5 Natural Science

Natural Science 5 Learning Lab is a collective work,

conceived, designed and created by the Primary
Education department at Santillana, under the
supervision of Teresa Grence.

WRITERS
Lynne Durrant
Belén Garrido
Jane Howes
Gilly Mann

SCIENCE CONSULTANT
Alan Martin

ILLUSTRATIONS
Jordi Baeza
Javier Hernández

EDITORS
Beatriz García Hipólito
Alicia Melero

DIGITAL EDITOR
Marcos Blanco

MANAGING EDITOR
Sheila Tourle

BILINGUAL PROJECT COORDINATION

Margarita España

Do not write in this book.

Do all the activities in your notebook.
Contents

Be a scientist!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

1 Living things and cells. . . . . . . 8

2 The nervous system and

the locomotor system. . . . . . 22

Learning Lab game. . . . . . . . . . 38

3 Ecosystems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

4 Relationships
in ecosystems.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Learning Lab game. . . . . . . . . . 70

5 Energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

6 Forces and machines. . . . . . . 88

Learning Lab game. . . . . . . . . 102

Read about it!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Key vocabulary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

 UNIT CONTENTS

1 • Life processes • What are plant cells like?

Living things • What are cells? • Unicellular and multicellular living things
and cells • What are animal cells like? • How are living things organised?

2 • What is sensitivity? • What is the locomotor system?

The nervous • How do our sense organs work? • The skeletal system
system and • How does the nervous system work? • The muscular system
the locomotor
system

REVIEW Learning Lab game

3 • What do animals eat? • How do organisms in ecosystems obtain

their food?
Ecosystems • What can you find in ecosystems?
• How are living things organised • What do different living things eat?
in an ecosystem?

4 • What factors modify environments? • How do food chains work?

Relationships • How do living things adapt to their • What are food webs?
in ecosystems environment? • Mutualism and commensalism
• Producers, consumers, scavengers • Parasitism and competition
and decomposers

REVIEW Learning Lab game

5 • What is energy? • What are non-renewable energy

resources?
Energy • Types of energy
• How can we promote renewable • Energy and the environment
energy sources?

6 • Are they simple or complex machines? • What operating parts are there?
Forces and • How do forces work? • What kinds of materials are there?
machines • How do non-contact forces work? • What are composite materials?
• What components do machines have? • How do modern machines help us?

REVIEW Learning Lab game

READ ABOUT IT!

KEY VOCABULARY

4 four
MINI LAB FINAL TASK

Investigate onion cells Values education

Respect for living things
Task
Make a model of a plant cell

Listen from a distance Values education

Take care of your senses Good posture
Task
Communicate with sign language

What can you find in a square metre of soil? Values education

A decomposer in action! Plants produce oxygen
Task
Draw a food web for a local ecosystem

The ecosystems around us Values education

Investigate the importance of abiotic factors Respect the environment
Task
Make a vivarium

Obtain renewable energy from plants Values education

Make a wind turbine Save energy
Task
Reduce your carbon footprint

Experiment with falling objects Values education

Build a machine Machines that help people
Task
Research your school building

five 5
 1 Living things and cells
What do you know about living things?
A B

C D

1 Observe  How many living things in the

photos can you describe? Tell your partner.

I can see a snail. You already know!

• How living things stay alive.
It's an invertebrate. • How living things reproduce.
• The characteristics of living things.

8 eight
Life processes
All living things carry out three life processes:
• Nutrition: living things obtain nutrients and energy from food.
• Sensitivity: living things react to what is happening around them.
• Reproduction: they produce new individuals that are similar to themselves.

A B

C
D

2 Observe  What are these living things doing? Listen, then name the life
processes. Tell your partner.

What is happening Eagles are looking after their

in photo A? babies.

What is the life process? It's reproduction.

Final task

Investigate bamboo.

nine 9
What are cells? Key words
• cell • nutrition
Cells are the basic units of life. All living things • reproduction
are made up of cells. Cells are extremely small • life process
• neuron • sensitivity
and can be only seen through a microscope.
Cells carry out the three basic life processes
of all living things:
• Nutrition. They obtain nutrients and energy
from food.
• Reproduction. They can divide and produce
new cells that are similar to themselves.
• Sensitivity. They react to what goes on
around them.
In addition, specialised cells carry out particular
functions. Peanut cells seen
Although cells are very small, they can be through a microscope.
different sizes. For example, brain cells, known as
neurons, are much bigger than red blood cells.
Cells can be different shapes. They can be round,
long, flat, rectangular, disc-shaped or star-shaped.
bone cell

1 Copy and complete the table in your

notebook. Then, listen and classify the
information about cells.
neuron
sensitivity nutrition reproduction

… … …

white blood cell

2 What do cells look like? Describe one.
Your partner says which cell it is. muscle cell

Part of it is star-shaped, liver cell

part of it is long.

red blood cell intestinal cell

Is it a neuron?

Human cells have different shapes and sizes.

10 ten
Cells have three main parts:
1
membrane
• The membrane is the covering around the cell.
It protects the inside of the cell.
• The nucleus is the part that coordinates
the activities of the cell.
nucleus
• The cytoplasm is the liquid between the
nucleus and the membrane. It contains lots
of organelles. The organelles carry out the
different functions of the cell. cytoplasm

The main organelles

parts of a cell.

Science facts
Microscopes
Cells are so tiny that we cannot see them with the naked eye.
We need a microscope. This is an instrument with several lenses
that makes things look much larger.
tube

The eyepiece contains

the lens we look through. Objective lenses
magnify the sample.

arm
The stage is where
we put the slide
with the sample.

Focusing knobs The diaphragm

adjust the focus. controls the amount
of light on the sample.

base light source

3 Describe a cell for your partner to draw. Then, look at their picture and name
the parts together.

4 Investigate  What did Anton Van Leeuwenhoek invent? Look on the internet,
and find a photo of his invention.

eleven 11
What are animal cells like?
1 Think about it  Look at the photos of animal cells.
Are the statements true or false?
• Animal cells are all the same shape and size.
• All the cells in an animal have the same function.
• Animal cells have a rigid membrane.

A B

Red blood cells carry oxygen. Lung cells allow animals to breathe.

C D

Brain cells transmit information. Muscle cells allow movement.

Animals have millions of cells in their body. They

are specialised according to their function and membrane nucleus
type. Animal cells do not produce their own food.
Animal cells can be many different shapes.
Their shape is often irregular.
• There is a very flexible membrane surrounding
the cell. It protects the cell by controlling
what goes in and out.
• The nucleus coordinates the activities
of the cell.
• The cytoplasm fills most of an animal cell.
It gives the cell its shape and keeps the cytoplasm organelles
organelles in their correct place.
An animal cell.

12 twelve
What are plant cells like?
1
Plant cells have a membrane, a nucleus and 1 Answer the questions in your notebook.
cytoplasm with organelles. They are usually
a. What shape are animal cells?
bigger than animal cells and have a regular
shape. b. What shape are plant cells?
• Plant cells have specialised organelles called c. Why is wood hard?
chloroplasts that contain a green substance d. Why are leaves green?
called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs
e. Why do plants need sunlight?
sunlight, which plants need to make their own
food. It gives plant cells their green colour.
2 Compare  Copy and complete the Venn
• Plant cells have a rigid cell wall around the diagram. Write similarities and differences
membrane. That is why the stems and branches
between animal cells and plant cells.
of some plants are very hard.
Tell your partner.

cell wall
nucleus
animal plant
membrane both
cells cells

… … …
organelles

cytoplasm chloroplasts How are animal cells

and plant cells similar?
A plant cell.

They both have

membranes.

3 Think about it  Why don't onion cells

have chloroplasts? Think about where they
grow to help you decide. Then, listen and
check your answers.

Bamboo stems are very hard.

thirteen 13
Unicellular and multicellular living things
Key words
Unicellular living things are made up of one single cell. These living things
are found everywhere. They are in water, in soil, in the air and in our body. • amoeba
They are all very tiny, and we need a microscope to see them. • bacteria
There are different types of unicellular organism: • bud
• Bacteria are the smallest living organisms. They have a tail that spins • multicellular
to make the cell move. • protozoa
• Protozoa are organisms, like amoeba, that live in water or in wet places. • unicellular
An amoeba is only a single cell, but it can change its shape. • yeast
• Yeasts are often used to make bread or beer. They reproduce rapidly.

bacteria amoeba yeast

Types of unicellular organism.

Multicellular living things are made up of a very large number of cells.

All the living things that we can see around us, like animals and
plants, are multicellular. They are visible to the naked eye.

1 Make sentences about unicellular

organisms in your notebook.

Bacteria are …
Protozoa have …
Yeast live …

2 How many multicellular living things

can you write down in one minute?
Compare your list with your partner.
A jellyfish is a multicelullar living thing.

14 fourteen
 1
Mini Lab

Investigate onion cells

An onion is a multicellular living thing. It is made of different layers.
Each layer is separated by a thin skin called a membrane.

You need
• a small piece of onion • a microscope • iodine dye • a glass cover slip
• a glass slide • silicon gloves • tweezers • a saucer

Use the microscope to look

at the cells
1 Put on the gloves. Take a small piece
of onion. Use the tweezers to peel
off the transparent membrane between
the layers.
2 Put the membrane on a saucer.
Add a drop of iodine dye. Be careful not
to drop iodine on your skin and clothes.
3 Clean the tweezers.
4 Use the tweezers again to put the
membrane on a slide. Lower a thin
glass cover slip over the slide. Make
sure there are no air bubbles.
5 Put the slide on the stage
of the microscope.
6 Look through the eyepiece lens.
Turn the focusing knobs until you can see
the cells clearly. Identify the following:
the cell wall, the cell nucleus and the cell
membrane.

Write your conclusions

Onion cells are…
Onion cells have…

fifteen 15
How are living things organised? Key words
Multicellular living things are made up of many • level of
different types of cells. These cells work together organisation
at different levels, called levels of organisation. • organ
• Groups of the same type of cells join together • tissue
to form tissues. For example, animals have
muscle tissue, which consists of muscle cells
grouped together. Their bone cells join together
to form the bone tissue of the skeleton.
Plants also have tissues. For example, the
epidermis is the tissue that covers the leaves.
• Tissues join together to form organs. Tissues
in organs work together to carry out a common plant tissue
function.
Muscles, bones, the heart and the lungs are
examples of animal organs. Leaves, flowers,
roots and stems are examples of plant organs.

Lifestyle

The immune system

All our cells, tissues and organs work
together to protect us. This defence system
is called our immune system. For example, The stem is a
our defences create barriers against harmful plant organ.
bacteria. This defence system helps us to
prevent colds or more serious illnesses.
We can make our immune
system stronger by eating
healthy food and taking
regular exercise.

1 Is a leaf a plant organ? What other

organs does a plant have?

16 sixteen
• Organs form systems. The organs in systems
1
work together to carry out a common function.
For example, the muscular system enables the bone cell
body to move. The digestive system enables
the body to obtain nutrients.
• Finally, all the different systems work together bone tissue
to form an organism, a complete living thing.
In a multicellular living thing, cells, tissues,
organs and systems all work together to make
the organism function correctly.
In a unicellular living thing, such as bacteria,
there is only the first level of organisation, the
cell. This one cell carries out all the functions
of the living thing.

bone (organ)
n)
2 Think about it  Do you agree that
‘cells are like the building bricks of
living things’?

3 Look at the diagram and describe the

levels of organisation to your partner.
skeletal system

This is a bone cell. Cells are

the first level of organisation.

4 Copy and complete the text. Then, listen

and check your answers.

Groups of … join together to form

tissues. Animals and plants both have
tissues. In plants, the … that covers
the leaves is called the epidermis.
Tissues join together to form …,
for example, muscles and bones in
animals or stems in plants. Organs join
together to form …: in animals, the … a cat
… enables the body to obtain (organism)
nutrients. Finally, all the systems form
an …, a complete living thing. Levels of organisation of a cat.

seventeen 17
Check your progress
Vocabulary 4 Find the mistakes in each sentence. Then,
listen and check your answers.
1 Listen and say membrane, nucleus,
cytoplasm, organelles, unicellular a. Some living things are made up of cells.
or multicellular. b. Cells are living units because they carry
out the two basic life processes: nutrition
2 Make sentences about the parts of a cell and reproduction.
in your notebook. c. Animal cells have a rigid membrane that
surrounds the cell and holds it together.
is located between
the membrane and d. Plant cells have organelles called
the nucleus. chloroplasts that contain an orange
substance called chlorophyll.
The membrane
e. Groups of organs are organised to form
carry out different tissues.
The nucleus functions and are located
in the cytoplasm.
5 Write the levels of organisation of the dog
The cytoplasm in your notebook.
controls the function
of the cell. A
The organelles

is the covering around

the cell.

Concepts
3 Look at the photographs and answer
the questions.
B
A B C

a. What can you see?

b. Does each cell belong to a plant E
or an animal?
c. In your notebook, draw a single cell
from each photograph. Label the parts
you can identify.

18 eighteen
 1
Apply what you know
6 Copy and complete the graphic organiser in your notebook.

… membrane … …

parts of a cell

CELLS

unicellular …

… protozoa … animals plants

7 What are the levels of organisation of living things? Copy and complete the diagram.

 …
 …
 …
 …

 cell

My progress Think about your work in this unit. Copy and complete.
YES NO NOT SURE
• I can describe the parts of a cell. … … …
• I can identify different kinds of cells. … … …
• I can name the levels of organisation of living things. … … …

nineteen 19
 Final task

Investigate bamboo
You need
• a large sheet of card • scissors • coloured pencils
• paper • glue

Investigate Make a poster

1 Carry out your investigation.
4 Write the title 'Bamboo' on the card.
a. What kind of plant is bamboo?
• Write a heading: How bamboo grows. Stick
b. Where does it usually grow? your pictures of the parts of the bamboo
c. What is the stem like in young bamboos? on the poster. Label your pictures and add
extra information.
d. What are bamboo roots like?
• Write a heading: How bamboo is used on
e. What shape do you think bamboo
the bottom half of the poster. Stick the
cells are?
photos on the poster and write your
f. How fast does bamboo grow? information.

2 Use your information to draw pictures of

these things:
5 In groups, present your information.
• a bamboo cell • a bamboo stem
• bamboo leaves • bamboo roots
Bamboo is one of the fastest
growing plants in the world.
3 Find out how bamboo can be used.
Look for photos.

20 twenty
 1

Be a scientist!

Make a model of a plant cell

You need
• a shoe box • black and green paper
• different coloured plasticine • small labels
• cotton wool • toothpicks

Make your model

6 Follow the instructions
1. Take a shoe box. Cover it with green
paper, inside and outside, to represent
the cell wall.
2. Take some dark green plasticine
and roll it into a long rope. Place
it on the inside of the shoebox
at the bottom to represent
the cell membrane.
3. Fill the inside of this boundary with
cotton wool to make the cytoplasm.
4. Take the black paper and roll it up
tightly into a ball. Place this ball
in the box to represent the nucleus
of your cell.
5. Use different colours of plasticine
to make the organelles.
6. Label your cell using toothpicks
and small labels.

7 Present your plant cells in groups.

This is the cell wall.

twenty-one 21
KEY VOCABULARY

1 Living things and cells

bacteria the smallest unicellular organisms.

cell the basic unit of all living things.
cell wall the rigid covering around the
membrane of a plant cell.
chlorophyll the green substance in plants that
absorbs sunlight and gives plant cells their
green colour.
chloroplast one of the specialised organelles
in plant cells containing chlorophyll. organelle one of the tiny components of a cell
cytoplasm the liquid part between the nucleus that carry out its different functions.
and membrane of a cell. organism a complete living thing formed of
membrane the protective covering around a cell. cells, tissues, organs and systems all working
together.
protozoa unicellular organisms, like amoeba,
living in water or wet places.
reproduction the life process by which living
things produce new individuals that are
similar to themselves.
sensitivity the life process by which living
things react to what is happening around
them.
system a group of organs that work together
to carry out a common function.
microscope
icroscope an instrument with several lenses tissue a group of cells that work together.
that makes things look much larger. unicellular living thing a tiny living thing made
multicellular living thing a living thing, like up of one single cell that can we can only see
a plant or an animal, made up of a very through a microscope.
large number of cells. yeast a unicellular organism that reproduces
neuron a specialised brain cell that transmits rapidly, and is used to make bread.
information.
nucleus the part of a cell that coordinates
its activities.
nutrition the life process by which living things
obtain nutrients and energy from food.
organ a group of tissues that join together
to carry out a common function.

112 one hundred and twelve