with water. Brass is a solid solution
composed of copper and Zinc. Air, seawater, and brass are homogeneous mixtures as
they appear one or uniform before your eyes. Each of them appears in a single phase,
and there is the same proportion of components throughout.

Separating Components of a Mixture

The components of mixtures that are not chemically combined can be separated by
physical means. The following are methods which can be used to separate the
components of a mixture
a. Magnetic Separation

When you mix iron filings and salt, you will be able to separate them with the use
of a magnet. We call this process magnetic separation. In a mixture of salt and
iron filings, each substance retains its own properties. A magnet can remove the

16
 iron fillings from the dry mixture. If the mixture is placed in water, the salt will
dissolve, leaving the iron filings behind.

b. Decantation
When two immiscible liquids-meaning they do not dissolve in each other-are put
together, the denser liquid settles below the other. The less dense liquid can be
poured out. If the particles of a solid do not dissolve in liquid but settle at the
bottom, the liquid can be decanted.

17
c. Evaporation
If you put the salt water in an open container under the sun, the water evaporates
leaving the salt behind. The process is called evaporation. Sometimes, it is also
called crystallization because the solid salt will form crystals as water evaporates.

d. Filtration
When particles of a solid matter neither dissolve nor settle in a liquid, the mixture
can be filtered using filter paper, cloth, or any material which is fine enough to
hold the solid particles.

18
 e. Distillation
In distillation, a mixture of liquids is heated in a flask. The liquid with the lower
boiling point evaporates, then it condenses, and it will be collected. The liquid
with a higher boiling point and any solid particles are left behind in the flask. This
process is used in the purification of all kinds of things from water to crude oil.

You have learned now some characteristics of mixtures that distinguish them from
substances. What about substances, how do you describe them?
Substances have components that are hard to identify as they are chemically
combined. The components are also hard to separate by any physical means.
Substances have a definite and unchanging chemical composition. Examples of
substances are salt, water, baking soda, carbon dioxide, and oxygen. They are
substances because their composition is the same wherever you find them. All
substances are homogeneous, including some mixtures. Because of this, it is difficult to
distinguish mixtures and substances based on appearance alone. To tell whether a
sample is a mixture or a substance, we use temperature. Liquid mixtures have variable
boiling temperature; the same is not true for liquid substances. For example, solid
mixtures have portions that do not melt, while solid substances melt completely within a
short time.

19
A. Directions: Answer the following questions briefly and concisely.

1. How will you define a matter in science?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. Differentiate a mixture from a compound.

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. Enumerate at least three separation techniques for mixture. Describe each
one.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. Choose two separation techniques mentioned in this lesson. Then, give one
real life example or application of the separation technique that you have
chosen.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

20
 Quarter 1 - Lesson 3
Elements and Compounds
Look around your kitchen. What do you see? You probably see many things used for
making food like soy sauce, salt and oil.

The things you find in your kitchen, as well as other parts in your house are all common
household compounds. Compounds are matter that consists of different elements. We
know of many different compounds in everyday life and we make use of them often, but
more times than not, we fail to recognize the difference between the two. In this lesson,
we will look into the difference between the elements and compounds.

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Differentiate elements and compounds;
 Recognize that substances are classified into elements and compounds; and
 Enumerate some common elements and compounds that are essential to life.

21
The following are the information of each element that you can find in a periodic table.
Complete the missing information for each of the following elements from a periodic
table.

In this activity, you encountered some of the elements that are in the periodic table. But,
what is an element? Is it different from a compound? Do the next activity to find out.

22
 Activity 1
FIND THE DIFFERENCE

Elements Compounds

23
Guide Question:

Study the illustrations of elements and compounds in the previous page. Write down
your observations. Do they have similarities? Do they have differences? What can you
say about elements and compounds?
My observations are:

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

A pure substance is a form of matter that cannot be separated into two different
species by any physical or mechanical means. Pure substances exhibit the following
characteristic properties:

 homogenous (has uniform properties throughout the sample)

 has a constant chemical composition
 A pure substance is a form of matter that cannot be separated into two different
species by any physical

Pure substances are elements and compounds.

Elements

An element is the simplified form of matter which cannot be decomposed by ordinary

chemical means. It contains only one kind of atom. Examples of elements are oxygen,
aluminum, copper, and carbon. At present, there are 115 known elements. Of these, 92
occur naturally on Earth, and the rest are synthetically prepared in the lab.

24
At room temperature and at normal atmospheric pressure, most elements are solids,
while a few others are either liquids or gases. Of all the elements, only two are liquids at
normal room temperature – mercury and bromine.

Elements are further subdivided into metals, nonmetals, and metalloids. Metals are
substances with lustrous or shiny appearance, and they are malleable, ductile, and
good conductors of heat and electricity.

When two distinct elements are combined chemically—i.e., chemical bonds form
between their atoms—the result is called a chemical compound.

Compounds

A compound is a pure substance that can be decomposed by a chemical change into

simpler substances with a fixed mass ratio. For example, when sugar is heated, it
changes to a black material while it gives off water vapor. The sugar has decomposed
to a new substance, and the new substance is carbon which has properties that are

25
completely different from sugar. Heat produces a chemical change by decomposing the
sugar into carbon and water vapor.

The decomposition of sugar always produces the same mass ratio of carbon to water,
so sugar has a fixed definite composition.

Definite Composition of Compounds

A molecule of a compound has a definite number of atoms.

Consider the elements carbon and oxygen. If one atom of carbon combines with one
atom of oxygen, the resulting compound is carbon monoxide which is a poisonous gas.

Examples of Compounds

26
Directions: List down 5 common elements and compounds that are used in daily. Give
the uses of each element and compound.

Common Elements Uses

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Common Compounds Uses

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

27
There are many elements present in the food you
eat —whether it is a natural food like a banana or
those processed like banana chips, biscuits, milk,
and juice. These are mostly nutrients which the
human body needs in order to function well. Some
of these are calcium, magnesium, zinc, and
selenium. Find these elements in the periodic table.
Can you name more? Did you also find them in the
periodic table?
From the product labels, information about the
contents of the food is written — named as
Nutrition Facts and Ingredients. The Nutrition Facts
is a list of the different nutrients provided by the
food product with their corresponding percentage
share on the daily recommended dietary allowance.
Refer to the figure on the right. Notice that some of
these nutrients are elements such as calcium. Is
this food a good source of calcium?
On the other hand, Ingredients give you a list of the
materials that have been added to make the food
product. These materials are the sources of the
nutrients. These are the ones that are taken in by
the body.
Refer to the figure below. Find the ingredient ferrous sulfate.
Ferrous is derived from the Latin
name of iron. Refer to the figure
above. This is the Nutrition Facts
which corresponds to the food
product having these ingredients.
Find the nutrient iron.
How much iron does this food product
give as part of the recommended
dietary allowance? From this product label, you can tell that you will be getting as much
as 6% of iron that you need for the day and you will get it as ferrous sulfate — a
compound of iron.

28
C. Directions: Answer the following questions briefly and concisely.

1. What is/are the difference/s between elements and compounds?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. How will you prove that an element is a homogenous substance?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. Give three (3) examples of compounds that can be found in your household.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. List down three (3) elements that are essential to life. State why each element
is essential to life.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

29
 Quarter 1 - Lesson 4
Solutions
In a hot summer day, we all like a cool breeze, a swimming pool and one cold drink just
like this one:

A juice is made of grinded pulp mixed with water in cases where we use actual fruits but
it is usually prepared in powdered form. Once the powder mixes with the water, the
mixture in color and the powder itself is already not distinguishable. We have now made
a solution. Are you aware of other solutions you may have encountered?

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Define miscible and immiscible; soluble and insoluble
 Investigate properties of unsaturated or saturated solutions;
 Express concentrations of solutions quantitatively by preparing different
concentrations of mixtures according to uses and availability of materials.

30
Alex loves going to the beach during summer. She likes the cool breeze coming from
the sea and she loves to collect sand and shells in jars that she can take home. She’s
also fond of the salty water of the sea.

Alex often wondered why the sea is salty. She once asked her mother why it was salty
and her mother answered because of salt. ―Just like the one we have on the kitchen?‖
Alex asks her mother. ―Yes, my dear. The sea has a lot of salt in it and that is the
reason why it is salty.‖
She asks again, ―why can’t I see the salt then?‖ and her mother replies that it is
because the salt is mixed with the water and has been dissolved. Oceans and seas
cover more than half of the planet and all of those have salty taste. Salt can be taken
from the sea, but we cannot see it. The seawater is a solution made of salt and water
combined. Just as the sea is a natural solution in this world, other solutions exist in our
daily lives and it is good for both you and Alex to know that solutions makes up a big
part of our lives. So what is a solution?

31
Matter can be classified as either pure substances or mixtures. Pure substances have
definite and uniform composition. Elements and compounds are pure substances. On
the other hand, mixtures are physically combined with two or more components and
can be further categorized into homogenous and heterogeneous mixtures. Further
categorizations are our solutions, colloids and suspensions.

Activity 1
PROPERTIES OF SOLUTIONS

Materials:

 Water  2 tablespoons of each of the

 6 pieces, spoons
 either of the following: cheesecloth
(katsa), old, white T-shirt or filter
paper
 12 clear cups (two sets of six cups)
following: sugar, salt, mongo
seeds, powdered juice, cooking oil,
vinegar
 3 funnels or improvised funnel
made from 500 mL plastic bottle

32
Procedures:
1. Fill six cups with water.
2. Add ½ teaspoon of each of the six samples. Use the teaspoon to stir the mixture
and dissolve the sample. Remember to use a different teaspoon for each of the
cups.
3. Observe your mixtures. Record your observations in the table below.
Table 1: Results and observations
Number of What is
Does it Can it be What is
Phases the
Sample dissolve in Appearance separated the solute
(solid, solute in
Solid/Liquid one cup of (ex. Color) by in this
liquid, this
water? filtration? mixture?
gas) mixture?

Sugar

Salt

Mongo
Seeds

Powdered
Juice

Cooking Oil

Vinegar

Based on the results of your activity, what common properties do solutions have?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

33
A solution is a homogenous mixture composed of two or more substances in a single
phase. In such a mixture, a solute is the substance that is being dissolved while
solvent is the one that dissolves the solute. The most common solvent is water, most
solutions are made with water.

A solution is formed when a solute dissolves in a solvent to form a single phase

(typically in liquid phase) that appears uniform throughout. A solution is often clear and
transparent. In a solution, the solute cannot be separated from the solvent through
filtration.
The table below shows the different types of solutions.

34
Here, we see that the solute may be a gas, a liquid, or a solid. There are solutions that
can contain more than one solute, like the ocean. Some combinations easily form the
solutions, but other combinations do not. A substance that dissolves readily in a solvent
is soluble. Salt and sugar easily dissolve in water. A substance that does not dissolve
in a solvent is insoluble. Sand is insoluble in water. Oil is insoluble in water. Oil and
water are immiscible. Those liquids that can be mixed with each other are said to be
miscible.

Directions: Answer the following.

a. Give three examples of liquids that are miscible in water

b. Give three liquids that are immiscible in water.

To describe a solution completely, we need to identify not only its components but also
its concentration – a measure of how much solute is dissolved in a specific amount of
solvent or solution.

35
Unsaturated, Saturated, and Supersaturated Solutions
One way to identify concentration is to describe the solution as unsaturated, saturated,
and supersaturated. To understand the meaning of the different terms, do the following
activity.

You will need the following materials and equipment:

 any glass container
 sugar
 water
 spatula or spoon

Half fill the container with water. Add one spoonful of sugar then stir. What happens to
the sugar? Did you notice that it dissolved instantly? Keep on adding sugar until none
dissolves. You will know that you have already reached this point when no matter how
much you stir the solution, excess sugar crystals will always settle at the bottom.

The solution formed by the end of the

activity is already saturated. A
saturated solution is one in which
the maximum amount of solute has
been dissolved in a given amount of
solvent at a given temperature and
where any more solute added will
settle at the bottom.
A solution that contains less than the
maximum amount of solute that can
be held is unsaturated. In some
cases, you can prepare a solution containing more solute than it would normally
contain. The solution is said to be supersaturated. You can prepare this by increasing
the temperature to dissolve the excess solute and slowly cooling the solution. A
supersaturated solution is an unstable condition. If you add a "seed" crystal and tap the
container, the excess solute will readily crystallize, leaving a saturated solution. Do you
know that jelly and honey are examples of supersaturated solutions? You will notice that
sugar crystallizes from jelly and honey after they are left exposed for a long time.

36
Percentage Composition
One way to describe the concentration of a solution is by quantitatively reporting its
percentage by mass or percentage by volume.

Here are sample problems that can help you in measuring concentration by comparing
the amount of solute to the amount of solvent or the total amount of solution.

37
38
When a patient is confined in a hospital, doctors would recommend dextrose
(intravenous IV) fluid infusion. Dextrose 2.5% or D2.5W is a dextrose IV that contains
2.5 g of dextrose per 100 ml of water. It supplies the patient with water and calories.
Dextrose 5% or D5W is used to hydrate the patient. Dextrose 10% or D10W is usually
used to counterattack hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is a condition where a person has
low blood sugar. Dextrose 20% or D20W provides more nutrition to patient in the long
term.

A saline solution is a solution of sodium chloride in sterile water. A normal saline

solution is 0.99% sodium chloride. It is used as an intravenous (IV) infusion for patients
who have become severely dehydrated. It also helps prevent dehydration for those who
cannot consume liquids and nutrients by mouth. Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as abv
or ABV) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethyl alcohol or ethanol) is
contained in a beverage.

39
 A. Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer in the space
provided before each number. Use CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY.

____1. What type of mixture is a solution?

a. Heterogeneous
b. Homogeneous
c. Immiscible
d. All of the above

____2. The substance that dissolves in a mixture is ____.

a. Solvent
b. Immiscible
c. Solute
d. All of the above

____3. The substance that is dissolving the other substance in the mixture is:

a. Solvent
b. Immiscible
c. Solute
d. All of the above

____4.What combination is possible for a solution?

a. Solid and Solid

b. Gas and Liquid
c. Liquid and Solid
d. All of the above

____5.Further categories of mixtures are:

a. Solutions
b. Suspensions
c. Colloids
d. All of the above

40
For 6-10: Write S if it is a solution and X if it is not a solution.

____6.Saltwater

____7.Coffee

____8.Soda

____9.Steel

____10.Muddy Water

For 11-15: Write Y if this is possible to be dissolved in water and N if not.

____11.Grounded Coffee

____12.Sugar

____13.Diced Carrots

____14.Sand

____15.Soy Sauce

B. Directions: Do the following exercises. Show your complete solution.

1. What is the % by mass of sodium chloride in a solution prepared by adding 25.0

g salt to 125.0 g water? What mass of salt is present in 10.0 g of this solution?
2. A solution of methanol is prepared by dissolving 35.0 mL of methanol in water to
give a total of 115.0 mL solution. What is the % by volume concentration of
methanol?
3. How would you prepare 1.00 liter of an alcohol water solution that is 5.00% by
volume alcohol.

41
 Grade 7 Science: Quarter 2 – Biology

Content Standards
The learners demonstrate understanding of…
1. the parts and functions of the compound microscope
2. the different levels of biological organization
3. the difference between animal and plant cells; and
4. organisms interacting with each other and with their environment to survive
5. reproduction being both asexual or sexual.

Performance Standards
The learners shall be able to…
1. employ appropriate techniques using the compound microscope to gather data
about very small objects;
2. conduct a collaborative action to preserve the ecosystem in the locality

Most Essential Learning Competencies

The learners should be able to…
1. Identify parts of the microscope and their functions.
2. Describe the different levels of biological organization from cell to biosphere.
3. Differentiate plant and animal cells according to presence or absence of certain
organelles
4. Differentiate asexual from sexual reproduction in terms of:
 number of individuals involved
 similarities of offspring to parents.
5. Differentiate biotic from abiotic components of an ecosystem.
6. Describe the different ecological relationships found in an ecosystem.

Lesson 1 – Levels of Organization and Microscopy

Lesson 2 – Asexual vs. Sexual Reproduction
Lesson 3 – Biotic vs. Abiotic Components of Ecosystem
Lesson 4 – Ecological Relationships
ii
 Quarter 2 - Lesson 1
Levels of Organization and
Microscopy

What do living things have in common? Every living thing is composed of one or more
cells. A cell is the basic unit of life and contains all of the materials necessary for life.
The different kinds of cells are organized into different groups to be able to perform
specialized functions. However, most cells are too small to be seen with the naked eye
and can only be seen through the microscope.

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Identify parts of the microscope and their functions.
 Focus specimens using the compound microscope
 Describe the different levels of biological organization from cell to biosphere

1
 Word Magnet
Directions: At the left side of the magnet, write down all your ideas about the
characteristics of LIFE. At the right side of the magnet, write down your ideas about
microorganisms and give some examples.

LIFE

2
 Activity 1
AM I FAMILIAR?

Guide Questions:

1. What is the name of organ shown above?

________________________________________________________________
2. What is the main function of this organ?
________________________________________________________________
3. In what organ system does this organ belong?
________________________________________________________________
4. What will be the implication to the organ system if there is harm on one of the
organs?
________________________________________________________________

3
Different Levels of Biological Organization
A cell is a collection of organelles that are
functioning together. It is considered as the
basic unit of life that is capable of carrying
out all the functions of living things. Cells
have varied sizes and shapes. Tissue is a
group of distinct and similar cells that work
together to perform a specific set of
functions. Examples of tissues in plants are
parenchyma, collenchyma, and
sclerenchyma tissues. Examples of tissues
in animals are epithelial, connective,
muscular, and nervous tissues.

Organ consists of different tissues organized

together to perform a certain function. For
example, the heart is made up of different tissues that enable it to perform the task of
pumping blood to all parts of the body.

Organ system consists of several different organs that work together to perform a
broad spectrum of functions. For example, the excretory system is composed of the

4
kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and blood vessels that function in removing wastes
from the various parts of the body and eliminating them through sweating and urination.

Organism is a collection of the organ systems that work together to bring about various
life activities. Humans have eleven organ systems. An organism is an individual
belonging to a particular species that has its own distinct existence as a complex, self-
reproducing unit.

Population is a group of
organisms of the same species
occupying a given area. These
organisms are freely interacting
with one another. Populations
are sometimes comprised of
small groups-a pack of wolves,
pride of lions, towns of squirrels,
herd of cattle, and colony of
termites. Hawk, snake, bison,
prairie, dig, grass

Community consists of all the

populations of different species
of organisms living together in
a given area. These organisms
are interacting with one
another. Their interactions may
be harmful, symbiotic, or
cooperative. Examples are all
the living things in a freshwater
pond, all the species in a rice
field, and all the living things in
a prairie.

5
Ecosystem consists of all the community of organisms (biotic components) that inhabit
the same area, as well as the nonliving (abiotic) components of the area and the sets of
interactions that exist between these two components.

Example of terrestrial ecosystem Example of marine ecosystem

Biome pertains to a collection of

ecosystems with similar climates and
covering a large geographical area.
Grasslands, savanna, deserts, and tropical
rainforests are examples of ecosystems that
cover a large geographical area. Biosphere
consists of the totality of the ecosystems of
planet Earth. It also pertains to any part of
Earth's sphere where life exists. It is also
referred to as the world of life.

The Invention of Light Microscope

In the 1600s, people
knew only about
organisms they could see
with the unaided eye.
They had no idea of the
existence of cells. This
changed when the
microscope was invented.
Microscopes are optical
instruments that produce
Robert Hooke’s microscope and his drawing of the cork cells under
larger images or pictures
his microscope

6
of specimens. The first microscope was invented by a trio of Dutch eyeglass makers in
the late 1500s. It consisted of a tube with lenses ground from rock crystal, and it
magnified objects up to nine times their actual size.

In 1665, an English physicist named Robert Hooke used one of his microscopes to
look at thin slices of plant cells, wood, and pieces of cork. What he saw were cork
chambers, which he called "cells" because these reminded him of the small rooms in a
monastery called cells. Scientists later learned that the cells Hooke observed had once
contained living matter. Hooke's discovery was significant because it opened up the
study of cells. In the early 1670s, a Dutch biologist Anton van Leeuwenhoek used his
handheld microscopes to examine materials from pond water. He could see tiny living
things in pond water and drew the microorganisms he saw. To his surprise, he
discovered a whole new world of microscopic organisms.

Gradually, many biologists used the microscope as their investigative tool. Over the
next 200 years, other scientists discovered cells found in plants and in animals. Until the
1950s, all readily available microscopes were light microscopes that used either sunlight
or artificial light to view objects. However, if the object to be viewed is too large, it has to
be sliced thinly to allow light to pass through it.

Parts of a Light Microscope

The microscope is one of the most important tools used in chemistry and biology. This
instrument allows a scientist or doctor to magnify an object to look at it in detail.

The microscope gets its name from the Greek words micro, meaning small,
and skopion, meaning to see or look, and it literally is a machine for looking at small
things. A microscope may be used to look at the anatomy of small organisms such as
insects, the fine structure of rocks and crystals, or individual cells.

The parts of a compound light microscope are categorized into three: illuminating
parts, magnifying parts and mechanical parts.

THE ILLUMINATING PARTS are the parts that provide light. Light is important for the
object/specimen to be seen. The light may come from two sources: natural source,
reflected sunlight; artificial source, light bulb.

 Mirror - reflects the light from the source to the specimen

 Diaphragm - regulates the amount of light striking the specimen
 Ocular/Eyepiece -focuses light to the eye; where the observer peeps light
microscope through
 Objectives lenses- gather light

7
THE MAGNIFYING PARTS are the parts that enlarge the object or specimen.

 Ocular lens - enlarges the object six times (6x) or ten times (10x)
 Objective lenses - aside from gathering light, they magnify the image. Most often,
a CLM has three objectives:
 Low Power Objective (LPO) that locates and enlarges the specimen 10x
 High Power Objective (HPO) that enlarges the specimen 40x, 43x, or 45x
 Oil Immersion Objective (O10) that enlarges the object 100x

THE MECHANICAL PARTS are the parts of the microscope that support, adjust,
connect, and move other parts.

 Base – supports the entire weight of the microscope

 Arm - supports the body tube and the part that is held when the microscope is
carried from one place to another
 Body tube - connects the lenses of the objectives and the ocular
 Stage - holds the slide
 Stage clips - hold the slide firmly in place
 Adjustment knobs - move the objectives to bring the specimen into focus
 Coarse adjustment knob - is the large knob that moves the body tube
faster to focus the specimen
 Fine adjustment knob - is the smaller knob that is used to get a sharp
focus of the specimen being viewed
 Revolving nosepiece - is a rotating disc that holds the different objectives and
allows shifting from one objective lens to the next.

8
Directions: Answer the following questions briefly and concisely.

1. How do an organ and a tissue differ?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2. Why is it important for the cells in an organism to be organized in different levels?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

3. Using a concept map, illustrate the different levels of organization from a cell to
an organism.

9
Directions: Label the parts of a microscope.

10
 Quarter 2 - Lesson 2
Asexual vs. Asexual Reproduction

Do you know what a clone is? Have you ever wondered if clones really exist? Or they
are just some work of our imaginative mind? Is there really an organism that is exactly
identical to other organism? Would you believe me if I will tell you that clones actually
exist?

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Differentiate asexual and sexual reproduction;
 Enumerate different types of asexual reproduction; and
 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction.

11
 LETTER – MOJI!

Directions: The following mystery words are terms related to what you are going to
discover in this module. Unlock the mystery words by using the emojis as clues.

Source:

https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/emoji-emoticons-icons-set-vector-8380028

1. _____________________

2. _____________________

3. _____________________

4. _____________________
We’re you able to decode the words? Are you familiar with those? If not, are you ready
to find out what these words are? Great! You may now start with the next activity.

12
 Activity 1
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Procedures:
1. Observe and study the following pictures of organisms with their young.

Hydra with its young A dog with its puppies

Guide Questions:
1. Do the offspring/young produced in both of the examples exactly resemble their
parents?
________________________________________________________________
2. What are the differences that you have observed between the parents and their
offspring?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

13
 3. Do you think that the way the offspring are produced in both of the examples the
same? How can you say so?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Reproduction is a very important biological process by which organisms create their

own kinds (offspring). In order for organisms to continue life, organisms must reproduce.
Reproduction in living things may either be sexual or asexual.

Different organisms reproduce in variety of ways. There are two main types of
reproduction – asexual and sexual reproduction. Reproduction ensures that a plant or
animal species doesn't disappear from Earth. This process is extremely important in
maintaining stability within the ecosystem and for the continuation of life on earth.
Without reproduction, all the species would have become extinct

In asexual reproduction, the offspring inherits all of its chromosomes from a single
parent and is, therefore, genetically identical to its parent (a clone). There are several
ways by which organisms reproduce asexually.

Vegetative propagation is a form of asexual reproduction in plants by which the

offspring is produced not from its seeds but from other plant parts such as roots, stems
and leaves. Vegetative propagation may occur naturally or artificially. Artificial
vegetative reproduction is carried out by humans (e.g. farmers, horticulturist) on the
fields and laboratories.

Some examples of artificial methods of vegetative propagation are:

 Cutting

It is the simplest method of artificial vegetation. Cuttings are part of the plant that is cut
off from the parent plant. Plant parts that are used are usually matured shoots cut at an

14
angle. The part of the plant that is cut off will be transferred to a new soil, pot or
environment where it can grow and develop.

 Grafting

In grafting two plants are used to develop a

new plant with combined traits from the two
parent plants. In grafting the scion is the
above ground part of one plant. The scion
is attached to the stock which is the rooted
part of the second plant. The plants chosen
for grafting are those that have desirable
characteristics. This method is commonly
used to improve the variety of fruits and
crops.

Spore formation is another type of asexual

Source: http://leavingbio.net/vegetative-
reproduction common among molds and
fungi. Spores are microscopic structures propagation/
that are capable of germinating and growing
into a new individual once it lands in a
favourable environment.

15
Another type of reproduction by a single parent is budding. Budding is a type of
asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth called bud
that grows in a particular site on the body of the matured parent organism. The new
organism will detach from its parent once it is ready to live by itself.

Source: https://byjus.com/biology/budding/

Some organisms are capable of re-growing its lost parts through a process called
regeneration. Fragmentation is specifically the process by which an organism
produces a new individual from its body part that is being cut off. This type of
reproduction occurs in simple animals such as sea stars, corals, and planaria.

Source: Source:
https://eschooltoday.com/science/ase https://ib.bioninja.com.au/standard-
xual-reproduction/what-is- level/topic-3-genetics/35-genetic-
regeneration.html modification-and/natural-cloning.html

16
Sexual reproduction is a type of
reproduction that involves two parents or
organisms. In humans and complex
animals, this process involves the union
of sex cells or gametes produced through
a process called meiosis. These gametes
came from two parents of opposite sexes
– males (sperm cells); females (egg
cells). Gametes from the two parents
unite in a process called fertilization. The
new organism or the offspring would have
similar and combination of characteristics
from their two parents but not identical. Source: http://leavingbio.net/human-
reproduction/
Some microorganisms undergo
sexual reproduction by a process
called conjugation. Conjugation is a
process by which two organisms
exchange and swap their genetic
materials by forming a bridge. An
example of an organism that is
capable of this method is the
Spirogyra, a green alga. The cells of Source:
https://www.toppr.com/ask/question/in-
two Spirogyra lying side by spirogyra-lateral-conjugation-takes-place-in-the-
cells-of-2/
side are joined by outgrowths called
conjugation tubes or conjugation canals. The contents of one cell pass into the
opposite cell through the bridge, emptying the opposite cell. The contents of both cells
combine within the other cell and form the zygote.

17
Plants also undergo a process of sexual reproduction. The flower is the reproductive
organ in flowering plants. Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the
male anther of a flower to the female stigma which will later lead to fertilization and
production of seeds.

Source:https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/What_is_Pollination/
Reproduction is natural to all organisms and the most important biological process to
continue life. The two main types of reproduction which are sexual and asexual have
their own sets of advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages Disadvantages

Sexual Reproduction

 produces genetic variation in the  yields a small number of offspring

offspring  it takes a longer period of time for
 the species can adapt to new this whole process
environments due to variation,
which gives them a survival
advantage
 a disease is less likely to affect all
the individuals in a population

18
 Asexual Reproduction

 the population can increase rapidly
when the conditions are favourable
 only one parent is needed
 it is more time and energy efficient
as you don't need a mate
 it is faster than sexual reproduction
 it does not lead to genetic variation
in a population
 disease may affect all the
individuals in a population

DANGERS TO SEA STARS

In 2018, the photo above circulated
in social media and has become
controversial. In the photo it shows a
group of people which are throwing
sea stars into the air. Sea stars
appear sturdy as it looks, they are
actually extremely fragile and
humans can easily harm and hurt
these sea creatures. Also, according
to Pop Inquirer, “human hands are
naturally dangerous to all sea
https://www.interaksyon.com/trends-
creatures due to billions of bacteria
spotlights/2018/11/14/138110/why-alleged-teachers-should-not-have- present in the hands of every human
thrown-starfish-into-air/ being, which can be harmful to them,
leading to a possible slow death for
these creatures” Some toxic substances that are on the human skin such as lotions,
soaps, and shampoos may also kill sea stars, and other marine creatures.

19
Directions: Identify the words that are being described. Choose your answers from the
word bank.

Budding Cutting Fragmentation

Regeneration Grafting Pollination

Reproduction Conjugation Gametes

Fertilization Spore formation Spores

Vegetative propagation Anther Pollens

_______1. This is a process which involves the union of gametes or sex cells.
_______2. Biological process by which organisms create their own kinds
(offspring).
_______3. The act of transferring pollens from one flower to another.
_______4. These are the type of cells that are involved in fertilization.
_______5. A process by which an organism produces a new individual from
its body part that is being cut off.
_______6. A form of asexual reproduction in plants by which the offspring is
produced from other plant parts.
_______7. A type of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an
outgrowth that grows in a particular site of the plant body.
_______8. In this method two plants are used to develop a new plant with
combined traits from the two parent plants.
_______9. The process by which some organisms replace or restore lost body
parts.
_______10. This type of artificial vegetation used matured plants parts that are
cut at an angle.

20
Directions: Analyze the following statements. Then write the letter of the correct
answer.
A. Only statement A is correct.
B. Only statement B is correct.
C. Statement A and B are correct.
D. Statement A and B are incorrect.

_______1. A. Sexual reproduction is a type of reproduction in which two

parents are involved.
B. One of the disadvantages of this type of reproduction is the loss
of genetic variation.
_______2. A. Regeneration is the ability of organisms to produce offspring
from parts of the body that are being cut off.
B. Artificial vegetative propagation is a type of vegetation that is
carried by humans.
_______3. A. A disadvantage of sexual reproduction is organisms yields a
small number of offspring
B. Another disadvantage is it takes a longer period of time for this
whole process
_______4. A. In sexual reproduction an exact copy of offspring is produced.
B. In asexual reproduction, the offspring is only similar to its
parents but not identical.
_______5. A. An advantage of asexual reproduction is the population can
increase rapidly when the conditions are favourable
B. It is more efficient because only one parent is needed

21
 Quarter 2 - Lesson 3
Biotic and Abiotic Components of
Ecosystem
Do you know what an ecosystem is? Do you think that you have seen one already? If
your answer is no, what if I tell you that you have probably seen one? What do you think
makes up an ecosystem? How can you tell that it is an ecosystem?

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Differentiate biotic from abiotic components of an ecosystem.
 Identify some of the abiotic components of ecosystem
 Recognize the importance of the abiotic components in the ecosystem.

22
Directions: Search for the following words below. Use a pen or color pencil to highlight
the words.

X T R O C K S M K R P Y M B F Z H T
A K V O S G F O R Q L L C O C S Q C

N K C T Q L A D E Z Y X I X U V P N
I V T E W J Q V T Q T Q G U F F R R

M Y L M G S H L A M E T S Y S O C E
A N R P L F A W W P L A N T S P U T

L P J E S R E S O P M O C E D T E R
S K W R H C A R T T T A M J E W D A

N R Q A D Y N L F Y S M V Z T L E Z
N R C T K M I N Y W W C Y P H A N W

I X O U J T S U N L I G H T D E R J
N O A R X N X J X F N D Z D V F X K

O J U E M L Q K M V D M V A V B R O

Sunlight Animals Decomposers

Plants Wind Water
Rocks Temperature Ecosystem

Were you able to hunt the words? Are you familiar with these words? Probably, you are.
Do you have an idea about an ecosystem and what are its components? Can you
classify the words into biotic or abiotic components of ecosystem? If not, do not worry
because we will talk more about the ecosystem and its components in this lesson.

23
 Activity 1
Living or Non-living?

Procedures:
1. Observe the two pictures below.
2. Then, answer the questions that follow.

A B

Example of an ecosystem Moss and rock

Source: Source: https://wickistone.com/landscape-
https//slideplayer.com/slide/7306234/ stone/moss-rock/

24
Guide Questions:
1. Classify the living and non-living components shown in picture A. Put your
answers in the table below.

Living Components Non – living Components

2. In picture B, which of the two is the non – living thing? What about the living
thing?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. In picture B, what does the rock provides to the moss?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. What will happen to the living things if there are no non – living components in
the ecosystem?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Ecosystem is a community or group of living organisms that live in and interact with
each other in a physical environment. Living things and non- living things make up the
ecosystem. Fishes swimming in water and frogs hiding behind rocks are just some of
the examples how living things interact with non-living things.

25
There are many different kinds of ecosystems such as terrestrial ecosystem, marine
ecosystem, forest ecosystem, etc. A decaying log where termites and ant colony lives is
also an example of an ecosystem.

The living components of an

ecosystem are called biotic
factors while the non – living
components are called abiotic
factors. Abiotic and biotic factors
work together to create a unique
ecosystem. What are the
components that make up a
terrestrial ecosystem? Examples
might include temperature, light,
deer, and trees. While in a
marine ecosystem, components
would include water salinity, and Example of terrestrial ecosystem
sharks. Source:
https://www.slideshare.net/diverzippy/bioknowledg
y-c1-species-and-communities

ABIOTIC FACTORS

Abiotic factors or the non – living components of the environment play important roles in
the ecosystem. A balanced and stable condition of abiotic factors is important in
sustaining the life of living organisms. Three major factors constitute these abiotic
components: climate, soil, and topography.

Climatic Factors

These are factors that can affect the environment and the species that live in a specific
ecosystem. These include light, temperature, water, and wind.

26
Light affects almost all organisms. The sun is the main source of energy to all life on
earth. Plants are dependent on the sunlight for photosynthetic processes. Duration or
day – length also influences some animal behaviors such migration and hibernation.

Metabolism and biochemical processes

of most organisms also function
effectively in a specific temperature
range. It also affects the distribution of
organisms in a habitat.

Majority of our planet’s surface is

covered with water. It is also essential
to all living organisms on Earth either as
an aquatic habitat or as a resource or
basic need. Water availability influences
vegetation, and the species of animals
that live in a particular ecosystem.

Wind is described as moving air. This

factor also greatly influences vegetation,
plant growth and survival.

Edaphic Factors

Edaphic factors are those factors related to the soil. The qualities that may characterise
the soil include texture, or chemical properties such as pH (alkalinity and acidity of the
soil) and the nutrients that the soil has. The type of vegetation in an ecosystem is
greatly influenced by several soil types such as, clay soil, loam soil, and sandy soil.
There are certain plant and species of animals that are specific to areas of a particular
soil type.

27
Topography

Topography refers to the physical surface features of a specific area such as altitude,
elevation and landscapes. These factors affect and influence the ecological
communities that inhabit the area. Generally, vegetation is mainly influenced by
temperature, precipitation, and light. As the altitude increases, the temperature
decreases. Thus, the vegetation in that are those plants that can survive in cooler
temperatures.

BIOTIC FACTORS

Biotic factors are the living components present in an ecosystem. It includes animals,
plants, fungi, etc. An ecosystem has diverse kind of living organisms that interact with
other organisms and with the abiotic components in the environment. Living organisms
are classified into three major groups based on their energy source: producers,
consumers, and decomposers.

Producers are organisms that

can make their own food and do
not obtain energy from other
organisms. They depend on
sunlight as their energy source.
Examples of producers are plants.
On the other hand, consumers
are those living organisms that
cannot make their own food. They
need to eat or consume other
organisms to obtain energy such
as bears, sharks, fish, etc. Lastly,
decomposers they are also Source: https://www.toppr.com/content/concept/basics-
consumers however, they feed on of-producers-consumers-and-decomposers-262527/

dead and decaying remains of

plants and animals. Decomposers break down the bodies of dead plants and animals
into simpler molecules and get back into the soil, the water, and the air. Producers,
consumers, and decomposer are working together to keep life on Earth growing.

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 BIOREMEDIATION

Before and After Bioremediation

Source: http://www.mebotek.be/products/bioremediation-products/bioremediation-
before-after/#prettyPhoto

Most decomposers are microscopic organisms, including protozoa and bacteria. Other
decomposers are big enough to see without a microscope. They include fungi along
with earthworms, termites, and millipedes. Bioremediation is a process which uses
natural living organisms to treat contaminated areas. Engineers use decomposers such
as earthworms, fungi and bacteria in environmental clean-up efforts through
bioremediation, for example, to clean up oil and chemical spills. Bioremediation is a very
cost effective and safe way of treating or reclaiming polluted soil and water.

29
Directions: Draw a star ( ) if it is an example of biotic component of an ecosystem.
Draw a heart ( ) if it is an abiotic component.

________1. Deer ________5. Rocks

________2. Rabbit ________6. Humidity

________3. Soil ________7. Frog

________4. Grass ________8. Sunlight

Directions: Identify what is being described. Choose your answer from the word box.

Biotic Abiotic Producers

Consumers Edaphic factors Sunlight

Decomposers Climatic factors

_________1. Under these are the qualities that pertains to soil such as texture, or
chemical properties such as pH (alkalinity and acidity of the soil.

_________2. These are the living components present in an ecosystem.

_________3. These are the kind of organisms that can make their own food.

_________4. Producers need _________ as their source of energy.

_________5. These are the non-living components of an ecosystem such as soil,

rocks, etc.

_________6. These are factors that can affect the species that live in a specific
ecosystem that include light, temperature, water, and wind.

_________7. Organisms that feed on dead and decaying remains of plants and
animals.

30
 Quarter 2 - Lesson 4
Ecological Relationships

What is the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear the word relationship?
Probably you think of couples or families, right? What about when you hear the word
interactions? In our everyday life, we talk, communicate, and interact with different kinds
of people because we have needs to sustain. We interact with sellers, sari-sari store
owners, we communicate with staff in different establishments. Animals also interact
and have relationships with different organisms the same way as humans do.

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

 Describe the different ecological relationships found in an ecosystem.
 Describe the roles of the participating organisms in every type of relationship

31
Hi! Today, we are going to discuss another lesson. But before we start, can you please
help this poor brown bear to find its way to his food?

Source:
https://www.vhv.rs/viewpic/hbohwho_pol
ar-bear-eurasian-brown-bear-clip-art-bear/

Source: http://clipart-
library.com/clipart/fish-clip-art-30.htm

Wow! You did great! The brown bear must be really hungry. Do you think that the bear
and the fish exhibit a relationship? If they do, what do you think is the type of
relationship that they have? If you want the answers to these questions, start reading
and discover the answers.

32
 Activity 1
ARE WE IN A RELATIONSHIP?

Procedures:
1. Study and observe the two pictures.
2. Then, answer the questions that follow.

Bee and a flower (Source: Bird and an earthworm (Source:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business- http://www.shodor.org/~Mihirk/Grouppr
47057769) oject1/)

Guide Questions:
1. Is there an interaction between the organisms in each picture? How can you say
so?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. Which of the two pictures above shows organisms that benefited each other?
Why?

33
 ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. Describe the interaction in the picture showing a bird and an earthworm.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. Which organism is the eater? Which organism is being eaten?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Plants and animals living together in an ecosystem make up a community which needs
to maintain a balance. All organisms also depend upon each other and their
environment to satisfy their basic needs in order to survive.

Within an ecosystem, species and organisms interact with each other whereas each of
them has a special role or job which is called ecological niche. Organisms also interact
with each other in several ways called as ecological relationships.

Bee and flower (Source: Clownfish and sea anemone (Source:

https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/artic http://rubeliba.blogspot.com/2016/07/clown-
le/popular-pesticide-may-harm-bee-flight) fish.html) 34
Try to observe the two pictures. How do the organisms interact and help each other?

In the first illustration, a bee gets the nectar from the flower and in return the pollens of
the flower that stick to the body of the bee gets scattered which help the flowers to
reproduce. Clownfish are immune to the stinging tentacles of the sea anemone which
helps them to catch their prey. Sea anemones provide an ideal home and protection to
the clownfish while the clownfish attracts other fish that can be caught and eaten by the
sea anemone. The ecological relationship that exists in the two examples is mutualism,
in which the two organisms live together and benefit from each other.

Source: https://sharktourshawaii.com/blog/shark-remora-fish-unique-relationship/

The next ecological relationship exists between a shark and a remora fish as shown on
the picture above. The remora fish attaches itself to the body of the shark, gets a free
ride and eats the leftovers of the shark’s prey. The shark is neither benefited nor
harmed in this relationship. An ecological relationship in which one of the organisms
benefits while the other is not affected is called as commensalism.

35
Take a look at the small organism in the
picture? Does it look familiar? If it does,
probably you have seen this already on
your pet dogs or cats. They are called
fleas an example of a parasite that sucks
your pet’s blood. Parasite harms, lives,
and feeds on the host. The host is the
organism that is infested and harmed by
the parasite. This type of relationship is
called as parasitism whereas one
organism (parasite) lives on the other
organism causing harm on its host.

Source: https://maltaloe.com/fleas-in-dogs-and-
cats-get-rid-of-them-with-aloe-vera/

Predation is also a type of ecological

relationship that exists between
organisms. In this relationship, the
predator hunts and eats its prey as food or
as source of nutrients. Prey is the
organism that is being eaten. Predators
are usually bigger than the prey such as
lions, bears, foxes, and hawks. Their
preys could be rabbits, fishes, and zebra.

Source:
http://gobiestogrizzlies.blogspot.com/2008/08/
brown-bear-fishing-behavior-prey.html

36
 Importance of Predation in Maintaining the Balance of Ecosystem

Source: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/animal-pests/rats/

There are other species of rats aside from those that can be found in some household.
Some are more destructive and harmful. These rat species are the main cause of
problems of farmers and those involve in food business. In agriculture, they damage the
growing crops which results to yield loss. Aside from this, they are also carriers of
pathogens and diseases that can be harmful for humans.

The predator-prey relationship is a very crucial kind of ecological relationship because it

maintains the balance in the ecosystem. Snakes, birds, dogs, and cats are the common
predators of rats. If these predators are taken out of the ecosystem by means of
hunting, the populations of rats might increase and difficult to control which may lead to
further damage and loss in agriculture.

37
Directions: Write TRUE if the statement is correct. If NOT, change the underlined word
to make the statement true.

_________1. An ecological niche is the way of life of an organism, or its role in an

ecological community.

_________2. In parasitim, two organisms are involved – one is the parasite while the
other one is called as the prey.

_________3. An ecological relationship where one is the eater while the other one is
eaten is called as commensalism.

_________4. An ecological relationship where two organisms mutually benefit each is

mustualism.

_________5. In a predator-prey relationship, prey is the organism that is being eaten

while predator is the eater.

Directions: Study the following situations below. Write the letter that correctly describes
the ecological relationship in each number.

A. Mutualism

B. Parasitism

C. Commensalism

D. Predation

_________1. Worms in the intestine of a child.

_________2. Bee sucking nectar from a flower.

_________3. A bird eating an earthworm.

38
_________4. A girl with lice on her hair.

_________5. Digestive or good bacteria in humans.

_________6. Frog uses plants or trees for protection from the rain. The tree is
unaffected.

_________7. Fleas on dog’s fur.

_________8. Shark eating small fishes.

_________9. Remora fish hitching a ride on the shark and is unaffected by the remora.

_________10. A clownfish and sea anemone.

39