Cambridge Science Year 7 LB Lyp Part 2

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4 Grouping and
identifying organisms
4.1 Characteristics of
E
living organisms
In this topic you will:
•
•
non-living things
PL
think about what makes living organisms different from
learn about the seven characteristics of living organisms.
Getting started Key words

M
In your classroom, find one living thing and one thing that has excretion
never been alive. growth
With your partner, make a list of things that the living thing can movement
do, but the non-living thing cannot do. nutrition
Be ready to share your ideas with the rest of the class. organism
SA
reproduction
respiration
sensitivity
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4 Grouping and identifying organisms
Living and non-living

How do you know when something is alive? If it is a person, you can
check to see if they are breathing, or if they have a heartbeat.
Plants don’t breathe or have hearts, yet they are alive.
Living things are called organisms. Living organisms have a set of seven
characteristics that make them different from non-living things.
Nutrition: Plants feed by Growth: All living Movement: Living
photosynthesis. Bears eat meat. organisms grow. organisms can move.
E
PL
M
SA
Sensitivity: Living organisms Excretion: Living Reproduction: Respiration: Food is

are sensitive to changes going organisms get rid of waste Living organisms broken down inside
on around them. materials, such as carbon can produce young. cells to provide energy.
dioxide.
Questions
These questions are about the picture of the polar bears. Copy and
complete the sentences.
Use these words. You can use each word once, more than once or not
at all.
carbon dioxide chewing feeding growth movement

oxygen sight smell reproduce respiration
Original material
122 © Cambridge University Press 2021. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.
ISBN_9781108742788.
4.1 Characteristics of living organisms
1 Another word for taking in nutrition is .

2 Polar bears can sense things in their environment. For example, with
their nose they can sense the of meat.
3 All living organisms excrete waste substances. Animals excrete
when they breathe out.
4 Living organisms to make more of the same
kind of organism.
5 Young plants and animals get bigger. This is called
…………………….. .
E
6 All living organisms break down some of the food they eat, to provide
them with energy. This happens in a process called ……………………… .
7 Most living organisms can change the shape and position of their
bodies. This is called ……………… .
Activity 4.1.1
Is a car alive?
The picture shows a car.
Here are some facts about cars.
•
•
Cars use fuel and oxygen.
PL
Inside the engine of the car, the
M
fuel and oxygen provide energy
to make the car move.
• The engine produces waste gases,
including carbon dioxide.
These are given off in the exhaust of
SA
the car.
• Some cars have sensors. For example, they can sense when it is dark and turn the
lights on automatically.
Questions
1 In your group, make a list of similarities between a car and living organisms.
2 Make a list of differences between a car and living organisms.
Summary checklist
I can list the seven characteristics of living organisms.
I can describe the meaning of each of these characteristics.
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4.2 Viruses
• learn about the structure of a virus
• discuss whether viruses are non-living or living.
E
Work with a partner to answer these questions. electron
Respiration is one of the characteristics of living things. microscope
influenza
List the other six characteristics.
PL
Now explain the meaning of each of the words in your list.
protein
replicate
RNA
virus
M
SA
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4.2 Viruses
What is a virus?
Viruses are very, very small. A virus is
much smaller than one of your cells.
You cannot see a virus with the kind of
microscope that you use in school.
To see a virus, you need to use a special
kind of microscope called an electron
microscope.
Viruses are not made of cells. They do not
E
have a cell membrane or cytoplasm. The
blue-green outer layer in the photograph
is a coat made of protein. There are little
pegs on the outside of this coat.
The orange part inside contains a
substance called RNA. The RNA is
made of little threads that contain a
set of coded instructions for making
more viruses. PL This scientist is working in Jakarta, Indonesia. She is using an electron
microscope. The microscope is the grey object on the right-hand
side of the photograph. It produces a picture on the screen in front
of the scientist.
M
SA
This photograph of viruses was taken by using an electron microscope. The viruses in the photograph look 100 000 times
bigger than they really are. It is almost impossible to imagine just how small a virus is.
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Think like a scientist

Making a model of a virus
You will need:

modelling clay, paper that you can tear into little pieces,
push pins
Use the materials to make:
E
• an outer coat of protein
• some little threads of RNA, inside the protein coat
• some pegs on the outer coat.
You could take a photograph of your model, then stick the photograph into your
notebook.
How viruses replicate

PL
Viruses cannot do anything at all on their own. They do not respire,
feed, excrete or grow. They are not sensitive and cannot move.
Viruses have to get inside a living cell before they
can make copies of themselves.
M
The brown viruses in the photograph are H3N2
influenza viruses. This kind of virus can
invade (get inside) cells of birds, humans
and other mammals. The viruses get
into your body by going up your nose
when you breathe in. The little pegs
SA
on the virus’s coat help it to stick

onto one of your cells and then
get inside the cell.
When the viruses are inside the cell, each
virus bursts open. The virus forces the
cell to copy the instructions on its RNA,
and make many new viruses. This is called
replication. This kills the cell. Then the new
viruses burst out of the dying
cell, ready to infect more cells.
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4.2 Viruses
This makes the animal whose cells are infected feel ill. H3N2 viruses
cause a very unpleasant and dangerous kind of influenza (flu).
In 1968–1969, these viruses killed approximately one million people.
These flu viruses are just one of thousands of
different kinds of viruses we know about. Each kind
of virus has a particular kind of cell that it infects.
Some viruses infect plant cells.
In 2019, a new virus appeared. We do not know
exactly where it came from, but scientists think
E
it developed in a wild animal and then spread to
humans. The new virus is similar to the viruses that
cause flu and colds. Its official name is SARS-CoV-2.
The illness it causes is called Covid-19. This stands for
coronavirus disease 2019. The virus quickly spread all
over the world.
PL
Many people get the virus without being ill at all,
or just have mild symptoms. But in some people,
it causes dangerous illness and even death.
Scientists will work hard for many years to find the
best ways of preventing this, including vaccination,
and drugs to treat Covid-19.
This is a drawing of a SARS-CoV-2 virus. The red bits
on the outside are called spike proteins. They help the
virus attach to cells and get inside.
M
Activity 4.2.1
Are viruses alive?
Some scientists consider that viruses are living organisms. Others
think that they are not.
In a group of three, discuss the question: Are viruses living
SA
organisms?
Make a list of reasons for your decision. Be ready to share your
ideas with others.
Summary checklist
I can describe what a virus is and how it replicates.
I can give reasons for classifying viruses as living or non-living.
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4.3 What is a species?

• look carefully for similarities and differences between
organisms
• compare two different species of organism
• find out how scientists decide if two organisms belong to the
E
same or different species.
PL
All living things belong to groups called species.
Imagine you are looking at two birds in your garden.
They look quite similar, but are not exactly the same.
Discuss this question with your partner: How would you
decide if the two birds belong to the same species or two
different species?
Be ready to share your ideas.
fertile
identical
infertile
offspring
species
specimen
variation
M
SA
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Species
Scientists group living organisms into different kinds. Each kind of
organism is called a species.
Activity 4.3.1
Comparing two species of elephant
With a partner, look at the two pictures of elephants. These elephants belong to two
different species.
E
Make a list of the similarities that you can see between the two species of elephant.
Then make a list of differences that you can see between them.
PL
M
Indian elephant African elephant
Species and reproduction

SA
All the organisms in a species share the same characteristics but they
are not all identical to each other. For example, some Indian elephants
have straighter tusks than others. They have pink markings on their
skin in different places. There is variation between the individual Indian
elephants.
Variation between individuals can sometimes make it difficult to decide
whether two organisms belong to the same species. To be sure, scientists
try to find out if they can reproduce with one another.
Indian elephants reproduce only with other Indian elephants. They do
not reproduce with African elephants. Each species reproduces only with
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other members of its own species. When they have offspring (children),
the offspring belong to the same species as their parents.
The offspring are fertile. This means they can also produce offspring.
Organisms that belong to different species cannot usually reproduce
with one another.
Very rarely, two organisms from different species do reproduce together.
This sometimes happens in a zoo. It can happen if two animals from
different species are put into the same enclosure.
For example, a male lion and female tiger in a zoo sometimes reproduce
E
together. They will only do this if they do not have a member of their
own species to reproduce with.
The young animals that are produced are called ligers. Ligers are healthy
animals. But ligers cannot reproduce. They cannot have offspring. They
are infertile.
PL
So, we can describe a species as a group of organisms that can reproduce
together to produce fertile offspring.
M
SA
A male lion (left) can breed with a female tiger (centre) to produce a liger (right).
Questions
1 Copy and complete these sentences.
Choose from these words.
bigger different identical similar
Organisms that belong to the same species usually look

to one another.
They look from organisms belonging to other species.
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2 Explain why biologists say that lions and tigers belong to different
species, even though they can sometimes reproduce together.

Comparing organisms belonging to different species
This task will give you practice in looking very carefully at specimens (samples) of
organisms. You will also practise describing similarities and differences.
You will need:
E
• specimens of two similar species of organism
Safety
2
3
PL
If you handle live organisms, wash your hands carefully afterwards.
Look carefully at the specimens. The organisms belong to two different species.
Questions
1 Write down five similarities between the two species.
Now write down some differences between them. Try to find at least two differences.
Suggest what a scientist would do to be sure that these organisms really do belong to
two different species.
M
Summary checklist
I can compare organisms belonging to different species.
I can describe what is meant by the word ‘species’.
SA
I can explain how scientists decide whether organisms belong to

the same species.
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4.4 Using keys

• learn how to use a key to identify an organism, or to classify it
into a group
• change a key from one style to a different style.
E
Discuss this question with a partner. dichotomous

Imagine you have found an insect that you have never seen key
PL
before. You want to know what its name is.
How would you try to find out? Try to think of at least three
ways in which you could do this. Which way do you think would
be the best?
M
SA
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4.4 Using keys
Identifying organisms
Biologists often want to identify an organism that they have found.
A good way to start is to look at pictures in a reference book, or on the
internet. The biologist may be able to find a picture of the organism,
with its name. But this does not always work.
Biologists also use keys
to help them to identify
organisms. A key is a set of
questions about the organism
E
you want to identify. The
answer to each question
takes you to another question.
You work through all of the
questions until you arrive at the
name of the organism.
Here is a simple key to help
someone to identify an organism.
It is a dichotomous key.
Dichotomous means ‘branching
into two’.
You will have to imagine that you
have the whole animal to look at,
PL
M
not just these pictures.
To use the key:
Does it have legs?
• Choose one organism
you want to identify. Yes No
• Starting at the top of Does it have more than six legs? Is its body made up of rings?
SA
the key, answer the first

question – yes or no? Yes No Yes No
• Follow the line to the crab Does it have four wings? earthworm slug
next question. Keep
going until you arrive
at the name of the Yes No
organism. dragonfly housefly
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Keys are sometimes arranged differently. Here is the same key set out
in a different way.
Instead of a question, the key starts with a pair of statements to
choose from.
Instead of arrows pointing to where you go next, there is a number
telling you which pair of statements to go to next.
1 a It has legs. go to 2
b It does not have legs. go to 3
E
2 a It has exactly six legs. go to 4
b It has more than six legs. crab
3 a Its body is made up of rings. earthworm
4
b
a
b
It has four wings.
It has two wings.
PL
Its body is not made up of rings.
Try working through the key to identify the dragonfly.

You will work through steps 1a, 2a, 4a.
Questions
slug
dragonfly
housefly
M
1 Using the key above, which steps would you go through to identify
the earthworm?
2 Explain why the key is called a dichotomous key.
SA
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4.4 Using keys

Using a key to identify species of fish
The pictures show four species of fish.
A B
E
C
PL D
M
SA
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Continued
Questions
1 Use this key to identify the four species of fish.
Remember:
• Take one fish at a time. Start with fish A.
• Start at the top of the key and work your way through the questions and answers
until you arrive at the name of the fish.
E
• Then do the same for fish B, and so on.
Does it have stripes?
Yes No
Yes
Yes
PL
Are the stripes vertical?
Do the fins have spines?
dragon fish
No
clown fish
No
zebra fish
horn shark
M
2 Here is the beginning of the same key, written out in the style that uses pairs of
statements for you to choose between.
1 a The fish has stripes. …………………….. go to 2
b The fish does not have stripes. …….…… horn shark
Write out the whole of the key in this style.
SA
Which style of key do you find easier to use? Why do you think
it is easier?
Summary checklist
I can use a dichotomous key to identify an organism.
I can write a key in a different style.
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4.5 Constructing keys

• learn how to create your own key
• learn how to change your key following feedback.
Getting started
E
Here are four questions that could be part of a dichotomous
key to identify some different plants.
• Is the plant tall?
•
•
•
PL
Do the flowers on the plant have five or more petals?
Does the plant have dark green leaves?
Are the leaves darker on the upper surface than on the
lower surface?
With a partner, think about these four questions.
Which two questions would not be good to use in a key?
Explain your answer.
M
SA
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Constructing a key
Look at the photographs of four learners.
Imagine you are going to construct a key to help someone to identify
these learners.
Step 1
Think of a way you can split the learners into two groups. For
example, you could split them into male and female learners.
E
So, your first question could be: Is the learner female?
Step 2 Deidre
Now look at just one of these groups – the female learners, for
Step 3 PL
example. Think of a way to split these into two. For example, you
could use the colour of their hair.
Repeat Step 2 until you have thought of ways to identify each

learner in turn.
Now use your ideas to complete the ‘Think like a scientist’ activity.
M
Ben
SA
Ari Elsa
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Making keys to identify four learners
1 Copy this key and complete it, to help someone to identify each of the four learners in
the photographs.
Is the learner male?

Yes No
E
Yes No Yes No
Ben Ari Deirdre Elsa
PL
Now try writing your key in the other style, using pairs of statements, 1a and b, 2a and
b and so on.
You could use the same pairs of features as for your first key, or you could challenge
yourself to use different pairs.
Peer assessment
Exchange your key with a partner.
M
For each of the four statements below, give your partner:
2 marks if they did it really well
1 mark if they have done it quite well
0 marks if they have done it very badly, or not at all
SA
• They have written a key that is made up of pairs of statements to choose from.
• It is easy to choose between the statements each time.
• There are no more than three pairs of statements to choose from.
• The key works – someone can use it to identify the four learners.
With your partner, look at the marks you have given each other.
What could each of you do better next time?
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Writing a key to identify species of cat
The photos show four different species of cat.
E
Pallas’s cat Leopard
PL
M
Lynx Tiger
1 Write a key that someone can use to identify these four cat species.
You can use either style of key.
SA
2 Exchange your key with a partner and ask them to try it out. Does it work?
Ask them for suggestions for improving it. Use their ideas to make
some changes to your key so that it works better.
What problems did you have writing your key? How did you
solve them?
Summary checklist
I can write my own key.
I can use feedback from a user to improve my key.
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Project: Consequences of classifying organisms

In this project, you will work in a group to think about how different decisions about
classifying organisms can affect their chances of survival. You will produce a short play to
show some of the viewpoints of people who may be affected by these decisions.
Biologists often disagree about whether two kinds of organism should be classified as the
same species or as different species. This can cause arguments about whether to try to
save a particular kind of organism, or to protect a habitat.
Imagine there is a small area of rainforest where farmers want to plant coffee trees.
E
Coffee traders want to build a factory to process and pack coffee beans, to sell.
Some biologists say that there are 200 different species of birds that live in this forest.
If the forest is cut down, some of these species may become extinct. But other biologists
disagree. They say that 100 of these ‘species’ are not different species at all.
are at least 200 different

species of bird here.
PL
In your group, plan and act a short scene involving these people:
I am sure there
It was noted at an earlier proof

stage that these artworks are very
Primary level. They need to be
redrawn.
Tech-Set:
If we build a coffee
packing factory here, we
can employ a lot of
people.
M
I think a lot of your If I can plant coffee
species are not different species trees here, I can make a
at all; but certainly there are at lot of money.
least 100 different species of
bird in the forest.
SA
If you wish, you could include other people, such as children who like to play
in the forest, or someone from an international conservation organisation.
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Check your Progress

4.1 The list describes some of the features of a horse.
• It can move.
• It has a heart.
• It has hair.
• It feeds.
E
• It respires.
• It can sense changes in its environment.
• It has a brain.
a Write down each feature in the list that is a characteristic of all living things. [4]
b
part a.
PL
Write down two more characteristics of living things that are not included in
4.2 The pictures show some animals that belong to different groups.
A B C D E
[2]
M
Use the key to classify each animal into the correct class. [5]
SA
1 a has three pairs of legs……………………………………… class insects

b has more than three pairs of legs……………………… go to 2
2 a ody has many segments (rings) with a pair
b
of legs on each segment………………………………… class myriapods
b does not have a pair of legs on each segment………… go to 3
3 a has eight legs……………………………………………… class arachnids
b has more than eight legs………………………………… class crustacea
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4.3 A scientist studies birds in New Zealand. The photographs show two kinds of parakeet
that live there.
The scientist wants to find out if these two kinds of parakeet belong to different species.
E
Yellow-crowned parakeet
PL Red-crowned parakeet
She searches in suitable habitats for pairs of parakeets that are making nests.
She never finds a yellow-crowned parakeet that has paired up with a red-crowned
parakeet.
a The scientist concludes that the yellow-crowned parakeet and red-crowned
parakeet belong to two different species.
M
What evidence does she have for making this conclusion? [2]
b Suggest what the scientist should do to be even more certain that her
conclusion is correct. Choose from:
• looking at stuffed specimens of parakeets in a museum
SA
• checking more pairs of parakeets in the wild

• looking at other species of parakeets.
Explain your answer. [2]
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4.4 The photograph shows six flowers, A to F.

A is Limnanthes D is Lunaria
B is Viola E is Erodium
C is Potentilla F is Silene
A B C
E
PL
M
D E F
SA
Here is part of a key that someone could use to identify each of the flowers.
Copy and complete the key. [4]
1 a The flower has exactly four petals. …………………… Lunaria
b The flower has more than four petals. ……………….. go to 2
Original material
ISBN_9781108742788.

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We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

learn about the seven characteristics of living organisms.

Getting started Key words

Living and non-living

Sensitivity: Living organisms Excretion: Living Reproduction: Respiration: Food is

carbon dioxide chewing feeding growth movement

1 Another word for taking in nutrition is .

Getting started Key words

Think like a scientist

You will need:

Use the materials to make:

How viruses replicate

on the virus’s coat help it to stick

4.3 What is a species?

Getting started Key words

Species and reproduction

Organisms that belong to the same species usually look

Think like a scientist

You will need:

I can explain how scientists decide whether organisms belong to

4.4 Using keys

Discuss this question with a partner. dichotomous

the key, answer the first

organism. dragonfly housefly

Try working through the key to identify the dragonfly.

Think like a scientist

Do the fins have spines?

4.5 Constructing keys

Repeat Step 2 until you have thought of ways to identify each

Think like a scientist

Is the learner male?

Ben Ari Deirdre Elsa

Think like a scientist

Project: Consequences of classifying organisms

are at least 200 different

It was noted at an earlier proof

Check your Progress

1 a has three pairs of legs……………………………………… class insects

• checking more pairs of parakeets in the wild

4.4 The photograph shows six flowers, A to F.

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