Science — Plants, Animals, Body, Matter & Environment
1. Plants — Growing and Making Food
Parts of a Plant
- Roots: Anchor. Absorb water and minerals. Some store FOOD (carrot, radish).
- Stem: Supports. Transports water UP (xylem) and food BOTH WAYS (phloem).
- Leaves: The FOOD FACTORY. PHOTOSYNTHESIS: Sunlight + CO₂ + Water → Food (glucose) + Oxygen.
Seeds and Germination
- A SEED contains a BABY PLANT (embryo) + stored FOOD
- GERMINATION needs: WATER. WARMTH. AIR (oxygen). 'The seed coat splits. The root grows DOWN. The shoot grows UP.'
Types of Plants
- Herbs: Soft, green stems. Grass, coriander.
- Shrubs: Woody, branching near ground. Rose, hibiscus.
- Trees: Tall, thick woody trunk. Mango, neem, banyan.
- Climbers: Need SUPPORT. Money plant, grapevine.
- Creepers: Spread on the GROUND. Pumpkin, watermelon.
2. Animals — How They Live and Adapt
Habitats
| Habitat | Adaptations of Animals |
|---|---|
| Desert | Store water. Active at NIGHT (nocturnal). Camel: hump (fat store), long eyelashes, wide feet. |
| Polar | Thick FUR. Layer of FAT (blubber). Polar bear. Penguin. |
| Forest | Camouflage. Climbing. Tiger: stripes. Monkey: prehensile tail. |
| Ocean | Gills (fish). Streamlined body. Blowhole (whale, dolphin). |
Classification by What They Eat
- Herbivores (plant-eaters): Cow, deer, rabbit.
- Carnivores (meat-eaters): Lion, tiger, eagle.
- Omnivores (both): Human, bear, crow.
Life Cycles
- Butterfly: Egg → Caterpillar (larva) → Pupa (chrysalis) → Adult butterfly. 'METAMORPHOSIS — a complete transformation.'
- Frog: Egg → Tadpole → Froglet → Adult frog.
3. The Human Body
The Skeletal System
- 206 BONES in the adult human body. Functions: SUPPORT. PROTECTION (skull protects brain. Rib cage protects heart/lungs). MOVEMENT (with muscles). PRODUCES BLOOD CELLS (bone marrow).
- Joints: HINGE (elbow, knee — one direction). BALL and SOCKET (shoulder, hip — all directions).
- Muscles pull on bones to create movement. 'Muscles can only PULL — they cannot push. That's why they work in PAIRS.'
The Respiratory System
- Nose → Windpipe (Trachea) → LUNGS. In the lungs: tiny air sacs called ALVEOLI — oxygen passes into the blood. 'We breathe to get OXYGEN for our cells — and to remove CARBON DIOXIDE.'
The Digestive System
- Mouth (chewing, saliva) → Food pipe (oesophagus) → Stomach (churning, acid) → Small intestine (digestion finishes, nutrients absorbed into blood) → Large intestine (water absorbed) → Waste expelled.
Teeth
- Incisors (front — cutting). Canines (sharp — tearing). Premolars and Molars (flat — grinding). 'Take care of your teeth. Brush twice a day!'
4. Matter and Materials
States of Matter
- Solid: Fixed shape. Fixed volume. Particles tightly packed.
- Liquid: Takes shape of container. Fixed volume. Particles loosely packed.
- Gas: Fills ALL available space. No fixed shape or volume. Particles very loose.
Changes of State
- Melting (solid → liquid — heat). Freezing (liquid → solid — cold). Evaporation (liquid → gas). Condensation (gas → liquid).
Materials Around Us
- Transparent (light passes — glass). Translucent (some light — frosted glass). Opaque (no light — wood).
- Conductors (let heat/electricity pass — metals). Insulators (do not — wood, plastic, rubber).
- Soluble (dissolves in water — salt, sugar). Insoluble (does not dissolve — sand, oil).
5. Force, Work and Energy
Force — A Push or a Pull
- Gravity: Earth pulls everything DOWN.
- Friction: Force that OPPOSES motion. Walking (friction between shoes and ground). Brakes on a bicycle.
- Magnetic Force: Attracts iron, nickel, cobalt. Like poles REPEL. Unlike ATTRACT.
Simple Machines
- Lever (see-saw, crowbar). Pulley (flagpole, well). Inclined plane (ramp). Wheel and axle.
6. Environment — Our Home
What Is the Environment?
Everything around us — living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic).
Pollution — The BIG Problem
| Type | Causes | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Air | Factories, vehicles, burning waste | Breathing problems, climate change |
| Water | Sewage, chemicals, plastic | Waterborne diseases, killed fish |
| Land | Litter, chemicals, mining | Soil becomes infertile |
The 3 R's: REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE.
- 'Say NO to plastic bags. Plant a tree. Don't waste water. These SMALL actions by MILLIONS of children can SAVE the Earth.'
Food Chain
Sun → Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Eagle. 'Every living thing depends on another. If ONE link breaks, the WHOLE CHAIN suffers.'
