PRIMARY THREE

LESSON NOTES

SCIENCE

TERM II
Week One
Lesson 1
THEME: THE WORLD OF LIVING THINGS

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SUB-THEME: LIVING THINGS.
LIVING THINGS
 Living things are things in the environment which have life.
 Living things are divided into two groups i.e.
1) Plants
2) Animals
Characteristics of living things
 Living things grow.
 Living things reproduce.
 Living things feed.
 Living things breathe.
 Living things move.
Animals in our environment
 Animals are living creatures that range from big to simple
organisms.
Some examples of animals in our environment
 Cows  Monkeys
 Dogs  Birds
 Snakes  Chameleon
 Insects  Crocodiles
 Fish  Lions
INSECTS
 An insect is an animal without bones.
Groups of insects.
 True insects.
 False insects.
a) True insects
 True insects are insects which have wings.

Some examples of true insects.

 Mosquitoes  Tsetse flies
 Honey bees  Blackflies
 Cockroaches  Butterflies
 Grasshoppers  Moths
 Houseflies
ACTIVITY
1. What do we call the things in the environment which have life?
2. Mention two groups of living things.
3. Why are animals grouped under living things?
4. Identify any four examples of animals in our environment.
5. State any three characteristics of living things.
6. What is an insect?
7. State any two examples of true insects.

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 Week One
Lesson 2
Parts of a true insect.
Mouth
Leg
Head Compound eye

Wing Thorax

Leg Haltare

Spiracle Haltare

An ovipositor
Uses of each part.
1. Eyes
 Eyes are used for seeing around.
2. Legs
 Legs are used for movement.
3. Spiracles
 Spiracles are used for breathing.
4. Antennae/feelers
 Antennae are used for sensing danger around.
 Antennae are used for feeling.
 Antennae are used for smelling
5. Wings
 Wings are used for flying.
6. Mouth
 A mouth is used for feeding.
7. Thorax
 A thorax is used for supporting the legs.
8. Head
 A head is where we find feelers and eyes.
9. Abdomen
 An abdomen is where we find spiracles.
10. Ovipositor
 An ovipositor enable a female insect to lay eggs.
 It is used for mating.
 It is used for passing out wastes.
11. Haltere
 A haltere joins the thorax on to the abdomen.

Note:
 Some insects have proboscis for sucking blood.

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  Other insects have mandibles for chewing food e.g. grasshoppers,
locusts cockroaches etc.
Characteristics of true insects.
 True insects breathe through spiracles.
 True insects have 3 pairs of legs
 True insects have 3 main body parts i.e. head, thorax and
abdomen.
 True insects have 2 pairs of wings.
 True insects have one pair of compound eyes.
 True insects have one pair of feelers.
Activity
1. Name the three main body parts of an insect.
2. How many pairs of legs has a true insect?
3. How are spiracles useful to a housefly?
4. What is the use of an ovipositor on a female insect?
5. Identify any two characteristics of a true insect.
6. Mention any two examples of true insect which use mandibles for
chewing food.

Week One
Lesson 3
b) False insects
 False insects are insects without wings.
Some examples of false insects.
 Spiders  Fleas
 Ticks  Bedbugs
 Scorpions
External parts of a false insect.

Legs

Head
Abdomen
Characteristics of false insects.
 False insects breathe through book lungs.
 False insects have more than three pairs of legs.
 False insects no wings (they are wingless).
 False insects have no antennae (feelers).
Sub-groups of insects
 Useful insects.
 Harmful insects.
a) Useful insects.
 Useful insects are insects which do not harm other animals.
Some examples of common useful insects.

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  Grasshoppers  Butterflies
 White ants  Moths
b) Harmful insects.
 Harmful insects are insects which can do harm on other animals.
Some examples of common harmful insects.
 Honey bees  Termites
 Mosquitoes  Tsetse flying
Some examples of insects which are both harmful and useful.
 Honey bees  Houseflies
 Locusts  Termites
Activity
1. Define the following;
a) Useful insect
b) Harmful insects.
2. Give any two examples of false insects?
3. Mention any two characteristics of false insects.
4. How are houseflies useful to people?
5. List down any two examples of useful insects.
6. Why are honey bees useful in the environment?

Week One
Lesson 4
Social insects and solitary insects
a) Social insects
 Social insects are insects which live, move and work together.
Some examples of social insects.
 Honey bees  Termites
 Wasps  Red ants(Safari)

Honey bees
Types of honey bees
i) Worker bee
ii) Queen bee
iii) Drone bee
Queen bee
 Queen bee lays eggs.
 The queen bee feeds on special food called royal jelly.
Note:
 Royal jelly – food for a queen bee
 The queen bee has a sting for protection.
Drone bees
 They are male bees in a hive.
 Drones have no stings.
 The drone mates with the queen bee.

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  The flight of bees in which the drone mates the queen bee is called
marriage or wedding flight.
Duties of worker bee
i) Worker bees collect nectar from flowers.
ii) Worker bees make honey.
iii) Worker bees clean the bee hive.
iv) Worker bees protect the beehive.
Note
 Api-culture is the rearing of bees in their beehives.
 An apiary is a place where there are many beehives.
 A group of bees is called a swarm.
 The massive movement of bees from one place to another is called
swarming.

Activity
1. What do we call the insects which live, move and work together?
2. State at least two examples of social insects.
3. List down the three types of honey bees.
4. How are worker bees useful in the bee hive?
5. What do we call the special food for the queen bees?
6. Define the following terms;
a) Api-culture.
b) An apiary.
7. How important is a drone bee important in a bee hive?
8. Why are wasps grouped under social insects?

Week One
Lesson 5
Products we get from honey bees.
 Honey  Bee wax
 Bee grubs
Products got from bee wax.
 Candles  Floor polish
 Crayons  Shoe polish
 Wood polish
Importance or uses of honey.
 Honey is used for making some medicine.
 Honey is eaten as food.

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  Honey is a source of income.
b) Solitary insects.
 Solitary insect are insects which do not live, move and work
together.
Examples of solitary insects.
 Butterflies  Tsetse flies
 Houseflies  Moths
 Mosquitoes  Cockroaches
Importance or uses of insects.
 Some insects are eaten e.g. white ants, termites, grasshoppers,
locusts etc.
 Bees provide honey and wax.
 Some insects pollinate crops like bees, moths etc.
 Some insects are a source of income like honey bees, grasshoppers
etc.
 Silk worms provide silk threads for making clothes.
Dangers of insects to people
 Some insects bite like mosquitoes, tsetse flies etc.
 Some insects bite sting like wasps, bees etc.
 Some insects spread germs e.g. Houseflies, cockroaches etc.
ACTIVITY
1. What are solitary insects?
2. Give any two examples of solitary insects.
3. Mention any two products got from bee wax.
4. Why do you think honey is useful to people?
5. How important are insects to people?
6. Mention any two insects that spread diseases.
7. How does a wasp protect itself?

Week Two
Lesson 1
Ways of caring for insects (bees)
 By giving them a hive.

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  By planting flowering plants for nectar and pollen grains.
 By putting water around.
 By putting sugar mixed with water (syrup) near a bee hive.
Young ones of insects
Insect. Young ones
Houseflies. - Maggot
Mosquitoes. - Wriggler
Butterflies. - Caterpillar
Moths. - Caterpillar
Bees. - Grub
Cockroaches. - Nymph

Homes/habitats of insects
i) Grass – grass hoppers caterpillars-plant leaves.
ii) Soil - crickets, termites
iii) Beehive, burrows, tree branches - bees
iv) Anthills - white ants, termites
v) Cobwebs - spider
vi) Dark places - cockroaches, lice
vii) Bush - mosquitoes, tsetse flies
viii) Dirty places – houseflies
Activity
1. Mention any two ways of caring for honey bees.
2. How do we call a young of a bee?
3. Match the following insects to their young ones.
i) Cockroaches Wriggler
ii) House flies Caterpillars
iii) Butterflies Nymph
iv) Mosquitoes Maggot

i) Cockroaches _________________________________________________
ii) House flies ___________________________________________________
iii) Butterflies ___________________________________________________
iv) Mosquitoes _________________________________________________

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4. What do we call the home for cockroaches?
5. Mention any two insects that live in the bush.

Week Two
Lesson 2
Life cycles of an insect (metamorphosis)
 Metamorphosis are the stages of development of an insect.
Types of life cycles of insects.
i) Complete life cycle.
ii) Incomplete life cycle.
i) Complete life cycle
 Complete life cycle is a type of life cycle where insects undergo
four stages of development.
Some examples of insects with complete life cycle.
 Bees
 Mosquitoes  Wasps
 Moths  Houseflies
 Butterflies  Ladybirds etc

A diagram showing a complete life cycle

Note: The larva stage of a bee is a grub.

A house fly
 The larva stage of a house fly is a maggot.
 An adult housefly is called an imago.
 A housefly is able to spread more than one disease because it has a
hairy body.
Diseases spread by a housefly
 Trachoma
 Diarrhoea

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  Cholera
 Dysentery
 Typhoid
 Polio
Disease spread by a cockroach
 Dysentery
 Typhoid
 Diarrhoea

Activity
1. How many stages of life cycle has a housefly?
2. Apart from a housefly, mention other two insects which undergo
complete life cycle.
3. Name the second stage of life cycle of a mosquito
4. Mention the two types of life cycle.
5. What do we call the type of life cycle where insects undergo four stages
of development?
6. How a housefly spread diseases?
7. State any two diseases spread by a housefly.

Week Two
Lesson 3
ii) Incomplete life cycle.
 An incomplete life cycle is a type of life cycle where insects
undergo three stages of development.
Some examples of insects with incomplete life cycle.
 Locusts  Grass hopper
 Dragon flies  Crickets
 Cockroaches
A diagram showing an incomplete life cycle.

Note:
i) The larva stage of a butterfly is a caterpillar.

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ii) A young locust, cricket, cockroach, grasshopper is a nymph.

Activity
1. State three insects which undergo incomplete life cycle.
2. What do we call the second stage of a cockroach?
3. Apart from a termite, mention other two insects which undergo
incomplete life cycle.
4. What is incomplete metamorphosis?
5. How do we call the larva stage of a butterfly?
Week Two
Lesson 4
Sub-theme: BIRDS.
Birds
 A bird is a warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate characterized by
feathers and wings.
Poultry are birds that are kept at home.
Groups or types of birds
a) Domestics birds.
b) Wild birds.
a) Domestics birds.
 Domestic birds are birds that are kept at home.
Some example of domestic birds.

 Hens  Turkeys
 Ducks
Note:
Some birds are kept at home as pets i.e.
 Geese  Peacock
 Pigeon  Parrot

b) Wild birds
 Wild birds are birds that live in the bush.
Some examples of wild birds
 penguin  ostrich
 crested cranes  Eagles
 weaver birds

Characteristics of birds
 Birds lay eggs.
 Birds have wings.
 Birds have feathers.
 Some birds fly.
 Birds have scales on their legs.
Note
 Some birds do not fly.

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Some examples of birds that do not fly
 Kiwi  Ostrich
 Emu  Penguin

Reasons why some birds do not fly.

 Some birds have short and weak wings.
 Some birds their bones have bone marrow.

Activity
1. What do we call the birds that are kept at home?
2. Mention three examples of domestic birds.
3. Why do some birds do not fly?
4. Identify two examples of wild birds.
5. How do some birds move?
6. Draw and name one example of a domestic bird in the space below.

Week Two
Lesson 5
External parts of a bird.

Eye

Feather
s

Uses of some parts to a bird

1. Nostril:
 Nostril is used for smelling
2. Beak:
 A beak is used for picking food.
 A beak is also used for defence.
3. Scales:
 Scales are used to protect the legs.
4. Spur:
 A spur is used for defence.

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5. Claws:
 Claws are used for scratching the soil.
6. Feathers:
 Feathers protect the inside body parts of a bird.
Uses of feathers to a bird
 Feathers keep the birds warm.
 Feathers are used for flying.
 Feathers protect the bird’s skin from injury.
 Feathers provide warmth during natural incubation.
Note:
 Incubation is the process by which an egg is given necessary
condition to hatch into a chick.
 A chick is a very young bird from hatching to 8 weeks.

Uses of feathers to people

 Feathers are used as costumes in music, dance and drama.
 Feathers are used for decoration.
 Some feathers of big birds like ostriches, turkey are sold for money.
Activity
1. How are the following parts useful to a bird?
a) Nostril
b) Wings
c) Feathers
2. Which part of a bird is used for picking food?
3. How are feathers useful to people?
4. Define the term incubation?
5. What name is given to the young one of a bird?

Week Three
Lesson 1
Parts of an egg

Use of each part of an egg.

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1. Air space:
 It provides fresh air (Oxygen) to the embryo.
 Takes carbon dioxide produced by the embryo.
2. Egg shell:
 It protects the inside parts of an egg.
 It gives colour and shape to an egg.
 It is used for exchange of gases.
3. Chalaza or twisted albumen
 It holds the yolk and embryo in position.
 Carries water and food to the embryo.
 Carries oxygen from the air space to the embryo
4. Germinal disc
 A fertilized germinal disc develops into an embryo.
5. Albumen or egg white
 It gives the embryo food rich in proteins.
6. Yolk
 It provides the embryo with food rich in proteins and fats.
7. Shell membrane
 It gives support to the egg shell and also protects the inside of an
egg.
Activity
1(i Name the parts of an egg marked with the following letters;

B A

A B
C
P
R

M
R P

(ii) How useful are the following parts to an egg?

2. Which part of an egg develops into an embryo?
3. Name the part of an egg that is gives colour and shape to an egg.

Week Three
Lesson 2
How long some birds take to hatch

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 i) Hen - 21 eggs
ii) Turkey - 28 days
iii) Duck - 28 days
iv) Pigeon – 16 days ( 2 weeks, 2 days)
v) Geese – 30 days
Why some eggs fail to hatch
 When the eggs are not fertilized.
 When the eggs are too small.
 When eggs are double yolked.
 They may be rotten.
 They could have not got enough warmth.

Uses or importance of birds to people.

 Some birds provide us with meat.
 Some birds provide us with eggs
 Birds provide manure e.g. chicken droppings.
 Some birds can be kept for pests e.g. parrot, pigeon and peacock.
 Some birds are sold to get money e.g. hens, turkey, and ducks.
 Some birds eat crop pests.
 Birds provide feathers that are used for decoration.
 Birds in the game parks, forests and zoo are for tourist attraction.
 Some birds are used for cultural purposes e.g in marriage,
sacrifices.

Activity
1. How many days does an egg of a hen take to hatch?
2. Why do some eggs fail to hatch?
3. State the importance of domestic birds to people.
4. Name any two examples of birds that their eggs take 28 days to hatch.

Week Three
Lesson 3
Animals
Groups / types of animals.
 There are two types of animals namely;
a) Domestic animals (b) Wild animals
Domestic animals
 Domestic animals are animals that are kept in people’s home.
Some examples of domestic animals
 cows  sheep
 goats  pigs etc

Importance of domestic animals

 Some animals provide us with meat.

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  Some animals provide us with milk.
 Animals are a source of income.
 Dogs protect our homes.
 Donkeys and camels are used for transport.
 Some animals are used as pets.
Products got from domestic animals
ANIMAL PRODUCTS
cows ___ milk, meat, skins
goats ___ meat,milk, skins, mohair
pigs ___ pork, lard
rabbits ___ fur, meat
sheep ___ wool, mutton
How to care for domestic animals
 By providing shelter.
 By dipping and spraying them.
 By de-worming them.
 By providing them food.
 By cleaning their shelter.
Activity
1. Identify examples of animals kept at home.
2. How are domestic animals useful to man?
3. In the space below, draw and name any two things made from animal
skins.
4. How do farmers care for domestic animals?
5. Mention the groups of animals.

Week Three
Lesson 4
Wild animals
 Wild animals are animals that live in the bush / forest / jungle.
Examples of wild animals.
 Lions
 Zebras
 Buffalos
 Elephants
 Baboons
 Leopards
 Crocodiles
 Giraffe etc.

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Dangers of wild animals.
 Wild animals destroy people’s crops.
 Wild animals eat domestic animals.
 Wild animals spread diseases.
 Wild animals kill people.
Ways of caring for wild animals.
 By protecting them from hunters (poachers)
 By discouraging bush burning
 By providing them food
 By providing them with medical care
 By avoiding destruction of swamps & forests.

Activity
1. What are wild animals?
2. Identify any two examples of animals that live in the bush or forest.
3. How are wild animals dangerous to man?
4. Mention ways of caring for wild animals.
5. What is poaching?

Week Three
Lesson 5
Aquatic animals
 Aquatic animals are animals that live in water bodies.
What is a pond?
 A pond is a small pool of water.
Aquarium
 An aquarium is a man-made pond for keeping water animals.
Types of aquaria
 Local aquarium
 Modern aquarium
Local aquarium
 This one is dug in the ground.

Modern aquarium
 This is made from a glass tank.

Parts of a fish
Dorsal fin Lateral
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Scales
Eye
Uses each part of a fish
1. Nostril:
 It is used for smelling.
2. Mouth:
 It is used for feeding.
3. Scales:
 Scales protect the internal parts of a fish from external damage.
4. Mouth:
 It is used for feeding.
Note:
Gills - Gills are used for breathing.
5. Tail fin / caudal fin:
 It is used for steering or changing directions.
6. Dorsal fin:
 It is used for protection against predators.
7. Pectoral and pelvic fins:
 They are used for slowing down/ stopping during swimming.
8. Lateral line:
 It detects sound waves in water.
Importance of keeping fish.
 Fish is a source of food.
 Bones of fish are used for making glue and animal feeds.
 Fish is a source of income.
 Fish in aquarium is for decoration.
 Fish in ponds feed on mosquito larva.
Activity
1. How do we call the man-made pond?
2. Give any two importance of keeping fish.
3. Which food value is got from eating fish.

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Week Four
Lesson 1
THEME: Plants in our Sub-county
SUB-THEME: Plants
Types of plants.
a) Non flowering plants
b) Flowering plants
Non-flowering plants.
 Non-flowering plants are plants which do not produce or bear
flowers.
 Most non-flowering plants reproduce by means of spores.
Some examples of non-flowering plants.
 Ferns  Liverworts  Conifers e.g.
 Mosses  Toad stools pines, cedar,
fir, cypress.
Flowering plants
 Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers.
 Flowering plants reproduce by means of seeds.
Some examples of flowering plants.
 Coffee plants  Mango plants
 Maize plants  Jackfruit plants etc.
Parts of a flowering plants.

Systems of flowering plants.

 There are two plant systems namely;
a) Shoot system
b) Root system
a) Shoot system
 Shoot system is the system of a plant above the ground level.
 It develops from the plumule of the seed.
Parts of a shoot system
 Flowers  Stems
 Fruits  Leaves

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  Bud  Internode

Activity
1. State the two types of plants.
2. What are flowering plants?
3. Mention any two examples of non-flowering plant.
4. What do we call the plants that do not bear flowers?
5. Name the parts of the flowering plant labeled M, P and X

M
M

P
P
X
X

6. In which system of a flowering plant do we find the leaf, flower and

bud?

Week Four
Lesson 2
Leaves
Parts of a leaf

Functions of each part:

1. Leaf stalk (petiole):
 It supplies water to the leaf from the branch or stem.
2. Leaf base:
 It attaches the leaf on to the stem/ branch.
3. Midrib / main vein:
 It transports water and nutrients from the leaf stalk to other parts of
the leaf.
4. Veins.

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  Veins supply water and minerals from the main vein to all parts of
the leaf.
 Veins collect the manufactured food from all parts of the leaf to the
main vein.
5. Stomata.
 It is used for breathing.
 It is used for transpiration.
6. Lamina (leaf blade)
 It is used for making food / photosynthesis.

Uses of leaves to plants.

 Plants use leaves for breathing.
 Leaves help plants to carryout transpiration.
 Leaves help plants to make food.
 Some leaves are used for storing food e.g. onions, cabbages etc.
Uses of leaves to people.
 Some leaves are used as vegetables.
 Leaves are used as herbal medicine e.g. mango leaves etc.
 Some leaves are sold for money.
 Some leaves are used to wrap things like food
Activity
1. Mention any two uses of leaves to people.
2. How is a leaf important to a mango plant?
3. Apart from breathing, give any other use of leaf to a plant.
4. Name parts marked P and Q
P
P

5. How important is lamina to a leaf?

6. Which part of a leaf is used for making food?
7. Which part of a leaf has the same function as the spiracles of an insect?
8. Mention any two examples of crops whose leaves are eaten by people.
Week Four
Lesson 3
Flower
 A flower is the reproductive part of a plant.
Diagram showing parts of a flower

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Uses/functions of each part.
1. Petals
 Petals are brightly coloured to attract pollinators.
2. Stigma
 It receives pollen grains from the answer.
3. Anther
 It produces pollen grains.
4. Sepals
 Sepals protect the flower at bud stage.
 Sepals also make food for the plant since they have chlorophyll.
5. Ovary
 It develops into a fruit after fertilization.
 It protects the ovules.
6. Ovules
 It develops into seeds after fertilization.
7. Style
 It holds the stigma in position.
8. Flower stalk
 It holds the flower onto the stem.
9. Filament
 It holds the anther in position.
Pistil
 A pistil is the female part of a flower.
 It is made up of stigma, style, ovary and ovules.

Stamen
 A stamen is the male part of a flower.
 It is made up of the anther and the filament.

Anther

Filament
Note:
 The general name given to a group of sepals is called calyx.
 The general name given to group of petals is called corolla.
Uses of flowers to plants

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  Flowers are used for reproduction.
Uses of flowers to people.
 Flowers are source of income.
 Flowers are used making perfume.
 Some flowers are eaten
Activity
1. What is a flower?
2. State any one use of a flower to plants.
3. How are flowers important to people?
4. What is the function of a flower stalk to a flower?
5. Outline the uses of the following parts to a flower;
(a) Stigma ( b) Anther ( c) Sepals
6. Which part of a flower develops into seeds after fertilization?
7. Name the parts marked A and B

A A

B B

8. What is a pistil?
9. How do we call a group of sepals?
10. What general name is given to a male part of a flower?

Week Four
Lesson 4
Stems
Types of stems
a) Creeping stems
b) Underground stems
c) Upright stems
d) Climbing stems
a) Creeping stems
 Creeping stems are stems of plants that grow horizontally along the
ground, E.g. sweet potatoes and pumpkins.
b) Underground stems
 Underground stems are stems grow beneath the surface of soil.
 Underground stems store food in their stems and are called stem
tubersE.g.
- Stem tubers are swollen underground stems with stored food. E.g. Irish
potatoes, white yam
- Rhizomes e.g. ginger, turmeric
- Corms e.g. coco yams
- Bulbs e.g. Onions, garlic
NB:
 A sugar cane is not a stem tuber because its stem is not found
underground.
c) Upright stems
 e.g. mango stem, orange stem, maize stem etc.

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d) Climbing stems
 Climbing stems are stems that climb up for support or along the
tops of other plants by using spines, tendrils for attachment. E.g.
cucumber, white yam, pea plants, morning glory, etc.

 Climbing stems are weak stems and cannot support themselves

upright
Plants with weak stems climb others for support and to get sunlight
Ways plants climb others.
 Using tendrils e.g. passion fruits, cucumber, peas, pumpkins etc.

 Using hooks or thorns e.g. bougainvillea

 By twining (clasping) e.g. morning glory, some beans.

Activity
1. How are stems useful to;
a) Plants
b) People
Identify any two plants with climbing stems.
2. Give any two types of stems.
3. How do plants with weak stems climb others?
4. Why a sugar cane is not considered a stem tuber?

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5. What are creeping stems?
6. Mention any two plants that have tendrils.

Week Four
Lesson 5
Reasons why some plants climb others.
 Some plants climb other to get support.
 Some plants climb other to enough sunlight energy.
Uses of stems to a plants.
 Some stems store food for the plant e.g. sugarcanes.
 They hold the branches, leaves and flowers upright to get sunlight.
 They transport water from the roots to the leaves
 They also transport food made in the leaves to the roots

Uses of stems to animals.

 Most stems are used in building
 Some stems are used as herbs
 Some stems are eaten by people
 They are used for study purpose
 Some stems sold to get money.
 Some stems are used to make crafts.

Activity
1. Why do plants with weak stems climb others?
2. Which part of these plants do we eat?
a) Sugarcane
b) Irish potato
3. How are stems important to plants?
4. Why are stems useful to people?
5. Mention any two plants that climb by clasping?
6. Mention any two plants that have upright stems.

Week Five
Lesson 1
Root system:
 Root system is the part of a plant below the ground level.
Types of roots.
1. Tap roots

Examples of plants with tap roots.

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  Guava plants
 Lemon plants
 Coffee plants
 Pea plants
2. Fibrous roots
 Fibrous roots are roots that grow from one point at the base of the
stem.
Examples of plants with fibrous roots.
 Rice plant
 Sorghum plant
 Millet plant
3. Prop roots
 Their main purpose is to give extra support to plants.
Examples of plants with fibrous roots.
 Maize plant
 Sugar cane plant
 Sorghum plant
 Barley plant
4. Adventitious roots.
(Adventitious roots (from the Latin term adventitious, meaning "not
belonging to") are roots that form on organs other than roots, such as a
leaf or stem.)

Uses of roots to plants.

 Some roots store food for the plant e.g. cassava, sweet potatoes.
 Roots hold plants firmly in the ground.
 Roots absorb water and mineral salts from the soil.
 Roots transport food to rest of the parts of the plants.
 Some plants have roots that fix nitrogen in the soil e.g. beans, soya
beans etc.

Uses of roots to animals.

 Some roots are source of food
 Some roots are used for herbal medicine
 Some roots are used as charcoal for cooking.
 Some roots are used to make crafts.
 Some are sold to get money e.g. Cassava, sweet potatoes etc.
Activity
1. How are roots useful to?
a) A plant. b) People.
2. Identify three examples of plants with prop roots.
3. What is a root system?

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4. In the space below, draw the following roots;
a) Fibrous root (b) Tap root
5. Outline any two examples of root crops.

Week Five
Lesson 2
Vocabulary
1. Mono 4. Embryo
2. Cotyledon 5. Plumule
3. Monocotyledonous 6. Endosperm

Seeds
 A seed is a mature fertilized ovule.
 Or a seed is a developed fertilized ovule.
Types of seeds.
 Monocotyledonous seeds.
 Dicotyledonous seeds.
Monocotyledonous seeds
 Monocotyledonous seeds are seeds with one cotyledon.
Examples of monocotyledonous seeds
 Barley seeds  Oats seeds
 Maize seeds  Rice seeds
 Millet seeds  Wheat seeds
 Sorghum seeds
Characteristics of monocotyledonous seeds.
 They have one cotyledon.
 They store food in the endosperm.
 They undergo hypogeal germination.
 They plants have parallel leaf venation.
 They have fibrous root system.
Internal parts of a maize grain

Functions of each part

1. Endosperm:
 It stores food for the grain.
2. Cotyledon;
 It sucks food from the endosperm to the embryo.
3. Plumule;
 It develops into a shoot system.
4. Radicle:
 It develops into a root system.

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 5. Embryo:
 This is made up of the plumule and radicle.
 It develops into a new plant.
6. Testa (seed coat):
 It protects the inside parts of the grain.

Activity;
1. Collecting different types of seeds in the environment.
Exercise
1. Give the meaning of the term ‘seed.’
2. Give any one type of a seed.
3. How is the endosperm important in a maize grain?
4. Why is a maize grain is called a fruit?
5. What do we call the seeds with one cotyledon?
6. Outline any two characteristics of monocotyledonous seed.
Week Five
Lesson 3
Vocabulary
1. Di 5. Embryo
2. Hilum 6. Plumule
3. Cotyledon 7. Radicle
4. Dicotyledonous 8. Testa .

Dicotyledonous seeds
 Dicotyledonous seeds are seeds with two cotyledons.

Examples of dicotyledonous seeds

 Avocado  Orange seeds
 Beans  Simsim seeds
 Coffee  Soya bean seeds
 Groundnuts  Tomato seeds
 Mongo seed
Characteristics of monocotyledonous seeds
 They have two cotyledon.
 They store food in the cotyledon.
 They undergo epigeal germination.
 They plants have network leaf venation.
 They have tap root system.

External parts of a bean Internal parts of a bean

seed seed

Functions of each part:

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1. Cotyledons:
 It store food for the embryo.
2. Testa/ seed coat:
 It protects the inside parts of a seed.
3. Radicle:
 It develops into the root system.
4. Plumule:
 It develops into the shoot system.
5. Embryo:
 It grows into a new plant.
 The embryo is made up of the radicle and Plumule
6. Scar/ Hilum:
 It is where the seed is attached to the pod.
7. Micropyle:
 It allows air and water into the seed
Activity;
1. Grouping seeds.
2. Observing, drawing and naming parts of a bean seed.

Exercise.
1. Give any one characteristic of dicotyledonous seeds.
2. How important is a testa to a bean seed?
3. Where does a dicotyledonous seed store its food?
4. What are dicotyledonous seeds?
5. Outline any two characteristics of dicotyledonous seed.

Week Five
Lesson 4
Sub-theme: Germination
Vocabulary
1. Epigeal 3. Hypogeal
2. Germination 4. Seedling

Seed germination
 Seed germination is the growing of a seed into a seedling.
 A seedling is a young plant.
Conditions for germination
 Water
 Warmth
 Oxygen
Importance of each condition;
1. Water:
 It softens the testa for the embryo to pass.
 Water dissolves the stored food in the cotyledon.
2. Oxygen:
 It is used for respiration.
3. Warmth:
 It provides the right temperature for germination to take place.

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Types of germination:
 Epigeal germination.
 Hypogeal germination.

Epigeal germination;
 Epigeal germination is the type of germination where the
cotyledons come out of the ground or soil.
 This type of germination is seen in most dicotyledonous seeds

Cotyledon

Examples of plants with epigeal germination.

 Bean plant  Pea plant
 Soya plant  Groundnut plant

Hypogeal germination:
 Hypogeal germination is the type of germination where the
cotyledon remains in the soil.
 This type of germination is seen in monocotyledonous seeds

Cotyledon

Examples of plants with hypogeal germination.

 Maize plant  Sorghum plant
 Wheat plant  Oat plant
 Millet plant
Uses of seeds to animals.
 Seeds are used for decoration.
 Seeds are used for decoration feeding poultry.
 Seeds are used for planting.
 Some seeds are eaten as food.
 Seeds are source of income.
 Some seeds are used to make cooking oil e.g. ground nuts, simsim
and sunflower.

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  Husks from seeds are used as mulches.

Activity
1. In one sentence, write the meaning of the term germination.
2. Mention one condition for seed germination.
3. Which type of germination takes place in a maize grain?
4. How are seeds are important to animals?
5. State the types of seeds.
6. How useful are the following during seed germination?
a) Water b) Oxygen

Week Five
Lesson 5
Sub-theme: Crop growing practices.
Garden tools
 Garden tools are things or tools used in the garden.
Watering can Hoes

It is used for watering plants Hoes are used for digging

Hoes are used for planting
Hoes are used for weeding
Hoes are used for harvesting
Axe Forked hoe

It is used for splitting timber t is used for digging hard soils

It is used for chopping wood It is used for removing roots in the
It is used for felling big trees garden
Trowel Sickle

It is used for harvesting cereals e.g.

It is used for transplanting seedlings rice, millet etc.
It is used for cutting grass for thatching
and mulching.

Rake Wheelbarrow

It is used for collecting rubbish

It is used for levelling soil. It is used for transporting harvested
It is used for spreading manure. crops, seeds, manure, etc.

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Pangas Slasher

It is used for cutting small trees and It is used for cutting tall grass or
shrubs slashing
It is used for harvesting some crops
e.g. Matooke , sugar cane

Pickaxe Pruner

It is used for digging in rocky ground.

It is used for digging in stony soils. It is used for pruning crops

Activity
1. Give the use of the following garden tools;
a) Rake d) Trowel
b) Hoe e) Watering can
c) Wheel barrow
2. Draw the following garden tools below;
a) Trowel b) sickle
3. Why is it good to use a trowel for transplanting?

Week Six
Lesson 1
Ways of caring for garden tools.
 By keeping them in cool dry places.
 By cleaning them after use.
 By sharpening cutting tools.
 By replacing broken handles.

Nursery bed
 A nursery bed is a special garden where some seeds are first
planted before they are transplanted.
Diagram showing nursery bed

Seedlings
Examples of plants grown in a nursery bed.
 Cabbage  Carrots
 Onions  Coffee

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  Oranges  Tomatoes
 Passion fruits
Importance of a nursery bed.
 It gives a farmer time to prepare the main garden.
 It protects seedlings from heavy raindrops.
 It protects seedlings from strong sunshine.
 It helps farmers to select healthy seedlings.
1. Land preparation
 Land preparation is the clearing of land for planting during dry
season.
Ways of preparing land
 By cutting big trees.  By slashing.
 By digging  By de-trashing.
 By ploughing.
Garden tools/implements used in preparing land
 Axes  Rakes
 Hoes  Slashers
 Pangas  Tractors
Importance of preparing land
 To soften the soil
 Digging and ploughing allows water enter into the soil.
 It makes planting easy.
 Digging and ploughing allows air into the soil.
 Cutting away big trees opens space for crops to get enough
sunlight.
Activity
1. Mention any two ways of caring for garden tools.
2. What is a nursery bed?
3. Outline any two examples of plants grown in a nursery bed.
4. How is important is a nursery bed?
5. List down any two ways of preparing land.
6. Draw any two garden tools used in preparing land.

Week Six
Lesson 2
A good site for a garden
1) Should be near the home, buildings or school
2) Should be near the water source
3) Should have fertile soils
4) Should be near the road for easy transport
5) Should be on a gentle slope to control soil erosion
6) Should be in an open space i.e. receive enough sunlight for proper
growth and photosynthesis
Steps taken to prepare a garden
1) Clearing the land
2) Collecting manure (rubbish) into heaps and compost pits
3) Digging the soil or harrowing it
4) Levelling the garden (seed bed)

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 5) Planting crops
6) Fencing the land
Terms used in crop growing
a) Sowing
 Sowing is a method of planting seeds in the garden to germinate.
Row planting
 Row planting is when planting materials are put in the soil in lines.
Examples of plants planted by row planting
 Beans  Oranges
 Carrots  Cabbage
 Maize  Tomatoes
 Cassava
Advantages of row planting
 It makes it weeding easy.
 It makes harvesting easy.
 It controls the easy spread of pests and diseases.
 It avoids wastage of seeds and other planting materials.
 It allows proper spacing of crops.
Disadvantages of row planting
 It needs a lot of labour  It is tiresome
 It is time consuming
Activity
1. State three things to consider while choosing a good site for a garden.
2. Define the following terms;
(a) Sowing (b) Row planting
3. State any two advantages of row planting.
4. How is row planting disadvantageous to people?

Week Six
Lesson 3
Broadcasting
 Broadcasting is the putting of seeds in the soil while scattering
them.
Examples of plants planted by broadcasting
 Millet  Sorghum
 Rice  Wheat
Advantages of broadcasting
 It does not need a lot of labour.
 It does not waste nutrients in soil.
 It saves time.
 There is full use of land
Disadvantages of row planting
 It makes harvesting difficult.
 It makes weeding difficult.
 Pests and diseases can be easily spread.
Transplanting
 Transplanting is the transfer of seedlings from a nursery bed to
the main garden.

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  Transplanting is always done in the evening.
Why seedlings should be transplanted in the evening?
 It prevents wilting of the seedlings.
 There is little loss of water from the soil through evaporation.
Garden tool used for transplanting

Gap filling
 Gap filling is the planting of seeds or seedlings where they did not
germinate in the garden.

Exercise;
1. What is broadcasting?
2. What is transplanting?
3. Why are farmers advised to carry out transplanting in the evening?
4. State any two advantages of broadcasting.
5. How is broadcasting disadvantageous to people?
6. Draw the garden tool used for transplanting.

Week Six
Lesson 4
Crop growing practices:
Caring for crops
Ways in which farmers care for their crops in the garden
 By crop rotation  by weeding
 by mulching  by spraying
 by pruning  by staking
 by thinning  by manuring
 by watering  by providing shade
1. Thinning
 Thinning is the removal of excess seedlings from the planting hole
or nursery bed.
Importance of thinning
 It reduces competition for sunlight, nutrients, space and water

2. Watering
 The providing of water to crops or seedlings during the dry season
or soon after transplanting
Importance of water to plants
 Enables plants to make their own food
 For dissolving nutrients for roots to taken in
 It is used in germination

Pruning
 Pruning is the removal of unwanted parts from a plant.
Advantages of pruning

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  It reduces the easy spread of crop diseases.
 It reduces competition for sunlight, water, nutrients and air.
 It improves on crop yields.

Activity
1. Mention any 3 ways of caring for crops.
2. What is thinning?
3. How is thinning important to plants?
4. What do we call the removal of unwanted parts from a plant?
5. How is water useful to plants?

Week Six
Lesson 5
Weeding
 Weeding is the removal of unwanted plants from the garden.
Weeds
 Weeds are unwanted plants growing in an area.
 A weed is a plant that grows where it is not wanted
Examples of weeds.
 Black jack  Spear grass
 Couch grass  Star grass
 Elephant grass  Pig weed
 Guinea grass  Wandering jew.
Dangers of weeds in the garden.
 Weeds compete for light, water, nutrients and space with the crops.
 Weeds encourage the easy spread of pests and diseases.
 Weeds make harvesting difficult.
Ways of controlling weeds.
 By mulching
 By slashing
 By digging
 By spraying using herbicides
 By uprooting
Advantages of weeding a garden.
 It reduces the competition for light, nutrients, water and space in
the garden.
 It makes harvesting easy
 It controls easy spread of diseases.
 It prevents easy spread of crop diseases.
Uses of weeds to people.
 Some weeds are used as mulches.
 Some weeds are used as herbal medicine.
 Some weeds are used to feed animals like cattle e.g. elephant
grass.
Activity
1. Give meaning of the term weed?
2. How are weeds important to people?

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3. Give any two advantages of weeding crops.
4. Mention any 3 examples of weeds.
5. How can a P.3 child control weeds in the garden?
6. What is weeding?

Week Seven
Lesson 1
Manuring
 Manuring is the putting of organic fertilizers in the soil to make it
more fertile.
Sources of manure
 Animal dung and urine
 Plant remains
 Green plants
Types of manure (natural fertilizers)
1. Compost manure
 It is got from plant materials and animal wastes.
2. Green manure
 It is got from ploughed, buried and rotten green plant materials like
legumes.
3. Farmyard manure
 It is got from farm animal dung, urine and bedding materials
4. Organic mulches
 It is got through mulching using dry plant materials.
Types of crops
 Cereals, fruit crops, leguminous crops, root crops vegetables, trees
1. Cereals crops
 Cereal crops are grain bearing crops.
 They are popularly known as grain crops.
 Their seeds have one cotyledon.
 They are commonly known as monocotyledonous seeds.
Examples of cereal crops.
 Millet  Barley  Sorghum
 Wheat  Oats
 Maize  Rice

Activity
1. Mention any two sources of manure.
2. State any 3 types of manure.
3. What are cereal crops?
4. Identify any three examples of cereal crops.
5. Where is farmyard manure got from?
6. Define manuring?

Week Seven
Lesson 2
Leguminous crops
 Leguminous crops are crops which have nodules (swelling on their
roots)
Examples of leguminous crops

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  Beans  Groundnuts
 Soya beans  Simsim
 Peas
The root of a legume
 In root nodules there are bacteria called nitrogen fixing bacteria.
 The bacteria adds nitrogen into the soil.
 The root nodules store nitrogen fixing bacteria.
 They make the soil fertile for growing crops .

Vegetables
 Vegetables are crops which are eaten as vegetable source
There are three types of vegetables.
1. Leafy vegetables e.g. cabbage, spinach etc.
2. Fruit vegetables e.g. tomatoes egg plants, red pepper etc.
3. Root vegetables e.g. carrots, beet roots
Examples of fruit crops
- Oranges , mangoes , pears , lemons , pawpaws , bananas , grapes
etc.
 Fruit keep our bodies healthy when eaten
 They should be washed first before eating to avoid eating germs/
worms
Note
 We get vitamin D from eating vegetables and fruits.
Root crops
 Root crops are crops whose roots are eaten as food.
Examples of root crops
 Cassava, white yams, sweet potatoes carrots.
Root crops are also called root tubers
 Root tubers store their food under the ground.
Activity
1. What are leguminous crops?
2. Mention any two leguminous crops
3. State at least two uses of root nodules in the soil
4. Identify any three vegetables crops.
5. State three examples of
a) Fruit crops b) root crops
6. What bacteria is found in the root nodules?
7. Mention any two examples of leafy vegetables.

Week Seven
Lesson 3
Common crop pests and diseases
What is a pest?
 A pest is a living organism which destroys crops.
Examples of insect pests
Grasshoppers and locust – Bite vegetables and feed on them.
Cabbage sawfly – lay eggs on cabbage leaves.
 The eggs hatch into caterpillar.

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  Caterpillars do a lot of damage on the cabbage.
Aphids – Feed on juice found in crop leaves and green parts of the stem.
 They damage leaves and stems of cabbages, tomatoes, pumpkins
and peas.
Army worms – Bite the leaves of the onions and other young plants.
Beetles – Feed on seeds and flowers of crops.
Scale insects - Damage pineapples and oranges.
Termites – damages stems and roots of crops.
Locust – bite vegetables and feed on leaves of crops.
Eel worms (nematodes)
 Eel worms live in the soil.
 They damage the roots of carrots which then start rotting.
 They also damage beans and egg plants.
Examples of bird pests
Birds
 Birds damage shoots and leaves of crops.
 They also damage grains like maize, rice, sorghum, millet and
wheat.
E.g. Weaver birds, pigeons, guinea fowl, crows, ravens
Activity
1. What is a pest?
2. Mention any 3 insect pests.
3. Identify any three examples of bird pests.
Week Seven
Lesson 4
Rodent pests (animals)
 Rodents damage leaves, shoots and fruits of the plant.
Examples of rodent pests
 Squirrels, rats, moles, mice etc.
How to control crop pests.
 By taking vegetables e.g. tomatoes.
 By practicing crop rotation.
 By use correct spacing when planting vegetables.
 By practicing regular weeding.
 By ploughing and digging up soil to destroy the eggs and larvae in
the soil.
 By removing all crops that have been attached by pests.
 By spraying crops with insecticide to kill them.
 By using traps.
 By using scare crows.

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Activity
1. State any two rodent pests.
2. How can pests be controlled?
3. Outline any two examples of rodent pests.

Week Seven
Lesson 5
Diseases of crops
 Cassava mosaic – affects cassava plant.
 Leaf spot – affect crops like cotton.
 Maize steak – attacks maize crops.
 Tomato blight – attacks tomatoes.
 Ground nut rosette – affects groundnuts

Signs of crop diseases

 Wilting
 Leaf rust
 Black spots on the leaf
 Leaves turn yellowish and drop off the crops
Ways of controlling crop diseases.
 By staking vegetables e.g. tomatoes
 By removing fruits with diseases from the garden.
 BY picking the affected leaves and throw them away.
 By mulching vegetables.
 By spraying the vegetables with pesticides.
 By planting disease resistant varieties.
 By weeding the crops regularly.

Activity
1. Which disease attacks
a) Tomatoes
b) Cassava
2. Identify any two signs of crop diseases.

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3. State three ways of controlling crop diseases.

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