Introduction
- Living things need energy, gases, water, soil and favourable temperatures.
- Living things are suited (adapted) to the environment in which they live, for example, fish have fins so that they can move easily through water.
Teacher Input 5
- Tell learners that we know that the biosphere (atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere) contains all sorts of living- and non-living things.
- We know that the three kinds of living things are animals, plants and micro-organisms.
- Ask the learners if they can explain the characteristics of animals, plants and micro-organisms.
- Animals: living things that usually move around to get the energy they need or the food they can find.
- Plants: living things that usually do not move around and mostly use the sun to get the energy they need.
- Micro-organisms: living things that are so small that we cannot see them with our eyes.
- Ask learners if they think there is life on other planets? Ask them why they do / do not think so and allow some time for discussions.
- Show VIDEO CLIP 4: Is there life on other planets? (1,03 min.).
- After watching the video clip, ask the learners whether they have changed their beliefs about whether there is life on other planets.
- Present an overview of the requirements for sustaining life by PRESENTATION 4: Requirements for sustaining life.
Learner Activity 4
- Hand out WORKSHEET C for learners to complete. (WORKSHEET C MEMORANDUM provides possible answers).
Teacher Input 6
- Tell learners that now that we know what living things need from the environment to survive, we sometimes need to adapt our ways in order to survive in our environment.
- Can anyone think of ways in which we as humans adapt to fit in with the environment. Answers could include:
- We build shelters.
- In South Africa we build houses from wood, tin or brick (or even eco-bricks)
- In certain parts of America, people build houses exclusively from wood, because they are plagued by hurricanes and tornado’s – houses therefore must be easy to rebuild. A hurricane is a huge storm. It can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds spiralling inward and upward at very high speeds. Each hurricane usually lasts for over a week, moving very fast across the open ocean. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. A tornado is a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with exceptionally high wind. They can destroy large buildings, uproot trees and hurl vehicles hundreds of metres.
- Wood performs much better in a dynamic environment, like high winds or earthquakes. It can flex and snap back, unlike masonry, which cracks and crumbles. It is possible to build a masonry wall that will perform well under these conditions, but - especially in the case of earthquakes –it is very expensive to do so.
- We wear appropriate clothing
- Would you go to space without a space suit?
- Would an Eskimo wear a pair of shorts?
- Would you wear summer clothes in the desert?
- Tell learners that both animals and humans adapt to the environment.
- Present an overview of how animals adapt to the environment by using PRESENTATION 5: Animal Adaptations.
Learner Activity 5
- Hand out WORKSHEET D for learners to complete.
- The memorandum for this worksheet (WORKSHEET D MEMORANDUM) provides a guideline, but any suitable answers given by the learners should be accepted. Teacher to use own discretion when assessing this worksheet.
Teacher Input 7
- Show VIDEO CLIP 5: Living things change (4.36 min.).
Energiser
- If time allows, show VIDEO CLIP 6: Animal Adaptations (3.59 min.).
- Learners can sing along with the video.
- Show VIDEO CLIP 7: How do fish breath in water? (3.26 min.).
Revision Activity 1
- Learners complete QUIZ 1: The concept of the Biosphere.
- Answers are provided in QUIZ 1 MEMORANDUM.
Revision Activity 2
- Learners complete QUIZ 2: Requirements for Sustaining Life.
- Answers are provided in QUIZ 2 MEMORANDUM.
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