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Cambridge Primary Science

From experiments to discover what makes plants grow, to making musical
instruments to investigate sound waves, Cambridge Primary Science gets your
learners thinking like scientists!

Packed with opportunities to plan experiments, make predictions and gather

results, the series helps your learners think and work scientifically. Each unit ends
with a project, like making a model garden, that helps students bring together
what they have learnt, and understand how the topics relate to the real world.
With vocabulary boxes, clear diagrams and supporting illustrations, the course

CAMBRIDGE

E
makes science accessible for learners with English as a second language.

Primary Science
• Get learners thinking about what they already know with ‘Getting Started’ boxes
• Help your learners think and work scientifically with practical tasks in the

PL
‘Think like a scientist’ feature
• Topics throughout the series support the earth and space strand of the
curriculum framework
• Help your students reflect on what they have learnt with ‘Reflection’ and
‘Look what I can do’ sections at the end of each topic
• Answers for all activities can be found in the accompanying teacher’s resource
Learner’s Book 1
For more information on how to access and use your digital resource,
please see inside front cover. Jon Board & Alan Cross

M
This resource is endorsed by
Cambridge Assessment International Education Completely Cambridge
✓ P rovides support as part of a set of Cambridge University Press works with Cambridge

SA
resources for the Cambridge Primary Science Assessment International Education and experienced
curriculum framework (0097) from 2020 authors to produce high-quality endorsed textbooks
and digital resources that support Cambridge teachers
✓ H
 as passed Cambridge International’s and encourage Cambridge learners worldwide.
rigorous quality-assurance process
To find out more visit cambridge.org/
✓ Developed by subject experts cambridge-international

✓ For Cambridge schools worldwide

Registered Cambridge International Schools benefit from high-quality programmes,

assessments and a wide range of support so that teachers can effectively deliver
Cambridge Primary.

Visit www.cambridgeinternational.org/primary to find out more.

Second edition Digital access

Original material © Cambridge University Press 2021. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.
 We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

Original material © Cambridge University Press 2021. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.
 We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

1 Living things
1.1 Animals and plants alive!
We are going to:
• find living things and things that have never been alive

E
• draw some living things
• put things into groups.

Getting started
PL alive
animal
group
living
look
non-living
plant
water
M
• Name some living things.
• Look around your classroom. Point to some things that are not alive.
SA

2
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 We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

1.1 Animals and plants alive!

Use your eyes to look at the picture. What can you see?
Point to a plant. Most plants are green.
Plants make their own food.
Point to an animal in the picture.
Animals move around and eat other things.
Plants and animals are alive. They are living things.

E
All living things need food.
Water moves but it is not alive. Point to other things in the picture
that are non-living.

Think like a scientist

What living things can we find?

You will need:

PL
paper, a pencil, a clipboard or thick card to rest on, a digital camera
M
Go outside to look for living things.
Be careful in case there are plants or animals
that are prickly, sting or bite.
Try to find four living things.
SA

Draw and photograph some living things.

What is the largest living thing
you can find?
What is the smallest living thing
you can find?

3
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1 Living things

Activity

Living or non-living?
Zara is putting things into
two groups.
Where should she put the toy?
What other things could she

E
put in the groups?
Look at the non-living things.
Point to something that used to be alive.

Use things from your classroom.PL

Point to some things that have never been alive.
Make a group of living things and a group of non-living things.

How do you know which things are alive?

How am I doing?
M
Ask a friend to look at your groups.
Have you put things in the right group?
SA

How does putting things into groups help you learn science?

Look what I can do!

I can name four or more things that are living.
I can name four or more things that have never been alive.
I can draw some living things.
I can put things into two groups.

4
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1.2 Parts of a plant

1.2 Parts of a plant

We are going to:
• find out about the parts of plants
• name the parts of plants
• draw parts of a plant.

E
Getting started
You know that plants are living.

PL
• What parts of plants have you seen?
• Tell a friend about some parts of plants.

Plants are all around us.

Some plants are tall and some are small.
different
flower
observe
parts
M
All plants have parts that we can see. leaf root
Some plants have flowers which make seeds. magnifying seeds
glass similar
We are going to learn about these plants and model stem
their parts.
SA

name

5
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1 Living things

Activity 1

Finding plant parts

Plants have many parts.
Look carefully at the plant in the drawing.
What do you see or observe?
Point to a leaf, a flower, the stem and the roots.

E
Activity 2

Making a model plant

Say what each part is for.

PL
Loti can tell us what the parts do.
Make a model of a plant with these parts.

The flower is the part

where the seeds are
made.
M
The leaf makes
food for the plant.
SA

The roots collect

water. The roots hold the
plant still.

The stem holds the

leaves and flowers up.

6
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1.2 Parts of a plant

Think like a scientist

Observing plant parts

You will need:

a plant, a magnifying glass, paper, a pencil

Observe a plant.

E
Look carefully at the plant parts.
Do not eat plants you find and wash
your hands after touching any plants.
Name the plant parts.
Observe three different plants.
Look at the plant parts.
Draw them.
Do they all look the same?
PL
M
Are they similar or different?

How am I doing?
Play ‘What am I?’ with a friend.
SA

Use the words leaf, stem, flower,

root.
Say what each is for.

7
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1 Living things

Do you find it easy to observe living things?

How does observing help you learn?

Look what I can do!

E
I can find out about plants.
I can name parts of a plant.
I can draw parts of a plant.

PL
M
SA

8
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1.3 Plants and light

1.3 Plants and light

We are going to:
• find out if plants need light
• do an investigation and say what we think will happen.

E
Getting started
• Where do you see plants?
• Do you have plants at home? Tell a friend
where you keep plants at home.

answer
asks
grow
light
question
PL
investigation
M
Here are some young plants.
When plants get bigger we say
SA

they grow.

Activity

What do plants need to grow?

What do you think plants need to grow?
Talk with a friend. What do they think plants need?
Do plants need food and water like people?
Write or draw what you think plants need.

9
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1 Living things

Marcus asks a question: ‘Why is

this plant bent?’
Here is the answer: ‘It is growing
towards the light.’

E
Think like a scientist

PL
What happens to a plant with no light?

You will need:

two plants, a box
M
Marcus wants to answer this question.
‘What will happen to a plant with
no light?’
SA

He covers one plant with a box.

He puts the other plant in the light.
Say or draw what you
think will happen.
Try this investigation yourself to find out the answer.

How am I doing?
What places would be too dark for plants to grow?
Talk about your ideas or draw them.

10
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1.3 Plants and light

E
PL
M
Look at this cave.
SA

Why are no plants growing inside?

Plants use light to make food.
Plants can’t grow in the cave because there is no light.

Look what I can do!

I can say what will happen to a plant with no light.
I can say what I think will happen in an investigation.

11
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1 Living things

1.4 Plants need water

We are going to:
• learn about how plants need water
• record observations in tables
• predict what will happen in an investigation

E
• see if what happened was what we predicted.

Getting started

PL
• Draw two things you know about plants.
• Show a friend what you have drawn.

What should the children do to keep this plant alive?

explain
predict
record
table
M
Look at the This plant needs
leaves! water!
SA

You may have seen plants

growing in places like this.
Some plants live near water.
Some plants live in water.
Some plants live in dry places.
Where do plants get
water from?

12
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1.4 Plants need water

Activity

Healthy plants?
What could we do to help these plants grow?
What do you think will happen to these plants?
Tell other people what you predict.

E
A B

Think like a scientist 1

PL
If plants do not have enough
water they can die.
If plants have too much
water they can die.

Do plants get Let's do

M
water through a test!
How plants get water their leaves or
roots?
You will need:
two plants, a plastic bag, string, a watering can
SA

Zara pours water onto the leaves of one plant.

She waters the roots of the other plant.
Predict what will happen.
Now try this science investigation.
Observe what happens.
Draw the plants before and after the
investigation.
Make sure you wash your hands after
touching the plants.

13
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1 Living things

Think like a scientist 2

How much water do plants need?

You will need: some plants, a watering can

E
Give some plants
lots of water.
PL
Predict what will happen to the plants.
Now do the science investigation.
Give some plants
a little water.
Give some plants
no water.
M
Observe the plants each day.
Record your results in a table like this.

How much water do the plants need? My table of results.

SA

Water every day Water two times Do not water

each week
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5

Draw the plants in the table.

14
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1.4 Plants need water

Continued
Some plants
do not need
How am I doing? water
Read what Hatim says.
What would you say to him?
Explain to Hatim why he is wrong.

E
PL
How did the hands-on work help you to learn today?

Look what I can do!

I can explain why plants need water.
I can record observations in tables.
I can predict what will happen in a science investigation.
M
I can say if what happened was what I predicted.
SA

15
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1 Living things

Project

Gardens and gardeners

We all love to play in a garden.
In a garden we can learn about plants and how to care for them.

E
PL
M
SA

Part 1
Draw a garden for school, home or the park.
Draw lots of different plants.
Who will look after the garden?
Draw the gardener.
What does the gardener do?
The gardener will give the plants lots of light and water.

16
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Project

Continued

Part 2
Make a tiny garden in a tray or box.
Use your science to help you plan and make a garden.
These are some things you may need.

E
PL
M
SA

17
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1 Living things

Check your progress

Talk about these questions.
1 Look at the picture.
What is alive?
What is not alive?

2 Name the parts of the plant

E
in the picture.
Use these words.

roots

stem

leaf
PL
M
flower
SA

18
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Check your progress

Continued
3 What do these plants need?

E
4 Help Amy.
PL
What do the seeds need to grow?
M
SA

19
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2 Sound
2.1 Sound sources
We are going to:
• find sources of sound

E
• say which sound sources use electricity
• make predictions and see if they are right

Getting started
PL
• collect and record observations.

• Tell a friend about something you know that makes a sound.

• Listen then point to something that makes a sound.
M
SA

ears results
electricity scientists
hear sound
list source

20
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2.1 Sound sources

A thing that makes a sound is called a

sound source.
Some sound sources use electricity.
We hear sounds with our ears.

E
PL
M
SA

21
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2 Sound

Count the sound sources in this picture.

Name the sound sources that use electricity.

E
PL
M
SA

22
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2.1 Sound sources

Activity

Sound sources in school

Walk around your school or classroom.
What sound sources will you find?
Before the walk, make a list like this.

E
I predict that I will find …
a clock
12

PL 11 1

10 2

9 3

8 4

7 5
6

1XZMLQK\\PI\1_QTTNQVL

After your walk, what did you find?

M
Make a list like this:

On our walk we found…

a telephone
SA

7VW]Z_ITS_MNW]VL

Did you find the things you predicted?

Which of the sound sources use electricity?

23
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2 Sound

Think like a scientist

Find that sound!

You will need:

some sound sources,
a blindfold

E
Scientists are people who do
investigations to answer questions.
What you find out is called your results.
We will try to answer this question:
‘Can a friend point to sounds you make?'

PL
The children are investigating to see if Zara can point to the sound.
Talk to your friends about doing this investigation.
Plan which sound sources you will use.
Predict which things they can point to.
M
Write your prediction and results like this.

Can a friend point to these sounds?

SA

sound source prediction results

12
11 1

clock yes yes

10 2

9 3

8 4

7 5
6

1XZMLQK\\PI\1_QTTNQVL

24
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2.1 Sound sources

Continued

Do the investigation with your friends.

Which sounds were easy to find?

How am I doing?
Were some of your predictions wrong?

E
When predictions are wrong it shows we have learnt something new.

Look what I can do!

PL
How do investigations help you learn science?

I can find sources of sound.

I can say which sound sources use electricity.
M
I can make predictions and see if they were right.
I can collect and record observations.
SA

25
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2 Sound

2.2 Loud and quiet

We are going to:
• learn how some sounds are loud and others are quiet
• group sounds into loud and quiet sounds
• record results in a table

E
• make predictions and see if they were right.

Getting started

PL
• Talk to a friend in a quiet voice.
• Now talk to a friend in a loud voice.

Some sound sources are loud.

damage
danger
instruments
listen
loud
music
quiet
sense
M
Some sound sources are quiet.
SA

A mouse makes a quiet sound. A lion can make a loud sound.

26
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2.2 Loud and quiet

E
PL
The children are playing instruments.
They hear the music with their sense of hearing.
How can they play the instruments louder?
M
How can they play the instruments quieter?
Very loud sounds can damage your ears.

Activity 1
SA

Grouping loud and quiet sounds

Look at the picture. Marcus is using
his sense of hearing.
He can hear loud and quiet sounds.
What are they?
We can put loud sounds together in
a group.
We can put quiet sounds together in
a group.

27
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2 Sound

Continued
Record the loud and quiet sounds from the picture like this.
We record when we draw or write something.

Loud
Loudsounds
sounds Quiet
Quietsounds
sounds

E
PL
Then record some sounds you can hear around you.

If you hold your hand by your ear

M
the sound will be louder.
Tara is doing this.
She can hear more sound.
SA

28
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2.2 Loud and quiet

Activity 2

Make sounds louder and quieter

Ume is covering her ears.
Listen to a sound.
Now cover your ears with your hands.
What can you hear this time?

E
You have stopped some of the sound going
into your ears.
Doing this can stop loud sounds damaging
your ears.
Listen to another sound.
Now put your hand by your ear.
Does it change what you hear?
PL
Doing this helps you hear quiet sounds.
How do your hands make things sound quieter
M
and louder?

Think like a scientist

SA

Do big ears help us hear?

You will need:

card, scissors, some sound sources

Some animals have large ears so they can

hear sounds of danger.
Arun makes big card ears to see if it helps
him to hear very quiet sounds.

29
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2 Sound

Continued

Make some big ears and test them with

your friends.
Plan which quiet sounds you will listen to.
Predict if these quiet sounds will
be lounder when you use the ears.

E
Record your results in a table like this.

Result
Sound source Prediction

clock
PL
it will be louder
It was the
same
It was
louder
✓
M
Record your results.
Were your predictions right?
Why do the big card ears make the sounds louder?
SA

How am I doing?
Draw two things that make a quiet sound.
Now draw two things that make a loud sound.

Activity 3

Take care of your ears!

Your ears can hear all sorts of sounds.
Your sense of hearing helps you play, learn and keep safe.

30
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2.2 Loud and quiet

Continued
You need to take good care of our ears.
Make sure you:
• don’t listen to very loud sounds
• don’t stick things into your ears
• keep your ears clean.

E
PL
Work with a friend. Make a poster to tell all your friends how to take
care of their ears.
M
How am I doing?
Tell a friend how to look after their ears.
SA

When you do science, how does it help you to do the

science yourself?

Look what I can do!

I can say how some sounds are loud and others are quiet.
I can group sounds into loud and quiet sounds.
I can record results in a table.
I can make predictions and see if they were right.

31
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2 Sound

2.3 Sound moves

We are going to:
• find out how sound changes as it moves
• stay safe when we do a science investigation.

E
Getting started changed move
• Can the people hear the man? comparing near
far away
• Tell a friend what you think.

PL
M
SA

32
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2.3 Sound moves

Sounds move away from a

sound source.
We hear the sound when it gets
to our ears. We call this listening.

E
Think like a scientist

Does sound change as it moves?

New photo??
You will need:
a triangle or other instrument

PL
The children are doing an investigation.
Who will hear a loud sound?
Who will hear a quiet sound?
See query log
Strongly suggest
having some cut-out
instruments etc which
I still think would
look better and be
more appropriate
for the students
and the exercise
than an image of an
orchestra)
M
They are comparing the sound in
different places.
SA

33
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2 Sound

Continued

Try doing this science investigation.

Stand in different places and compare the sound you hear.
The sound has changed if it is different in different places.
Try using different sound sources.
Do not stand near to a very loud sound. It is not safe.

E
It can damage your ears.

How am I doing?

PL
Do you hear the change in sound? Listen carefully.
Is it a big change or a small change?
Show how loud the sound is in different places with your hands.
M
SA

When you are near to a sound When you are far away from a
source the sound is louder. sound source the sound is quieter

34
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2.3 Sound moves

Activity

Near and far sounds

Arun is listening to the sound.
Sofia is bringing the sound
source closer.

You will need:

E
a sound source

Try doing this.

How does the sound change
as it gets closer?

PL
Did you find it easy to say when a sound is loud or quiet?
When have you heard sounds from far away?
M
Look what I can do!
I can say how sounds change when the
sound source is near or far away.
SA

I can keep my ears safe from loud sounds.

35
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2 Sound

Project

Making musical instruments

These people are playing music.
What musical instruments are
they using?
You can make your own

E
musical instrument.
This is a drum.
You can make a drum with
a metal can, a balloon and
a rubber band.

1 1 1 PL 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5
M
1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5
SA

36
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Continued

These are shakers.

You can make a shaker with
a cardboard tube, rice and
some tape.

E
1 2 1 3 2 4

12 23
PL 5
34
6 5
4
7
6
M
SA

65 7 7
6

37
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2 Sound

Continued

This is a guitar.
1 2 3
You can make a guitar with a lid,
a wooden stick and rubber bands.
Make one of these musical
instruments.

E
Show someone your musical
instrument.
1 2 3 5 4 6
1 2 3
Tell them how it works.

1
5 PL 2
6 5
3
7 6
4 7
M
5 6 7
SA

38
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Check your progress

Check your progress

Talk about these questions.
1 Which pictures show a sound source?

E
PL
M
2 What might happen to this girl’s ears?
SA

39
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2 Sound

Continued
3 Which words go with which picture?

Far away louder quieter Near

E
PL
M
4 Ben can’t hear the music.
What can he do?
SA

40

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