"One of the basic rules of the

universe is that nothing is perfect.

Perfection simply doesn’t exist. Without
imperfection, neither you nor I would
exist."

-Stephen Hawking

NATURAL
SCIENCES
&
TECHNOLOGY
LESSON PLAN
GRADE 5 TERM 1
A MESSAGE FROM THE NECT
NATIONAL EDUCATION COLLABORATION TRUST (NECT)
Dear Teachers

This learning programme and training is provided by the National Education Collaboration Trust
(NECT) on behalf of the Department of Basic Education (DBE)! We hope that this programme
provides you with additional skills, methodologies and content knowledge that you can use to teach
your learners more effectively.

What is NECT?
In 2012 our government launched the National Development Plan (NDP) as a way to eliminate
poverty and reduce inequality by the year 2030. Improving education is an important goal in the
NDP which states that 90% of learners will pass Maths, Science and languages with at least
50% by 2030. This is a very ambitious goal for the DBE to achieve on its own, so the NECT was
established in 2015 to assist in improving education.

The NECT has successfully brought together groups of people interested in education to work
together to improve education. These groups include the teacher unions, businesses, religious
groups, trusts, foundations and NGOs.

What are the learning programmes?

One of the programmes that the NECT implements on behalf of the DBE is the ‘District
Development Programme’. This programme works directly with district officials, principals,
teachers, parents and learners; you are all part of this programme!

The programme began in 2015 with a small group of schools called the Fresh Start Schools
(FSS). Curriculum learning programmes were developed for Maths, Science and Language
teachers in FSS who received training and support on their implementation. The FSS teachers
remain part of the programme, and we encourage them to mentor and share their experience with
other teachers.

The FSS helped the DBE trial the NECT learning programmes so that they could be improved
and used by many more teachers. NECT has already begun this scale-up process. NECT has
already begun this scale-up process in its Universalisation Programme and in its Provincialisation
Programme.

Everyone using the learning programmes comes from one of these groups; but you are now
brought together in the spirit of collaboration that defines the manner in which the NECT works.
Teachers with more experience using the learning programmes will deepen their knowledge and
understanding, while some teachers will be experiencing the learning programmes for the first
time.

Let’s work together constructively in the spirit of collaboration so that we can help South Africa
eliminate poverty and improve education!

www.nect.org.za

2 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

CONTENTS
PROGRAMME ORIENTATION 4
CAPS AND THE LESSON PLANS 6
SETTING UP AND MANAGING A NATURAL SCIENCE CLASSROOM 14
REFLECTING ON THE LESSONS THAT YOU TEACH 21
TOPIC OVERVIEW LIFE AND LIVING; STRUCTURES 1A - 3A 24-26
Week 1 Lesson 1A 27
Week 1 Lesson 1B 33
Week 1 Lesson 1C 38
Week 2 Lesson 2A 44
Week 2 Lesson 2B 51
Week 2 Lesson 2C 56
Week 3 Lesson 3A 61
TOPIC OVERVIEW ANIMAL SKELETONS; 3B - 4C 67-68
Week 3 Lesson 3B 69
Week 3 Lesson 3C 74
Week 4 Lesson 4A 79
Week 4 Lesson 4B 84
Week 4 Lesson 4C 89
TOPIC OVERVIEW SKELETONS AS STRUCTURES; 5A - 7A 95-96
Week 5 Lesson 5A 97
Week 5 Lesson 5B 102
Week 5 Lesson 5C 106
Week 6 Lesson 6A 112
Week 6 Lesson 6B 116
Week 6 Lesson 6C 121
Week 7 Lesson 7A 125
TOPIC OVERVIEW FOOD CHAINS; 7B - 8B 129-130
Week 7 Lesson 7B 131
Week 7 Lesson 7C 136
Week 8 Lesson 8A 141
Week 8 Lesson 8B 146
TOPIC OVERVIEW LIFE CYCLES; 8A - 8C 150-151
Week 8 Lesson 8C 152
Week 9 Lesson 9A 156
Week 9 Lesson 9B 160
Week 9 Lesson 9C 166
GRADE 5 ASSESSMENT 176-173
Term 1 - Rubric 174
Term 1 - Question Paper 176
Term 1 - Memorandum 178

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 3

 PROGRAMME ORIENTATION
Welcome to the NECT Natural Sciences & Technology learning programme! This CAPS compliant
programme consists of:
• A full set of lesson plans for the term (3 lessons per week)
• A resource pack with images to support the lesson plans
• A full colour poster for one topic
• A sample formal assessment task at the end of this booklet
• A tracker to help you monitor your progress

Lesson Plan Structure

1. The Term 4 lesson plan is structured to run for 9 weeks. The last week of the term is reserved for
examinations. Week nine is reserved for revision. This is in alignment with CAPS.

2. Each week, there are three lessons, of the following notional time:
1 x 1 hour 30 minutes
2 x 1 hour
Again, this time allocation of 3.5 hours per week is CAPS aligned.

Lesson Plan Contents

1. The lesson plan starts with a CONTENTS PAGE that lists all the topics for the term, together with
a breakdown of the lessons for that topic. You will notice that lessons are named by the week and
lesson number, for example, Week 8 Lesson 8C.

2. Every topic begins with a 2 - 4 page TOPIC OVERVIEW. The topic overview pages are grey,
making them easy to identify. The topic overview can be used to introduce the topic to learners.
The topic overview includes:

a. A general introduction to the topic that states how long the topic runs for, the value of the
topic in the final exam and the number of lessons in the topic.

b. A table showing the position of the topic in the term.

c. A sequential table that shows the prior knowledge required for this topic, the current
knowledge and skills that will be covered, and how this topic will be built on in future years.
Use this table to give learners an informal quiz to test their prior knowledge. If learners are
clearly lacking in the knowledge and skills required, you may need to take a lesson to cover
some of the essential content and skills. It is also useful to see what you are preparing learners
for next, by closely examining the ‘looking forward’ column.

d. A glossary of scientific and technological vocabulary, together with an explanation of each

word or phrase. It is a good idea to display these words and their definitions somewhere in the
classroom, for the duration of the topic. It is also a good idea to allow learners some time to
copy down these words into their personal dictionaries or science exercise books. You must
explicitly teach the words and their meanings as and when you encounter these words in the
topic. A good way to teach learners new vocabulary is to use ‘PATS’:

4 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 PROGRAMME ORIENTATION
o POINT – if the word is a noun, point at the object or at a picture of the object as you say the
word.
o ACT – if the word is a verb, try to act out or gesture to explain the meaning of the word, as
you say it.
o TELL – if the word has a more abstract meaning, then tell the learners the meaning of the
word. You may need to code switch at this point, but also try to provide a simple English
explanation.
o SAY – say the word in a sentence to reinforce the meaning.

e. Understanding the uses / value of science. It is very important to give learners a sense of
how science applies to their daily lives, and of the value that science adds to their lives. Hold a
brief discussion on this point when introducing the topic, and invite learners to elaborate on the
uses and value that this topic will have to their lives.

f. Personal reflection. At the end of every topic, come back to the topic overview, and
complete this table. In particular, it is important to note your challenges and ideas for future
improvement, so that you can improve your teaching the next year.

3. After the topic overview, you will find the INDIVIDUAL LESSONS. Every lesson is structured in
exactly the same way. This helps you and the learners to anticipate what is coming next, so that you
can focus on the content and skills. Together with the title, each lesson plan includes the following:

a. Policy and Outcomes. This provides you with the CAPS reference, and an overview of the
skills that will be covered in the lesson. You can immediately see the science process skills that
will be covered, and whether they are lower or higher order skills.

b. Possible Resources. Here, you will see the resources that you should ideally have for the
lesson. If you need to use the poster or pages from the resource pack, this will be listed here.
There is also a space for improvised resources, and you are invited to add your own ideas
here.

c. Classroom Management. Every lesson starts in the same way. Before the lesson, you must
write a question that relates to the previous lesson on the chalkboard. Train your learners to
come in to the classroom, to take out their exercise books, and to immediately try to answer
this question. This links your lesson to the previous lesson, and it effectively settles your
learners.
Once learners have had a few minutes to answer, read the question and discuss the answer.
You may want to offer a small reward to the learner who answers first, or best. Get your
learners used to this routine.
Next, make sure that you are ready to begin your lesson, have all your resources ready, have
notes written up on the chalkboard, and be fully prepared to start. Remember, learners will get
restless and misbehave if you do not keep them busy and focussed.

d. Accessing Information. This section contains the key content that you need to share with
learners. Generally, it involves sharing some new information that is written on the chalkboard,
explaining this information, and allowing learners some time to copy the information

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 5

 PROGRAMME ORIENTATION
into their exercise books. Train learners to do this quickly and efficiently. Learners must
anticipate this part of the lesson, and must have their books, pens, pencils and rulers ready.
Explain to learners that this is an important resource for them, because these are the notes
they will revise when preparing for tests and exams.
Checkpoint 1. Straight after ‘Accessing Information’, you will find two checkpoint questions.
These questions help you to check that learners understand the new content thus far.

e. Conceptual Development. At this point, learners will have to complete an activity to think
about and apply their new knowledge, or to learn a new skill. This is the most challenging part
of the lesson. Make sure that you fully understand what is required, and give learners clear
instructions.

Checkpoint 2. Straight after ‘Conceptual Development, you will find two checkpoint questions.
These questions help you to check that learners understand the new concepts and skills that
they have engaged with.

f. Reference Points for Further Development. This is a useful table that lists the relevant
sections in each approved textbook. You may choose to do a textbook activity with learners in
addition to the lesson plan activity, or even in place of the lesson plan activity. You may also
want to give learners an additional activity to do for homework.

g. Additional Activities / Reading. This is the final section of the lesson plan. This section
provides you with web links related to the topic. Try to get into the habit of visiting these links
as part of your lesson preparation. As a teacher, it is always a good idea to be more informed
than your learners.

4. At the end of the week, make sure that you turn to the TRACKER, and make note of your prog-
ress. This helps you to monitor your pacing and curriculum coverage. If you fall behind, make a
plan to catch up.

5. POSTER AND RESOURCE PACK. You will have seen that the Possible Resource section in the
lesson plan will let you know which poster or reference pages you will need to use in a lesson.

Please note that you will only be given these resources once. It is important for you to manage and
store these resources properly. Do this by:

●● Writing your name on all resources

●● Sticking resource pages onto cardboard or paper
●● Laminating all resources, or covering them in contact paper
●● Filing the resource papers in plastic sleeves once you have completed a topic

Have a dedicated wall or notice board in your classroom for Natural Science and Technology.

●● Use this space to display the resources for the topic

●● Display the vocabulary words and meaning here, as well as the resources
●● Try to make this an attractive and interesting space
●● Display learners’ work on this wall – this gives learners a sense of ownership and pride

6 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 PROGRAMME ORIENTATION
6. SAMPLE ASSESSMENT TASKS. At the end of the lesson plans, you will find a sample
assessment task, an examination and memorandum. Feel free to implement this task with your
learners in the first year of this programme. Thereafter, use it as a model to structure your own
assessment tasks, in the same way.

Lesson Plan Routine

Train your learners to know and anticipate the routine of Natural Science and Technology lessons. You
will soon see that a good knowledge of this routine will improve time-on-task and general classroom
discipline and that you will manage to work at a quicker pace.

Remember, every Natural Science and Technology lesson follows this routine:

1. Classroom Management: settle learners by having two questions written on the chalkboard.
Learners take out their exercise books and pens, and immediately answer the questions. Discuss
the answers to the questions, and reward the successful learner.

2. Accessing Information: have key information written on the chalkboard. Explain this to learners.
Allow learners to copy this information into their books.

3. Checkpoint 1: ask learners two questions to check their understanding.

4. Conceptual Development: complete an activity to apply new knowledge or skills.

5. Checkpoint 2: ask learners two questions to check their understanding.

6. Reference Points for Further Development: links to textbook activities – you may choose to use
these activities as additional classwork activities, or as homework activities.

7. Tracker: fill in your tracker at the end of the week to track your progress.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 7

 CAPS AND THE LESSON PLANS
A vehicle to implement CAPS

Teaching Natural Sciences and Technology can be exciting and rewarding. These lesson plans have
been designed to guide you to implement the CAPS policy in a way that makes the teaching and learning
experience rewarding for both the teacher and the learners.

To support the policy’s fundamentals of teaching Natural Sciences and Technology, these lesson plans
use the CAPS content as a basis and:

●● provide a variety of teaching techniques and approaches

●● promote enjoyment and curiosity
●● highlight the relationship between Natural Science and Technology and other subjects
●● where appropriate, draw on and emphasise cultural contexts and indigenous knowledge
systems
●● show the relationship between science, learners, their societies and their environments
●● aim to prepare learners for economic activity and self-expression

Content and Time Allocation

These lessons plans have been developed to comply with CAPS in respect of both content and time
allocation. In developing these lesson plans, we took into consideration the realities of teachers and to
this end, we made some simple adjustments, without deviating from policy, to make the teaching of these
lesson plans more achievable. The kinds of adjustments made include using some of the practical tasks
in the lesson plans for assessment purposes; and building in time for revision and exams during terms 2
and 4.
CAPS assigns one knowledge strand to form the basis of content in each term. These strands are as
follows:

●● Term 1: Life and Living

●● Term 2: Matter and Materials
●● Term 3: Energy and Change
●● Term 4: Planet Earth and Beyond

In most terms, there are Technology knowledge strands that complement the Natural Sciences strands.
There are three Technology strands, they are:

●● Structures
●● Systems and Control
●● Processing

8 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 Grade 5

Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4

Strands Strands Strands Strands

NS & Tech NS & Tech NS & Tech NS & Tech
Life and Living Structures Matter and Processing Energy and Systems and Planet Earth Systems and
Materials Change Control and Beyond Control

Plants and Skeletons and Metals and non- Processing Stored energy in Systems for Planet Earth -
animals on Earth structures metals materials fuels moving things

Animal Uses of metals Processed Energy and Surface of the

Skeletons materials electricity Earth

Food Chains Energy and Sedimentary

movement Rocks

Life cycles
Fossils

These lesson plans have been designed against the stipulated CAPS requirements with topics being allocated for the time prescribed by CAPS.
(Remember that some slight changes have been incorporated to accommodate time for revision, tests and examinations).
CAPS AND THE LESSON PLANS

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

The distribution of these strands across the year is summarised in the table below:

9
 CAPS AND THE LESSON PLANS
These lesson plans have been designed against the stipulated CAPS requirements with topics
being allocated for the time prescribed by CAPS. (Remember that some slight changes have been
incorporated to accommodate time for revision, tests and examinations).

The time allocation by topic is summarised in the table below.

Remember that one week equates to 3,5 hours or three lessons: two lessons of 1 hour each; and one
lesson of 1½ hours.

GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6

TERM Topic Time in Topic Time in Topic Time in
weeks weeks weeks
Term 1: • Living and non- 2 • Plants and 2½ • Photosynthesis 2½
living things animals on • Nutrients in 1½
Life and Earth
• Structures of 2½ Food
Living
plants and • Animal 1½ • Nutrition 1½
animals Skeletons
• Food 2½
• What plants • Food Chains 2½
1 Processing
need to grow • Life cycles 1½
• Eco Systems 2
• Habitats of • Skeletons and 2 and food webs
1
animals Structures
• Structures for
2½
animal shelters

(10 wks) (10 wks) (10 wks)

Term 2: • Materials around 3½ • Metals and 2 • Solids, liquids ½

us non-metals and gases
Matter
• Solid materials 2 • Uses of metals 2½ • Mixtures 1
and
Materials • Strengthening 2 • Processing 3½ • Solutions as 2½
materials materials special mixtures
• Strong frame 2½ • Processed ma- • Dissolving
2 1
structures terials • Mixtures and
2½
water resources
• Processes to
2½
purify water

(10 wks) (10 wks) (10 wks)

10 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 CAPS AND THE LESSON PLANS
Term 3: • Energy and 2½ • Stored energy 3 • Electric circuits 2½
Energy transfer in fuels • Electrical 2
Energy • Energy around 2½ • Energy and 3 conductors and
and us electricity insulators
Change • Movement • Energy and • Systems to
2½ 1 2½
energy in a movement solve problems
system • Systems for • Mains
2½ 3 3
• Energy and moving things electricity
sound

(10 wks) (10 wks) (10 wks)

Term 4: • Planet Earth 2 • Planet Earth 1 • The solar 2½
• The Sun 1 • Surface of the 2½ system
Planet
• The Earth & the 1 Earth • Movements of 1
Earth
Sun • Sedimentary the earth and
and 2
Rocks planets
Beyond • The Moon 2
• Fossils • The movement
• Rocket Systems 2 2½ 1
of the Moon
• Systems
1
looking into
space
• Systems to 2½
explore the
Moon and Mars

(8 wks) (8 wks) (8 wks)

TOTALS 38 weeks 38 weeks 38 weeks

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 11

 CAPS AND THE LESSON PLANS
CAPS Assessment

Assessment is a continuous planned process that involves identifying, gathering, interpreting and
diagnosing information about the performance of learners.

Assessment involves generating and collecting evidence of learner achievement and progress, and
using this information to understand and provide assistance to the learner during the process of teaching
and learning.

Assessment should be both formal and informal:

a. Informal Assessment involves regular checking of learners’ class work and practical tasks;
asking questions; discussions; informal classroom interactions; and giving constructive
feedback. Informal assessment marks do not need to be recorded, but the teacher can make
notes for future reference.

b. Formal Assessment provides teachers with a systematic way of evaluating how well learners
are progressing. Formal Assessment consists of selected assessment tasks. These tasks are
stipulated by CAPS and the marks need to be recorded. These tasks are done throughout the
year, and include practical tasks, tests and examinations.

i. Tests and Examinations

Examinations must include questions on both Natural Sciences and Technology. The
weighting of the marks should reflect the time allocated to each section in the curriculum
content. Tests and exams should consist of a range of questions that cover different
cognitive levels: recall; understanding; application; evaluation; analysis; and synthesis.
CAPS aligned tests and examinations, with accompanying memoranda, are provided with
these lesson plans.

ii. Practical Tasks

Practical tasks give learners the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, skills and
understanding. Practical tasks form part of the activities included in these lesson plans.
Each term, one practical task has been selected for assessment. A rubric is provided to
conduct the assessment.

A minimum mark allocation is prescribed in CAPS for tests, practical tasks and examinations for each
grade. These are summarised, by grade, in the table below:

12 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 CAPS AND THE LESSON PLANS
Grade 5
Programme of Formal Assessment

TOTAL
Formal MARKS
TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3 TERM 4 TOTAL
Asessments FOR THE
YEAR
School-based 1 test 1 exam 1 test 1 selected Together
assessments [15 marks] or test on [15 marks] practical make up
work from task 75% of the
1 selected terms 1 selected total marks
practical practical [15 marks] of the year
1&2
task task
[45 marks] 135 marks
[15 marks] [15 marks]
1 selected
practical
task

[15 marks]
Exams Exam on Makes up
work from 25% of the
[60 minutes] terms 3 & 4 45 marks
total marks
[45 marks] of the year

Number Total 8
of formal 2 2 2 2 assessments Total: 100%
assessments
[180 marks]

Refer to CAPS on the processes for converting marks to percentages and to the 7-point scale.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 13

 MANAGING A NATURAL SCIENCES CLASSROOM
The time you spend setting up your classroom at the beginning of the year is important. You are not
only preparing for your learners, you are also mentally preparing yourself for the entire year. Your
learners will follow your lead: if you are organised and in control, there is a good chance that they will
be too. Learners feel comfortable and safe with order and routines. So with this in mind, you need to
consider the following at the start of each term:

●● Mentally preparing yourself

●● Preparing your classroom

1. Mentally preparing yourself

Teaching is very demanding and holidays are an important time to rest your mind and your body.
Use your holidays to get rest and reconnect with yourself. Toward the start of the new term start to
reflect on your practice and begin to plan what you need to do.

a. Reconnect with yourself

By the end of a teaching term, teachers are always very tired. It is important that you take
time to rest and build up your mental and physical energy.
Apart from rest, you should also make a plan to do some exercise. Although we don’t always
think so, physical exercise relaxes us and build up energy – it also makes us fit, and it is
always nice to feel fit and healthy. You should also try and do some physical activity during
the term as this will help you get rid of stress.
Make time to see your family and friends. Happy social time is also good for the mind, body
and soul.
Find some quiet time to be by yourself and to think about your life…your family, your job
and your goals. Thinking about your life and being in the moment is called mindfulness.
Being mindful is very important because when we are mindful, we are fully present and
aware of where we are and what we are doing. When we are mindful we don’t over react to
situations or to events around us.

b. Reflect on your practice

As you get closer to the start of a new year or new term, think about the kinds of things that
you do and why you do them. Also think about what is good and successful about what you
do, and what you could do better.
Think about what makes you stressed and what makes you happy.
Think about how you might do things better or differently to make your work more successful
and rewarding.

Try asking yourself the following questions:

●● What is it that I really enjoy about my work?

●● What is it that I really don’t enjoy? How can I try to make this not be such an issue for
me?
●● What am I good at?
●● What can I do better?
●● Why do I teach?

14 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 MANAGING A NATURAL SCIENCES CLASSROOM
●● Do I use a variety of teaching methods and approaches? Which work well, and which
don’t?
●● How can I make the experience of teaching and learning better for me and my
learners?
●● Am I good at connecting with my learners and colleagues? Is there anything I could
improve?

Answering these questions should provide you with a lot of introspection, and should give you
ideas on how to plan what you might do differently.

When you start to put your new strategies in place, remember that sometimes things are beyond
our control – for example we can’t control other people (learners, colleagues, parents), all that we
can do is manage our reaction to people and circumstances. As teachers, we should always strive
to be better and to give our learners a high-quality learning experience.

c. Plan what you need to do

After reflecting on your practice, it is time to put your thinking into action. The best actions and
results come out of informed plans. Make sure that your plans are realistic and achievable. If
your plans are too ambitious, you will become disappointed if you put them into action.

Your plans should:

●● be specific with achievable outcomes

●● not be overly ambitious
●● help you use your time effectively
●● help make your teaching more effective and efficient
●● make your learners’ experience exciting and safe
●● address what you discovered during your personal reflection

Reflect on your plans from time-to-time, to see if you are in track of if you need to review them.
You can make plans about:

●● the layout of your classroom

●● how you will manage resources
●● the kinds of resources that you need to collect
●● marking learners’ work
●● the activities that you will do with learners
●● when you will meet with parents
●● finding time to do introspection and reflection

2. Preparing your classroom

Once you have mentally prepared yourself and planned the kinds of things you need to do, it is
time to prepare your physical space. Organising your classroom can make your life much easier,
and can the enhance the teaching and learning experience. Your classroom need to be functional
and organised.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 15

 MANAGING A NATURAL SCIENCES CLASSROOM
These are the kinds of things that you should be thinking about:

a. Cleaning Out
Without even realising it, our classrooms become filled with things that we don’t need. Take
the time at the start of each term to do a big clean out. Throw away things that are no longer
needed and sort and tidy things that need to be kept. Your learners will appreciate a clean
learning environment and it will encourage them to be neat and tidy.

b. Teacher’s desk
The teachers desk is usually a central place in the classroom. Different teachers will use their
desks in different way. The teacher’s desk can be used as a:
●● working area to help learners
●● place for marking
●● place to store materials
●● place to place teaching resources

Try not to teach from your chair. Good teachers are active and move around the classroom.
This helps with discipline and it also allows you to stay connected with your learners and to
provide help where necessary.

Depending on how you use your desk, will determine where you should place it. If it is used
for storing resources, you could place it at the back of the class. If it is going to be the place
where you assist learners and mark their work, you might want to put it in on the side of
your classroom, somewhere down the middle. Try not to place your desk in a front corner
of the classroom – this is very traditional and authoritarian, it also doesn’t allow for the best
management of your learners.

If you will spend time teaching around your desk – with resources and lesson plans placed on
your desk – make sure that you place it where the whole class can see you.

Always make sure that your desk is organised, clean and tidy and provides a good example to
your learners.

c. Learners’ desks
Firstly, you need to ensure that all of your learner have a desk to work at and a chair to sit on.
If there are shortages in your classroom, you need to escalate this problem to your Head of
Department.

Ensure that desks and chairs are not broken and that they are clean. Organise that any broken
or unused desks and chairs are removed from your classroom. It is a good idea to get learners
to help clean desks and chairs on the last day of the term so that they are clean for the start of
the new term.

There are many ways to arrange your classroom and these will be decided by the age of the
learners, the subject being taught, and on issues like discipline.

Science is a subject that often requires group work and discussions in pairs. By placing
learners in pairs or groups, you are providing an opportunity for resources to be shared. If
you place learners in pairs, it is best to place two desks side by side in rows, or if you place

16 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 MANAGING A NATURAL SCIENCES CLASSROOM
learners in groups, you can seat them in groups of 4 or 6. It is important that you make sure
that all learners can see the chalkboard.

d. Learners’ workbooks
At the beginning of each year, you need to ensure that you provide each learner with a science
workbook. Workbooks are simple 72-page lined books. Learner workbooks are important for
learners as they provide a record of work for learners and they also contain the content that
learners will use for revision and study. These lesson plans have been designed in such a
way that your learners will have the opportunity to record much of the CAPS content into their
workbooks.

You should encourage learners to cover their workbooks in paper and plastic, as these will
make them more durable.

If you teach a number of classes, it is a good idea to buy a few rolls of different coloured
insulation tape. Choose one colour or a combination of two colours and stick these on the
bottom end of the spine of the learners’ workbooks. This way, you will immediately be able to
identify what class a learner’s book belongs to. Store the learners’ workbooks, by class, on a
shelves in your classroom, with the spines showing, so that you can easily identify on which
pile to place learner workbooks. The colour coding will also help learners with where to place
the place their workbooks when handing them in.

e. Learner textbooks
You should have at least one set of textbooks, so that for each class that you teach, each
learner with have a textbook to work from. Although it may seem like a big job, you should
cover all of the textbooks in plastic as this will make them more robust and durable. You may
also want to use coloured insulation tape to mark sets of learner textbooks. This will help you
to easily separate books by grade and by title. Also dedicate a place on your book shelf for
textbooks.

If you have sufficient textbooks to give each learner you teach one book, you should number
each book with a school stamp and keep a list of the number of the textbook provided to each
learner. You should instruct learners to cover their textbooks with plastic and to stick a label
onto the textbook with their name on it.

At least once a term you should check that learners still have their textbooks and that the
condition of textbooks is good. Provide praise and guidance where necessary and involve
parents or guardians if necessary.

f. Science resources and equipment

You should ensure that all of your resources (including lesson plans, trackers, posters and any
other science equipment) is stored safely and practically. This means that they should not be
able hurt learners; that they cannot be removed or stolen; and that they should be practically
available for easy use.

You should create a register of all of your resources so that you know what you have. If you
lend any resources to learners or colleagues, you should write this down so that you have a
record of where all of your valuable resources are.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 17

 MANAGING A NATURAL SCIENCES CLASSROOM
For an ideal Natural Science & Technology classroom, there are certain resources that you
should try to accumulate. Notify your SMT of these requirements, so that they can possibly be
included in the school budget. The list that follows may be used as a guide:

Science:
●● Cleaning cloths
●● Cleaning detergent
●● Large bowl
●● Spoons and knives (different sizes)
●● Scissors
●● Beakers, jars and containers
●● Eye protection glasses
●● Prestick
●● Batteries
●● Circuit boards
●● Litmus paper
●● Map of the world or globe
●● A torch
●● Burner (Bunsen burner)
●● Matches
●● Candles
●● Relevant newspaper articles, magazine articles and posters
●● Bunsen Samples or examples of topics you teach (e.g. pieces of igneous rock, animals
bones, topsoil, types of plants)
●● Plasters and antiseptic ointment
●● Fire extinguisherWall displays

Technology:
●● Pliers
●● Hacksaw
●● Variety of screwdrivers
●● Hammer
●● Glue (wood and metal)
●● String
●● Wire
●● Paint and brushes
●● A4 paper for design
●● Dry waste (boxes, tubs, bottles, jars)

Before the first day of school, you should make sure that your classroom looks visually exciting
and interesting. A print-rich and visually exciting classroom will stimulate learners and create
opportunities for incidental learning.

18 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 MANAGING A NATURAL SCIENCES CLASSROOM
To make your classroom exciting, consider doing the following:

●● Display posters relevant to the theme and topics for the year (you will receive a poster for
each term as part of these science lesson plans).
●● Display the pictures and diagrams included in your resource pack for the topic. Try to stick
these pictures and diagrams onto cardboard, and laminate them or cover them in plastic.
●● Create a NEWS CORNER where you display newspaper and magazine articles with a
science interest of topic.
●● Make flashcards of vocabulary words for the term (you may also want to include the
definitions for the words).
●● Make posters or flow charts that explain some topic for the term.

Once the term commences, you should also try to display the work of learners. This not only
personalises the learning environment for your class, but it also boosts learner confidence.

g. Asserting discipline
Good discipline is central to a positive teaching and learning environment. It is important that
learners know the rules of classroom and that these are communicated to them at the start of
the year. Apart from telling the learners the rules, you should display these on the classroom
wall in a place that is visible for everybody. Make sure that you write the rules in a font that is
neat and large enough for learners to read. You might also want to get the learners to sign a
pledge to say that they will abide by the rules of the class.

The pledge could be as simple as:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I, ____________________________, in grade ____ know the rules of this class and I pledge
to abide by them.

Signature: _________________________ Date: ________________________

Signature of teacher: ____________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is always good to get learners to help you design the rules, this way they are more likely to
take ownership of the rules and stick to them.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 19

 MANAGING A NATURAL SCIENCES CLASSROOM
Classroom rules, could include things like:

1. Respect the person who is speaking

2. Be kind and patient with others
3. Don’t bully
4. Keep your desk tidy
5. Always come to class on time
6. Write neatly in your book
7. Keep your cell phone off
8. Etc.

h. Establishing routines
You need to be consistent in how you present yourself to your class and how you teach your
learners. Your learners should know what responses to expect from you, you cannot respond
differently for the same thing on different days. Consistency will make your learners feel safe
and secure. When learners feel psychologically safe, you will get the best out of them – both in
behaviour and the work that they do.

Build in systems in your class that the learners will become familiar with. These are called
routines. For example:

●● insist that learners line up outside your classroom

●● expect that learners walk in and sit down quietly
●● let them understand (as is expected in these science lessons) that they need to
immediately take out their books and write down the answer to the chalkboard
●● Etc.
These science lessons have been designed to establish these kinds of routines.

Routines are known to improve learner behaviour and attitudes as well as overall classroom
behaviour and discipline. Letting learners know what is expected and making this part of the
cycle of what happens in your classroom will certainly assist with discipline and overall classroom
management.

20 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 REFLECTING ON THE LESSONS THAT YOU TEACH
It is important to reflect on your teaching. Through reflection, we become aware of what is working and
what is not, what we need to change and what we do not. Reflecting on your use of these lesson plans
will also help you use them more effectively and efficiently.

These lesson plans have been designed to help you deliver the content and skills associated with CAPS.
For this reason, it is very important that you stick to the format and flow of the lessons. CAPS requires a
lot of content and skills to be covered – this makes preparation and following the lesson structure very
important.

Use the tool below to help you reflect on the lessons that you teach. You do not need to use this for
every lesson that you each – but it is a good idea to use it a few times when you start to use these
lessons. This way, you can make sure that you are on track and that you and your learners are getting
the most out of the lessons.

LESSON REFLECTION TOOL

Preparation
1. What preparation was done?

2. Was preparation sufficient?

3. What could have been done better?

4. Were all of the necessary resources available?

Classroom Management

Yes No
5. Was the question written in the board?
6. Was the answer written on the board?
7. Was the answer discussed with the learners in a meaningful way?
8. Overall reflection on this part of the lesson:
What was done well?
What could have been done better?

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 21

 REFLECTING ON THE LESSONS THAT YOU TEACH
Accessing Information

Yes No
9. Was the text and/ or diagrams written on the chalkboard before the
lesson started?
10. Was the work on the board neat and easy for the learners to read?

11. Was the explanation on the content easy to follow?

12. Was the information on the board used effectively to help with the
explanations?
13. Was any new vocabulary taught effectively? (in context and using
strategies like PATS)
14. Were the learners actively engaged? (asked questions, asked for
their opinions and to give ideas or suggestions)
15. Were the checklist questions used effectively?

16. Overall reflection on this part of the lesson:

What was done well?
What could have been done better?

22 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 REFLECTING ON THE LESSONS THAT YOU TEACH
Conceptual Development

Yes No
17. Was the information taught in the ‘Accessing Information’ part of the
lesson used to foreground the activity?
18. Were clear instructions given for the conceptual development
activity?
19. Were the outcomes/answers to the activities explained to the
learners?
20. Could the learners ask questions and were explanations given?
21. Was a model answer supplied to the learners? (written or drawn on
the board)
21. Were the checklist questions used effectively?
22. At the end of the lesson, were the learners asked if they had
questions or if they needed any explanations?
23. Overall reflection on this part of the lesson:
What was done well?
What could have been done better?

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 23

TOPIC OVERVIEW:
Life and Living; Structures
Term 1, Weeks 1A – 3A
A. TOPIC OVERVIEW
Term 1, Weeks 1a – 1c

●● This topic runs for 2 ½ weeks.

●● This topic counts for 12% in the mid-year exam.
●● It is presented over 7 lessons.
●● This topic’s position in the term is as follows:

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

WEEK 6 WEEK 7 WEEK 8 WEEK 9 WEEK 10

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

B. SEQUENTIAL TABLE
GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6 & 7
LOOKING BACK CURRENT LOOKING FORWARD
●● Living things: Many kinds of ●● Many different plants and ●● Photosynthesis: plants
animals and plants; carry out animals and their habitats make their own food;
all seven life processes ●● Interdependence; plants and process of photosynthesis
●● Non-living things: do not carry animals depend on each ●● Plants and air: plants take
out all seven life processes other; plants and animals in carbon dioxide, give off
●● Conditions for growth depend on their resources oxygen; animals use the
●● Different habitats and need available oxygen and give off carbon
for a habitat ●● Many different animal dioxide
●● Animal shelters types; invertebrates and
vertebrates

24 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

C. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL VOCABULARY
Ensure that you teach the following vocabulary at the appropriate place in the topic:

TERM EXPLANATION
1. biodiversity Refers to all the different living things in a habitat

2. indigenous Occurs naturally in a particular place

3. variety Many things of the same kind

A plant or animal’s home; the place where it lives or grows; a habitat is

4. habitat
made up of all the plants, animals and non-living things in a specific area.

5. scalloped Has a series of small curves along the edge

6. characteristics A quality that a person, place or thing has

7. fleshy Being plump, fat

8. nectar A sugary liquid found inside flowers

9. floral Of flowers

10. webbed Having toes that are connected by some skin, a water bird has webbed
feet.

11. organised Carefully arranged in a sensible way

12. pests A destructive insect that annoys people, animals or eats crops

13. reproduction Producing babies

14. disperse Spread over a wide area

When pollen is taken from one flower to another for the plant to make
15. droppings
seeds
pollination/
16. Existing things that plants and animals need in order to survive
pollinate

17. resources An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food

18. prey Something that keeps a person or thing from being harmed

19. protection Slightly wet

20. damp Thin, flat, hard plates that cover fish

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 25

21. scales A vertebrate that has hair or fur and suckles its young

22. mammal Short, soft hair on many mammals, like cats

23. fur Carefully arranged in a sensible way

24. invertebrate A destructive insect that annoys people, animals or eats crops

25. exoskeleton Producing babies

26. hydroskeleton Spread over a wide area

When pollen is taken from one flower to another for the plant to make
27. vertebrate
seeds

28. endoskeleton Existing things that plants and animals need in order to survive

D. UNDERSTANDING THE USES / VALUE OF SCIENCE

With the increasing number of people on planet Earth, the natural resources are being used up at a
very fast rate. Studying habitats and biodiversity will lead to a better understanding of how to protect
these natural resources.

E. PERSONAL REFLECTION
Reflect on your teaching at the end of each topic:

Date completed:

Lesson successes:

Lesson challenges:

Notes for future

improvement:

26 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

Term 1, Week 1, Lesson A

Lesson Title: Different plants and animals living in
1A different habitats
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Many different plants and animals

CAPS Page Number 31

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• identify different plants and animals

• group leaves according to certain criteria

1. DOING SCIENCE 
Specific
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS
Aims
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs 
Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise
framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints
 way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information
 data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information 

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 27

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
1 AFor this lesson, you will need:
IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES
Resource Page 1: 'An egret catching a fish'

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What are the seven life processes that you learnt about last year?

3. Learners should enter the classroom, then discuss the seven life processes with the
teacher and then answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss their answers with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

The seven life processes are feeding, growing, reproducing, breathing, excreting, sensing, and
moving.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

MANY DIFFERENT PLANTS AND ANIMALS

There are many different habitats on Earth.

Many different animals and plants live in these habitats.
Indigenous plants are those that occur naturally in a specific place.
This means that they have not been brought in from somewhere else.
Biodiversity refers to the number of different types of animals and plants in an area.
South Africa has habitats with high biodiversity.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. The learners studied habitats and the need for a habitat in Grade 4.
b. A habitat is a plant’s or animal’s home; it is the place where it grows or lives.
c. Animals and plants share their habitats.
d. If an animal or plant is referred to as ‘indigenous’ it means that it naturally occurs in that
area.
e. South Africa has many indigenous plants and animals.
f. The number of different plants in an area is the plant diversity of that area.
g. The number of different animals in an area is the animal diversity of that area.

28 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
h. All the plants and animals together with their habitats make up the biodiversity of that
area.
i. South Africa has habitats with high biodiversity.
j. This means that there are many different types of plants and animals in that habitat.
k. People come from all over the world to look at our plants and animals.
l. Show learners Resource Page 1: An egret catching a fish.
m. An egret needs to live near water as it eats fish.
n. It lives in a water habitat.

3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What does the word ‘indigenous’ mean?
b. What does ‘biodiversity’ mean?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. ‘Indigenous’ refers to the plants and animals that occur naturally in a particular area.
b. ‘Biodiversity’ refers to all the different types of animals and plants in that area.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 29

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Before the lesson, collect leaves of different types (colour, shape, edges and size).
2. Write the following onto the chalkboard:

Most plants have leaves.

The leaves have different shapes.
Some are long and thin and some are wide.
Some have different colours.

COLOUR
dark green, light green, grey, yellow, green with white marks

SHAPE
long, thin, wide, narrow, heart-shaped

EDGES
smooth, tooth-like, scalloped

SIZE
small, medium, large

TASK 1
a. Find three different types of leaves.
b. Draw these leaves in your workbook.
c. Label your drawing to show how the leaves are different.
d. Write three sentences to describe each leaf.

TASK 2
a. Collect all the leaves from the class.
b. Decide how you would put these leaves into groups.
c. This will be discussed as a class.
d. Put the leaves into the grouping decided upon.

3. Explain this task to the learners as follows:

a. Learners need to bring three leaves each to their lessons.
b. Learners will draw each leaf in their workbooks.
c. Go over the words to describe leaves according to their colour, shape, edge and size.

30 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
d. leaves and describe them to the class. Discuss these answers.
e. Each leaf should have four labels to describe the colour, shape, and size.
f. Let the learners discuss how to group the leaves.
g. Let the learners put these leaves into groups according to their decision.
h. Plants are normally classified according to their colour, shape and size.
4. Give learners some time to complete Task 1 in their workbooks.
5. Ask learners to share their answers to Task 1 with the class. The learners hold up their
leaves and describe them to the class. Discuss these answers.
6. Example of an answer:

LEAF 1

dark green slightly scalloped edges

narrow small

7. When learners have completed Task 1, do Task 2.

a. Read through the instructions on the chalkboard with the class.
b. Ask learners to discuss how to group all the leaves collected.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. South Africa has habitats with high biodiversity. What does this mean?
b. Name three ways in which we can group leaves.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

c. This means that there are many different types of plants and animals that live in a
habitat.
d. We can group leaves according to their colour, shape and size.

8. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 31

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Plants and animals on Earth 12-13

Viva Plants and animals on Earth 1-3

Platinum Plants and animals on Earth 2

Solutions for All Plants and animals on Earth 2-3

Day-by-Day Plants and animals on Earth 1-3

Oxford Plants and animals on Earth 10-15

Spot On Plants and animals on Earth 2-3

Top Class Plants and animals on Earth 1-2

Sasol Inzalo BkA Plants and animals on Earth 4

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/8w4YDR (2 1/2 mins) [South Africa Biodiversity]

32 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

Term 1, Week 1, Lesson B

1B Lesson Title:Categorising plants
Time for lesson: 1½ hours

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Many different plants and animals

CAPS Page Number 31

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• conduct an investigation
• draw conclusions from the data
• categorise information

1. DOING SCIENCE 
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs 
Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise
framework
 knowledge
 Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data

Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information 

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 33

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 2: Different types of leaves

string or wool – 9 metres per group

four sticks

ruler or tape measure

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Give the three ways in which leaves can be grouped.

3. Learners should enter the classroom, then discuss the seven life processes with the
teacher and then answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss their answers with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

Leaves can be grouped according to their shape, colour or size.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

CLASSIFYING
Plants and animals can be classified.
To classify items means to put them into groups according to certain characteristics.
Scientists classify items to help them group and name items in an organised way.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. In the previous lesson, learners put their leaves into groups according to shape, colour
or size.
b. The task from the previous lesson dealt with classifying leaves.
c. To classify items means to put things into groups according to certain criteria.
d. Colour, shape or size are the criteria used to classify leaves.
e. Scientists classify items to help them understand, group and name these items in an
organised way.
f. It is easier to study plants and animals and to learn about patterns in nature if they are
grouped in some way.

34 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What does the word ‘classify’ mean?
b. Why do scientists classify things?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Classify means to put into groups according to certain characteristics.
b. Classifying helps scientists group and name items in an organised way.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard:

INVESTIGATION
YOU WILL NEED:
string or wool
four sticks
ruler or a tape measure

METHOD:
a. Measure out an area 2 metres by 2 metres (2 big steps by 2 big steps).
b. Put each of the four sticks at the corner of this area.
c. Tie the string or wool around these four sticks.
d. Count the number of plants you can see in this area.
e. Record this in your notebook.
f. Look at each different plant.
g. Make notes in your notebook about the shape, size and colour of the leaves, flowers
and fruits of each plant.
h. Draw a rough sketch of each type of plant (photographs of the plants can be taken).
RESULT
Number of plants in area:

Drawing of plant Shape, colour and Shape, colour and Shape, colour and
size of leaf size of plant size of fruit

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 35

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
2. Explain the following to the learners:
a. Go over the words used to describe the colour, size and shape of leaves from Lesson
1A with the learners.
b. The learners will work in groups of four to six.
c. Each group must have four sticks to put into the ground and about nine metres of
string.
d. Find a suitable area within the school grounds. If the class has to go outside the
school property, get permission to do so.
e. Go through the method explaining each step carefully.
f. Learners will record their information in their workbooks.
g. Each learner must do rough sketches with labels of each different plant in their given
area.
h. When they have finished collecting the information, learners must go back to class to
write down their results.
i. Each learner must draw and fill in the table in their workbooks.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. Ask learners to share their results with the rest of the class. Discuss these results.
5. Show learners Resource Page 2: Different types of leaves.
6. Explain the following to the learners:
a. The aloe grows in a dry habitat.
b. The leaves of an aloe are thick and fleshy.
c. This allows the leaves of an aloe to store water.
d. The water lily grows in a water habitat.
e. The water lily has wide, flat leaves.
f. This allows the leaves of a water lily to float on water.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Why does an aloe have thick, fleshy leaves?
b. What three criteria do we use to classify plants?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. It has thick, fleshy leaves so that they can store water.
b. We use colour, shape and size to classify plants.

7. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

36 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Plants and animals on Earth 17

Viva Plants and animals on Earth 3-4

Platinum Plants and animals on Earth 13

Solutions for All Plants and animals on Earth 2-4

Day-by-Day Plants and animals on Earth 4-5

Oxford Plants and animals on Earth -

Spot On Plants and animals on Earth 3

Top Class Plants and animals on Earth 5

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Plants and animals on Earth 16-17

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
N/A

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 37

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

Term 1, Week 1, Lesson C

1C Lesson Title: Habitats
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Many different plants and animals

CAPS Page Number 31

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• name four different types of habitats

• give examples of animals and plants living in these habitats
• describe some characteristics of these animals and plants

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts

Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs 

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise
framework
 knowledge
 Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints
 way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information 

38 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 2: Different types of leaves

Resource Page 3: Different habitats

Resource Page 4: Different habitats continued

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What do we mean by the word ‘habitat’?

3. Learners should enter the classroom, then discuss the seven life processes with the
teacher and then answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss their answers with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A habitat is a plant or animal’s home; it is the place where a plant or animal grows or lives.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 39

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

DIFFERENT HABITATS

Plants grow in different habitats.

The water lily lives in water.
Their leaves are large and flat so they can float on water.
The aloe lives in dry areas.
Their leaves are thick and fleshy so that they can store water.
The clivia does not like lots of light so it grows in a forest.

Animals live in different habitats.

The frog lives in water.
It has webbed fingers and toes so that it can swim.
Sunbirds have long beaks to suck nectar from flowers on plants.
It lives in a floral area.
The elephant has a trunk and tusks to help it get food to eat.
The trunk can reach leaves on trees and the tusks dig up roots.
They like living in grassland areas.
Ostriches like to live in hot areas like a desert.
They have long, strong legs to protect themselves.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. Remind the learners that they learnt about habitats in Grade 4.
b. The learners studied grassland, forest, river and sea habitats.
c. The learners also looked at the need for a habitat, such as food, water, shelter, to raise
their young and to escape from danger.
d. Show learners Resource Page 3: Different habitats.
e. Explain that the sunbird has a long beak so that the beak can go into a flower to get
nectar.
f. It likes to live in a floral area, which means an area where plants have many flowers.
g. The elephant has a trunk for getting leaves of trees and tusks for digging up roots.
h. They also use their trunks and tusks to defend themselves.
i. Grassland areas have grass and tress like acacias (thorn trees).
j. Show learners Resource Page 4: Different habitats continued.
k. Explain that the clivia grows under trees as it does not like a lot of light.
l. You will find clivias in a forest.

40 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
m. Ostriches like to live in hot areas like a desert.
n. They can run fast and kick hard to protect themselves.
o. In a desert area, they can see far.

Checkpoint 1

Ask learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Name one plant or animal that lives in or near water.
b. Why does a sunbird have a long beak?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Many answers will be correct, e.g. water lily or frog. Learners might list other plants or
animals that live on or near water.
b. A sunbird has a long beak so that the beak can enter a flower to get nectar.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Draw the following diagram onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson
starts):

water forest

Different
Habitats

grassland hot area or

desert

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 41

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
2. Explain the following to the learners:
a. Learners must copy this diagram into their workbooks.
b. In the empty circles, they must fill in the correct animals and plants from the
information on the chalkboard.
c. Then at the end of the lines coming out from those circles, the learners must fill in
information about that plant or animal.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. The model answer is:

large, falt
leaves for water lily likes dark
floating areas for clivia
growing

frog water forest

webbed
fingers and Different
toes for Habitats
swimming

trunk for
reaching
grassland hot area or
tops of trees
desert
and tusks for
digging up
roots

elephant ostrich
aloe
thick, fleshy
long, strong
leaves for
legs for
holding water
protection

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Name four different types of habitats.
b. Why can a frog swim so well in water?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Grassland, desert, water, forest
b. It has webbed fingers and toes.

5. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

42 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Plants and animals on Earth 13-16

Viva Plants and animals on Earth 2-4

Platinum Plants and animals on Earth 4-5

Solutions for All Plants and animals on Earth -

Day-by-Day Plants and animals on Earth 1-2

Oxford Plants and animals on Earth -

Spot On Plants and animals on Earth 3

Top Class Plants and animals on Earth 2

Sasol Inzalo BkA Plants and animals on Earth 2-17

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/QEVmsq (4min) [Animal Habitats]
2. https://goo.gl/NbSjih (1min) [Habitats - Grasslands – an introduction]
3. https://goo.gl/qkdkdh (4min) [Animals and their habitats]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 43

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

Term 1, Week 2, Lesson A

2A Lesson Title: Inter-dependence between plants and
animalsTime for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Inter - dependence

CAPS Page Number 31

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• define inter-dependence
• describe how plants and animals depend on each other.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas  Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

Write summaries
framework knowledge
Describe concepts and
Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data
Recognise relationships Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new ideas needs and wants products and processes

Identify assumptions Categorise information

44 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 5: Lions in the shade of a tree

Resource Page 6: Inter-dependence:

Oxpeckers on a giraffe

Resource Page 7: Bees pollinating a plant

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Why does a water lily have large, flat leaves?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

The water lily has large flat leaves so that it can float on water.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 45

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

INTER-DEPENDENCE BETWEEN PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Inter-dependence is when two or more things depend on each other.

Animals and plants depend on each other for food, shelter and reproduction.

FOOD
Animals cannot make their own food.
They eat plants or other animals that have eaten plants.

SHELTER
Trees provide shelter for birds to make their nests.
Trees provide shelter from the weather.
Insects live in plants.
Spiders make their webs in these plants.

REPRODUCTION
Some plants need animals to disperse their seeds.
Animals either pick up the seeds in their fur or carry them in their droppings.
Some insects pollinate plants.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. Plants need to have their seeds spread over a large area.
b. Animals carry seeds in two ways: droppings or when seeds get caught in their fur.
c. Insects and plants need each other.
d. They are inter-dependent.
e. Lions need protection from the sun, so they will lie under a tree in the middle of the day.
f. Show learners Resource Page 5: Lions in the shade of a tree.
g. Without the shade of trees, lions would not be able to rest in order to hunt. It would be
too hot.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information from the chalkboard into their workbooks.

46 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
Checkpoint 1

Ask learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Name two things that animals depend on plants for.
b. Give one way in which animals can disperse plant seeds.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Animals need plants to provide shelter and food.
b. Either answer: They can disperse plant seeds by their droppings or by carrying them in
their fur.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts).

Ticks and flies bother giraffes.

A bird called an oxpecker will land on a giraffe and pick off and eat these ticks and flies.
The oxpecker and giraffe are inter-dependent.

Bees land on flowers to get nectar.

Bees need nectar to make honey.
The pollen from the flower sticks to the bees’ legs.
The pollen gets taken to another flower by the bees.
Pollination then takes place.
The plant can then make seeds.

2. Explain this task to the learners as follows:

a. Show learners Resource Page 6: Inter-dependence: Oxpeckers on a giraffe.
b. The giraffe has ticks and flies that bother it.
c. The oxpeckers pick off these pests.
d. This helps the giraffe get rid of unwanted pests.
e. This helps the oxpecker as it eats these pests.
f. The giraffe and the oxpeckers are inter-dependent.
g. Show learners Resource Page 7: Bees pollinating a plant.
h. Bees depend on the nectar inside plants to make their honey.
i. The flowers depend on the bees to pollinate them.
j. Without nectar, bees cannot make honey, and without pollen going to another flower,
the plants cannot reproduce.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 47

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
k. Explain how pollen sticks on the bees’ legs and it then gets taken to other plant.
l. Pollination enables the plants to make seeds.
m. Bees need flowers for their nectar and flower need bees for pollination.
3. Draw the following diagram on the chalkboard. Always try to do this before the lesson
starts.

TASK
INTER-DEPENDENCE OF OXPECKERS AND GIRAFFES

giraffes oxpeckers

need need

oxpeckers giraffes

to / for to / for

get rid of
giraffes
ticks and flies

4. Explain the following to the learners:

a. The diagram shows why the one animal/bird is dependent on another animal/bird.
b. It then shows how they are inter-dependent.
c. Do a similar diagram for bees and flowers.
d. Learners must write the following heading in their workbooks: INTER-DEPENDENCE
OF BEES AND FLOWERS
5. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
6. The model answer for this task is as follows:

48 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
INTER-DEPENDENCE OF BEES AND FLOWERS

bees flowers

need need

flowers bees

to / for to / for

nectar to pollinate other

make honey flowers so that
they make
seeds to
reproduce

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What do bees get from flowers?
b. What do they use this for?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Bees get nectar from flowers.
b. They use nectar to make honey.

7. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 49

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Plants and animals on Earth 18-19

Viva Plants and animals on Earth 5

Platinum Plants and animals on Earth 6-7

Solutions for All Plants and animals on Earth 6-7

Day-by-Day Plants and animals on Earth 6-7

Oxford Plants and animals on Earth 16

Spot On Plants and animals on Earth 4

Top Class Plants and animals on Earth 4

Sasol Inzalo BkA Plants and animals on Earth 18-23

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/haXJgM (3min 30sec) [How plants and animals depend on each other]
2. https://goo.gl/UJ11t6 (2min 30sec) [Pollination lesson]

50 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

Term 1, Week 2, Lesson B

Lesson Title: Inter-dependence between living things
2B and resources
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Inter - dependence

CAPS Page Number 31

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• Explain what is meant by non-living resources

• Describe how animals need both living and non-living resources in order to survive.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

Write summaries
framework knowledge
Describe concepts and
Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new ideas needs and wants products and processes

Identify assumptions Categorise information

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 51

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 8: Crocodiles

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What does inter-dependence mean?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

It means when two or more things depend on each other.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

INTER-DEPENDENCE BETWEEN PLANTS, ANIMALS AND RESOURCES

Living things need non-living things as well as each other to survive.

Plants need air, water, soil and sunlight from their habitats to survive.
Animals need air, water, food and shelter from their habitats to survive.
Resources are existing things that are needed for animals and plants to survive.
Animals make use of these resources for food, protection and reproduction.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. Plants and animals depend on their habitats for their needs.
b. Plants need sunlight, water, minerals from the soil and carbon dioxide from the air to
survive.
c. Animals need sunlight, water, food and oxygen to survive.
d. Many animals need a shelter of some sort as well as which also acts as protection from
predators.
e. To protect themselves, birds make nests high up in trees and meerkats make burrows
in the ground.
f. These shelters also keep their young safe.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

52 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
Checkpoint 1

Ask learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Name three non-living resources.
b. What do animals get from their habitats that they need in order to survive?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Any three of: air, water, soil, food.
b. Animals get air, water, soil, food and shelter in order to survive.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

CROCODILES

Crocodiles live in water and on land next to water.

They prey on animals that come to drink at a river or a watering hole.
Crocodiles can move very fast.
They can also swim without making ripples in the water.
Their eyes and snout (nose) lie just above the water.
They lay their eggs in river banks.
Crocodiles eat about 50 times a year.
Crocodiles breathe air like people but they can hold their breath underwater for a very long
time.

TASK

Complete the following sentences using the following words:

water; living; animals; land; air; non-living; eggs

a. Crocodiles live in ____ and on ____.

b. They need ____ to breathe but they can be underwater for a long time.
c. They survive by eating other ____.
d. Crocodiles need both ____ and ____ things to survive.
e. They keep their ____ safe by laying them in river banks.

2. Explain this task to the learners as follows:

a. The crocodile lives in a water habitat and a land habitat.
b. They eat other animals.
c. These animals eat other animals or plants in order to live and grow.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 53

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
d. Crocodiles keep their eggs safe by laying their eggs in river banks.
e. Crocodiles can lie still underwater for up to two hours.
f. Crocodiles can move very fast.
g. They wait to attack their prey.
h. Show learners Resource Page 7: Crocodiles.
3. Ask learners to complete the task in their workbooks by filling in the correct words from the
given list.
4. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
5. The model answers for the task are:

CROCODILES

a. Crocodiles live in water and on land.

b. They need air to breathe but they can be underwater for a long time.
c. They survive by eating other animals.
d. Crocodiles need both living and non-living things to survive.
e. They keep their eggs safe by laying them in river banks.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. In what habitats does a crocodile live?
b. Why does a crocodile lay its eggs in a river bank?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A crocodile lives in the water and on land.
b. It lays its eggs in a river bank to keep them safe.

6. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

54 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Plants and animals on Earth 19

Viva Plants and animals on Earth 8-9

Platinum Plants and animals on Earth 8-9

Solutions for All Plants and animals on Earth 6-7

Day-by-Day Plants and animals on Earth 8

Oxford Plants and animals on Earth 17

Spot On Plants and animals on Earth 4-5

Top Class Plants and animals on Earth 4

Sasol Inzalo BkA Plants and animals on Earth 23-27

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/1n6a7T (6min 30sec) [Understanding ecosystems]
2. https://goo.gl/5gpF3Z (8min) [Living and non-living objects]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 55

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

Term 1, Week 2, Lesson C

2C Lesson Title: Invertebrates
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Animal types

CAPS Page Number 31

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• define an invertebrate
• describe what an invertebrate looks like
• give some examples of invertebrates.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new ideas needs and wants products and processes

Identify assumptions Categorise information 

56 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 9: Classifying animals

Resource Page 10: Invertebrates: A crab and

a snail

Resource 11: Invertebrates: An earthworm and

a butterfly

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What do animals need in order to survive?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

Animals need air, water, food and some need shelter in order to survive.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

INVERTEBRATES

One way to classify (group) animals is to put them into two groups: those with bones and
those with no bones.
Invertebrates are animals with no bones.
Some invertebrates have a hard covering around their body, like a crab or a cockroach.
This hard covering is called an exoskeleton.
An exoskeleton does not grow with the body of the invertebrate.
All insects have an exoskeleton and six legs.
Some invertebrates are soft, like an earthworm.
These soft invertebrates need a damp habitat.
They have a skin that needs to breathe and so it must be kept damp.
This is called a hydroskeleton.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 57

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:
c. Look at Resource Page 9: Classifying animals.
d. Point out the two main groups of animals on this poster: vertebrates and invertebrates.
e. Point out that these two main groups are put into smaller groups.
f. Invertebrates are animals with no bones.
g. Some may have a hard covering to protect their body like a crab or scorpion.
h. This is called an exoskeleton.
i. Other invertebrates are soft and need to live either in water or in a damp habitat.
j. Their skin is thin and they breathe through their skin.
k. This is called a hydroskeleton.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their exercise books.

Checkpoint 1

Ask learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What are the two main groups into which animals can be classified?
b. What is an invertebrate?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Animals can be classified as invertebrates or vertebrates.
b. An invertebrate is an animal with no bones.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

TASK
Copy and complete the table below:

crab snail earthworm butterfly

number of legs

numbers of wings

type of skeleton

58 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
2. Explain this task to the learners as follows:
a. Show the learners Resource Page 9: Classifying animals.
b. Point out the crab, the snail, the earthworm and the butterfly.
c. Show the learners Resource Page 10: Invertebrates: A crab and a snail.
d. Show the learners Resource Page 11: Invertebrates: An earthworm and a butterfly.
e. Point out the type of skeleton on each invertebrate (hydroskeleton or exoskeleton).
f. Point out the number of legs and wings on each invertebrate.
3. Ask learners the following questions and discuss the answers:.
a. How are these four invertebrates different from each other? (the skeletons are different
- some have legs, some have wings)
b. How are they all the same? (they are all invertebrates so they do not have bones)
c. Which invertebrate has the softest outer ‘skin’? (the earthworm)
d. Which invertebrates have legs? (the crab and the butterfly)
e. Which invertebrate has a shell? (the snail)
f. Why do you think it has a shell? (to protect its soft body)
4. Give learners some time to complete the table in their workbooks.
5. The model answers are as follows:

crab snail earthworm butterfly

number of legs 8 and claws 0 0 6

numbers of wings 0 0 0 4

type of skeleton exoskeleton exoskeleton hydroskeleton hydroskeleton

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What is an invertebrate?
b. What type of skeleton does an earthworm have?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. An invertebrate is an animal with no bones.
b. An earthworm has a hydroskeleton.

6. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 59

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Plants and animals on Earth 20-23

Viva Plants and animals on Earth 9-10

Platinum Plants and animals on Earth 10-11

Solutions for All Plants and animals on Earth 8-9

Day-by-Day Plants and animals on Earth 9-10

Oxford Plants and animals on Earth 18

Spot On Plants and animals on Earth 6

Top Class Plants and animals on Earth 5-10

Sasol Inzalo BkA Plants and animals on Earth 32-35

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. goo.gl/I5lsz (5min 30sec) [Invertebrate animals]
2. https://goo.gl/ytBmDe (3min) [Invertebrates]
3. https://goo.gl/XKF5gk (3min) [Vertebrates and Invertebrates]

60 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

Term 1, Week 3, Lesson A

3A Lesson Title: Vertebrates
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Animal types

CAPS Page Number 31

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• define a vertebrate
• describe what a vertebrate looks like
• give some examples of vertebrates.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new ideas needs and wants products and processes

Identify assumptions Categorise information 

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 61

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 9: Classifying animals

Resource Page 12: Vertebrates: Nguni cows

and a fish

Resource Page 13: Vertebrates: A bird and a

snake

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Why is a snail an invertebrate?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A snail has no bones but it has a shell to protect its soft body.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

VERTEBRATES

Vertebrates are animals that have bones.

Vertebrates have a backbone inside their body.
Other bones are attached to the backbone.
This type of skeleton is called an endoskeleton.
These bones grow with the body of the vertebrate.
This is why vertebrates can grow very big.
Endoskeletons support, shape and protect the body of a vertebrate.

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Show learners Resource Page 9: Classifying animals.
b. Point out the section for vertebrates.
c. Vertebrates are animals with bones.
d. These bones are inside the vertebrates’ bodies.

62 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
e. This is known as an endoskeleton.
f. An endoskeleton supports the body of a vertebrate – it holds the body up.
g. An endoskeleton gives the vertebrate its shape.
h. An endoskeleton protects many inside organs, like the heart and lungs of a vertebrate.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What is a vertebrate?
b. What is the name given to the skeleton of a vertebrate?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A vertebrate is an animal with bones.
b. An endoskeleton is the skeleton of a vertebrate.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 63

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

Vertebrates are different from one another in many ways.

They have different body coverings.
Fish have scales.
Snakes have thin, smooth skin.
Birds have feathers.
Many mammals are covered with hair or fur.

VERTEBRATES

cows fish

VERTEBRATES
All have an
endoskeleton

birds
snakes

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Vertebrates are all similar as they all have an endoskeleton.
b. Vertebrates also have many differences.
c. One difference is their body coverings.
d. Go through the different body coverings of the different vertebrates on the chalkboard.
e. Ask learners to draw the diagram into their workbooks.

64 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
f. In the empty circles, they must fill in characteristics of the animal that are different from
the other animals’ characteristics.
g. For example, a bird has feathers and a beak, unlike other animals.
h. Show learners Resource Page 12: Vertebrates: Nguni cows and a fish.
i. Look at the body covering of these vertebrates. Nguni cows have hair and fish have
scales.
j. Discuss other differences as well. Nguni cows have horns. Fish have fins.
k. Show learners Resource Page 13: Vertebrates: A bird and a snake.
l. Look at the body coverings of these vertebrates. A bird has feathers and a snake has a
smooth, soft skin.
m. Discuss other differences as well. Birds have a beak and wings. Snakes have no legs.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. The model answer to this task follows. Discuss the model answer with the learners. They
might have different answers that are correct.

VERTEBRATES

scales
hair
fins

horns cows fish

VERTEBRATES
All have an
feathers endoskeleton

birds
snakes

beak smooth, thin

no legs
skin

6. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 65

 TOPIC: Plants and animals on Earth
Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What does an endoskeleton do?
b. Name an animal that is a vertebrate.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. An endoskeleton supports, shapes and protects the bodies of vertebrates.
b. Any suitable answer: a bird, snake, cow, fish or any other vertebrate.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Plants and animals on Earth 20-23

Viva Plants and animals on Earth 11-12

Platinum Plants and animals on Earth 11-12

Solutions for All Plants and animals on Earth 9-11

Day-by-Day Plants and animals on Earth 11-13

Oxford Plants and animals on Earth 19

Spot On Plants and animals on Earth 6-7

Top Class Plants and animals on Earth 8-10

Sasol Inzalo BkA Plants and animals on Earth 35-39

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/NsVgV1 (1min 54sec) [Skeletons and vertebrates]
2. https://goo.gl/uNbXJN (3min 52sec) [Vertebrate animals]
3. https://goo.gl/iR3oZb (3min 39sec) [Vertebrates]

66 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

TOPIC OVERVIEW:
Animal Skeletons
Term 1, Weeks 3B – 4C
A. TOPIC OVERVIEW
Term 1, Weeks 3b – 4c

●● This topic runs for 1 ½ weeks.

●● This topic counts for 8% in the mid-year exam.
●● It is presented over 5 lessons.
●● This topic’s position in the term is as follows:

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

WEEK 6 WEEK 7 WEEK 8 WEEK 9 WEEK 10

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

B. SEQUENTIAL TABLE
GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6 & 7
LOOKING BACK CURRENT LOOKING FORWARD
●● Structures for animal shelters ●● Animal skeletons -
●● Skeletons as structures

C. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL VOCABULARY

Ensure that you teach the following vocabulary at the appropriate place in the topic:

TERM EXPLANATION
1. curved Being bent in part of a circle, not straight

2. skull The bone protecting the brain of a vertebrate

3. flexible Able to be bent without breaking

4. contracts Becomes shorter; made smaller

5. tissue A type of material from which some parts of animals are made

6. hinge A joint that can move; hinges help gates and doors to open and close

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 67

 The thick string of nerves in the spine that sends messages to and from
7. spinal cord
the brain

8. functions The jobs that someone or something does

9. socket A natural hollow into which something fits

D. UNDERSTANDING THE USES / VALUE OF SCIENCE

Understanding animals’ skeletons is useful. It helps us understand how animals, including humans,
work. Skeletons support the body. Without skeletons, animals would not be upright or able to move.

E. PERSONAL REFLECTION
Reflect on your teaching at the end of each topic:

Date completed:

Lesson successes:

Lesson challenges:

Notes for future

improvement:

68 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

Term 1, Week 3, Lesson B

3B Lesson Title: Bones and joints
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Skeletons of vertebrates

CAPS Page Number 32

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• describe what a bone is

• describe what a joint is.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions  Categorise information

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 69

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 17: A skeleton

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What do we call an animal with bones?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

An animal with bones is called a vertebrate.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

SKELETONS OF VERTEBRATES

Vertebrates are animals with skeletons inside their bodies.

This type of skeleton is called an endoskeleton.

BONES
Bones give shape and support to the body.
They are very hard.
Bones have different shapes.

JOINTS
Joints are the places where two or more bones meet.
They enable the body to move.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. Remind the learners that a skeleton which is inside a body is called an endoskeleton.
b. Without bones, animals’ bodies would have no shape or be unable to hold themselves
up.
c. Bones are very hard and do not often break.
d. If you eat chicken or fish, you can see the bones.

70 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons
e. All vertebrates have similar kinds of bones.
f. Certain bones might be bigger on one animal than another but otherwise they are
similar.
g. Show learners Resource Page 16: A skeleton.
h. Point out the different shapes and sizes of the bones on the skeleton.
i. Point out the joints.
j. The wrist, elbow, knee and ankle are all joints.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their exercise books.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. True or False: Bones are very hard.
b. True or False: Joints are where two or more bones meet.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. True
b. True

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

BONES
a. All animals with a backbone are vertebrates.
b. Bones are strong and do not bend.
c. Not all vertebrates have the same bones.

JOINTS
a. Different joints allow for different types of movement.
b. Your elbows and knees are hinge joints.
c. They can bend in one direction only.

2. Do the following activity with the learners:

a. Tell learners to look at their hand.
b. Ask learners to feel the bones and joints of their hand.
c. The bones are hard and rigid (they do not bend or twist).
d. The joints are the knuckles (the middle finger joints) and the wrist (where the hand joins
the arm).

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 71

 TOPIC: Life and Living; Structures
e. Tell them to notice the different way in which these joints move: the knuckles and the
wrist.
f. Ask learners to look at their elbows and shoulder joints.
g. All these joints enable us to move our bones.
h. Tell learners to clench their hands into a fist and notice how the knuckles enable the
fingers to bend.
i. Tell learners to stand up and move their arms round and round.
3. Give learners some time to copy the information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:

a. True or False: All vertebrate animals have a backbone.

b. True or False: All bones can bend.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. True.
b. False: Bones cannot bend.

4. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

72 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life and Living; Structures

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Animal skeletons 24-26

Viva Animal skeletons 13-14

Platinum Animal skeletons 15-16

Solutions for All Animal skeletons 16-17

Day-by-Day Animal skeletons 15-16

Oxford Animal skeletons 20-21

Spot On Animal skeletons 8

Top Class Animal skeletons 13

Sasol Inzalo BkA Animal skeletons 44-49

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywDOiNEdJVc (4min 16sec) [Bones]
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRuh9aBwUdM (4min 10sec) [Your Super Skeleton]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 73

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

Term 1, Week 3, Lesson C

3C Lesson Title: Identifying parts of a skeleton
Time for lesson: 1½ hours

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Skeletons of vertebrates

CAPS Page Number 32

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• identify the main parts of a skeleton

• identify these main parts in different vertebrates.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information 

74 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resources Page 14: A skull

Resources Page 15: A skull

Resources Page 16: A backbone

Resources Page 17: A skeleton

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What do we call the joints between the hand and the fingers?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

These joints are called the knuckles.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

PARTS OF A SKELETON

The bones of the skull form around the brain.

The skull has eye sockets.
The jawbone has teeth.
The backbone runs from the skull downwards.
The backbone is made up of many small bones called vertebrae.
The ribs are curved bones joined to the backbone.
Vertebrates with arms will have a shoulder girdle.
Vertebrates with legs will have a hip girdle.
Some vertebrates have upper limbs and lower limbs.
Upper limbs are made up of the arm and the hand.
The upper limbs fit into a shoulder girdle.
Lower limbs are made up of legs and feet.
The lower limbs fit into a hip girdle.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 75

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons
2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:
a. Show learners Resource Page 17: A skeleton.
b. Point out the skull.
c. The skull is formed around the brain.
d. Ask learners to feel their own skulls.
e. Point out the eye sockets on the skull on the skeleton.
f. Ask learners to feel their own eye sockets.
g. The jawbone holds teeth.
h. There is an upper jawbone and a lower jawbone.
i. Point out the jawbones on the skull of the skeleton.
j. Ask learners to feel their own jawbones.
k. The backbone runs from the skull downwards.
l. Ask learners to see if they can feel the many small bones that make up the backbone.
m. The ribs are attached to the backbone.
n. Ribs come from the backbone to the front of the body in a curve.
o. Point this out on the drawing of the skeleton.
p. Ask learners to feel their ribs.
q. Shoulder blades run from the side of the neck to the top of the arm.
r. Hip girdles are at the top of our legs.
s. Upper limbs are our arms and hands that fit into the shoulder girdle.
t. Lower limbs are our legs and feet that fit into the hip girdle.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their exercise books.

Checkpoint 1

Ask learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What part of the skeleton are the ribs attached to?
a. True or False: The backbone is made up of one bone.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Ribs are attached to the backbone.
b. False. The backbone is made up of many small bones.

76 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Do the following with the learners:
a. Show learners Resource Page 14: A Skull, and Resource Page 15: A Skull.
b. Ask the learners if they know to which animals the skulls belong. Rhino and crocodile
c. Point out the eye sockets (the crocodile’s sockets are on top of its skull).
d. Point out the jawbones with teeth.
e. Show learners Resource Page 16: A backbone.
f. Point out the ribs that are attached to the backbone.
g. Point out the hip girdle and the shoulder girdle.
h. Show learners Resource Page 17: A skeleton.
i. Point out all the different parts of the skeleton that they have learnt about: skull,
backbone, ribs, upper limbs, lower limbs, shoulder girdle, hip girdle.
2. Ask learners to stand up and do the following:
c. Call out the following one at a time: skull, backbone, ribs, lower limbs, upper limbs, hip
girdle, shoulder girdle.
d. Ask learners to point to the part of the skeleton on their own bodies as it is being called
out.
3. Ask learners to complete the following activity in their workbooks:

Fill in the missing words from the list below. Underline these words in the sentence you write.
hands, ribs, jawbone, skull, feet, arms, lower limbs
a. The ____ has eye sockets and a ____ with teeth.
b. The upper limbs consist of ____ and ____.
c. The ____ ____ consist of legs and ____.
d. ____ are attached to the backbone.

4. The model answer is:

a. The skull has eye sockets and a jawbone with teeth.

b. The upper limbs consist of arms and hands.
c. The lower limbs consist of legs and feet.
d. Ribs are attached to the backbone.

5. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.

6. If you have time, ask the learners to do the following activity.
a. Get into pairs.
b. One learner must point to a part of his/her skeleton (bones and joints).
c. The other learner must name the part.
d. When they have completed all the parts of the skeleton they know, then they must
swop around.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 77

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons
Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Name the part of the skeleton that forms around the brain.
b. True or False: Ribs are curved.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The skull forms around the brain.
b. True. Ribs are curved.

7. Ask learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Animal skeletons 27-29

Viva Animal skeletons 15

Platinum Animal skeletons 16-21

Solutions for All Animal skeletons 17-22

Day-by-Day Animal skeletons 15

Oxford Animal skeletons 20-22

Spot On Animal skeletons 9

Top Class Animal skeletons 14-17

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Animal skeletons 46-48

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/jejCYa (28 sec) [Learn Science: Class 5: Human Body -The Skeletal
System]
2. https://goo.gl/XmHtMF (1min 54sec) [Skeletons and vertebrates Grade 5]

78 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

Term 1, Week 4, Lesson A

4A Lesson Title: Different vertebrate skeletons
Time for lesson: 1½ hours

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Skeletons of vertebrates

CAPS Page Number 32

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• identify animals from their skeletons

• compare and contrast the different skeletons.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

Write summaries
framework knowledge
Describe concepts and
Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data

Recognise relationships Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing  solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new ideas needs and wants products and processes

Identify assumptions Categorise information

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 79

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 17: A skeleton

Resource Page 18: A skeleton of a bat

Resource Page 19: A skeleton of a cat

Resource Page 20: A skeleton of a fish

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What do we call an animal with bones?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

An animal with bones is called a vertebrate.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

DIFFERENT VERTEBRATE SKSELTONS

All animals with a backbone will be a vertebrate.

Their bodies may look very different but some of their bones will be similar.
All vertebrates will also have a skull and ribs.
Some vertebrates will not have a shoulder or a hip girdle.
Fish and snakes do not have shoulder or hip girdles.
Fish and snakes do not have upper or lower limbs.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. All vertebrates will have a backbone.
b. They will also have a skull and ribs.
c. Not all vertebrates will look the same.
d. Fish and snakes do not have shoulder or hip girdles as they do not have upper or lower
limbs.

80 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their exercise books.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Name two bones in an endoskeleton that all vertebrates have.
b. Name one animal that does not have shoulder or hip girdles.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Either two of: a skull, a backbone, ribs.
b. Either of: a fish or a snake.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Explain the following to the learners (always try to do this before the lesson starts):
a. Show the learners Resource Page 18: Skeleton of a bat.
b. Ask the learners if they can see the skull, backbone and ribs of this skeleton.
c. Show the learners Resource Page 19: Skeleton of a cat.
d. Ask the learners if they can see the skull, backbone and ribs of this skeleton.
e. Ask learners what else they can see that is similar in these skeletons (they might not
know the correct words for these parts yet). Tail at the end of the backbone, upper
limbs, lower limbs
2. Draw the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

Comparison of a human skeleton and a fish skeleton

human fish

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 81

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons
3. Explain this task to the learners as follows:
a. Show the learners Resource Page 17: A skeleton, and Resource Page 20: A skeleton
of a fish.
b. Ask the learners to look carefully in order to see what parts of the skeleton are the
same and what parts are different.
c. Ask learners to draw the diagram from the chalkboard into their workbooks.
d. In the centre blocks, they must fill in the three parts of a skeleton that both a human
skeleton and a fish skeleton have.
e. In the blocks on the left, they must fill in the four parts of a human skeleton that a fish
skeleton does not have.
4. The model answer is as follows:

Comparison of a human skeleton and a fish skeleton

hip girdle skull

lower limbs human ribs fish

shoulder girdle backbone

upper limbs

5. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.

6. Next time the learners eat chicken or fish, they must look at the skeleton and see if they
can identify the different parts.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. True or False: Cat and bat skeletons both have a backbone with a tail.
b. True or False: Human and fish skeletons both have a hip girdle.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. True.
b. A fish skeleton does not have hip girdle.

82 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons
7. Ask learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Animal skeletons 24-26

Viva Animal skeletons 13-14

Platinum Animal skeletons 15-16

Solutions for All Animal skeletons 16-17

Day-by-Day Animal skeletons 15-16

Oxford Animal skeletons 20-21

Spot On Animal skeletons 8

Top Class Animal skeletons 13

Sasol Inzalo BkA Animal skeletons 44-49

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
N/A

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 83

 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

Term 1, Week 4, Lesson B

4B Lesson Title: Skeletons support and protect
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Skeletons of vertebrates

CAPS Page Number 32

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• describe the functions of skeletons

• give the names of the parts of the body that are protected by the skeleton.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

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 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 17: A skeleton

Resource Page 18: A skeleton of a bat

Resource Page 19: A skeleton of a cat

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Name three bones that all vertebrate skeletons have.

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A skull, ribs and backbone.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

FUNCTIONS OF BONES IN A VERTEBRATE SKELETON

Bones support or protect parts of the body.

Some bones have both of these functions.
The backbone is made up many small bones called vertebrae.
Animals have different numbers of vertebrae.
The backbone protects the spinal cord and supports the upper body.
The spinal cord sends messages from the brain to all other parts of the body.
All vertebrates have a skull to protect the brain, eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
The ribs protect organs like the lungs and heart.
The ribs of a snake also support the body.
Upper and lower limbs support the muscles needed for movement.

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2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:
a. Bones have two functions: they either support or protect parts of the body or do both.
b. The backbone supports and protects.
c. It supports the upper body and protects the spinal cord.
d. The spinal cord sends messages to and from the brain to all other parts of the body.
e. The skull protects the brain. It also protects the ears, eyes, nose and mouth.
f. The rib cage protects the heart, lungs and other organs.
g. In an animal like a snake, the rib cage protects and supports the whole body.
h. Show the learners Resource Page 18: A skeleton of a bat.
i. Point out the backbone, the skull, and the rib cage.
j. Show the learners Resource Page 19: A skeleton of a cat.
k. Point out the backbone, the skull, and the rib cage.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What are the two functions of bones?
b. What does the backbone protect?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Bones support and protect.
b. The backbone protects the spinal cord.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

BONES SUPPORT AND PROTECT

hip girdle, shoulder girdle, backbone, skull, messages, ribs, bones, hearts, vertebrae, brain,
legs

1. The ___ protects the spinal cord.

2. The spinal cord sends ____ from the ____ to other parts of the body.
3. The backbone is made of many small ____ called ____.
4. Vertebrates need ___ to protect their ____ and lungs.
5. The ____ protects the brain.
6. Arms attach to the body at the ____ ____.
7. ____ attach to the body at the ____ ____.

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2. Explain the following to the learners:
a. Ask learners if they understand all the words in the list.
b. They must write out the sentences and fill in the correct words from the list.
c. Learners must underline the words filled in.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. Below is the model answer.

BONES SUPPORT AND PROTECT

1. The backbone protects the spinal cord.

2. The spinal cord sends messages from the brain to other parts of the body.
3. The backbone is made of many small bones called vertebrae.
4. Vertebrates need ribs to protect their hearts and lungs.
5. The skull protects the brain.
6. Arms attach to the body at the shoulder girdle.
7. Legs attach to the body at the hip girdle.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What bone supports the upper body of vertebrates?
b. What vertebrate has ribs that support its body?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The backbone supports the upper body of vertebrates.
b. A snake has ribs that support its body.

5. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

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 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Animal skeletons 27-29

Viva Animal skeletons 13-15

Platinum Animal skeletons 16-21

Solutions for All Animal skeletons 17-18

Day-by-Day Animal skeletons 17

Oxford Animal skeletons 20-22

Spot On Animal skeletons 8-9

Top Class Animal skeletons 14-17

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Animal skeletons 49-53

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/D3zaua (4min 43sec) [Spine or vertebral column]
2. https://goo.gl/9yE44J (2min 17sec) [Bill Nye the Science Guy on Bones]

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 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

Term 1, Week 4, Lesson C

4C Lesson Title: Movement of vertebrates
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Movement

CAPS Page Number 32

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• describe how vertebrates move using muscles

• describe how joints enable vertebrates to move.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

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 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 21: Bicep and triceps muscles

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What does the backbone do?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

The backbone protects the spinal cord.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

MOVEMENT OF VERTEBRATES

Vertebrates can move because they have joints and muscles.

Muscles are tough, stretchy tissues that pull bones so that they can move.
Muscles work in pairs.
When one muscle contracts, the other muscle relaxes.
To move your lower arm, the bicep muscle contracts and the triceps muscle relaxes.
Joints are where two or more bones meet.
Joints make skeletons flexible.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. Vertebrates need muscles and joints to move.
b. Muscles work in pairs: one muscle will contract and the opposite muscle will relax.
c. Show learners Resource Page 21: Bicep and triceps muscles.
d. If you lift something heavy, the bicep muscle will contract (get shorter and fatter) and
the triceps muscle will relax.
e. Joints enable vertebrate animals to move and bend.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

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Checkpoint 1

Ask learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What do muscles do?
b. Where are joints found?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Muscles pull on bones to make them move.
b. Joints are found where two or more bones meet.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Do the following activity with the learners:
a. Go outside with the learners.
b. Ask the learners to walk around without bending their legs.
c. Explain that the knee is a joint that allows us to bend our legs to make walking easier.
d. Ask the learners to pick up an object without bending their arms.
e. Explain that the elbow is a joint that allows us to bend our arms.
f. The bicep and triceps muscles make the bones in our arms move.
g. Ask the learners to put their one hand on the other arm’s bicep muscle.
h. Then they must bend their arm at the elbow.
i. Ask learners to feel their bicep muscle move as they bend their arm.
j. To bend your arm, the bicep muscle will contract and the triceps muscle will relax.
k. To straighten your arm, the bicep muscle will relax and the triceps muscle will contract.

JOINTS

There are different types of joints.

The elbow and knee can bend in one direction only.
These joints are called hinge joints.
The arm and leg move in a circle.
They fit into the socket of the hip and shoulder girdles.
These joints are called ball-and-socket joints.

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2. Do the following activity with the learners. Do this as a demonstration.
a. Join two pencils at their ends (not the side with the lead) with sticky tape.
b. Place the sticky tape on one side of the pencils only, not all the way around.
c. Show the learners how the pencils can move in one direction only.
d. This is like an elbow and knee joint.
e. It is called a hinge joint.

sticky tape

pencil

3. Do the following activity with the learners:

a. Ask the learners to stand up (you might have to go outside for this activity).
b. Tell the learners to bend their knees.
c. They must notice how the knee can only bend backwards and not to the side or
frontwards.
d. Tell the learners that this is called a hinge joint.
e. Ask the learners to keep their arms straight and to move their arms in a big circle.
f. Tell the learners that their arms fit into a shoulder girdle.
g. Tell the learners that this is called a ball-and-socket joint.
h. Demonstrate a ball-and-socket joint by making a fist with one hand and put your fist
into the opposite open hand. Move your fist around. This is how a ball-and-socket joint
works.
i. Get the learners to do this.
4. Give learners some time to write this information into their workbooks.

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 TOPIC: Animal skeletons
5. Ask learners the following questions:
a. Which other vertebrate animals have hinge joints? (There are many examples. The
answers will be land animals that walk or run, like the cheetah, the leopard, the
elephant.)
b. Which other vertebrate animals have ball-and-socket joints?(These are also land
animals that walk or run. Birds do not have ball-and-socket joints (their wings do not
move in a circle).)

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What type of joint is the knee?
b. What type of joint is where the arm is attached to the body?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The knee is a hinge joint.
b. This joint is called a ball-and-socket joint.

6. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

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 TOPIC: Animal skeletons

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Animal skeletons 30-35

Viva Animal skeletons 16-18

Platinum Animal skeletons 22-24

Solutions for All Animal skeletons 24-28

Day-by-Day Animal skeletons 20-21

Oxford Animal skeletons 23-25

Spot On Animal skeletons 10-12

Top Class Animal skeletons 17-19

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Animal skeletons 54-58

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/nXP8ka (2min 42sec) [Muscles moving your bones]
2. https://goo.gl/1rwD3z (3min 13sec) [Science - bones and muscles]
3. https://goo.gl/SdBkBq (56sec) [Bones and muscles]

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TOPIC OVERVIEW:
Skeletons as structures
Term 1, Weeks 5A – 7A
A. TOPIC OVERVIEW
Term 1, Weeks 5a – 7a

●● This topic runs for 2½ weeks.

●● This topic counts for 14% in the mid-year exam.
●● It is presented over 7 lessons.
●● This topic’s position in the term is as follows:

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

WEEK 6 WEEK 7 WEEK 8 WEEK 9 WEEK 10

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

B. SEQUENTIAL TABLE
GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6 & 7
LOOKING BACK CURRENT LOOKING FORWARD
●● Natural and man-made ●● Vertebrates as frame -
structures structures
●● Frame and shell structures ●● Invertebrates as shell
●● Shape and size of structures structures
●● Different materials that are
used in structures
●● Ways to strengthen materials
●● Struts and frame structures

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 95

C. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL VOCABULARY
Ensure that you teach the following vocabulary at the appropriate place in the topic:

TERM EXPLANATION
To keep something in; a margarine tub keeps margarine in so the tub
1. contains contains the margarine; a bucket will hold water so the bucket contains
the water

2. purposes The reasons for which something is done, or for which something exists

3. stable Not likely to fall over; steady

4. hollow Having an empty space inside

This is a short statement saying what is going to be designed and made. It

5. design brief
can say who the design is for (its target market).

6. specifications These give more details, such as purpose, materials, tools, target market.

7. constraints These limit the design; they are the boundaries to the design.

8. beams Part of a frame structure that is horizontal across columns

9. struts Part of a frame structure that supports

D. UNDERSTANDING THE USES / VALUE OF SCIENCE

Understanding how to order and categorise information is a valuable skill that is learnt in science.
This topic allows learners to categorise structures into frame or shell structures. It is important to
understand how skeletons are structured.

E. PERSONAL REFLECTION
Reflect on your teaching at the end of each topic:

Date completed:

Lesson successes:

Lesson challenges:

Notes for future

improvement:

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

Term 1, Week 5, Lesson A

5A Lesson Title: Purposes of structures
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Frame and shell structures

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• define a structure
• describe the functions of structures.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information 

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

- -

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What type of joint is an elbow?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

An elbow is a hinge joint.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

STRUCTURES

1. A structure is an object that supports something, or contains and protects something.

2. Structures can be natural or human-made.
3. Structures need to be strong enough to support, or contain and protect something.
4. Structures need to be stable enough not to fall over.
5. Objects can be frame or shell structures.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. The learners learnt about natural and human-made structures in Grade 4.
b. They also learnt about struts and frame structures.
c. Structures have purposes.
d. Two of these purposes are that they support something, or that they contain and
protect something.
e. Structures can be found in the natural world and the human-made world.
f. Structures need to be strong enough to support something otherwise they will collapse.
g. Structures need to be stable which means they will not fall over easily.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
Checkpoint 1

Ask learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Give two purposes of structures.
b. Is a spider’s web natural or human-made?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Structures can support something or they can contain and protect something.
b. A spider’s web is a natural structure.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

FRAME AND SHELL STRUCTURES

1. State whether the structures below are natural or human-made.

2. Which of these structures support something? What do they support?
3. Which of these structures contain and protect something? What do they contain and
protect?

electricity pylon
egg shell
plastic bottle
spider’s web
human skeleton

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Write the heading in your workbook.
b. Look at the five structures on the chalkboard.
c. Answer the given questions in your workbooks.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. A model answer is:

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
FRAME AND SHELL STRUCTURES

1. Electricity pylon – human-made

Egg shell – natural
Plastic bottle – human-made
Spider’s web – natural
Human skeleton – natural

2. An electricity pylon supports electric cables.

A spider’s web supports a spider and its prey.
A human skeleton supports the body.

3. An egg shell contains an egg.

A plastic bottle contains the contents of the bottle.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Does a chair support or contain and protect something?
b. Does a shopping bag support or contain and protect something?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A chair supports whoever is sitting on it.
b. A shopping bag contains and protects the items that have been bought.

5. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

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F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Skeletons as structures 36-43

Viva Skeletons as structures 21-29

Platinum Skeletons as structures 38-31

Solutions for All Skeletons as structures 31-33

Day-by-Day Skeletons as structures 25-27

Oxford Skeletons as structures 26-29

Spot On Skeletons as structures 13

Top Class Skeletons as structures 20-22

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Skeletons as structures 62-68

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/qHPWxP (7min) [Skeletal System Functions for Kids]
2. http://msfriess.weebly.com/uploads/4/0/7/9/40799617/classifying_structures.pdf

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Term 1, Week 5, Lesson B

5B Lesson Title: Skeletons as shell structures
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Frame and shell structures

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• define a shell structure

• give examples of natural and human-made shell structures.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 23: Shell structures

Resource Page 10: Invertebrates: A crab and

a snail

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Does a plastic bottle support something or contain and protect something?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A plastic bottle contains and protects its contents.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

SHELL STRUCTURES

A shell structure is made from solid parts but it is hollow.

It does not have gaps like a frame structure.
Shell structures contain (hold) or protect things inside the structure.
Invertebrates’ skeletons are shell structures.
They have exoskeletons which are hard and found outside the body.
An egg is a natural shell structure.
A car is a human-made shell structure.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. The definition of a shell structure is that it is made from solid parts and it protects or
contains (holds) things inside the structure.
b. The exoskeleton of an invertebrate is a shell structure.
c. It is made up of a solid part which can be a shell.
d. Human-made shell structures are objects such as shopping bags, a box to hold apples,
a house, a car.

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3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Is an exoskeleton a shell or frame structure?
b. Is the skull of a vertebrate a frame or a shell structure?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. An exoskeleton is a shell structure.
b. A skull is a shell structure.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

SHELL STRUCTURES: TASK

a snail’s shell, a suitcase, a crab’s shell, a helmet

a. Name the natural shell structures in the list above.

b. Name the human-made shell structures in the list above.
c. Why are all the structures in the list shell structures?

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Show learners Resource Page 10: Invertebrates: a crab and a snail.
b. Point out the hard shell of the crab and the shell of the snail.
c. These are exoskeletons.
d. An exoskeleton is a shell structure.
e. Show learners Resource Page 22: Shell structures.
f. These are shell structures because they are made of solid parts, there are no gaps and
they are hollow.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. A model answer is:

SHELL STRUCTURES: TASK

a. A snail’s shell and a crab’s shell are natural shell structures.

b. A suitcase and a helmet are human-made structures.
c. They are all shell structures as they are made up of solid parts with no gaps.

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Are all exoskeletons shell structures?
b. Is an exoskeleton a natural or human-made structure?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Yes, as these structures are made up of solid parts.
b. An exoskeleton is a natural structure.

5. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F
70-71 REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Skeletons as structures 37

Viva Skeletons as structures 22

Platinum Skeletons as structures 30-31

Solutions for All Skeletons as structures 32-33

Day-by-Day Skeletons as structures 26

Oxford Skeletons as structures 27

Spot On Skeletons as structures 13

Top Class Skeletons as structures 25

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Skeletons as structures 70-71

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/xQuUsG (9min 50sec) [Science 7 Shell Structures]

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

Term 1, Week 5, Lesson C

5C Lesson Title: Skeletons as frame structures
Time for lesson: 1½ hours

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Frame and shell structures

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• define a frame structure

• give examples of natural and human-made frame structures.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data

Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems,  proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

106 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

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B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 17: A skeleton

Resource Page 22: Frame structures

Resource Page 24: Struts

Resource Page 25: Making newspaper tubes

for struts

Newspapers, sticky tape, pair of scissors,

pencil/dowel stick

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Are invertebrate skeletons frame or shell structures?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

Invertebrate skeletons are shell structures.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

FRAME STRUCTURES

A frame structure is made up of many stiff parts that are joined together.
In human-made structures, these parts are either beams or struts.
Vertebrates have an endoskeleton which is found inside the body.
The endoskeleton consists of bones that are joined together by joints.
This skeleton also supports the vertebrate’s weight and gives the body its shape.
It is made up of many stiff parts that are joined together.
A skeleton is an example of a frame structure.

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
STRUTS

Struts are parts of frame structures.

Struts hold other parts of frame structures in position by pushing against them.
This stops the structure from collapsing.
Many different parts of the human skeleton are struts.
The backbone is a strut.
It holds the skull, ribs and the hip girdle in position.

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. The definition of a frame structure is that it is made up of many stiff parts joined
together.
b. There will be gaps (empty spaces) between these parts.
c. Human-made frame structures have beams and struts.
d. The endoskeleton of a vertebrate is a frame structure.
e. It is made up of many stiff parts joined together.
f. The learners studied struts in Grade 4.
g. Struts make frame structures stronger.
h. Show learners Resource Page 24: Struts.
i. Point out the strut in the diagram.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their exercise books.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. True or False: An endoskeleton is an example of a frame structure.
b. True or False: A frame structure is made up of many stiff parts.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. True.
b. True.

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E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before on the chalkboard):

TASK: FRAME STRUCTURES

ladder, spider’s web, endoskeleton, electricity pylon

a. Name the natural frame structures in the list above.

b. Name the human-made frame structures in the list above.
c. Why are all the structures in the list frame structures?

2. Explain this task to the learners as follows:

a. Show learners Resource Page 22: Frame structures.
b. Show the learners how the ladder and the spider’s web are made up of many different
parts.
c. Gaps between the parts that are joined together.
d. This makes them a frame structure.
e. In the same way, an electricity pylon and an endoskeleton are frame structures.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. A model answer is:

TASK: FRAME STRUCTURES

a. A spider’s web and an endoskeleton are natural frame structures.

b. A ladder and an electricity pylon are human-made structures.
c. They are all frame structures as they are made up of many different parts joined
together.

5. Activity: Making newspaper tubes for struts.

Write the following on the chalkboard: (always try to write this on the chalkboard before the
lesson starts).

ACTIVITY: MAKING NEWSPAPER TUBES FOR STRUTS

You will need:

newspapers, sticky tape, scissors, a pencil/dowel stick.

You need to do the following:

a. Fold the newspaper sheet from one corner to the opposite side to make a square.
b. Cut off the extra piece.
c. Roll the newspaper sheet from one corner to the other.

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
d. Do this by rolling the newspaper around a pencil or dowel stick.
e. After a few rolls, take out the dowel stick or pencil and continue rolling.
f. Put a piece of sticky tape across the end of the newspaper to hold it in place.
g. Cut the ends of the tube off.
h. Put your name on the completed newspaper tube.
i. When finished, tidy up your workspace.

6. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Read through the instructions on the chalkboard.
b. Make sure the learners understand what they have to do to make the struts.
c. Show Resource Page 25: Making newspaper tubes for struts.
d. Tell learners to put their names on their newspaper tubes.
e. They must keep their newspaper tubes in a safe place for a later lesson.
f. Leave enough time for the learners to tidy up their workspaces.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Are all endoskeletons frame structures?
b. Is an endoskeleton a natural or human-made structure?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Yes, as endoskeletons are made up of many parts joined together.
b. An endoskeleton is a human-made structure.

7. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

110 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

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F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Skeletons as structures 36-37

Viva Skeletons as structures 21, 23

Platinum Skeletons as structures 28-29; 32-33

Solutions for All Skeletons as structures 33-34

Day-by-Day Skeletons as structures 25

Oxford Skeletons as structures 26

Spot On Skeletons as structures 13

Top Class Skeletons as structures 21

Sasol Inzalo BkA Skeletons as structures 63-65

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/5MJfyD (1min 53sec) [Classifying structures]
2. http://teachersfortechandscience.co.za/term1/term-1-topic-3/frame-and-shell-structures/
[Frame and shell structures]

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

Term 1, Week 6, Lesson A

6A Lesson Title: Investigate frame structures
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Frame and shell structures

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• name the main parts of the skeleton

• name the main joints of the skeleton
• identify the main parts of the skeleton
• identify the main joints of the skeleton.

1. DOING SCIENCE 
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
 Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
solutions to problems,  proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

112 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Poster of a skeleton

Resource Page 17: A skeleton

Resource Page 26: A skeleton

Resource Page 27: A skeleton

Paper for each group of learners to draw a

skeleton

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Are vertebrate skeletons frame or shell structures?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

Vertebrate skeletons are frame structures.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

INVESTIGATING SKELETONS

A skeleton has the following parts:

skull, backbone, ribs, shoulder girdle, hands, arms, hip girdle, legs, feet

A skeleton also has the following joints:

shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. Read the information on the chalkboard.
b. Go over the main parts of the skeleton.
c. Show the learners the main parts on the poster: skull, backbone, ribs, shoulder girdle,
hands, arms, hip girdle, legs, feet.
d. Remind learners that they learnt about joints in Lesson 3B.

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
e. Joints help animals move.
f. Go over the main joints of the skeleton.
g. Show the learners the six joints on the poster: shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Name the nine main parts of a skeleton.
b. Name the six main joints of a skeleton.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. skull, backbone, ribs, shoulder girdle, hands, arms, hip girdle, legs, feet
b. shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

1. On a piece of paper, trace or draw the skeleton.

2. Find the main parts of the skeleton.
3. Label these parts.
4. Find the main joints of a skeleton.
5. Label these parts.

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. They will work in groups of six.
b. Each group must either trace from Resource Page 17, Resource Page 26 or Resource
Page 27: A skeleton, or draw the skeleton from the poster.
c. Each group must label the main parts of the skeleton.
d. Each group must label the six main joints of the skeleton.
e. Each learner must put his or her name on the drawing.
f. Keep this drawing for the next lesson.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task.

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Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Which joint joins the lower leg to the upper leg?
b. Which joint joins the hand to the arm?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The knee joins the lower leg to the upper leg.
b. The wrist joins the hand to the arm.

4. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Skeletons as structures -

Viva Skeletons as structures -

Platinum Skeletons as structures 32-33

Solutions for All Skeletons as structures 38

Day-by-Day Skeletons as structures 28-29

Oxford Skeletons as structures 28

Spot On Skeletons as structures 14

Top Class Skeletons as structures 22

Sasol Inzalo BkA Skeletons as structures 66

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/rqHNQE (6min 3sec) [ROYLCO Newspaper skeleton]
2. http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Human-Skeleton-out-of-Paper [How to make a human
skeleton out of paper]

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

Term 1, Week 6, Lesson B

6B Lesson Title: Design a model skeleton
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Frame and shell structures

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• write a design brief

• write specifications and constraints
• plan how to make a model.

1. DOING SCIENCE 
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs 
Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise
framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints
 way
Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems,  proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

116 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Newspaper rolls, dowel sticks or sticks, metal -
fasteners, sticky tape, glue, paper

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Is the skull a frame or shell structure?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

The skull is a shell structure.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

TASK: DESIGN AND MAKE

You have been asked to make a model of a vertebrate skeleton to demonstrate vertebrates
to a Grade 4 class. Your model must have the main parts and the main joints of the
skeleton.

Design and make a model using any of the following materials:

newspaper rolls
dowel sticks or sticks (30cm x 10mm)
metal fasteners like paper clips, wire, and split pins
sticky tape
glue
paper

DESIGN BRIEF
Design and make a _____ (what it is you are making) using _____ (fill in the materials).

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
CONSTRAINTS
You may only use the listed materials.

SPECIFICATIONS
The purpose of the model skeleton is to … (fill in what the model is for).

2. Explain the following with the learners:

a. A design brief is a sentence saying what it is you are going to design and make.
b. Constraints are things that limit what you are going to make. For this task, it is the
materials.
c. Specifications give more details about the task, like who it is for, or what it is for.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.
4. Learners must complete the Design Brief and the Specifications.
5. The model answer is:

DESIGN BRIEF

Design and make a model of a vertebrate skeleton using newspaper rolls, metal fasteners,
sticky tape and paper.

SPECIFICATIONS
The purpose of the model skeleton is to demonstrate vertebrates to a Grade 4 class.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What is a design brief?
b. What are specifications?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A design brief is a sentence saying what it is you are going to design and make.
b. Specifications give more details about the design and make the task easier.

118 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

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E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard: (always try to do this before the lesson starts).

TOOLS

MATERIALS

DESIGN

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Tools are the things that help you make the model, like scissors, rulers, pencils.
b. Learners need to think through how each main part of the skeleton can be made using
newspaper rolls or pieces of paper.
c. Learners need to think through how they will make the main joints using metal
fasteners or sticky tape.
d. Learners need to think through how they will make the skull, shoulder girdle and hip
girdle.
e. Using the drawing of the skeleton that the learners did in the previous lesson, learners
must work out how many newspaper tubes, dowel sticks or sticks, metal fasteners and
pieces of paper they will need to make their model.
f. Learners need to write this down on their drawing.
g. Under the heading of Design, the learners need to think about how they are going to
join the main parts of the skeleton together so that these parts can move. The learners
must do a labelled drawing with notes for the joints.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. If there is time at the end of this lesson, learners can start to make their newspaper tubes.
They must attach their names to these tubes. These will be similar to the ones they made
in a previous lesson.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What are ‘tools’?
b. Give two examples of tools.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Tools are those things we use to help us make a model.
b. Possible answers are: scissors, rulers, pencils.

5. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

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F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Skeletons as structures 41-42

Viva Skeletons as structures 25-26

Platinum Skeletons as structures 34-35

Solutions for All Skeletons as structures 38-39

Day-by-Day Skeletons as structures 27

Oxford Skeletons as structures 29

Spot On Skeletons as structures 15-16

Top Class Skeletons as structures 23-24

Sasol Inzalo BkA Skeletons as structures 69-71

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
N/A

120 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

Term 1, Week 6, Lesson C

6C Lesson Title: Make the model
Time for lesson: 1½ hours

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Frame and shell structures

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• work out how to join pieces together to allow for movement

• plan how to make a model
• use their practical knowledge to make a model.

1. DOING SCIENCE 
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way
Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
solutions to problems,  proposed solutions, 
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 121

 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Newspapers, paper, wooden dowels or sticks,
sticky tape, metal fasteners, pair of scissors

Learners’ drawings of a skeleton with labels

from Lesson 6B

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What is a design brief?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A design brief is a sentence saying what you are going to design and make.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

MAKE

Before you start making your model skeleton make sure that your group:
1. has the drawing of a skeleton
2. has a list of the tools and materials needed
3. gathers materials according to the list
4. gathers their newspaper tubes

After you have made your model make sure that your group:
1. tidies up their workspace
2. keeps the model in a safe place for the next lesson

2. Read and explain the list above to make sure that the learners understand the planning
before they start to make their models.

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Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What joint is between the lower arm and the upper arm?
b. What do we call the part of the skeleton that the upper arm fits into?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The elbow is between the lower arm and the upper arm.
b. The upper arm fits into the shoulder girdle.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts).

CHECKLIST

Before you make your model:

1. Have you got all the tools and materials that you will need to make the model?
2. Have you got the drawing of the skeleton in front of you?

After you make the model:

1. Did you observe the safety rules of no running, no shouting, hold the pair of scissors
downwards when walking?
2. Have you included all the main parts of the skeleton in your model?
3. Have you included all the main joints of the skeleton in your model?
4. Has your group tidied up the workspace?

2. After you have read the checklist with the learners, explain the following:
a. They will make their models together in their groups.
b. When making the model, learners must observe the safety rules of no running, no
shouting, and holding their pairs of scissors downwards when walking.
c. Learners should not waste materials.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task.
4. Tell learners to leave their models of skeletons in a safe place for the next lesson.

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 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What main parts of the skeleton did you have to include in your model?
b. What main joints of the skeleton did you have to include in your model?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The main parts are the skull, backbone, ribs, shoulder girdle, hands, arms, hip girdle,
legs, feet.
b. The main joints are the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle.

5. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Skeletons as structures 41-42

Viva Skeletons as structures 27

Platinum Skeletons as structures 34-35

Solutions for All Skeletons as structures 39-40

Day-by-Day Skeletons as structures 27

Oxford Skeletons as structures 29

Spot On Skeletons as structures 16

Top Class Skeletons as structures 24

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Skeletons as structures 16

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
N/A

124 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

Term 1, Week 7, Lesson A

7A Lesson Title: Evaluate the model
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Frame and shell structures

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• evaluate a model
• work out how to improve the design of the model.

1. DOING SCIENCE 
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
 Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way
Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information
 data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
solutions to problems,  proposed solutions, 
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 125

 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

- -

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

Is a skull a frame or a shell structure?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A skull is a shell structure.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

EVALUATE

1. Does your model have all the necessary main parts: skull, backbone, hands, arms, ribs,
feet, legs, hips?
2. Do all the necessary joints move: ankle, knee, hip, wrist, elbow, shoulder?
3. Is your model well made?
4. Did your group use only the allowed materials to make the model of a skeleton?
5. What would you do differently if you could make another model?

2. After you have read the questions above with the learners, explain the following:
a. The evaluation is based on the specifications.
b. It is important to evaluate the model so it can be improved on.
c. Learners must write the responses to the questions in their workbook.
3. Give learners some time to answer these questions in their workbooks.

126 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What part of the skeleton enables us to move?
b. What part of the skeleton is a shell structure?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The joints enable us to move.
b. The skull is a shell structure.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Let each group of learners demonstrate their model of a skeleton to the rest of the class.
2. Write the following on the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

ACTIVITY: EVALUATE

1. Each group will demonstrate their model to the class.

2. Each group needs to name the main parts of the skeleton.
3. Each group needs to name the main joints of the skeleton and demonstrate how the
joints move.
4. Each group needs to say what they would do differently if they were given time to make
another model of a skeleton.

3. If possible, evaluate each model by going through the questions on the chalkboard.
4. Learners need to write their responses to Number 4 in their workbooks.
5. Possible model answer (answers will vary):

EVALUATE

I would take more care to make my newspaper tubes more carefully.

I would make my joints move in a more realistic way.
I would not waste time when making the model.
I would plan better with my group.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 127

 TOPIC: Skeletons as structures
Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Why, do you think, is it important to evaluate a model?
b. True or False: The skeleton has six main joints.

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

c. It will help us to improve our designs.
d. True.

6. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Skeletons as structures 42

Viva Skeletons as structures 27

Platinum Skeletons as structures 35

Solutions for All Skeletons as structures 44

Day-by-Day Skeletons as structures -

Oxford Skeletons as structures 29

Spot On Skeletons as structures 17

Top Class Skeletons as structures 24

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Skeletons as structures 73

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
N/A

128 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

TOPIC OVERVIEW:
Food chains
Term 1, Weeks 7B – 8A
A. TOPIC OVERVIEW
Term 1, Weeks 7b – 8b

●● This topic runs for 1½ weeks.

●● This topic counts for 6% in the mid-year exam.
●● It is presented over 4 lessons.
●● This topic’s position in the term is as follows:

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

WEEK 6 WEEK 7 WEEK 8 WEEK 9 WEEK 10

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

B. SEQUENTIAL TABLE
GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6 & 7
LOOKING BACK CURRENT LOOKING FORWARD
●● Structures of plants and ●● Food chains ●● Photosynthesis
animals ●● Ecosystems and Food webs
●● What plants need to grow ●● The biosphere
●● Habitats of animals

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 129

C. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL VOCABULARY
Ensure that you teach the following vocabulary at the appropriate place in the topic:

TERM EXPLANATION
1. nutrient A substance that provides food necessary for growth and development

2. process A series of steps taken to get to a certain outcome

The process by which green plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and
3. photosynthesis
water to make their own food

4. transferred Moved from one place to another

5. produces Makes; causes a result

6. excrete To get rid of waste material through the bowels

7. herbivores Animals that eat only plants

8. carnivores Animals that eat only meat

9. omnivores Animals that eat plants and meat

D. UNDERSTANDING THE USES / VALUE OF SCIENCE

It is important to understand how plants make their own food as some animals rely on plants for
their food. A knowledge of photosynthesis will make us more aware of the need to care more for our
environment.

E. PERSONAL REFLECTION
Reflect on your teaching at the end of each topic:

Date completed:

Lesson successes:

Lesson challenges:

Notes for future

improvement:

130 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains

Term 1, Week 7, Lesson B

7B Lesson Title: Green plants make their own food
Time for lesson: 1½ hours

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Food and feeding

CAPS Page Number 31

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• describe what plants need to make food

• draw a diagram to show the process of photosynthesis.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas  Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts
 scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 131

 TOPIC: Food chains

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

- -

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

True or False: The joints of a skeleton enable us to move.

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

True. Without joints, we would not be able to walk or move in any way.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

GREEN PLANTS MAKE THEIR OWN FOOD

Plants are living things that need food.

They need food to grow and build strong stems and branches.
Plants are the only living things that make their own food.
They are called producers because they produce their own food.
All green parts of a plant can make food, especially the leaves.
Plants use energy from the Sun, water, nutrients from the soil and carbon dioxide from the
air to make food.
This is called photosynthesis.
Plants give off oxygen when they make food.
Living things need oxygen to breathe.

2. After you have read through the information on the chalkboard with the learners, explain
the following:
a. Learners should understand all the words.
b. Plants are the only living things that make their own food.
c. They do not ‘eat’.
d. Plants need the Sun, water, nutrients from the soil and carbon dioxide from the air to
make their own food.

132 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What four things do plants need so that they can make their own food?
b. What part of the plant makes the food?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Plants need the Sun, water, soil and carbon dioxide to make their own food.
b. All green parts of a plant make food.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Draw the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

THE PROCESS OF MAKING FOOD

Energy from the

sun

Water from rain Oxygen for

and the soil animals to
breathe

Carbon-dioxide
from the air

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Plants need water, carbon dioxide, energy from the Sun and nutrients from the soil to
grow.
b. Plants make oxygen when they make food.
c. Tell learners to copy the diagram of ‘The process of making food’ from the chalkboard
into their workbooks.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 133

 TOPIC: Food chains
d. The diagram must have a heading (The process of making food) and labels (carbon
dioxide from the air, energy from the Sun, water from rain and the soil, oxygen for
animals to breathe).
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.
4. Activity: Write the following onto the chalkboard.

ACTIVITY: PLANTS AS PRODUCERS

1. Explain what a plant needs to make its own food.

2. Explain what a plant makes or produces from this.

5. Organise the activity as follows:

a. Group the learners into pairs.
b. Ask them to take turns to discuss what is written on the chalkboard.
c. Ask them to write down their answers in their workbooks.
d. Ask some learners to share their answers and discuss these as a class.
6. A model answer for the Activity: Plants as producers.

ACTIVITY: PLANTS AS PRODUCERS

A plant uses energy from the Sun, water, carbon dioxide and nutrients from the soil to make
its own food.
A plant produces oxygen and food.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What gas do plants produce when they make food?
b. Where do plants get their energy for making food?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Plants produce oxygen when they make food.
b. Plants get their energy from the Sun.

7. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

134 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Food chains 44-45

Viva Food chains 30

Platinum Food chains 38-39

Solutions for All Food chains 47-48

Day-by-Day Food chains 33-34

Oxford Food chains 30

Spot On Food chains 18

Top Class Food chains 28-29

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Food chains 78-82

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.stru.baggiezoom/biome-in-a-
baggie/#.WbFEnJMjG8U [Biome in a baggie]
2. https://goo.gl/yRCiJ8 (3min 8sec) [Learn about photosynthesis]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 135

 TOPIC: Food chains

Term 1, Week 7, Lesson C

7C Lesson Title: Animals need food
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Food and feeding

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• contrast the need for animals to eat with the need for plants to make their own food
• say how animals need food to carry out the life processes
• categorise animals into carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts

Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps
 trends

and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data

Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information 

136 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 28: Carnivores: A leopard
eating meat

Resource 29: Herbivores: A giraffe eating

leaves

Resource Page 30: Omnivores: Baboons

eating seeds and meat

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What do plants need in order to grow?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

Plants need water, carbon dioxide, energy from the Sun and nutrients from the soil to grow.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

ANIMALS NEED FOOD TO SURVIVE

Animals need food for energy so that they can carry out their life processes.
The life processes are to move, feed, grow, sense the environment, excrete, breathe and
reproduce.
Animals cannot make their own food.
They have to eat plants and other animals to get the energy they need.
They are called consumers.
Animals that eat only plants are called herbivores.
Animals that eat only meat are called carnivores.
Animals that eat both plants and animals are called omnivores.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 137

 TOPIC: Food chains
2. Explain the following to the learners:
a. Read through the information on the chalkboard.
b. Make sure the learners understand the information.
c. Remind learners about the life processes.
d. Animals need energy for these life processes.
e. Without food, animals cannot survive.
f. Show learners Resource Page 30: Herbivores: A giraffe eating leaves.
g. A herbivore is an animal that only eats leaves.
h. Show learners Resource Page 29: Carnivores: A leopard eating meat.
i. A carnivore is an animal that only eats meat.
j. Show learners Resource Page 31: Omnivores: Baboons eating seeds and meat.
k. An omnivore eats both meat and plants.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their exercise books.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Why do animals need food?
b. Can animals make their own food like plants?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Animals need food so that they can carry out their life processes.
b. No, animals should eat plants or other animals to get the energy they need.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

CARNIVORES, OMNIVORES AND HERBIVORES

Carnivores and omnivores eat animals that eat plants (herbivores).

All animals therefore depend on plants.

carnivores

herbivores

omnivores plants

Diagram showing how all animals depend on plants

138 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains
2. Explain the following to the learners:
a. Carnivores eat other animals.
b. Show the learners Resource Page 28: Carnivores: A leopard eating meat.
c. The leopard killed another animal to eat.
d. Show the learners Resource Page 29: Herbivores: A giraffe eating leaves.
e. The giraffe eats only leaves in order to grow and develop.
f. Show the learners Resource Page 30: Omnivores: Baboons eating seeds and meat.
g. Baboons eat both plants and meat. They eat small animals.
h. Omnivores eat other animals and plants.
i. All animals therefore depend on plants.
j. Look at the diagram on the chalkboard and point out the sequence to the learners.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information and diagram into their workbooks.
4. Activity: To prepare for the activity (try to this before the lesson starts):
a. Write the headings ‘Carnivore’, ‘Herbivore’ and ‘Omnivore’ on three pieces of paper.
b. Put these up on the wall or on a table.
c. Write the following information on the chalkboard:

ACTIVITY: CARNIVORES, OMNIVORES AND HERBIVORES

1. Write down the name of an animal on a piece of paper.

2. Place your piece of paper under the correct heading.

5. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Write the name of an animal on a piece of paper.
b. Place this piece of paper under the correct heading: carnivore, herbivore or omnivore.
c. Check each other to make sure that all the names of animals are put under the correct
heading.
d. Ask learners to tell you what these animals eat.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What is a carnivore?
b. What is an omnivore?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A carnivore is an animal that eats other animals.
b. An omnivore is an animal that eats other animals and plants.

6. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 139

 TOPIC: Food chains

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Food chains 45-48

Viva Food chains 31-32

Platinum Food chains 40-41

Solutions for All Food chains 49-50

Day-by-Day Food chains 35-36

Oxford Food chains 31-32

Spot On Food chains 19

Top Class Food chains 29

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Food chains 78-85

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/jpNR2A (3min 59sec) [Carnivores, herbivores, omnivores]
2. https://goo.gl/P5mw5W (2min 22sec) [What do carnivores, herbivores and omnivores
eat?]

140 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains

Term 1, Week 8, Lesson A

8A Lesson Title: Food chains
Time for lesson: 1½ hours

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Food and feeding

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• define a food chain

• draw a food chain with the correct sequence

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information
 data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions  Categorise information

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 141

 TOPIC: Food chains

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 31: A food web with many food
chains

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What is a herbivore?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A herbivore is an animal that eats only plants.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

FOOD CHAINS

Carnivores and omnivores eat animals that have eaten plants.

All animals therefore depend on plants.
A food chain is a diagram that describes how each living thing gets food.
A food chain shows how energy is passed from one living thing to another.
Food chains always start with a green plant.
A herbivore or omnivore then eats the plant.
A carnivore then eats the herbivore or omnivore.
A carnivore or omnivore always ends the food chain.

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Food chains always start with a green plant.
b. This green plant is then eaten by a herbivore or by an omnivore.
c. This herbivore is then eaten by an omnivore or a carnivore.
d. Therefore, an omnivore or carnivore will always end the food chain.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

142 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains
Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What is a food chain?
b. What living thing always starts off a food chain?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A food chain describes how each living thing gets food.
b. A green plant always starts off the food chain.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Activity: Food Chains
Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

TASK: FOOD CHAINS

Write down two food chains from the web of food chains diagram.
Use arrows to show the order in which the food chain happens.
Always start the food chain with ‘green plant’.

Example:
green plant goat jackal lion

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Show the learners Resource Page 31: A food web with many food chains.
b. Point out some of the food chains to the learners.
c. Show the learners the example written on the chalkboard.
d. When we draw a food chain we use an arrow between organisms to show that one eats
the other and that energy is transferred from one organism to the next.
e. A simple food chain is

green plant cow human

f. The different food chains for Resource 31: A food web with many chains, are given in
the model answers in 4 below.
3. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
4. The model answers are:

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 143

 TOPIC: Food chains
FOOD CHAINS

green plant mouse wild cat lion

green plant mouse owl

green plant mouse snake kite

green plant mouse rabbit wild cat lion

green plant rabbit wild cat lion

green plant rabbit jackal lion

5. Go over the model answers with the learners. Get some learners to share their answers
with the class and discuss these answers.
6. Ask learners the following:
a. What living thing is always at the beginning of a food chain? A green plant
b. What type of animal is always at the end of a food chain – a carnivore, herbivore or
omnivore? A carnivore (this could be an omnivore too but there was no example in the
above diagram).

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Does a food chain start with a plant or an animal?
b. What type of animal will end a food chain: carnivore, herbivore or omnivore?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A food chain starts with a plant.
b. A food chain ends with a carnivore or omnivore.

7. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

144 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Food chains 49-50

Viva Food chains 31-37

Platinum Food chains 42-43

Solutions for All Food chains 50-53

Day-by-Day Food chains 37-42

Oxford Food chains 34-35

Spot On Food chains 20-21

Top Class Food chains 30-32

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Food chains 86-94

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/i9Y1BW (5min 10sec) [Food chains, food webs, energy pyramid in
ecosystems]
2. https://goo.gl/NLAUcc (4min 57sec) [Food chains for kids]
3. https://goo.gl/GrqD3z (3min 26sec) [What is a food chain?]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 145

 TOPIC: Food chains

Term 1, Week 8, Lesson B

8B Lesson Title: Examples of food chains
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Food and feeding

CAPS Page Number 33

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• organise living things in the correct order for a food chain

• understand the energy transformation in the food chain.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas  Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
 Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

146 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

- -

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What is a food chain?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A food chain is a diagram that describes how each living thing gets food and it shows how
energy is transferred from one living thing to another.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

MORE ABOUT FOOD CHAINS

Living things that make up a food chain cannot be in any order.

They should be in the tight order so that energy is transferred between them.
All the energy in a food chain starts with the Sun.
Plants take the energy from the Sun to grow and develop.
When a rabbit eats a plant, the energy is transferred to the rabbit.
When an eagle eats a rabbit, the energy is transferred to the eagle.
Nothing eats the eagle so it is at the top of the food chain.
Most humans are omnivores and eat plant and animal products.
Humans are at the top of their food chains.

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. To transfer something means to move it from one place to another.
b. In a food chain, energy is transferred between different living things.
c. All the energy in a food chain starts with the Sun and the energy is then transferred
from one animal to another.
d. The last animal in the food chain is said to be at the top of the food chain.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 147

 TOPIC: Food chains
e. Humans are at the top of their food chains.
f. Humans eats plants and animals so they are omnivores.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Where does the energy in a food chain begin?
b. Are humans carnivores, herbivores or omnivores?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The energy in a food chain begins with energy from the Sun.
b. Humans are omnivores.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

TASK: ORDERING FOOD CHAINS

Place these living things in the correct order as a food chain.

Use arrows to show the correct order.

1. snail, eagle, rat, beetle, lettuce leaf

2. owl, grasshopper, mouse, grass
3. human, grass, cow
4. grasshopper, snake, grass, eagle

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. The living things are not in order. Place them in order.
b. Use an arrow between the living things to show the order.
3. Model answer for the task: Ordering Food Chains.

1. lettuce leaf snail beetle rat eagle

2. grass grasshopper mouse owl

3. grass cow human

4. grass grasshopper snake eagle

4. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.

148 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Food chains
Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Are humans at the top or the bottom of their food chains?
b. Where do plants get their energy from?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Humans are at the top of their food chains.
b. Plants get their energy from the Sun.

5. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Food chains 50

Viva Food chains 37

Platinum Food chains 43

Solutions for All Food chains 52-53

Day-by-Day Food chains 39-42

Oxford Food chains 35

Spot On Food chains 21

Top Class Food chains 33

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Food chains 89-92

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/jAFjAH (5min 53sec) [Food chains, food webs, energy pyramids]
2. https://goo.gl/oJRTK5 (4min 57sec) [Food chains for kids]
3. https://goo.gl/XYjURB (3min 24sec) [Fabulous Food Chains]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 149

TOPIC OVERVIEW:
Life Cycles
Term 1, Weeks 8C – 9C
A. TOPIC OVERVIEW
Term 1, Weeks 8c – 9c

●● This topic runs for 1½ weeks.

●● This topic counts for 8% in the mid-year exam.
●● It is presented over 4 lessons.
●● This topic’s position in the term is as follows:

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

WEEK 6 WEEK 7 WEEK 8 WEEK 9 WEEK 10

LESSON

A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C

B. SEQUENTIAL TABLE
GRADE 4 GRADE 5 GRADE 6 & 7
LOOKING BACK CURRENT LOOKING FORWARD
●● Living and non-living things: ●● Plants and animals grow ●● Photosynthesis
the seven life processes and develop ●● Nutrients in food: food
●● Structure of plants and ●● A Life Cycle describes the groups, natural and
animals processes and stages of a processed foods
●● What plants need to grow: plant or animal’s life ●● Nutrition
light, water, air ●● Reproduction, death ●● Ecosystems and food
●● Habitats of animals: need for and caring for young are webs: different eco-
a habitat described systems; plants, animals
and microorganisms are
connected
●● Diversity of animals and
plants

150 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

150 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1
C. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL VOCABULARY
Ensure that you teach the following vocabulary at the appropriate place in the topic:

TERM EXPLANATION
1. stage A step in a development; each part of the life cycle is called a stage

2. reproduction Making more; animals and plants reproduce by having babies

3. generation Animals or plants born and living at the same time

4. adult An animal or plant that is fully grown or developed

5. cubs Baby lions

6. repeated Happens again and again in the same way

7. dispersed Spread over a wide area

8. germination When seeds start growing into seedlings

9. toddler A young child who is just starting to walk

10. conditions Things affecting how it is

11. pollination When pollen is moved from one plant to another by bees or other insects

12. mating The coming together of a male and female to produce babies

13. hatch When an egg hatches, it breaks and lets the young bird or reptile out

D. UNDERSTANDING THE USES / VALUE OF SCIENCE

We need to understand the life cycles of plants and animals so that living things can have a healthy
life. It is necessary to know how plants and animals reproduce in order to keep their species from
going extinct.

E. PERSONAL REFLECTION
Reflect on your teaching at the end of each topic:

Date completed:

Lesson successes:

Lesson challenges:

Notes for future

improvement:

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 151

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 151
 TOPIC: Life Cycles

Term 1, Week 8, Lesson C

8C Lesson Title: Plants and animals grow and develop
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Growth and development

CAPS Page Number 34

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• describe how plants and animals grow and develop

• explain that this happens throughout their lives.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps
 trends

and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way
Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
knowledge and new
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

152 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 5: Lions in the shade of a tree -

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What is at the start of every food chain?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

A green plant will start every food chain.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Plants and animals are living things.

They grow and change throughout their lives.
This process is called development.
A generation is a group of plants or animals at a similar stage in their development.
One generation of a plant or animal gives rise to the next generation by reproduction.
Reproduction is when plants and animals have babies.
Death can occur at any stage in a plant or animal’s life.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. They learnt in Grade 4 that plants and animals are living things which go through seven
life processes.
b. The stages (steps) of this process are called development.
c. A generation is a group of plants or animals that are at the same stage in their
development.
d. One generation gives birth to a new generation through reproduction.
e. At any stage in a plant or animal’s life, death can occur.
f. Show learners Resource Page 5: Lions and cubs in the shade of a tree.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 153

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
g. These cubs will grow into adult lions/lionesses and have cubs themselves.
h. At any stage in the cubs’ lives, as they grow and develop, they might die.
i. Another male lion might attack them, they might die from disease, or they might die
from old age.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What is a ‘generation’?
b. What do we call the growth of plants and animals throughout their lives?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A generation is a group of plants or animals at a similar stage in their development.
b. We call this development.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Draw the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

GROWING AND DEVELOPING

An adult plant produces new, young plants.

These grow into a new generation of plants.
They then produce their own new, young plants which grow into the next generation of
plants.
An adult born at a similar time to another adult would be the same generation.

adult plant
or animal

reproduces develops adult plant

or animal

young plant
reproduces
or animal

young plant adult plant

develops
or animal or animal

154 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
2. Explain the following to the learners:
a. An adult will reproduce a young plant or animal, which will then reproduce its own
young plant or animal.
b. This process continues and creates a new generation each time.
3. Give learners some time to complete this information and diagram in their workbooks.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What does it mean when we say a plant or animal reproduces?
b. What does it mean when we say a plant or animal develops?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. To reproduce means to make more of the same thing – for animals and plants this
means having babies.
b. To develop means to grow – plants and animals develop throughout their lives.

4. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Life Cycles 51

Viva Life Cycles 39

Platinum Life Cycles 47-48

Solutions for All Life Cycles 59-60

Day-by-Day Life Cycles 43

Oxford Life Cycles 36-37

Spot On Life Cycles 22

Top Class Life Cycles 34

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Life Cycles 98-99

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links: N/A

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 155

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

Term 1, Week 9, Lesson A

9A Lesson Title: Life Cycles
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Growth and development

CAPS Page Number 34

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• describe what a life cycle is

• give the purpose of a life cycle

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms
diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

156 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

- -

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

If I am born and grow and develop at the same time as you, are we of the same generation?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

Yes, a generation is a group of plants or animals that are at the same stage in their
development.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

A LIFE CYCLE

1. All living things have a life cycle.

2. A cycle is a set of steps that happen one after the other and then the cycle gets
repeated.
3. A life cycle describes the stages and processes that take place as a plant or animal
grows and develops.
4. It describes how one generation of a plant or animal gives rise to the next generation.
5. This is done through reproduction.
6. reathe and so it must be kept damp.

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Remind learners that they planted seeds and watched them grow in Grade 4.
b. This is the start of a life cycle.
c. Those seeds would grow into adult plants.
d. These would then get seeds which would be dispersed.
e. These seeds would then start a new life cycle.
f. One generation of a plant or animal gives rise to the next generation through
reproduction.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 157

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
g. Reproduction is one of the life processes.
h. Read through the information on the chalkboard to make sure that the learners
understand all the information.
3. Read through the information on the chalkboard to make sure that the learners understand
all the information.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Do non-living things have a life cycle?
b. What is a life cycle?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. No, only living things have a life cycle.
b. A life cycle describes the stages and processes that take place as a plant or animal
grows and develops.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. ACTIVITY: Life Cycle of a Human. Write the following on the chalkboard (always try to do
this before the lesson starts):

TASK: LIFE CYCLE OF A HUMAN

adult, toddler, teenager, baby, child, old person

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. The process of maturing into an adult is called development.
b. All living things mature.
c. Each living thing has a life cycle.
d. Put the above words in order of their life cycle.
e. Ask the learners at what stage in the life cycle they think they are? child
f. What starts off the life cycle of a human? baby
g. What is the last stage in a human’s life cycle? old person
3. The model answer is as follows:

LIFE CYCLE OF A HUMAN

baby, toddler, child, teenager, adult, old person

4. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.

158 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What stage starts off the life cycle of a human?
b. What stage ends the life cycle of a human?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. A baby starts off the life cycle of a human.
b. An old person ends the life cycle of a human.

5. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Life Cycles -

Viva Life Cycles -

Platinum Life Cycles 48

Solutions for All Life Cycles 59-60

Day-by-Day Life Cycles -

Oxford Life Cycles 37

Spot On Life Cycles 22

Top Class Life Cycles 34

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Life Cycles -

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/680 [Life Cycles: Plants and animals]
2. http://sciencing.com/animal-plant-life-cycles-6392248.html [Animal and plant life cycles]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 159

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

Term 1, Week 9, Lesson B

9B Lesson Title: Life cycle of a plant
Time for lesson: 1½ hours

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Growth and development

CAPS Page Number 34

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• describe the different stages of the life cycle of plants

• put the different stages into an order.

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas  Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
 Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

160 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 35: The Life Cycle of a plant
from seed to fruit

Resource Page 36: Life cycle of an apple tree

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

True or False: Life cycles show the different stages and processes of a plant or animal as it
grows and develops.

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

True.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

STAGES OF THE LIFE CYCLE OF A PLANT

1. Nearly all flowering plants begin their life as seeds.

2. Seeds grow into seedlings.
3. Seedlings grow into adult plants.
4. Adult plants grow flowers.
5. The flower is pollinated.
6. After pollination, the flowers turn into fruit with seeds.
7. Fruit falls to the ground or is eaten by birds.
8. The seeds are dispersed.
9. The life cycle starts again.

2. Explain and discuss the following with the learners:

a. Flowering plants start their life cycle as seeds.
b. When conditions are right - warmth, air and water are available - the seeds grow into
seedlings.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 161

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
c. Seedlings grow into adult plants.
d. Adult plants grow flowers.
e. Flowers need to be pollinated so that the flower turns into a fruit.
f. Show learners Resource Page 7: Bees pollinating a plant.
g. Pollination is when pollen is moved from one plant to another.
h. Show learners Resource Page 35: Life Cycle of a plant from seed to fruit.
i. Point out the different stages of the life cycle of a plant.
j. The cycle starts off with a seed, which grows into a seedling, which grows into an adult
tree.
k. The tree then gets flowers, which are pollinated by bees or other insects, and the
flowers turn into fruit with seeds.
l. The seeds are dispersed by birds or by fruit falling on the ground.
m. The life cycle starts again.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.
4. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

PROCESSES IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF A PLANT

The following processes happen during the life cycle of a plant:

1. Germination occurs when a seed starts growing into a seedling. Seeds needs warmth,
air and moisture to germinate.
2. Growing happens throughout the life cycle. The seedling gets stronger and bigger.
3. Maturing is when a seedling grows into an adult plant.
4. Flowering happens in an adult plant for it to make fruit and seeds to reproduce.
5. Pollination happens when pollen is carried by insects from the male part of the plant to
the female part.
6. Dispersing seeds occurs when the seeds from the fruit are spread by birds or animals
that eat the fruit.

5. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Go through each word at the beginning of each sentence and explain what it means.
6. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.

162 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What does ‘germination’ mean?
b. What does ‘pollination’ mean?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Germination occurs when a seed has enough warmth, moisture and air to start growing
into a seedling.
b. Pollination happens when an insect moves pollen from the male part of a plant to the
female part.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Draw the following onto the chalkboard: (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

LIFE CYCLE OF A PLANT

flowering
seed seedling adult plant
plant

germinates with
grows in size flowers and is
warmth, air, matures
and strength pollinated
moisture

fruiting
plant

has fruits with seeds

which are dispersed

2. Explain the following to the learners:

a. Show learners Resource Page 35: The Life Cycle of a plant from seed to fruit.
b. The life cycle starts with a seed.
c. Go through each stage with the learners explaining the processes that occur at each
stage.
d. Make sure that learners understand the meaning of the words which were written down
at the beginning of the lesson.
e. When seeds are dispersed, it means that they are carried to other places by birds,
animals, wind or water.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 163

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
f. Learners must be reminded that ‘death’ can occur at any time in the life cycle. Plants
can be eaten by animals or not get enough water, sunlight or carbon dioxide.
g. Show learners Resource Page 36: Life cycle of an apple tree.
h. The life cycle starts with a seed, grows into a ‘sprout’ (seedling), which grows into a
tree, which has flowers, which turn into fruit, which have seeds.
3. Give learners some time to copy this diagram into their workbooks.
4. Draw the following on the chalkboard.

LIFE CYCLE OF A TOMATO PLANT

seed

fruiting plant
seedling

adult plant

flowering plant

5. Give learners some time to copy this diagram into their workbooks.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. Give the five stages in the life cycle of a tomato plant.
b. What does it mean when seeds are dispersed?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Seed, seedling, adult plant, flowering plant, fruit plant.
b. It means that the seeds are carried to other places either by birds, animals, wind or
water.

6. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

164 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Life Cycles 52-56

Viva Life Cycles 39-41

Platinum Life Cycles 49-51

Solutions for All Life Cycles 60-63

Day-by-Day Life Cycles 43-48

Oxford Life Cycles 38-39

Spot On Life Cycles 23-25

Top Class Life Cycles 34-37

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Life Cycles 99-105

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/TbZK2F (3min 46sec) [How does a seed become a plant?]
2. https://goo.gl/ow4PyL (3min 34sec) [Life Cycle of a Plant Video]
3. https://goo.gl/he7ame (2min 11sec) [How does a seed grow?]
4. https://goo.gl/ZhYSnm (3min 55sec) [Parts of a flower and pollination]
5. https://goo.gl/669w2x (1min 21sec) [The Life Cycle of a Flower]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 165

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

Term 1, Week 9, Lesson C

9C Lesson Title: Life cycle of a vertebrate
Time for lesson: 1 hour

A POLICY AND OUTCOMES

Sub-Topic Growth and development

CAPS Page Number 34

Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:

• describe the different stages of the life cycle of vertebrates

• put into order the different stages

1. DOING SCIENCE
Specific
Aims
2. KNOWING THE SUBJECT CONTENT & MAKING CONNECTIONS 
3. UNDERSTANDING THE USES OF SCIENCES & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

Access information  Select key ideas Recall facts 
Sketch design ideas Draw simple 2D plans  Write design briefs

Build a conceptual Organise to reorganise

framework
 knowledge
Write summaries

Describe concepts and

Develop flow charts, Recognise patterns and
processes, mechanisms  diagrams and mind maps
 trends
and theories
Understand the impact of Write specifications and Use information in a new
technology and science constraints way

Apply knowledge to new Critically evaluate Analyse information and
and unfamiliar contexts scientific information data
Recognise relationships
Use knowledge to design Critically evaluate
between existing
knowledge and new
 solutions to problems, proposed solutions,
needs and wants products and processes
ideas

Identify assumptions Categorise information

166 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

B POSSIBLE RESOURCES
For this lesson, you will need:

IDEAL RESOURCES IMPROVISED RESOURCES

Resource Page 37: Life cycle of a chicken

Resource Page 38: Life cycle of a frog

Resource Page 39: A python hatching from an

egg

C CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
1. Make sure that you are ready and prepared.
2. Write the following question onto the chalkboard before the lesson starts:

What does it mean when we say that a living thing ‘matures’?

3. Learners should enter the classroom and answer the question in their workbooks.
4. Discuss the answer with the learners.
5. Write the model answer onto the chalkboard.

To mature means to grow and develop into an adult.

D ACCESSING INFORMATION
1. Write the following onto the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

STAGES OF THE LIFE CYCLE OF VERTEBRATES

1. Most vertebrates have a simple life cycle.

2. The cycle is: baby, young animal, mature adult.

PROCESSES IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF VERTEBRATES

1. During the three stages of the life cycle, the following processes happen:
growing
maturing
mating
reproducing
dying

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 167

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
2. Explain the following to the learners:
a. Show learners Resource Page 5: Lions in the shade of a tree.
b. A cub is the name for a baby lion.
c. These cubs are young animals.
d. The cubs have grown from baby cubs into young lions or lionesses.
e. The lioness has grown and matured from a young lioness into a mature adult.
f. The lioness will have mated with a male lion to produce baby lions or lionesses.
g. In the wild, lions and lionesses live for about 15 years.
h. Lions and lionesses might die from old age, a shortage of food or water, fighting or
disease.
i. Read through what is written on the chalkboard and make sure the learners understand
all the words.
3. Give learners some time to copy this information into their workbooks.
4. Write the following on the chalkboard (always try to do this before the lesson starts):

REPRODUCING

1. Some vertebrates called mammals give birth to live young.

2. Other vertebrates such as birds and reptiles lay eggs.
3. The eggs are covered by a hard shell.
4. The babies hatch out of eggs.
5. Parents need to feed and protect their babies.
6. Some babies can walk or move straight away, like a giraffe or a horse.
7. Other babies take longer to do this, like humans and birds.

5. Explain the following to the learners:

a. In mammals, the embryo develops inside the mother’s body.
b. Most mammals give birth to live young.
c. Parents feed and protect their young.
d. Their young will grow into mature adults and carry on the cycle.
e. Birds and reptiles lay eggs.
f. The embryo develops inside the egg.
g. The egg has a hard shell to protect it.
h. The bird or reptile hatches out of the egg.
i. Show learners Resource Page 39: A python hatching from an egg.
j. A python is a reptile which lays eggs.

168 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
Checkpoint 1

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What are the three main stages of the life cycle of animals?
b. How do reptiles reproduce?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. The three stages are: baby, young animal, mature adult.
b. Reptiles lay eggs.

E CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Show learners Resource Page 37: The Life Cycle of a chicken.
2. Go through the life cycle with the learners from chicken to egg, to embryo growing and
developing in an egg, to hatching to chick and back to chicken.
3. Show learners Resource Page 38: The Life Cycle of a frog.
4. Point out the life cycle of a frog from adult frog, to eggs, to embryos, to tadpoles, to young
adult.
5. Write the following task onto the chalkboard:

TASK: THE LIFE CYCLE OF A DOG

The order of these sentences is mixed up. Write them in the correct order in your workbook.

1. The puppies grow until they are mature.

2. The female dog is pregnant for 58 - 65 days.
3. The female dog feeds her puppies with milk.
4. The male and female dogs mate.
5. The mature dog can reproduce and the life cycle starts again.
6. The female dog gives birth to her puppies.

6. Explain the following to the learners:

a. The sentences describe the life cycle of a dog.
b. The sentences are not in the correct order.
c. Write the heading in their workbook.
d. Write the sentences in the correct order in their workbooks.

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 169

 TOPIC: Life Cycles
7. Give learners some time to complete this task in their workbooks.
8. The model answer is:

TASK: THE LIFE CYCLE OF A DOG

1. The male and female dogs mate.

2. The female dog is pregnant for 58 - 65 days.
3. The female dog gives birth to her puppies.
4. The female dog feeds her puppies with milk.
5. The puppies grow until they are mature.
6. The mature dog can reproduce and the life cycle starts again.

Checkpoint 2

Ask the learners the following questions to check their understanding at this point:
a. What type of vertebrates lay eggs to reproduce?
b. What type of vertebrates give birth to live young?

Answers to the checkpoint questions are as follows:

a. Birds and reptiles lay eggs to reproduce.
b. Most mammals give birth to live young.

9. Ask the learners if they have any questions and provide answers and explanations.

170 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 TOPIC: Life Cycles

F REFERENCE POINTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

If you need additional information or activities on this topic, you can find these in your textbook
on the following pages:

NAME OF TEXTBOOK TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

Study & Master Life Cycles 57-64

Viva Life Cycles 42-46

Platinum Life Cycles 51-55

Solutions for All Life Cycles 64-67

Day-by-Day Life Cycles 49-52

Oxford Life Cycles 39-43

Spot On Life Cycles 26-28

Top Class Life Cycles 38-41

Sasol Inzalo Bk A Life Cycles 105-115

G ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES/ READING

In addition, further reading, listening or viewing activities related to this sub-topic are available
through the following web links:
1. https://goo.gl/E99FyL (4min 26sec) [Life cycle Video for Kids]
2. https://goo.gl/A18V8U (9min 30sec) [Animal Life Cycles]

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 171

 NATURAL
SCIENCES
&
TECHNOLOGY
ASSESSMENT
GRADE 5 TERM 1
172 Grade 5Grade 5 NATURAL
NATURAL SCIENCES
SCIENCES Term 1 Term 1
TECHNOLOGY
In this section of the booklet, you will find your science assessments for this term.

There are two assessments included:

1. A Practical Activity
The activity completed is drawn from one of the lessons in the lesson plans. The rubric attached
in this pack will assist you with assessing the task completed by the learners. The task to be
assessed with the rubric is identified in the rubric.

2. A Final Examination
The final examination included will need to be copied onto the chalkboard for learners to complete.
There is also a memorandum included to assist you with marking the learners completed
examination scripts.

All of the assessments are aligned to CAPS requirements and the marks allocated for each
assessment are as stipulated in CAPS.

Grade 5Grade 5 NATURAL

NATURAL SCIENCES
SCIENCES Term 1 Term 1
TECHNOLOGY 173
 GRADE 5 ASSESSMENT - RUBRIC
GRADE 5
TERM 1
CAPS ASSESSMENT 1
TOTAL MARKS: 15
RUBRIC FOR INVESTIGATION: FOR EACH GROUP
LESSONS 6A-7A
NOT
EXCELLENT VERY GOOD ACHIEVED
CRITERIA ACHIEVED
5 MARKS 3 – 4 MARKS 2 MARKS
1 MARK

--INVESTIGATE AND DESIGN

(Lesson 6A, 6B)
--traces or draws a skeleton
--main parts are labelled (skull,
backbone, ribs, shoulder girdle,
hands, arms, hip girdle, legs,
feet)
--main joints are labelled
(shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip,
knee, ankle)
--design brief, specifications and
constraints are correctly written
down (see model answer Lesson
6B)
--list of tools and materials are
given (these will vary from group
to group)
--a drawing or explanation on how
they are going to get the joints to
move

MAKE (Lesson 6C)

--gathers all tools and materials
--observes safety rules during
making
--checks that all main parts and
joints of skeleton are made

174 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 GRADE 5 ASSESSMENT - RUBRIC
EVALUATE (Lesson 7A)
--checked that model has all the
main parts
--checked that the model has all
the main joints
--used only allowed materials
--model is well made
--suggestions for improvements
are made

Learners Marks Possible Marks

Investigate and design 5

Make 5

Evaluate 5

Total: 15

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 175

 GRADE 5 ASSESSMENT - MEMORANDUM
Grade 5
Term 1:Test
Marks: 15
QUESTION PAPER
NOTES TO THE TEACHER

• The Term 1 Test will assess content and skills from Term 1. This test is for 15 marks. This test
counts for 8% of the final year mark.

Prepare for the examination by doing the following:

a. Write the following heading for the examination on the chalkboard: Natural Sciences and
Technology.
b. Write the examination questions on the chalkboard before the learners enter the classroom.
c. Make sure that there is a piece of paper for each learner.
d. Make sure that each learner has a pen, pencil and ruler.
e. Learners must enter the classroom in silence.
f. Tell the learners to write their names and the date at the top of the paper.
g. Tell the learners when they must start.
h. Learners are allowed an hour for the examination.
i. Tell learners when the time is up.
j. Collect all the papers.
k. Dismiss the learners.

176 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1

 GRADE 5 ASSESSMENT - TEST
Grade 5
Term 1 Test
Time: 30 minutes
Marks: 15
PLANTS AND ANIMALS ON EARTH [4 MARKS]
1. Complete the following sentences from the list of possible words. Rewrite the sentence and
underline your chosen words.
webbed, soil, food, air, inter-dependence, shelter, water, sunlight
a. Frogs live in ____ so they have ____ fingers and toes to swim.
b. ____ is when two or more things depend on each other.
c. Animals depend on plants for ____ and ____.
d. Plants need ____, ____, ____ and ____ from their habitats to survive.
ANIMALS SKELETONS [3 MARKS]
2. What do we call animals with skeletons inside their bodies?
3. What do we call the bone that forms around the brain?
4. Name an animal that does not have a shoulder or hip girdle.
SKELETONS AS STRUCTURES [3 MARKS]
5. Which of the following are natural structures: pylon, egg shell, plastic bottle, spider’s web?
6. Which type of skeleton is a shell structure: vertebrate or invertebrate?
7. Which of the following parts of a skeleton is a joint: skull, ribs, ankle, backbone?
FOOD CHAINS [3 MARKS]
8. What is the name given to animals that eat only meat?
9. What living thing do food chains always start with?
10. Draw a food chain from the following three living things: human, grass, cow.
LIFE CYCLES [2 MARKS]

11. Put the words below in order of their life cycle:

adult, toddler, teenager, baby, child, old person

Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1 177

 GRADE 5 ASSESSMENT MEMORANDUM
Grade 5
Term 1 Test
Time: 30 minutes
Marks: 15

MEMORANDUM
PLANTS AND ANIMALS ON EARTH [4 MARKS]
1. Complete the following sentences from the list of possible words. Rewrite the sentence and
underline your chosen words.
webbed, soil, food, air, inter-dependence, shelter, water, sunlight
a. Frogs live in water so they have webbed fingers and toes to swim.
b. Inter-dependence is when two or more things depend on each other.
c. Animals depend on plants for food and shelter .
d. Plants need water, sunlight, soil and air from their habitats to survive.
ANIMALS SKELETONS [3 MARKS]
2. What do we call animals with skeletons inside their bodies? We call them vertebrates.
3. What do we call the bone that forms around the brain? The bone around the brain is called the
skull.
4. Name an animal that does not have a shoulder or hip girdle. Either a snake or a fish is a correct
answer.
SKELETONS AS STRUCTURES [3 MARKS]
5. Which of the following are natural structures: pylon, egg shell, plastic bottle, spider’s web?
An egg shell and a spider’s web are natural structures.
6. Which type of skeleton is a shell structure: vertebrate or invertebrate?
Invertebrate skeletons are shell structures.
7. Which of the following parts of a skeleton is a joint: skull, ribs, ankle, backbone?
An ankle is a joint.
FOOD CHAINS [3 MARKS]
8. What is the name given to animals that eat only meat? Carnivores eat only meat.
9. What living thing do food chains always start with? Food chains start with a plant.
10. Draw a food chain from the following three living things: human, grass, cow.
grass → cow → human
LIFE CYCLES [2 MARKS]

11. Put the words below in order of their life cycle:

adult, toddler, teenager, baby, child, old person
baby, toddler, child, teenager, adult, old person (each group of three words is a mark)

178 Grade 5 NATURAL SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY Term 1