Life Science and Biology: Glossary
392 words, listed in the order you meet them in Courseversity lessons.
Full explanations
Adaptation
ScienceFull explanation
An adaptation is a feature or behaviour that helps a living thing survive in its habitat.
Food chain
ScienceFull explanation
A food chain shows how food and energy pass from one living thing to the next. The arrows point from the food to the animal that eats it.
Habitat
ScienceFull explanation
A habitat is the natural place where a plant or animal lives and finds what it needs to survive: food, water, shelter and space.
Photosynthesis
ScienceFull explanation
Photosynthesis is how green plants make their own food. They use light energy, water and carbon dioxide, and they release oxygen.
Predator
ScienceFull explanation
A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals.
Producer
ScienceFull explanation
A producer is a living thing, such as a plant, that makes its own food using energy from sunlight.
All words in this topic
Grade 1
alive
From Grade 1
having life: growing, needing water and changing
Learn it in: What are living things? (Grade 1)
animal
From Grade 1
a living thing that moves about and eats food, such as a dog, a bird or a person
Learn it in: What are living things? (Grade 1), Animals as living organisms (Grade 1), What are animals (Grade 1)
living thing
From Grade 1
a thing that is alive, such as a plant, an animal or a person
Learn it in: What are living things? (Grade 1)
breathe
From Grade 1
to take air in and let air out
Learn it in: Characteristics of living things (Grade 1), What is air? (Grade 2)
grow
From Grade 1
to get bigger and change
Learn it in: Characteristics of living things (Grade 1), Growth and change (Grade 1), Seedling growth (Grade 2)
react
From Grade 1
to do something when something happens
Learn it in: Characteristics of living things (Grade 1)
young
From Grade 1
baby animals or new plants
Learn it in: Characteristics of living things (Grade 1), Animals as living organisms (Grade 1), What are animals (Grade 1)
living
From Grade 1
alive and showing signs of life
Learn it in: Living and non-living things (Grade 1), What are animals (Grade 1)
non-living
From Grade 1
never alive, so it does not grow or need food
Learn it in: Living and non-living things (Grade 1), What are animals (Grade 1)
once living
From Grade 1
alive before, but not alive now
Learn it in: Living and non-living things (Grade 1)
reason
From Grade 1
what we say to explain why
Learn it in: Living and non-living things (Grade 1), Making simple predictions (Grade 2), Predictions (Grade 3)
leaf
From Grade 1
the flat, usually green part of a plant
Learn it in: Plants as living organisms (Grade 1), Leaves (Grade 1), Reviewing plant parts (Grade 2)
root
From Grade 1
the part of a plant that holds it in the soil and takes in water
Learn it in: Plants as living organisms (Grade 1), Roots (Grade 1), Reviewing plant parts (Grade 2)
seed
From Grade 1
the small part of a plant that can grow into a new plant
Learn it in: Plants as living organisms (Grade 1), Fruits and seeds (Grade 1), Seed formation (Grade 3)
shoot
From Grade 1
a new young stem that grows up
Learn it in: Plants as living organisms (Grade 1), Seed germination (Grade 2)
food
From Grade 1
what animals eat to live and grow
Learn it in: Animals as living organisms (Grade 1), Basic needs of living things (Grade 1)
move
From Grade 1
to go from one place to another
Learn it in: Animals as living organisms (Grade 1), What is movement (Grade 1)
air
From Grade 1
what we breathe
Learn it in: Basic needs of living things (Grade 1), What plants need to grow (Grade 1), Animal needs (Grade 1)
need
From Grade 1
something a living thing must have to live
Learn it in: Basic needs of living things (Grade 1), Animal needs (Grade 1), Animal survival needs (Grade 2)
shelter
From Grade 1
a safe place to live
Learn it in: Basic needs of living things (Grade 1), Animal shelters (Grade 1), Weather safety (Grade 1)
change
From Grade 1
to become different
Learn it in: Growth and change (Grade 1), Weather changes (Grade 1), Asking investigable questions (Grade 2)
seedling
From Grade 1
a young plant that has just grown from a seed
Learn it in: Growth and change (Grade 1), Caring for plants (Grade 1), Seedling growth (Grade 2)
stage
From Grade 1
one step in a series of changes
Learn it in: Growth and change (Grade 1), Plant life cycles (Grade 2)
garden
From Grade 1
a place where plants are grown
Learn it in: Living things in our surroundings (Grade 1)
habitat
From Grade 1
the place where a plant or an animal lives
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Living things in our surroundings (Grade 1), Caring for animals (Grade 1), Natural surroundings (Grade 1)
pond
From Grade 1
a small area of water
Learn it in: Living things in our surroundings (Grade 1), Water habitats (Grade 2)
surroundings
From Grade 1
the things and places around us
Learn it in: Living things in our surroundings (Grade 1), What is the environment (Grade 1)
care
From Grade 1
to look after something
Learn it in: Caring for living things (Grade 1), Caring for plants (Grade 1), Animal care (Grade 2)
pet
From Grade 1
an animal that people look after at home
Learn it in: Caring for living things (Grade 1), Common animals (Grade 1), Animal care (Grade 2)
protect
From Grade 1
to keep safe from harm
Learn it in: Caring for living things (Grade 1), Caring for plants (Grade 1), Caring for animals (Grade 1)
flower
From Grade 1
the part of a plant that may make seeds
Learn it in: What are plants? (Grade 1), Flowers (Grade 1), Reviewing plant parts (Grade 2)
crop
From Grade 1
a plant that farmers grow for food
Learn it in: Plants in our environment (Grade 1), Weather and farming (Grade 3)
environment
From Grade 1
all the living and non-living things around us
Learn it in: Plants in our environment (Grade 1), Keeping our environment clean (Grade 1), What is the environment (Grade 1)
shade
From Grade 1
a cooler place out of the direct sunlight
Learn it in: Plants in our environment (Grade 1), Uses of plants (Grade 1), Plants and animals in our environment (Grade 1)
wild
From Grade 1
growing naturally, not planted by people
Learn it in: Plants in our environment (Grade 1), Domestic and wild animals (Grade 1), Animal care (Grade 2)
soil
From Grade 1
the loose earth where plants grow
Learn it in: Roots (Grade 1), What plants need to grow (Grade 1), Science in farming (Grade 2)
stem
From Grade 1
the part of a plant that holds up the leaves and flowers
Learn it in: Stems (Grade 1), Reviewing plant parts (Grade 2), Plant structure (Grade 3)
light
From Grade 1
what lets us see, from the Sun or a lamp
Learn it in: Leaves (Grade 1), What is light (Grade 1), Light energy (Grade 5)
vein
From Grade 1
one of the lines you can see on a leaf
Learn it in: Leaves (Grade 1), Leaf functions (Grade 3), Circulatory system (Grade 5)
insect
From Grade 1
a small animal with six legs, such as a bee
Learn it in: Flowers (Grade 1), Insects (Grade 3), Invertebrates (Grade 6)
petal
From Grade 1
one of the coloured parts of a flower
Learn it in: Flowers (Grade 1), Flowering plants (Grade 2), Flower functions (Grade 3)
fruit
From Grade 1
the part of a plant that holds the seeds
Learn it in: Fruits and seeds (Grade 1), Fruits and seeds (Grade 2), Seed formation (Grade 3)
scatter
From Grade 1
to spread things in different directions
Learn it in: Fruits and seeds (Grade 1), Translucent materials (Grade 4)
shell
From Grade 1
the hard outside of some seeds and nuts
Learn it in: Fruits and seeds (Grade 1), Chicken life cycle (Grade 2)
investigation
From Grade 1
a way of finding out an answer by looking carefully
Learn it in: What plants need to grow (Grade 1), Planning investigations (Grade 3), Force investigations (Grade 3)
water
From Grade 1
what plants take in through their roots
Learn it in: What plants need to grow (Grade 1), What is water? (Grade 2)
cotton
From Grade 1
a soft plant fibre used to make cloth
Learn it in: Uses of plants (Grade 1), Fabric (Grade 1)
wood
From Grade 1
the hard material that comes from trees
Learn it in: Uses of plants (Grade 1), Wood (Grade 1)
fur
From Grade 1
the soft hair of some animals
Learn it in: Common animals (Grade 1), Mammals (Grade 3)
domestic
From Grade 1
kept by people at home or on a farm
Learn it in: Domestic and wild animals (Grade 1)
farm
From Grade 1
land where people grow food and keep animals
Learn it in: Domestic and wild animals (Grade 1), Science in farming (Grade 2)
safe distance
From Grade 1
far enough away to stay safe
Learn it in: Domestic and wild animals (Grade 1)
fin
From Grade 1
a body part a fish uses to swim
Learn it in: Animal body parts (Grade 1), Fish (Grade 3)
head
From Grade 1
the part with the eyes, mouth and ears
Learn it in: Animal body parts (Grade 1), External body parts (Grade 1)
tail
From Grade 1
the part at the back of the body of many animals
Learn it in: Animal body parts (Grade 1)
wing
From Grade 1
a body part many birds and insects use to fly
Learn it in: Animal body parts (Grade 1), Seed dispersal (Grade 2), Seed dispersal (Grade 3)
chirp
From Grade 1
a short, high sound made by small birds and insects
Learn it in: Animal sounds (Grade 1)
sound
From Grade 1
what we hear
Learn it in: Animal sounds (Grade 1), What is sound (Grade 1), Sources of sound (Grade 2)
carnivore
From Grade 1
an animal that eats other animals
Learn it in: Animal food (Grade 1), Consumers (Grade 3), Producers and consumers (Grade 4)
herbivore
From Grade 1
an animal that eats only plants
Learn it in: Animal food (Grade 1), Consumers (Grade 3), Producers and consumers (Grade 4)
omnivore
From Grade 1
an animal that eats plants and animals
Learn it in: Animal food (Grade 1), Consumers (Grade 3), Consumers (Grade 5)
prey
From Grade 1
an animal that is eaten by another animal
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Animal food (Grade 1), Simple food chains (Grade 3), Food chains (Grade 4)
burrow
From Grade 1
a hole in the ground where an animal lives
Learn it in: Animal shelters (Grade 1), Grassland habitats (Grade 2)
thirsty
From Grade 1
needing a drink
Learn it in: Animal needs (Grade 1), Drinking clean water (Grade 1)
arm
From Grade 1
the part of the body from the shoulder to the hand
Learn it in: External body parts (Grade 1)
finger
From Grade 1
one of the five parts at the end of the hand
Learn it in: External body parts (Grade 1)
bright
From Grade 1
giving a lot of light
Learn it in: Functions of the senses (Grade 1), What is light (Grade 1)
rough
From Grade 1
not smooth
Learn it in: Functions of the senses (Grade 1), Rough and smooth materials (Grade 1), Properties of solids (Grade 2)
sugar
From Grade 1
a sweet food that is bad for teeth in large amounts
Learn it in: Healthy food (Grade 1)
boil
From Grade 1
to heat water until it bubbles (an adult does this)
Learn it in: Drinking clean water (Grade 1)
germ
From Grade 1
a tiny living thing that can make us ill
Learn it in: Drinking clean water (Grade 1), Healthy habits (Grade 3)
germs
From Grade 1
tiny things that can make us ill
Learn it in: Personal hygiene (Grade 1), Clean water (Grade 2)
hygiene
From Grade 1
habits that keep us clean and healthy
Learn it in: Personal hygiene (Grade 1), Uses of water (Grade 2), Science at home (Grade 2)
dry
From Grade 1
to remove water with a clean cloth or air
Learn it in: Handwashing (Grade 1), Evaporation (Grade 3), Evaporation (Grade 4)
exercise
From Grade 1
moving the body to keep strong and healthy
Learn it in: Exercise and rest (Grade 1), Exercise (Grade 4), Healthy lifestyles (Grade 5)
muscle
From Grade 1
a part of the body that helps us move
Learn it in: Exercise and rest (Grade 1), Muscles (Grade 4), Muscular system (Grade 5)
rest
From Grade 1
to stop and let the body recover
Learn it in: Exercise and rest (Grade 1), The heart (Grade 3), Healthy habits (Grade 3)
sleep
From Grade 1
the time at night when the body rests
Learn it in: Exercise and rest (Grade 1), Healthy lifestyles (Grade 5)
litter
From Grade 1
rubbish left lying around
Learn it in: Keeping our environment clean (Grade 1), Clean and dirty environments (Grade 1), Habitat protection (Grade 2)
sweep
From Grade 1
to clean the floor with a broom
Learn it in: Keeping our environment clean (Grade 1)
emergency
From Grade 1
a time when you need help quickly
Learn it in: Basic personal safety (Grade 1), Weather preparedness (Grade 3), Electrical safety (Grade 4)
trusted adult
From Grade 1
a grown-up you know who helps keep you safe
Learn it in: Basic personal safety (Grade 1)
Grade 2
conditions
From Grade 2
what is around something and affects it
Learn it in: Seed germination (Grade 2)
germination
From Grade 2
when a seed starts to grow
Learn it in: Seed germination (Grade 2), Plant growth (Grade 5)
true leaves
From Grade 2
the first leaves that look like the adult plant
Learn it in: Seedling growth (Grade 2)
reproduce
From Grade 2
to make new living things like itself
Learn it in: Mature plants (Grade 2), Life cycles (Grade 2), Living and non-living components (Grade 3)
nectar
From Grade 2
the sweet liquid in flowers that insects drink
Learn it in: Flowering plants (Grade 2), Pollination (Grade 3)
pollen
From Grade 2
the fine powder made in a flower
Learn it in: Flowering plants (Grade 2), Flower functions (Grade 3)
pollination
From Grade 2
moving pollen from one flower to another
Learn it in: Flowering plants (Grade 2), Pollination (Grade 3), Plant growth (Grade 5)
dry fruit
From Grade 2
a fruit that is hard or papery, such as a pod
Learn it in: Fruits and seeds (Grade 2)
ovary
From Grade 2
the part of the flower that grows into the fruit
Learn it in: Fruits and seeds (Grade 2), Seed formation (Grade 3)
dispersal
From Grade 2
spreading seeds to new places
Learn it in: Seed dispersal (Grade 2), Seed dispersal (Grade 3)
life cycle
From Grade 2
the stages of a living thing from start to start again
Learn it in: Plant life cycles (Grade 2), Life cycles (Grade 2), Animal life cycles (Grade 3)
control
From Grade 2
the cup where nothing is changed
Learn it in: Conditions affecting plant growth (Grade 2), Introduction to fair tests (Grade 3), Plant growth requirements (Grade 3)
variable
From Grade 2
a thing that can change in a test
Learn it in: Conditions affecting plant growth (Grade 2), Scientific questions (Grade 3), Plant growth requirements (Grade 3)
egg
From Grade 2
a case holding a young animal before it hatches
Learn it in: Animal offspring (Grade 2)
caterpillar
From Grade 2
the feeding young stage of a butterfly
Learn it in: Butterfly life cycle (Grade 2)
larva
From Grade 2
a young insect that looks different from its parent
Learn it in: Butterfly life cycle (Grade 2), Animal life cycles (Grade 3)
metamorphosis
From Grade 2
a big change in body shape
Learn it in: Butterfly life cycle (Grade 2), Amphibians (Grade 3)
pupa
From Grade 2
the resting stage with a hard case
Learn it in: Butterfly life cycle (Grade 2), Animal life cycles (Grade 3)
gills
From Grade 2
parts that let a tadpole breathe in water
Learn it in: Frog life cycle (Grade 2), Fish (Grade 3), Vertebrates (Grade 6)
tadpole
From Grade 2
the young swimming stage of a frog
Learn it in: Frog life cycle (Grade 2), Amphibians (Grade 3)
complete change
From Grade 2
a big change in body shape during growth
Learn it in: Comparing life cycles (Grade 2)
simple growth
From Grade 2
growing bigger without changing shape much
Learn it in: Comparing life cycles (Grade 2)
predator
From Grade 2
an animal that hunts other animals
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Animal survival needs (Grade 2), Simple food chains (Grade 3), Food chains (Grade 4)
microhabitat
From Grade 2
a very small habitat such as under a log
Learn it in: What is a habitat? (Grade 2)
adapted
From Grade 2
suited to a place
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Land habitats (Grade 2)
understory
From Grade 2
the layer of smaller plants under the canopy
Learn it in: Forest habitats (Grade 2)
camouflage
From Grade 2
colours or patterns that help an animal hide
Learn it in: Animals in habitats (Grade 2), Animal adaptations (Grade 3)
migrate
From Grade 2
to travel to another place for food or weather
Learn it in: Animals in habitats (Grade 2), Animal adaptations (Grade 3), Environmental changes (Grade 3)
adaptation
From Grade 2
a feature that helps a living thing survive
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Plants in habitats (Grade 2), Plant adaptations (Grade 3), Animal adaptations (Grade 3)
floating leaf
From Grade 2
a leaf that sits on top of water
Learn it in: Plants in habitats (Grade 2), Plant adaptations (Grade 3)
shade plant
From Grade 2
a plant that grows well with little light
Learn it in: Plants in habitats (Grade 2)
spine
From Grade 2
a sharp, pointed part on a plant
Learn it in: Plants in habitats (Grade 2), Plant adaptations (Grade 3), Posture (Grade 4)
consumer
From Grade 2
an animal that eats other living things
Learn it in: Food and shelter (Grade 2), Consumers (Grade 3), Producers and consumers (Grade 4)
food chain
From Grade 2
a line showing who eats what
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Food and shelter (Grade 2), Producers (Grade 3), Simple food chains (Grade 3)
producer
From Grade 2
a plant that makes its own food
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Food and shelter (Grade 2), Producers (Grade 3), Producers and consumers (Grade 4)
deforestation
From Grade 2
cutting down many trees
Learn it in: Human effects on habitats (Grade 2), Soil erosion (Grade 3), Human impacts (Grade 3)
effect
From Grade 2
what happens because of something
Learn it in: Human effects on habitats (Grade 2), Forces (Grade 3)
garden habitat
From Grade 2
a garden that provides homes for wildlife
Learn it in: Human effects on habitats (Grade 2)
reserve
From Grade 2
a protected area for wildlife
Learn it in: Human effects on habitats (Grade 2), Non-renewable resources (Grade 6)
Grade 3
anchor
From Grade 3
to hold firmly in place
Learn it in: Root functions (Grade 3), Soil and plant growth (Grade 3)
chlorophyll
From Grade 3
the green material in leaves
Learn it in: Leaf functions (Grade 3), Photosynthesis introduction (Grade 5)
photosynthesis
From Grade 3
how plants make food using light
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Leaf functions (Grade 3), Producers (Grade 3), Photosynthesis introduction (Grade 5)
pollinator
From Grade 3
an animal that carries pollen
Learn it in: Pollination (Grade 3), Interdependence (Grade 4)
fertilisation
From Grade 3
when pollen joins the female part to start a seed
Learn it in: Seed formation (Grade 3), Reproductive system introduction (Grade 6)
classify
From Grade 3
to sort into groups
Learn it in: Classifying animals (Grade 3), Classification of organisms (Grade 6)
key
From Grade 3
a tool of questions used to identify things
Learn it in: Classifying animals (Grade 3), Classification of organisms (Grade 6)
backbone
From Grade 3
the line of bones along the back
Learn it in: Vertebrates and invertebrates (Grade 3)
invertebrate
From Grade 3
an animal without a backbone
Learn it in: Vertebrates and invertebrates (Grade 3), Invertebrates (Grade 6)
skeleton
From Grade 3
the frame of bones in the body
Learn it in: Vertebrates and invertebrates (Grade 3), Human skeleton (Grade 4), Skeletal system (Grade 5)
vertebrate
From Grade 3
an animal with a backbone
Learn it in: Vertebrates and invertebrates (Grade 3), Vertebrates (Grade 6)
warm-blooded
From Grade 3
keeping a steady warm body temperature
Learn it in: Mammals (Grade 3), Vertebrates (Grade 6)
cold-blooded
From Grade 3
body temperature changes with surroundings
Learn it in: Reptiles (Grade 3), Vertebrates (Grade 6)
nymph
From Grade 3
a young insect that looks like a small adult
Learn it in: Animal life cycles (Grade 3)
brain
From Grade 3
the organ that controls the body
Learn it in: Major internal organs (Grade 3), Nervous system introduction (Grade 5)
heart
From Grade 3
the organ that pumps blood
Learn it in: Major internal organs (Grade 3), Circulatory system (Grade 5)
lungs
From Grade 3
organs used for breathing
Learn it in: Major internal organs (Grade 3), Respiratory system (Grade 5)
organ
From Grade 3
a body part with a special job
Learn it in: Major internal organs (Grade 3), Human body organisation (Grade 5), Tissues and organs introduction (Grade 6)
nerve
From Grade 3
a thread that carries messages
Learn it in: The brain (Grade 3), Movement (Grade 4), Nervous system introduction (Grade 5)
reflex
From Grade 3
a quick action without thinking
Learn it in: The brain (Grade 3), Nervous system introduction (Grade 5), The nervous system (Grade 6)
skull
From Grade 3
the bone that protects the brain
Learn it in: The brain (Grade 3), Major bones (Grade 4), Skeletal system (Grade 5)
pulse
From Grade 3
the beat felt in a wrist or neck
Learn it in: The heart (Grade 3), Exercise (Grade 4), The circulatory system (Grade 6)
carbon dioxide
From Grade 3
a gas we breathe out
Learn it in: The lungs (Grade 3), Gas exchange introduction (Grade 5)
windpipe
From Grade 3
the tube air passes down
Learn it in: The lungs (Grade 3), Respiratory system (Grade 5)
large intestine
From Grade 3
the wider tube that takes in water
Learn it in: The intestines (Grade 3), Digestive system (Grade 5)
nutrient
From Grade 3
something in food the body needs
Learn it in: The intestines (Grade 3), Soil and plant growth (Grade 3), Decomposers (Grade 4)
small intestine
From Grade 3
the long tube where nutrients enter the blood
Learn it in: The intestines (Grade 3), Digestive system (Grade 5)
digestive system
From Grade 3
the organs that break down food
Learn it in: Digestion introduction (Grade 3)
saliva
From Grade 3
liquid in the mouth that starts digestion
Learn it in: Digestion introduction (Grade 3)
diaphragm
From Grade 3
a muscle under the lungs
Learn it in: Breathing (Grade 3), Respiratory system (Grade 5), The respiratory system (Grade 6)
carbohydrate
From Grade 3
food that gives energy
Learn it in: Nutrition (Grade 3), Nutrition and health (Grade 5)
protein
From Grade 3
food that helps the body grow and repair
Learn it in: Nutrition (Grade 3), Bone health (Grade 4), Nutrition and health (Grade 5)
Grade 4
marrow
From Grade 4
soft tissue inside bones that makes blood
Learn it in: Functions of bones (Grade 4)
mineral
From Grade 4
a natural substance such as calcium
Learn it in: Functions of bones (Grade 4), Rocks and minerals (Grade 4), Water and minerals (Grade 5)
joint
From Grade 4
a place where two or more bones meet
Learn it in: Joints (Grade 4), Skeletal system (Grade 5), Skeletal and muscular systems (Grade 6)
contract
From Grade 4
to get shorter and tighter
Learn it in: Muscles (Grade 4), Muscular system (Grade 5)
relax
From Grade 4
to go back to a loose state
Learn it in: Muscles (Grade 4), Muscular system (Grade 5)
tendon
From Grade 4
a cord joining muscle to bone
Learn it in: Muscles (Grade 4), Muscular system (Grade 5), Skeletal and muscular systems (Grade 6)
Grade 5
organ system
From Grade 5
a group of organs that work together
Learn it in: Human body organisation (Grade 5), Tissues and organs introduction (Grade 6), Life science review (Grade 6)
tissue
From Grade 5
a group of similar cells working together
Learn it in: Human body organisation (Grade 5), Tissues and organs introduction (Grade 6), Life science review (Grade 6)
digestion
From Grade 5
breaking food into tiny parts the body can use
Learn it in: Digestive system (Grade 5), Human body systems (Grade 6), The digestive system (Grade 6)
gas exchange
From Grade 5
swapping oxygen for carbon dioxide
Learn it in: Respiratory system (Grade 5), The respiratory system (Grade 6)
artery
From Grade 5
a vessel taking blood away from the heart
Learn it in: Circulatory system (Grade 5), The circulatory system (Grade 6)
capillary
From Grade 5
a tiny vessel linking arteries and veins
Learn it in: Circulatory system (Grade 5), The circulatory system (Grade 6)
spinal cord
From Grade 5
a bundle of nerves in the backbone
Learn it in: Nervous system introduction (Grade 5)
feedback
From Grade 5
a message that tells a system to change
Learn it in: Interactions among body systems (Grade 5)
homeostasis
From Grade 5
keeping the body steady
Learn it in: Interactions among body systems (Grade 5), Organisation of living systems (Grade 6)
interaction
From Grade 5
working together or affecting each other
Learn it in: Interactions among body systems (Grade 5)
balanced diet
From Grade 5
a mix of foods giving all nutrients in the right amounts
Learn it in: Nutrition and health (Grade 5), Personal health (Grade 6)
etiolated
From Grade 5
tall, pale and weak from too little light
Learn it in: Sunlight and plant growth (Grade 5)
phototropism
From Grade 5
growth of a plant toward light
Learn it in: Sunlight and plant growth (Grade 5)
guard cell
From Grade 5
a cell that opens and closes a stoma
Learn it in: Gas exchange introduction (Grade 5)
respiration
From Grade 5
releasing energy from food
Learn it in: Gas exchange introduction (Grade 5), Matter cycling introduction (Grade 5), Cell functions (Grade 6)
carbon store
From Grade 5
something that holds carbon
Learn it in: Plants and environmental sustainability (Grade 5)
Grade 6
kingdom
From Grade 6
one of the largest groups of living things
Learn it in: Classification of organisms (Grade 6)
bacteria
From Grade 6
tiny single-celled organisms without a nucleus
Learn it in: Major groups of living things (Grade 6)
fungi
From Grade 6
organisms that absorb food from other matter, such as mushrooms
Learn it in: Major groups of living things (Grade 6)
protist
From Grade 6
a mostly single-celled organism that is not a plant, animal or fungus
Learn it in: Major groups of living things (Grade 6)
conifer
From Grade 6
a plant that makes seeds in cones
Learn it in: Flowering and non-flowering plants (Grade 6)
flowering plant
From Grade 6
a plant that makes flowers and seeds
Learn it in: Flowering and non-flowering plants (Grade 6)
spore
From Grade 6
a tiny cell that grows into a new plant or fungus
Learn it in: Flowering and non-flowering plants (Grade 6)
microorganism
From Grade 6
a living thing too small to see without a microscope
Learn it in: Microorganisms introduction (Grade 6)
microscope
From Grade 6
an instrument that magnifies small things
Learn it in: Microorganisms introduction (Grade 6), Introduction to cells (Grade 6)
virus
From Grade 6
a tiny particle that can only reproduce inside living cells
Learn it in: Microorganisms introduction (Grade 6)
natural selection
From Grade 6
survival and reproduction of the best-suited organisms
Learn it in: Adaptations (Grade 6)
mutualism
From Grade 6
a relationship where both benefit
Learn it in: Ecosystem relationships (Grade 6)
habitat restoration
From Grade 6
repairing a damaged habitat
Learn it in: Biodiversity conservation (Grade 6)
cell division
From Grade 6
a cell splitting to make new cells
Learn it in: Cells as basic units of life (Grade 6)
cell theory
From Grade 6
the idea that all living things are made of cells
Learn it in: Cells as basic units of life (Grade 6)
life processes
From Grade 6
the activities that all living things carry out
Learn it in: Cells as basic units of life (Grade 6)
organism
From Grade 6
a living thing
Learn it in: Cells as basic units of life (Grade 6), Organisation of living systems (Grade 6)
chloroplast
From Grade 6
part that captures light for photosynthesis
Learn it in: Plant cells (Grade 6)
cell membrane
From Grade 6
the thin layer that controls what enters and leaves
Learn it in: Animal cells (Grade 6)
cytoplasm
From Grade 6
jelly-like fluid where reactions happen
Learn it in: Basic cell structures (Grade 6)
DNA
From Grade 6
the molecule holding the instructions for the cell
Learn it in: Basic cell structures (Grade 6)
organelle
From Grade 6
a small part inside a cell with its own job
Learn it in: Basic cell structures (Grade 6), Life science review (Grade 6)
ribosome
From Grade 6
a tiny structure that makes proteins
Learn it in: Basic cell structures (Grade 6)
amoeba
From Grade 6
a single-celled protist that changes shape
Learn it in: Unicellular organisms (Grade 6)
binary fission
From Grade 6
splitting into two to reproduce
Learn it in: Unicellular organisms (Grade 6)
pond water
From Grade 6
water from ponds containing tiny organisms
Learn it in: Unicellular organisms (Grade 6)
level of organisation
From Grade 6
a step from cell to organism
Learn it in: Tissues and organs introduction (Grade 6)
peristalsis
From Grade 6
squeezing movements that push food along
Learn it in: The digestive system (Grade 6)
antagonistic pair
From Grade 6
two muscles that pull in opposite ways
Learn it in: Skeletal and muscular systems (Grade 6)
reproduction
From Grade 6
making new living things
Learn it in: Reproductive system introduction (Grade 6)
growth spurt
From Grade 6
a period of rapid growth
Learn it in: Puberty and physical development (Grade 6)
hormone
From Grade 6
a chemical messenger in the body
Learn it in: Puberty and physical development (Grade 6)
puberty
From Grade 6
the stage when the body changes toward adulthood
Learn it in: Puberty and physical development (Grade 6)
addiction
From Grade 6
being unable to stop using something harmful
Learn it in: Personal health (Grade 6)
antibody
From Grade 6
a protein that attacks a particular germ
Learn it in: Disease prevention (Grade 6)