Ministry of Education

and Sports

HOME-STUDY
LEARNING
M A R
I

4
Y
P R

SCIENCE
Aug us t 2 0 2 0
Published 2020

This material has been developed as a home-study intervention for schools during the
lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to support continuity of learning.

Therefore, this material is restricted from being reproduced for any commercial gains.

National Curriculum Development Centre

P.O. Box 7002,
Kampala- Uganda
www.ncdc.go.ug
 FOREWORD

Following the Outbreak of the CoVID-19 Pandemic, Government of Uganda

closed all schools and other educational institutions to minimize the spread
of the coronavirus. This has affected more than 36,314 primary schools, 3129
secondary schools, 430,778 teachers and 12,777,390 learners.
The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent closure of all has had drastically
impacted on learning especially curriculum coverage, loss of interest in education
and learner readiness in case schools open. This could result in massive rates of
learner dropouts due to unwanted pregnancies and lack of school fees among
others.
To mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the education system in Uganda, the
Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) constituted a Sector Response Taskforce
(SRT) to strengthen the sector’s preparedness and response measures. The SRT
and National Curriculum Development Centre developed print Home- Study
Materials, radio and television scripts for some selected subjects for all learners
from Pre-Primary to Advanced level. The materials will enhance continued
learning and learning for progression during this period of the lockdown, and will
still be relevant when schools resume.
The materials focused on critical competences in all subjects in the curricula to
enable the learners to achieve without the teachers’ guidance. Therefore effort
should be made for all learners to access and use these materials during the
lockdown. Similarly, teachers are advised to get these materials in order to plan
appropriately for further learning when schools resume, while parents/guardians
need to ensure that their children access copies of these materials and use them
appropriately.
I recognise the effort of National Curriculum Development Centre in responding
to this emergency through appropriate guidance and the timely development of
these home study materials. I recommend them for use by all learners during the
lockdown.

Alex Kakooza
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of EDUCATION AND SPORTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) would like to express its

appreciation to all those who worked tirelessly towards the production of
home–study materials for Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Levels of
Education during the COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda.

The Centre appreciates the contribution from all those who guided
the development of these materials to make sure they are of quality;
Development partners - SESIL, Save the Children and UNICEF; all the
Panel members of the various subjects; sister institutions - UNEB and DES
for their valuable contributions.

NCDC takes the responsibility for any shortcomings that might be

The comments and suggestions may be communicated to NCDC through

P.O. Box 7002 Kampala or email [email protected] or by visiting our
website at http://ncdc.go.ug/node/13.

Grace K. Baguma
Director,
National Curriculum Development Centre
ABOUT THIS BOOKLET

Dear learner, welcome to this home-study material which has been

prepared for you. The material covers content for term 1, II and
III.

The content covered has been carefully written covering the

different topics in the syllabus. This is an addition to what you had
learnt before schools were closed due to outbreak of COVID-19.
The content is arranged using simple steps for your understanding.
The activities provided in each topic are organised in such a way
that they will enable you to relate with your local environment.

The content is organised into lessons. Each lesson has activities

and summary notes that help you to understand the concepts.
Some lessons have projects that you need to carry out at home
during this period. You are encouraged to work individually as you
do the practical and interactive activities.

Feel free to try out all the activities in this material.

Enjoy learning
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

THEME: OUR ENVIRONMENT

Topic: Weather Changes Around Us

Lesson 1: Changes in weather
In this lesson, you should be able to describe weather changes over a period of
time.

Materials you may need:

A pen, pencil and a book

Introduction
Hello Primary Four pupils, when you look around during the day, some times you
see the sun shining strongly or thick clouds. At times it is raining while other
times, the wind is blowing strongly. These are the things we are going to learn
about. We refer to them as changes in weather.

What is weather?
Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a given time. The weather of a
place is a result of many things. The things which give rise to the weather of a
place are called elements of weather. The elements of weather are;
i) Sunshine iv) Temperature
ii) Clouds v) Wind
iii) Rainfall vi) Humidity

The weather of a place can be described as sunny, rainy, windy or cloudy. These
are called the types of weather.
The elements of weather are measured using instruments at a weather station.
Look at the table below and identify some of the instruments used to measure
weather elements
No. Weather Instrument Used Its Use
Element
1. Rainfall Rain gauge Measures the amount of rainfall
2 Wind Wind vane Shows the direction of wind
Wind sock Indicates the direction and strength of wind
Anemometer Measures the speed of wind
3. Temperature Thermometer Measures the hotness or coldness of the
atmosphere
4. Humidity Hygrometer Measures the amount of water vapour in the
atmosphere (air)
5. Sunshine Sunshine To record the amount of sunshine in a
recorder particular place at any time

1
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Project Work
Recording weather changes in your area
In this project, you will record the weather changes in your area in the morning
and afternoon and for one month.

Use a table like the one below to record the weather changes. You may tick
or shade in the column for the weather type.

Day Time Type of weather (put a tick √)

Sunny Cloudy Rainy Windy

Day 1 Morning

Afternoon
Day 2 Morning

Afternoon

Day 3 Morning

Afternoon

Lesson 2: The Water Cycle

In this lesson, you should be able to describe the water cycle.

Materials you will need

Heat source, water, kettle, bottle filled with cold water

Introduction
Dear pupil,in our last lesson, you learnt about the elements of weather. Can you
now name and note them down? Today we are going to look at the water cycle.

What are the main sources of water?

The sources of water are: rainfall, lakes, rivers, springs and wells.

The Processes in the Water Cycle

You have ever cooked. When you close the cooking pot and boil something
inside, what do you see at the bottom of the container that you used to close
the pot? You will find that some droplets of water will collect at the bottom of
the container that you used to close the pot.

Those droplets are particles of water from inside the cooking pot. But how did

2
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

they reach there? Water can change from one state to another. These changes
in the atmosphere result into formation of rain. Our lesson today is on how rain
is formed.

When it rains, some of the water sinks in the ground. Part of the water flows
into water bodies like lakes, rivers, wells and springs.

When the sun heats up the soil, lakes, rivers and wells, the liquid water
changes into water vapour. This process of liquid changing into vapour is
called evaporation. Plants also release water vapour into the atmosphere. This
process by which plants release water vapour into the atmosphere is called
transpiration.

The warm water vapour from the surface of the earth rises up into the
atmosphere where it cools to form small droplets of liquid water. This process is
called condensation.

The small droplets of water then become bigger and form clouds. This then falls
down as rain. Some of the rain sinks into soil and others flow back into rivers,
lake and springs. These changes in water are referred to as the water cycle.

Activity
Write in your notebook sentences using the following words to describe the
water cycle:
i. Evaporation
ii. Transpiration
ii. condensation

In your notebook, draw a diagram to show the water cycle.

State the use of the sun in the water cycle.

Lesson 3: Rainfall
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to make accurate measurements of
rainfall.

Materials you will need

Pen, tin, funnel, ruler, measuring cylinder
Notebook, pencil

Introduction
You have learnt about the rain cycle. Rain is an important element of weather.
Do you remember the instrument used to measure rainfall? Let us learn more
about rainfall.

3
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Importance of rainfall
i. Rainfall provides water for domestic use like cooking food, drinking, bathing,
washing clothes, mopping.
ii Rainfall makes the day cool
iii. Rainfall provides water for plants to grow and make food
iv. Rainfall helps farmers’ crops to grow quickly.
Dangers of too much Rainfall
i. Too much rainfall causes floods which destroy roads, buildings, crops and
animals.
ii. Rainfall which comes with storm and hailstone can destroy property and
plants.
iii. Floods may increase the presence of waterborne diseases e.g. cholera,
typhoid fever, diarrhoea, etc.

Activity: How to make your own rain gauge

Materials you will need

- 1 Litre bottle
- Scissors
- Ruler

INSTRUCTIONS:
With the guidance of your elder brothers or sisters, make a rain gauge.
Using a plastic disposable water bottle you can make a simple rain gauge. It
costs almost nothing!

- 1-liter plastic water bottle. With a sharp knife, cut it’s neck on the cylindrical
part.
- Invert the top to make a funnel. This funnel will prevent evaporation of water.
- Using your ruler and pen, place a mark every 1/2 inch on the bottle. These will
allow you to measure how much rain you received.
- An empty plastic bottle, being light, will fall down or fly away in the slightest
breeze.
- Dig a hole and bury the lower end of the bottle in the ground. This will anchor
the bottle in place.
- After it rains, head outside and check your gauge! Record your results.
- Use your rain gauge to measure the rainfall in your area. Record your answer
in your notebook.
- Put the rain gauge in an open space on a flat ground (away from buildings and
trees). - This helps to get the right amount of water from the rain.
- Place the funnel 30cm above the ground to avoid splashing of rain water into
the rain gauge.
- Use the measuring cylinder to measure the water you collected in the tin.

4
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

THEME: HUMAN HEALTH

Topic: Personal Hygiene

Lesson1: Keeping Clean
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
i. state why we keep clean.
ii.identify ways of keeping clean.

Materials you will need

Water, basin, soap, nail cutter, bathing sponge, toothbrush, toothpaste

Introduction
Dear pupil, while in P1 and P2, you learned about keeping some of your body
parts clean. Keeping our bodies and clothes clean is personal hygiene.
How do we keep clean? Why is it important to keep clean?
Things used for keeping parts of our bodies clean

In the table below, you will identify things you can use to keep the parts of your
body clean. Draw them and write down the importance of keeping each of the
body part clean.
Body part Things used to keep Draw Importance
clean
Fingernails
Hair
Eyes
Feet
Ears
Nose
Teeth
The skin

Lesson 2: Keeping Beddings and Clothing Clean

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
i. Demonstrate keeping clothes and beddings clean.
ii discuss-what can go wrong if we do not keep clean.

Materials you will need

Water, basin, soap, detergent, dirty clothes and bed sheets

5
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Introduction
Dear pupil, get a dirty cloth you wore yesterday. Look at the collar, sleeves and
around the armpits. How do these clothes smell?How do they look like? In this
lesson, you will learn how to wash your clothes and beddings.
Activity
i. Collect your dirty clothes and beddings.
ii. Separate the beddings from the clothes.
iii. Apply soap or detergent on the clothes especially on the collars, sleeves, the
armpit
regions and on the rest of the clothes.
iv. Rub the parts and the rest of the clothes until the dirt has been removed.
v. Rinse the clothes/beddings in clean water at least two times to remove the
soap
and dirt.
vi, Ask your parent to check if you have washed your cloths and beddings clean.
vii.Spread them to dry in the sun.
viii.Iron the clothes and beddings before you use them.

Write the answers to these questions in your notebook

i. Why should clothes and beddings be washed with soap?
ii. Why should clothes and beddings be ironed before use?
iii.What would happen if clothes and beddings are not cleaned?
iv.State the importance of rinsing clothes during the process of washing.

6
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

THEME: HUMAN HEALTH

Lesson 1: Classes of Food
by the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
i. identify the classes of food.
ii describe the uses of food values to the body.

Materials you will need

Pen, notebook, pencils

Introduction
Dear pupil, did you know that most of the food that you eat has different uses
in your body? In this lesson, you will identify the groups of foods and state their
uses in the body.
There are six groups (classes) of foods. The table below shows these classes.

Class of food The value of the food in the Examples of foods

body
Proteins They build the body Meat, peas, eggs, fish, milk,
groundnuts, sim sim, etc.
Carbohy- They provide energy to the Yams, posho, bread ,rice,
drates body cassava, matooke, etc.
Fats and oils They provide energy to the Groundnuts, avocados, sim
body sim, butter, ghee,etc.
Vitamins They protect our bodies Vegetables, milk, beans, to-
from diseases matoes liver, egg yolk, etc.
Minerals They protect the body Milk, salt, vegetables, fish
against diseases. They liver, egg yolk,etc.
are for healthy growth of
bones.
Roughage They help in making faeces Fibrous fruits, vegetables,
soft tubers
Water It makes part of blood, sali- Drinking water, tea, milk,
va, body fluids and helps in soup, fruits, etc.
digestion

Summary notes
Uses of food in the body
- Food provides energy to the body
- Food keeps the body healthy
- Food builds the body

7
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

- Food provides warmth to the body.

Self-testing exercise
Explain the meaning of the term balanced diet.
With guidance from your parent, list the foods in a meal that makes it a
balanced diet.

Identify more foods that are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins in the
table above.

Lesson 2: Deficiency Diseases

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
identify some deficiency diseases.
give the signs and symptoms of deficiency diseases.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencils, notebook

Introduction
Welcome to this lesson. While at school, you may have seen children who look
healthy. There are also others that do not look healthy. Some of these children
may be lacking some foods to help their bodies to grow well.
In this lesson, you will learn about some diseases you get when you lack some
foods in your body. These are called deficiency diseases
The following table shows a list of some deficiency diseases, their causes, signs
and symptoms. Study them.

8
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Deficiency cause Signs and symptoms

diseases.
Kwashiorkor Lack of enough pro- -brownish hair
tein in the body -swollen stomach
-swollen moon face
-swollen feet
Marasmus Lack of all nutrients
in the body -The child is thin and underweight. The weight
is less than what it is should be.
-The skin is dry
-The hair breaks easily
- Some pass diarrhea for a long time
- The child becomes dull
- The child does not grow normally. He/she is
short. This is re- ferred to as stunted growth.
The child feels hungry all the time

Goiter Lack of iodine in -swollen neck

the body -difficulty in breathing and swallowing
Rickets Lack of vitamin D -legs bend outwards
-poor teeth formation
Anaemia Lack of iron in the -pale skin
body -dizziness
-tiredness
Scurvy Lack of vitamin C in -bleeding of gums
the body -wounds take long to heel heal
-itching skin with rash

Lesson 3: Food Handling

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
explain ways in which food gets contaminated.
describe ways of proper handling of food.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook

Activity
Observe your parent as she is preparing meals. Answer the following question
by ticking in the box given.
i. Washing hands before preparing food.
Yes No

2. Cooking food in a clean place

Yes No
9
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

3. Cleaning plates before eating food

Yes No

4. Washing hands before serving food

Yes No

5. Washing vegetables and fruits before eating them.

Yes No

Summary notes
Some of the ways of proper handling of food include the following;
i. Wash hands before preparing food.
ii. Wash hands before serving food.
iii.Wash vegetables and fruits before eating them.
iv.Prepare food in a clean place.
v. Serve food in clean containers.

Activity
Food can get contaminated when it has germs in it. The following are some of
the ways food can get contaminated. Two of them have been written for you.

Write the other ways.

i. Preparing food with dirty hands.
ii.Serving food with dirty hands.
iii.……………………………………………………………………………………………
iv.……………………………………………………………………………………………
v.,……………………………………………………………………………………………

10
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

THEME: THE HUMAN BODY

Lesson1: Major Organs of the Human Body
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
• name the major human body organs.
• draw and label the human body organs.

Materials you will need

A pen, notebook

Introduction
Dear learner, in P1 and P2, you learnt about the human body parts. Can you
name some of the parts of the human body?
You have the following parts; ear, eye, nose. I know that you know their uses to
you. Write down their uses
Eye _____________________
Ear ________________________
Nose _______________________

These parts are called organs. Each organ has a special use to the body.
Mention some other organs that you know. The major organs you are going to
learn about in Primary Four are: eye, ear, brain, the lungs, the liver, the urinary
bladder, the kidneys, the heart, the stomach, nose and the skin. Some of these
organs are outside our body. Others are inside our body.

Lesson 2: Human Body Organs that are Outside Our Bodies

By the end of this lesson,you should be able to:

i. state the functions of each major body organ.
ii. explain ways of caring for the organs.
iii.draw the human body organ.

Introduction
Hello, please look again at the diagram of the human body organs . Identify the
organs that can be seen from outside.
Now let us look at the uses of two of these organs one by one.

1.The eyes
The eyes are found in the face. Each person has two eyes. The eyes can easily
be damaged if not protected well. They are protected by theeye sockets.The
eyes are used for seeing.

11
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

How to care for our eyes

i. Wash your eyes with clean water and soap regularly.
ii. Avoid looking directly at bright lights.
iii. Do not read in dim light.

2.Ears
The ears are found on the sides of the face. There are two ears on each per
son’s head. The ear is one of the sense organs in our body.The ears are used
for hearing.
The ears are also the organs for balancing the body.

Caring for the ears

i. Wash your ears with clean water regularly.
ii. Do not use sharp objects such as sticks and metals for cleaning your ears.
iii.Do not push objects such as seeds and beads into your ears.
iv.Do not direct your ears to loud sound.

Activity
- Find from your friends or parent some of the common eye diseases and write
them down in your notebook.
- There is a grease-like substance in your ears called earwax.
- What is the use of the earwax?
- Too much earwax in the ear can make you fail to hear well. Some of it needs to
be removed. Name two better ways of removing earwax.

Lesson 3: The Human Body Organs that are Inside the Body
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
i. state the functions of each major organ.
ii.state four ways in which the body works.

Materials you will need

Picture of the human body organs

Introduction
Dear learner,in our previous lesson, you learnt about the ear and the eye. What
are the uses of the two organs? I hope you have remembered them.Let us now
look at some of the other organs inside the human body and their uses.

12
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Organ Uses in the Body

The brain It stores information we hear and see and helps us to remember
that information.
The brain is used to think.
The lungs The lungs are used for breathing.
The heart The heart pumps blood to all parts of the body.
The stomach The stomach keeps the food we eat for some time.
The kidneys The kidneys produce urine.
They filter blood to remove wastes in form of urine.
The urinary bladder The urinary bladder stores urine before it is passed out.
The liver The liver makes harmful materials in body harmless.
It stores vitamins and minerals.
it produces bile.

The gall bladder The gall bladder stores bile.

Self-testing exercise
i. Which two body organs help to remove wastes from our bodies?
ii. Name two organs protected by the rib cage.
iii. I am reddish brown in colour, soft and I make the poisonous substances in
the body harmless. Who am I?
v. Match the organs in part A of the table below with their uses in part B.

A: Organs B:Uses
Lungs Keeps food for sometime
Ear Stores bile
Gall bladder Produces bile
Kidneys Pumps blood to all body parts
Stomach For hearing
Brain For breathing
Heart Removes waste from blood through urine
Urinary bladder Stores information
Liver Stores urine

13
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Lungs ………………………………………………………………………………………

Ear ………………………………………………………………………………………

Gall bladder ………………………………………………………………………………………

Kidneys ………………………………………………………………………………………

Stomach ………………………………………………………………………………………

Brain ………………………………………………………………………………………

Heart ………………………………………………………………………………………

Urinary bladder ………………………………………………………………………………………

Liver ………………………………………………………………………………………

14
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

THEME: HUMAN BODY

Topic 3: The Teeth

Lesson1: Types of Teeth
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
i. identify sets and types of teeth.
ii. describe the types of teeth and their functions.

Material you need

A mirror, notebook, pen and a pencil

Introduction
a) Dear pupil, before you start this lesson, I would like you to do the following
activity.
b) Get a mirror, open your mouth wide and;
c) count the number of teeth in the lower and upper jaws.
d) look at the arrangement of your teeth.
e) look at the different types of teeth in your mouth.
f) look at the colour of your teeth.

Sets of Teeth
You have already seen that babies are born without teeth. As they grow, they
begin to develop teeth. These teeth become loose sometime later and are
removed at around the age of six years. Another set of teeth develops. The first
set of the teeth is called milk teeth or primary teeth. The milk teeth are 20 in
number.
The second set of teeth is called permanent teeth. They remain throughout the
life of an adult. They are 32 in number. They take long to grow. Once removed,
they cannot grow again.

Types of Teeth
There are four types of teeth in an adult human being. Each jaw has the four
types of teeth.
The types of teeth are: Incisors, Canines, Premolars and Molars.

15
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Incisors:These are found in the front of the mouth. There are four incisor teeth
in each jaw. Therefore, there are 8 incisors in total. Incisors are chisel shaped.
They have flat, sharp edge. The incisor tooth has one root. They are used for
biting or cutting food.

Canines:Thesehave sharp and pointed surface. A canine tooth has one root.

16
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Each jaw has two canine teeth. There are 4 canine teeth in total. They are used
for tearing food.

Premolars: These have a flat and rough top. A premolar tooth has two roots.
Each jaw has 4 premolars. There are 8 premolars in total. The premolars are
used for crushing and grinding food.

Molars:Theseare the last teeth on the jaw. They have large and rough surface.
Each jaw has six molars. There are 12 molar teeth in total. The last two molar
teeth in each jaw are called the wisdom teeth. The molar tooth has three roots.
They are used for crushing, chewing and grinding food.

Activity
1.Using a mirror, look at your teeth again and find the number of the following
teeth in each jaw in your mouth;
i. incisor teeth
ii. canine teeth
iii. premolar teeth
iv. molar teeth

2.Draw the different types of teeth.

17
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Lesson 2: Structure of the Teeth

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
i. identify the parts of a tooth.
ii.mention the ways of caring for the teeth.
give the diseases and disorders of the tooth.

Materials you will need

A diagram of a tooth

Introduction
Dear learner, I know you remember well the sets of teeth we develop as we
grow up. You also know that we have four types of teeth in humans. Please,
briefly name the types of teeth (incisors, canines, premolars and molars).These
teeth have similar structure as you will soon see.

18
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

A tooth is made up of the outer white part called the crown and the part below
it called the root. The root holds the tooth into the jaw bone.The neck separates
the crown from theroot.
The outer part of the crown is called the enamel. It is the hardest part of the
tooth. It is made from mineral called calcium and phosphorous. The enamel
protects the inside parts of the tooth.

Diseases and Disorders of the Teeth

The following are some of the diseases of teeth.

No. Disease/Disorder Signs and Symptom Prevention

1. Dental cavity Hole in the tooth Avoid eating foods with too
much sugar.
Brush teeth after eating food
2. Dental plagues Teeth become yellow/ Brush teeth after every meal
brown
Bad breath from the
mouth
3. Gum disease Swollen gum Avoid eating foods with too much
Gum bleeds when sugar in them
one brushes Brush teeth after eating food
Bad breath from the
mouth
4. Tooth crack Tooth has broken part Do not bite hard things with your
teeth
Avoid opening bottles with your
teeth
Activity
With the help of someone older than you, discuss ways of caring for teeth.

19
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

THEME: HUMAN HEALTH

Lesson 1:Sanitation
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
i. state what sanitation means.
ii discuss the importance of proper sanitation.
iii. describe the different ways of maintaining proper sanitation.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencils, notebook, colours

Introduction
Dear pupil, have you ever seen a place where people throw rubbish? What do
you see happening in such a place? Are the people around such a place happy?
Today, you will learn about sanitation. Sanitation means keeping our
environment clean. We need to clean our environment because of the following
reasons.
to prevent the spread of germs.
to promote good health in our community.
toavoid bad smell in our environment.

Ways of Maintaining Proper Sanitation

Activity
In this table, you will fill in the activities and materials that are needed to
maintain proper sanitation. Your parent or elders may help you to do this.

Activities Materials needed

Sweeping the compound, house ……………………………………………

Moping the house …………………………………………

………………………… Slasher

Draining stagnant water in the compound …………………………………………

Cleaning latrines …………………………………………

Lesson 2: Germs and how they are Spread

By the end ofthis lesson, you should be able to;
i. explain what germs are.
ii.describehow germs are spread.

20
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Materials you will need

Pen, notebook, pencils

Introduction
Hello my dear, did you play in the soil or stepped in dirty water while playing?
Did you eat food without washing your hands? Did you drink water that was
not boiled? Did you wash your hands after visiting the toilet? Look, your hands
may have millions of germs that you cannot see with your eyes. Germs are
everywhere and can cause diseases to us.
In this lesson, you will learn about germs and how they are spread.A germ is an
organism that causes diseases.
There are five common groups of germs namely: virus, bacteria, protozoa fungi
and worms.
Germs are found everywhere;in faeces and urine, water, soil, air, on dirty
clothes, on dirty beddings and under our dirty long fingernails,etc.

How do Germs enter Our Bodies?

i. Through eating contaminated food
ii. Through the nose when we breathe in
iii. Through open wounds and cuts
iv. Through skin contact with infected persons
v. Through sharing clothes with an infected person
vi Through insect bites and stings

The following drawing shows the major ways through which germs are spread.

Write the answer to the question below in your notebook

Name the ways you can protect yourself from getting germs.

Lesson 3: Common Diseases Caused by Germs

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
i. identify some diseases caused by germs.
ii.describe the different ways of protecting against germs and diseases.
Materials you will need
Pen, pencil, notebook, newspaper, glue, scissors

21
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Introduction
Hello, in your notebook, write down some diseases that you know. In this
lesson, you will learn about some of the diseases caused by germs and the ways
we can protect ourselves against the diseases.
Some of the common diseases caused by germs include the following:

No. Diseases The germ that causes it

1. Trachoma Bacteria

2. Cholera Bacteria

3. Typhoid Bacteria

4. Dysentery Bacteria

5. Tetanus Bacteria

6. Measles Virus

7. Polio Virus

8. Rabies Virus

9. Hepatitis Virus

10. CoVID - 19 Virus

11. Malaria Protozoa

12. Ringworm Fungus

The following are some ways we can protect ourselves against the diseases
caused by germs;
i. Drinking boiled water.
ii. Washing hands before handling food.
ii. Washing hands after visiting a toilet.
iv. Clearing bushes and draining stagnant waters.
v. Spraying to kill insects that spread diseases.
vi. Preparing food in a clean place.
vii.Covering food.
viii.Defecating and urinating in a latrine/toilet.
ix. Removing rubbish and burning it.
x. Immunizing children.

22
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

THEME: HUMAN HEALTH

Topic: Diarrhoea Diseases and Worm Infestations

Lesson 1: Diarrhoea Diseases
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
identify diarrhea diseases.
describe the causes of diarrhea diseases and how they are spread.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook

Introduction
Read this story
Once upon a time, there was a boy called Mark. One day, his mother sent him to
buy tomatoes. On his way, he saw a chapatti that was dropped on the ground.
He picked and ate it. That evening, he started feeling a stomach-ache. Later he
started vomiting and passing out watery stool (faeces).
What do you think was the cause of his sickness? How could Mark have avoided
getting the disease?
In this lesson, you will learn about diarrhoea diseases. These are common
intestinal diseases. The table below shows their cause, the signs and symptoms.

Germ The Signs and Symptoms

Diarrhoea Dis-
ease
Diarrhoea bacteria
Passing out watery faeces.
Body weakness
Dysentery protozoa or bacteria Watery faeces with blood in
it.
Stomach-ache
Cholera bacteria Vomiting
Body weakness
Typhoid bacteria Body weakness
Headache

Ways by which Germs Spread

i. When houseflies and cockroaches feed on our food, they leave germs on the
food.

23
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

ii. When we drink contaminated water.

iii. When we eat contaminated food and fruits.

Self-testing Exercise
Briefly explain the following words:
- Diarrhoea
- Dysentery
- Explain why a person suffering from diarrhoea is given a lot of fluids to take.

Lesson 2:Making Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) or Salt-Sugar Solution

(SSS)
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to demonstrate how to mix and
administer ORS and SSS.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook, salt, sugar, boiled water, tablespoon, clean container like
jug, bowl, etc.

Introduction
Hello my dear, you have learnt thatdiarrhoeal diseases make us vomit a lot and
pass out watery faeces too much. This makes our bodies to lose water. This
condition is called dehydration.
Today we are going to learn about how to mix and administer ORS. You will also
make SSSto treat diarrhoea.

Instruction
Ask your parent or guardian to get for you a sachet of ORS. Mix the ORS by
following the steps below:
Wash your hands with clean water and soap.
Measure 1 litre of drinking water into a clean container.
Tear the sachet well and pour the powder into the drinking water.
Stir it to make a solution.

How to prepare ORS/SSS at home

You will follow the following steps:
i. Wash your hands with clean water and soap.
ii. Measure 1 litre of drinking water into a clean container.
iii. Measure one tablespoonful of salt and eight tablespoonsful of sugar into
a clean container.
iv. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve.

24
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Using the ORS or SSS at home

Give babies a quarter of a cup after every passing out watery faeces.
For grown up children and adults, give half a cup after passing out watery
faeces.
Note: The ORS should be kept covered to avoid contamination.

Importance of ORS or SSS

i To replace the lost water and mineral salts in the body.
ii.To provide energy to the body.
ii. It prevents a person from being dehydrated.

Self-testing exercise
State the reasons why ORS or SSS is given to dehydrated patients?

Lesson 3: Intestinal Worms

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
i. identify the types of worms.
ii. explain ways worms enter the body.
iii.describe the signs and symptoms of worm infestation.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook

Introduction
Read the riddle below.
I am small, long and I live in your intestines. You will find it hard to kill me. I
make you sick when we are many inside you. What am I? (Worm)
Today, we are going to learn about worms. Worms are living things that live
inside our bodies. They feed on our blood and the food that we eat. That is why
they are called parasites.

Examples of worms include the following.

Worm How it Enters the Body Signs and Symptoms

Tapeworm By eating meat which is not Swollen stomach

properly cooked Diarrhoea, vomiting, loss of
appetite
Roundworm Through eating unwashed fruits and Feeling weak, diarrhoea, loss of
(Askaris) raw vegetables weight
Eating food with dirty hands

25
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Threadworm Through eating food with Itching around the anus,

unwashed hands stomach ache, loss of
appetite
Hookworm Through the skin when we walk out- Diarrhoea, itching on lower leg,
side without shoes or sandals weakness of body
Eating contaminated fruits and veg-
etables

Self-testing Exercise
Identify any food for worms in the intestine.
The diagram below shows the head of a certain intestinal worm. Study it and
answer the questions that follow.

Name the parts marked:

X ___________________

Y____________________

26
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Z____________________

Which type of worm has the head above?

Lesson 4: Worm Infestation

In this lesson, you should be able to describe the treatment and ways of
preventing worm infestations.

You need the following materials;

Notebook, pen, and pencil

Introduction
Hello my dear, we looked at the types of worms and how they enter the body. I
hope you remember them well.
In this lesson, you are going to learn about the treatment and ways of
preventing worm infestations.
The following are the ways of preventing worm infestations. Please find out
from your parent or guardians or older siblings the other ways and write them
down.
By eating well cooked meat.
By washing fruits and vegetables well before eating them.
Washing hands before handling food and after using a toilet /latrine.
Deworming yourself regularly.
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………

27
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

THEME: HUMAN HEALTH

Lesson 1: Disease Vectors
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
name some disease vectors.
i. state characteristics of the disease vectors.
ii. identify the diseases spread by the vectors.

Materials you will need

Notebook, pen, pencil, a housefly, a cockroach

Introduction
Hello my dear, in Primary Three,you learnt about insects. Get your notebook
and write the insects down. Some insects are useful while others are harmful.
Can you mention some of the harmful insects?
Today, you will learn about vectors. A vector is an insect or animal which
spreads diseases. In your home, can you name some of the insects and animals
that spread diseases?

Here are some examples of vectors and the diseases they spread.

1. Vectors Diseases they Spread

2. Anopheles mos- Malaria

quito
3. Culex mosquito Elephantiasis

4. Aedes / Tiger Yellow fever

mosquito
5. Rat Plague

6. Housefly Diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, cholera,

trachoma
7. Cockroach Diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery

8. Tsetse fly Sleeping sickness

9. Louse Relapsing fever

10. Flea Bubonic plague

11. Dog Rabies

28
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

12. Ticks Typhus fever

13. Itch mite Scabies

Activity
1.Discuss with your parent/guardian or elders the characteristics of the
following;
i. A housefly
ii. A cockroach
iii.A mosquito
2. Describe the life cycle of each of the three vectors above.

3. Draw the life cycle of a housefly.

Lesson 2: Prevention and Control of Diseases Spread by Vectors

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to practice correct prevention and
control of the diseases spread by vectors.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook, mosquito net

Introduction
Dear pupil, I hope you still remember the diseases spread by vectors. Today,
you will learn about the different ways of controlling the diseases spread by
vectors.
1. In our last lesson, you discussed with your parent/guardian or elders the
characteristics of some vectors. Find out what you learnt by ticking the right
answer in the box for each question below.
Activity:
(a) A housefly lives in dirty places. Yes No

(b) Houseflies carry germs to our food through their vomits and hairy body.
Yes No

(c) Mosquitoes hide in tall grass in our compound Yes No

(d) Mosquitoes do not lay eggs in stagnant waters.

Yes No

e) Cockroaches feed on our foods and spread germs.

Yes No

3. List down in your notebook the activities you can do to prevent diseases in
your home.

4.Draw in your notebook the tools and materials you can use to clean your
29
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

home.
Summary notes
Prevention and Control of Diseases Transmitted by Vectors
i, Drain stagnant water around the home to control malaria.
ii.Spray with insecticides to kill insect vectors.
iii.Sleep under mosquito nets to prevent mosquito bites.
Keep food covered to prevent houseflies and cockroaches from sitting on it.
iv.Defecate in latrines/toilets.
v. Clear bushes near homes.
vii Use rat traps and rat poison to kill rats in order to control rat plague.
viii.Cut hair short and keep it clean, wash clothes and iron them to control lice.
ix.Treat/vaccinate dogs and avoid disturbing dogs to control dog bites.

30
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

THEME: HUMAN HEALTH

Topic: Accidents, Poisoning and First Aid

Lesson 1: Common Accidents
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
namethe common accidents at home, on the way to school and from school.
statethe causes of common accidents.
demonstrate correct practices to avoid accidents

Materials that you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook

Introduction
Dear pupil, you realise that you can easily harm yourself anytime and anywhere.
Can you identify things that can cause harm to you when you handle them
badly? Have you ever seen somebody who had an accident on your way to
school?
In this lesson, you will learn about the common accidents at home, on the way
to and from school.
An accident is a sudden happening that causes harm to the body.

Activity 1
With guidance from your parent of guardian or elders, identify the causes of the
following common accidents:
a) at home b) on the way to school c) from school d) at school

No. Type of Accident Cause Effects

1. Fractures
2. Burns
3. Cuts
4. Sprains and strains
5. Choking
6. Animal and insect bites
7. Bruises
8. Road accidents

31
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Activity 2
In the table below, you will identify the ways you can prevent these accidents.
No Type of Accident Ways of Preventing the Accident
Fractures
Burns
Cuts
Sprains and strains
Choking
Animal and insect
bites
Bruises
Road accidents

Identify the causes of road traffic accidents.

Mention the ways of preventing road traffic accidents.

Lesson 2: Poisoning
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
i. state the causes of poisoning.
ii. describe the habits which help to avoid poisoning at home, on the way and at
the school.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook

Introduction
Hello pupil, you have learnt about the common accidents at home and their
causes. You should be careful so as to avoid these accidents
Today, you will learn about poisoning as one of the common accidents.
Poisoning is the taking in of substances that can be harmful to the body.

Common Causes of Poisoning

In your notebook, write down the common causes of poisoning.
Ways of Preventing Poisoning
Keep chemicals and drugs away from children.
Handle foods properly to avoid contamination.
Destroy all expired drugs that are not in use.
Keep chemicals away from foodstuffs.
Label all bottles containing liquids.

32
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Self-testing Exercise
What is poisoning?
Name any two examples of poisons.
Why is it dangerous to keep poison in bottles of soda?

Lesson 3: First Aid for Accidents

By the end of this lesson, you should be able todemonstrate ways of giving first
aid to victims of accidents and poisoning.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook

Introduction
Welcome to this lesson. We come across accidents all the time. It is important
to know how we can take care of ourselves and other people who are involved in
an accident.
In this lesson, you will learn about the different ways of giving first aid to
people who have got accidents.
The table below shows the type of accident and the first aid you can give to an
injured person.

Type of Accident First Aid

Fractures
Tie splints around the injured part to keep the broken
bone in position.
Take the victim to the nearest health center.
Burns Put the burnt area in cold water or pour clean cold wa-
ter on the injured part.
Poisoning Give the person a lot of milk, water or juice to dilute the
poison.
Cuts Press the affected part to stop bleeding.
Wash the wound with clean water and soap and dress
the wound with a clean piece of cloth.
Sprains and Rest the injured part.
strains Put ice on the injured part.
Bandage the injured part.
Raise the injured part on a pillow to reduce pain and
swelling.

Reasons for giving First Aid

i. To save life.
ii To reduce pain.

33
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

ii. To promote quick recovery.

iv. To prevent further injuries.

Activity
With guidance from your parent, guardians or elders, get a box and collect
some the materials that are needed to give First Aid. Label the box “FIRST AID
KIT”. Keep the box in a safe place to help you in giving First Aid at home.

THEME: SCIENCE IN HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND

OCCUPATIONS

34
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Topic: Rabbit Keeping

Lesson 1: Breeds and Uses of rabbits
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
i. name the different breeds of rabbits and their uses.
ii. compare the different breeds of rabbits.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook

Introduction
Dear pupil, in P1 and P2, you learnt about domestic animals. Please name them.
Some of these animals are eaten while others are not. From your list, we have
rabbits as one of the domestic animals that are eaten.
Today, you will learn about the types of rabbits and their uses.

Breeds of Rabbits
There are two breeds of rabbits, namely local and exotic rabbits.
Local rabbits: They mostly live in the bush. They are small in size and run
faster.

1.Exotic rabbits: These have been brought into the country from other
countries. They produce good meat and have different colours.
Examples of exotic breeds are:
Chinchilla, New Zealand white, Angora and California

2.Uses of Rabbits
Rabbits have many uses in homes.
i. They are a source of food. Rabbit meat is white meat that is good for eating.
ii. Fur of rabbits is soft and it is used to make different things like clothing.
iii. Rabbit skins can be dried and treated to give good pelts (skins with fur) to be
used in clothing and other uses.
iv. Rabbit droppings make good fertilisers.
v. Rabbits are also used as pets by people.

Self-testing Exercise
Identify any two things got from a rabbit.
i. State the use of the things we get from rabbits to people.
ii. Give three differences between a local and an exotic breed of rabbit.

35
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

Lesson 2: Housing of Rabbits

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to construct a hutch.

Materials you will need

Pen, pencil, notebook, nails, small sticks, poles, dry grass, pieces of timber,
panga, poles, stone, hammer or stone,iron sheets

Introduction
Just like people, rabbits need houses to stay in. A house for rabbits is called a
hutch.
In this lesson, you will construct a hutch.
Examples of hutches

i) Morat ii)Caged hutch

Activity: Constructing a hutch for your rabbits

Step1: Get four straight poles of about 2metres each.

Step 2: Measure half a metre of each pole to mark the floor level ofyour
hutch. Use a hammer or stone tofix pieces of timber as you make
the floor.
Step 3: Identify the front, back and sides of your hutch. Fix pieces of tim-
ber using nails to make the walls of the hutch. Leave some space for
ventilation.
Step 4: Fix some small poles on top of the 4 poles to create the base of the
roof. Use dry grass or iron sheets to roof. Remember the roof
should slant and be strong enough not to leak.
Step 5: Make a door and fix it on the hutch.

Lesson 3: Management Practices in Rabbit Keeping

By the end ofthis lesson, you should be able to;
i. describe the breeding of rabbits.
ii. demonstrates kills of keeping rabbits.

Materials that you will need

- Pen, pencil, notebook

36
 SELF-STUDY LEARNING

Introduction
Welcome dear pupil, I want you to identify ways your parent care for you. Just
like you, rabbits also need care.
In this lesson, you will learn about ways of caring for rabbits. Some of these
ways are feeding them well, maintaining proper hygiene, breeding and record
keeping.

Ways of caring What you need to know

for rabbits
Feeding They feed on sweet potato leaves, banana peelings, weeds,
carrots, dodo, etc.
Hygiene Keep them in a clean hutch, provide clean drinking water, wash
feeding containers, all rabbit droppings should be removed every
day to prevent a bad smell.
Breeding Breeding is the process through which animals multiply by
giving birth to young ones. They give birth after 28-31 days.
They should be fed well when they are pregnant.
Record keeping It means writing down some information of what has happened
during the time of rearing the rabbits.
Examples of records in rabbit keeping are:
Records of the number of rabbits on the farm or in a hutch
Records of young ones produced by each doe
Records of meat produced in kilograms
Vaccinating records
Feeding records
Activity
Ask your parent or guardian to buy for you one male and a female rabbit and
start your rabbit project. Make sure you care for them well.

Lesson 4: Diseases of Rabbits

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to;
name common parasites and diseases for rabbits.
i.practice the control, prevention and treatment of rabbit diseases and para
sites.
Materials you will need
Pens, pencil, notebook

Introduction
Welcome dear pupil. You realise that rabbits also fall sick just like we fall sick.
In this lesson, you will learn about the control, prevention and treatment of
rabbit diseases and parasites.
Parasites are living organisms which live and feed on another living organism.

37
 SCIENCE | PRIMARY FOUR

The common parasites that affect rabbits are; lice, mites, fleas, ticks and
worms.

The table below shows diseases that attack rabbits, signs and symptoms and
ways of preventing and controlling the diseases.

Disease Signs and Symptoms Prevention and Control

Coccidiosis Swollen abdomen Separate the infected rabbit
Rough fur Clean the hutch daily
Diarrhoea
Loss of weight
Sudden death
Pneumonia Shivering Protect the rabbits from rain.
Breathing difficulties Keep the hutch dry.
High temperature
Loss of appetite
Rabbits die suddenly
Snuffles Sneezing all the time Keep the hutch dry and clean.
Mucus from the nose
Ear Canker Itching ears Keep the hutch clean.
Ears bend downwards Spray to kill the mite.
Wounds in the ears
Colds Sneezing all the time Keep the rabbits in a warm
Runny nose place.
Watery mucus in their nose

Self-testing exercise
i. Name the types of rabbits.
ii. Give uses of rabbits.
iii. State parasites that affect rabbits.
iv. Why should a hutch be kept clean all the time?
v. Identify ways of caring for rabbits.
vi Name the diseases that attack rabbits.

38
SELF-STUDY LEARNING

39
National Curriculum
Development Centre,
P.O. Box 7002,
Kampala.

www.ncdc.go.ug