1.

Presentation
“There are times I think there is life in other planets, there are times I think there is not.
In any case the conclusion is amazing”.
Carl Sagan

Dear teacher:
The teaching of Biology represents an enormous opportunity to understand the wonderful
world to which we belong. It represents a fun and exciting task which is full of surprises and
enables us to understand our living environment and take better care of the resources that
nature offers us.

The book Science 1. Biology (Get to know Biology) proposes the study and comprehension of
life from the human perspective and the study of the rest of the living beings that share with us
the planet where we live.

One of the items of the program of the Science 1 subject developed in this book is the
relationship between science and technology. The study of this relationship allows students
to explore a part of the knowledge which is fundamental in modern times: the vertiginous
advance of technology, which has led our lives and the planet to unforeseen conditions.
Although important and valuable changes that enable us to better know and understand the
universe have occurred, the existence of not only human beings but of many species is being
endangered by the adverse environmental changes.

We are convinced that delving into this association will offer an opportunity between you
and your students for coming together, commit and be amazed, and stimulate curiosity for
learning and responsibility about how to conduct themselves in life and prevent damaging the
environment.

One of the particularities of this book, which we believe can be a great learning opportunity
for you and your students, is the way in which the lessons are structured for the development
of the projects in each unit. In them you will find a gradual advance of how to build a solid,
respectful and committed team work.

We believe that the recommendations and procedures that we raise in the student’s book will
allow you to properly leverage your skills to foster team work.

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 2. Pedagogical foundation
Science 1. Biology develops its contents according to the approach stipulated by the Secretariat
of Public Education, which stipulates four core items:

• The formative character of science.

• Consider the student as the center of learning.

• The value of the role of the teacher in the education of the students.

• The promotion of a human vision of the nature of science and scientific work.

The book already includes these four items since from its conception the author considers
that science should contribute to the comprehension of everyday reality; to develop skills and
expectations so young people may understand the world around them beyond the normal
everyday reality and to make them take responsibility and act with commitment for a better
development in life.

We believe that the best way to properly care and manage our body, as well as the natural
resources on which we depend on, is through the understanding of their operation.

Thus, the book intends that the explanations have a close association with the lives of the
students, yet it is also recommended that the teacher supports and encourages them to think
about their environment in broader terms, that is, their region, country, the planet or even the
universe, so they may have an expanded view with their lives and all that surrounds them as
references. Likewise, a life and an environment with a present also demand to think about
the future. Thus, when asking a young person to think about his/her body and current health
status, it becomes necessary to encourage reflection about what the expectations and wishes
are for him/her and the world in which he/her lives.

Significant learning is considered a central axis of the approach that provides the foundation
of the book, therefore the teachers shall strive to acknowledge, leverage and consider the
previous knowledge of the students, so they may reinforce attitudes, skills and values
according to the progress of knowledge, or are able to identify and correct beliefs, ideas or
customs developed from wrong or obsolete information.

For this reason, throughout the book, there are various generator questions, whose purpose
is to put forward the ideas of the student’s group so they serve as an important starting and
discussion point in the development of the classes.

Fostering curiosity, creativity, research, openness to new ideas, interest for proof, flexibility
in the face of changing opinions and critical reflection are among the SEP’s central
recommendations in the design of the materials that your students will use for teaching
sciences.

As a whole, the purpose of the book is to keep an important amount of skepticism that drives
the students to seek well-grounded explanations, and to doubt any answer without clear
support, and be open to new and solid explanations.

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Your work in selecting the dynamics and materials used in class shall be fundamental to
motivate and foster the interest of the young students for the subject and to generate learning
conditions. Take in consideration that, as indicated by the SEP in their sciences subject studies
program, there are at least three conditions that may facilitate or hamper the disposition of the
students to accept new explanations: “previous ideas, the characteristics of the information
introduced to them and the teaching strategies”. Therefore, your openness to innovation,
patience and respect to hear their explanations about the workings of the phenomena and their
environment is crucial. The material you have in your hands will be your ally in this process;
its purpose is that Biology is viewed as a science that explains and delve in life’s phenomena
to understand and seek its permanence, but it also intends to show that Biology is not an
infallible, because the knowledge in this discipline has changed over time, that the explanations
have evolved as life itself, thanks to the advances in sciences and technology that have enabled
men and women to find new answers to old questions that were considered already answered.

As already discussed, one of the strengths of the book is that reinforces the position of the
student as the center of learning, develops the gradual advance in the depth of the contents,
and fosters learning and discussion in teams. This occurs from the very first lesson and is
reinforced in the project section in each of the units.

For many years now, schools have been promoting team work based learning; however, few
tools have been provided for teachers to fully leverage the collective work of their students.
In fact, teachers face each day the difficulty of working with groups, because little is known
about handling the differences and deal with the frictions between the natural leaderships that
occur among boys and teens. The material we offer provides tools that will help you so that
your students can leverage the benefits of discussion to reach agreements, acknowledging that
diversity produces wealth and that many minds and hands are more productive than just a few.

Our main recommendation about how to use the book, above all, to keep an attitude of
openness to use the materials we offer and the options provided by the region you live in. Keep
open with your students the desire to feel with all your senses and observe the world around
you, to look for explanations, hear new reasons, explore sites, dare to make questions and ask
for help, use new materials, attend conferences and expositions, visit public, educational or
non-government organizations. Very few will refuse to assist the noble task that is teaching,
specially an enthusiast and bold teacher that wants the best for his/her students.

All of the above will help you to become a partner who directs the learning of the young
people; and will improve your results as teach, you will have the benefit or being a person
that will mark their lives, and you will become a more happy and full teacher. Remember that
flexibility is one of you best tools and that is boosted by the materials we offer you. Don’t stop
asking questions each time you plan a class, and even if your teaching environment is lacking
in some aspects, the study of Biology has the advantage of having a laboratory available
outside the classroom, or even in your body.

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 3. Educational Suggestions
First recommendations
Planning a class will always involve implementing a set of issues ranging from how much
knowledge there is about the work group to what materials are there available. It is different
to plan the first three weeks of classes in a group that is unknown, than to plan the following
weeks of the course once you have begun to interact with it.

Our suggestion for the first stage of the course is to perform a general planning of the topics
and a schedule, similar to those suggested herein, although you will always have the freedom
to make adjustments based on the evolution of the group and the topics. After the first weeks
have passed and in line with the fulfillment of the list of topics, we recommend you to make
adjustments based on the interests of the students, the complexity and integration of the
topics in the group, and the evolution of the daily context of the students. That is, how many
institutions, sites, projects or experiments can be developed based on the living place of the
individuals that make available a site or a conversation to share. Consider that it is highly
stimulating for the students to receive a visitor, or visit a site nearby, even if it is around the
corner, even if it is mostly ignored when passing by.

The diagnostic or the first days with the students

The diagnostic or initial recognition of a group may take several directions. A very useful one
is to perform a first evaluation and have the students write and answer some questions. Later
one we will show you some examples in the Evaluations section.

Other options is to have the students write a small text where they describe their expectations
from the course; and their interpretation about what is life, the workings of a living being,
how are the relationships of the living beings with their environment; their opinions about
sexuality, accidents, their roles as participants of a society that must look for solutions to the
environmental problems, among other things.

Other option is a first, open and long talk, where from a small list of questions posed by you,
each one of the students expresses their expectations and ideas. You should tell them at the
beginning of this activity that there are not right answers and that the expectation is that you
and them get to know each other a bit more.

Day to day activities

Before the class starts we suggest that you go over the general purposes of the unit and the
expected learnings.

It is convenient that you share with your students both the purposes and the expected
learnings. It is advisable that this is your starting point always, so they can express to you
what they know and think about all they are to learn or discuss. It is the better way to make
them the center of the learning process, and to make them become aware of that, with you
becoming the facilitator of knowledge.

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Planning of the complete course
a) Schedules and programming

It is convenient that in the development of the general planning of the course you use
several graphical instruments that permit you to organize the topics. Here we propose one
schedule per unit with the number of days we consider appropriate for their treatment, and
then in each unit, a distribution of each subtopic distributed across the weeks of the school
year.

Although a schedule of this nature is just a resources than permits to organize and plan
the activities, remember that flexibility plays a very important role in the teaching-learning
process, because the students do not learn at the same rate, or there are topics that interest
a group more than they interest other groups. Sometimes it is convenient to shake off the
schedule a bit and then return to it.

The recommendations about the programmatic sequence are similar. No doubt, the
proposal is based from an analysis of the topics, however, the characteristics of the members
of each group again play an important role. Flexibility, within certain margins, must be
applied to make adjustments depending on the group’s progress.

b) Materials and dynamics

Once the topics are distributed, list the materials available, the sites nearby that you may
visit with your students; or the sites you may suggest them to visit on the afternoons or
weekends with their relatives or friends.

Also review which other educational resources are at hand, in your school in general,
in the laboratory, if any, in the school’s garden, in some park nearby, among the jobs or
professions of any of the parents, anything that can be used.

And of course, analyze what can be done to make the class a more attractive space for
learning. Remember that if you feel motivated to be in the classroom, your students will be
motivated too.

Since you know your school and group, there is no doubt that you will be the better
creator of the appropriate dynamics. Apart from your own exposition, we may suggest the
following dynamics:

• Role games to address controversial topics. In these dynamics each student takes the role
of a character, organism or part of the topic to address.
• Organize panels between student’s teams.
• Organize seminars where a team or student will prepare an exposition in each session.
• Have an outside guest.
• Propose the design of mockups.
• Develop small theater plays in the classroom.
• Analyze brief segments of videos or movies.
• Request the preparation of stories based on visits, observations or expectations about a
topic, etc.

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 4. Evaluations
We teachers must use our maximum creative capacity in this regard. Although quiz
evaluations are useful, there are not always the best way to assess the performance and
progress of a student or a group of students. Therefore, it is very important to consider several
aspects:

1. From the planning stage the evaluation must be considered as a part of the student’s
education.

2. The evaluation must not produce stress among the students, and must be considered as a
part of daily work. Therefore, it is important to be explicit and consequent in that regard.

3. The best way to learn is by trying, preparing and developing works.

Therefore, it is convenient that the evaluation includes the development of works for each
one of the topics, which can be prepared in or out of the classroom, individually or in
teams. Moreover, in some cases the evaluation may include the family or the group with
which the student coexists.

4. The students must also learn to make self-evaluations. Remember that the evaluation
process includes progress in knowledge, but also progress in their emotional and
perceptional aspects. Therefore, it is convenient that your students may pose personal
questions about how they see themselves and their peers, regarding the study of Biology or
the role they play in the sustenance of the life that surrounds them.

5. Evaluations must be thought out quantitatively and qualitatively, and shall be adapted to
the particular characteristics of the group and the school context.

a) Diagnostic evaluation

The diagnostic evaluation does not entail the search of the right answers by the students,
but, as the name implies, its purpose is to know the initial condition at the beginning
of the course, in order to adapt the materials and activities. Likewise, it is important
to recognize where is important to put emphasis or identify which are the student’s
resistances and weaknesses.

This makes the diagnostic evaluation a support document when planning the course as
a whole. It is important that the students know this, so they make take the evaluation
without pressure and convinced that it is a tool that will enable them to improve their
learning.

We recommend that you prepare a record of each student with the results of the
diagnostic evaluation; thus you will have a baseline to which compare subsequent
evaluations. This will be the best way to verify that your work has been effective and that
the students have worked and remained motivated.

As mentioned above, the diagnostic evaluation may be performed in several ways, by

choosing one or combining several. You may have a broad conversation with your

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students, which shall be guided by a series or generator questions designed previously.
You may ask them to prepare a text or story with a series of topics of their choosing,
or apply an open quiz. The following are some ideas for generator questions that we
propose to you.

1. What is Biology for you?

2. What is your definition of a living being?

3. How many types of living beings you know?

4. What do you remember or know about nutrition?

5. In your opinion what is the importance of good nutrition?

6. What is the function of the digestive system?

7. How many types of diet do you know?

8. How many food-borne diseases do you know?

9. Do you know how the living beings breath?

10. What do you consider the most important information you need to know about
sexuality?

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 Educational suggestions. Unit I

Lesson 1. The importance of biodiversity

Page 11

• Before identifying each of the topics, ask the students to write on the blackboard, on a
Bristol board, or on a flip chart paper sheet, the expected purposes or learning outcomes
from each block or topic. Then, ask the students to express their ideas about the topic to be
studied and what they think they will learn at the end of each topic or expected learning
outcomes.

• The explanation of the first ideas by the students will help to draw their attention towards
the topic, you could take into account their previous knowledge level and from there,
adjust, emphasize or adapt as necessary so as to develop the topic.

• Also consider that when analyzing together with your students what is to be studied it is a
great opportunity to involve them in the topic and know how much they know.

Page 11

Activity. What is a living thing?

• Bear in mind that this is an initial activity, it will be helpful if you provide the students
with |some hints on the type of reflections or appreciations they should make. For
example, you can ask them to look for aspects they have in common with other living
beings that they think are radically different from them, as is the case with plants, insects
or some sea organism.

• In order to develop the activity you can ask them to make comparisons using drawings or
magazine cutouts. Even, if time allows it, you can ask them to present the exercise based
on a theater representation.

Page 11

Comparing the common characteristics of living things

• This first section is part of the contents that your students reviewed during their primary
education. The fact of making comparative exercises can allow them to clarify what they
saw in other years like a concept or as something abstract.

• Ask them to make a great deal of comparisons, so they can find those aspects that link
them with the other living beings.

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 • While not all students like it, group reading can be a helpful option to encourage students
to review lesson texts, particularly when they are not very good readers or they lack of
reading discipline. This will allow you to help them strengthen their reading habits and
skills and encourage them to participate.

• The reading can be commented, in this way you can ask the students to recall and explain
how each of those functions are performed by the different living beings they know. This
will help them in completing the activity within this section, where they can resume some
of the examples given by them.

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Activity. Basic functions of living things

• Students will identify the possible answers to this activity, and by taking them as a
basis you can enrich the information. You can suggest to include pictures taken from
magazines in the table, or to bring to class books that they have in home or from the
school’s library.

• Encourage students to share and discuss the ideas given in their texts. Ask them to analyze
those points where different ideas are posed.

Page 15

Activity. He companions in my life. A one day chronicle

• This kind of activities allow for sensitizing students about the importance of the world
that surrounds them. In most urban areas, the current lifestyle, activities and customs keep
them away from observing the nature that surrounds us. This have give rise to keep us
away from our environment, which is more notorious in large cities.

• Make the most of this space of time allowing the students to reflect on the importance
of knowing and valuing what we have. Guide them into thinking about all the things and
organisms that surround us and usually we don’t take the time to look at.

Page 19

Activity. The food chain where I live

• Do an exercise with your students, first individually, by inviting them to mentally revisit
the organisms that live in their region. Then ask them to include in their diagrams some
notes about possible alterations that could have happen, because of the action of the
elements that human beings could introduce.

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 • In the case of the former activity, if they could talk with an ecologist or biologist, ask the
students to recall what they said in relation to changes that occurred to the region.

• From the figure that students made individually, ask someone to draw it in front of the
class, and then, based on this figure ask the students to make a food chain collectively.

Page 19

Activity. Make a model of an ecosystem

• Both, your creativity and your students’ are the main components to this activity. Organize
a brainstorm so that the students can choose materials and inhabitants from their
ecosystem. Pay special attention to how students formulate hypothesis and ask them to
make a daily log book about what they see in their terrarium. It could be advisable that
they team up to complete the activity, in this way they will divide the different follow-up
tasks and also they could get all the necessary materials.

• Some time after it has been maintained, you may return to the mini ecosystem and ask the
students to discuss their findings and bring up reflections. Guide them to think according
to the results, but also they will consider what happen during the activity.

Page 20

Assessing biodiversity: causes and consequences of its loss

• The topic regarding biological wealth in a country like Mexico deserves special attention
because of the proud it represents, but also due to the enormous responsibility and the
deterioration rate that our ecosystems are currently suffering.

• More and more recommendable materials are increasingly available, so that students can
watch and analyze documentaries either in school or at home (please review what the text
book suggests). If your school is located in a place with a huge biodiversity ecosystem, take
advantage of it and ask the students and their parents to talk about and share the current
wealth and the changes they have witnessed through their lives.

• Take into account that, while it is significant to stimulate a responsibility and care sense
for the existent biological resources in your students, it is also important that it does not
represent a burden or anxiety feeling, so that both can willingly find solutions in order to
improve the current conditions. Remember that the simple fact of promoting a positive
attitude in them will be more meaningful for their life and learning process, and also to
stimulate their participation.

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Page 22

Activity. How many were there?

• To develop this activity, ask your students to recall how to calculate percentages and the
use of the rule of three regarding their mathematics classes. If necessary, tell them they
can ask their mathematics teacher for help.

• For the final reflection, include the following questions: What do you consider are the
causes of tropical forest loss?

Page 23

Activity. How can you contribute to this cause?

• The fact of elaborating a set of ideas on how to participate in improving the environmental
conditions allows for the encouragement of students’ commitment.

• Once they have finished their individual expositions (either in class or as a homework),
ask them to share them to the class, then organize a group reflection about the aspects
proposed by the students and the necessary challenges in order to meet the good
intentions.

• Some researches about human behavior have demonstrated that social enrichment is
important to modify habits, especially on those who are heavily sticked to their traditions
and customs. This enrichment consists of small supports or remainders that friends or
family members can make, and will serve to remember the acquired commitment. An
idea that can support group work is to post listings on a visible place in classroom, so that
students can always remember them.

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Lesson 2. The importance of Darwin’s contributions
Page 26

Activity. He history of my area

• To carry out this activity, you should consider a fundamental basic premise, which must
be employed, which consists in commenting the value of history to your students, on a
permanent basis. To know what were we and where we come from is the starting point to
know where are we going to and where do we want to go.

• If the exercise of the biological history of your region can’t be carried out from existent
fossils, it can always be recreated from the community’s elderly inhabitants. Exhort your
students to appreciate that knowledge to know how the environment changes and how do
they want or do not want their environment to change.

Page 30

Activity. What have you noticed? Who escapes better?

• In general, the exercise results in that more white pieces are picked up than the black
ones. The analysis on this situation can be translated into the strategies that different
animal species develop to avoid their predators. Use the classic example of the birch moth
in England that we discuss here in order to make an analogy to this experiment and the
subsequent one.

Page 31

Activity. Who catches them better?

Without doubt, anyone who is using tweezers will be the one who collects more white pieces,
unless there is a student who has very thin fingers and is able to grab small objects.

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Lesson 3. Interactions between science and technology
to satisfy needs and interests
Page 35

Activity. An investigation at home: a book with remedies of traditional medicine.

• An option to carry out this activity is to visit, natural pharmacy, a herb store, a botanical
garden with your students, or, if you are in a rural community you could possibly find that
surprisingly and gratefully there is a family or farmer that cultivates medicinal herbs and
can help you with a guided visit.

• With the information recollected from the visit to the places aforementioned, students can
make a traditional medical prescription compendium.

• Ask them to apply the knowledge that their families have. Ask the students to find out with
their grandparents, parents and uncles and aunts.

Page 38

Activity. Let’s observe the world under a magnifying glass

• If there is no microscope available in your school, you can use the one constructed by your
students, as it will be described later.

• Also, take into account that there are other ways to make a magnifying lens; on page 83 of
the student’s book you will find several sites describing how to make one.

Options to use a microscope

If there is no microscope available in your school, there are several options you can consider for
your students to get used to this wonderful instrument:

1. Ask for support to any research institution near your school, which has a microscope and
can allow your students to see it and use it for a while. You can consider another school in
your area, a research center or governmental institution, or any particular company using
a microscope.

2. Search the internet for any documentary about using the microscope and share it with
your students.

3. Ask the SEP, or any company or store in your region, to donate you a microscope, even if
it is a toy.

4. Make a magnifying glass, which although it is not a microscope, it will allow your students
to make observations and build their own microscope. A practical example is shown in the
educational portal of Medellin, Colombia (http://www.medellin.edu.co).

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To build one, students will need scissors, an incandescent light bulb, insulation tape and a glass of
water.

This is how it is built:

Step 1. With a scissors tip remove the threaded metal base on one end of the light bulb.

Step 2. Without damaging the glass of the light bulb and with care so as not to be hurt, break the
dark material with the filament and remove it with the scissors tip.

Step 3. Wash the light bulb with water.

Step 4. Fill the light bulb with water.

Step 5. Dry the mouth and wrap it with insulation tape. Step 6. Close the mouth with tape and
check for leaks.

Step 7. Take the light bulb near any surface or object and you will realize that, despite there is
some image distortion, its size is magnified and thus, it will be seen better.

Page 40

Activity. Let’s have a school survey

• To carry out this activity, you can ask the students to apply the survey to their
acquaintances, preferably outside the school. Thus, the class will have, collectively, a
considerable sample of the locality they live in.

• Now that there have been much diffusion about the ways of infection associated with the
spread of the influenza virus AH1N1, probably, it will be easier for the students to find
a well-informed group. It would be worthwhile to tell them this, and also that students
consider the value of diffusion in order to prevent diseases, as was the case with the huge
health campaign still prevalent today. May be it will be worthwhile to apply the same to
other diseases or habits. You can suggest the subject, in order to identify those topics that
require the same level of attention.

• In order to process the results, ask the students to ask for assistance to their mathematics
teacher, so they can create different types of charts and show them in class. Group
presentations have a core importance in all the activities, so students can learn to share
their findings in an orderly and systematic way, and express their ideas and opinions and
listen to others comments.

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Page 42

Project: developing responsible and active citizens

• The lesson’s core topic is team work and the challenges involved therewith. On its
development, specific topics related to concepts that students have been studied appear,
but paragraphs in the lesson will strengthen what has been promoted for many years to
develop group collaboration and learning abilities.

• As you already know, team work has some advantages: on the one hand two or more
individuals think better than one, on the other hand many actions we need to undertake in
our daily life must be carried out collectively.

• The way the fourth lesson is carried out in each block is to promote from the beginning
that students gather recommendations that will help them to learn team working.

• On many occasions what students do is to distribute tasks to the team and then gather
them again. It is important to explain to them that the actual team work does not
work that way. When students do so, it will be like four people, for example, who were
given equal portions of a one thousand-piece puzzle, and where each member work
independently, without considering what the final result would be. Real team work
requires that students consider the integration of ideas and to learn how to come to an
agreement. The respect to listen to others, the effort and patience to understand proposals,
the willingness to accept that others can also contribute and that their contribution is
important.

• A central role of a teaching staff is to serve as mediator in conflict situations that may take
place within the teams, for example when two strong leadership personalities emerge from
a group. Both will need to learn that they can enrich their points of view if they to learn to
listen to each other.

• It is also suggested to encourage all students to participate in the different roles they must
play within a team (moderator, narrator, timekeeper, work team). Stimulate shy students
in order to overcome shyness, stimulate their collaboration making them to complete their
assigned responsibilities.

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 Lesson planning
Unit I. Biodiversity: a consequence of evolution
Week
Topic Sub-topic
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The importance Comparing the common characteristics of

of biodiversity living things

How humans interact with ecosystems

Assessing biodiversity: causes and

consequences of its loss

The importance of Acknowledging evidence from which Darwin

Darwin’s contributions explained the evolution of life

Relationship between adaptation and

differential survival of living things

Interactions between Acknowledging the contribution of Mexican

science and technology to herbology to science and medicine around the
satisfy needs and interests world

Implications brought by the discovery of the

microscopic world to health and to knowledge
on cells

A critical analysis of unfounded reasons for

microbial diseases

Project: developing Teamwork and the different stages of a project

responsible and active
Choosing a theme or topic
citizens
Planning the project. Organizing the work
Developing the project
Taking into account your findings
Presenting your project. How to present your
findings
Evaluating the project

Evaluation

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Evaluation Unit 1
Read the following text and use the information to answer the questions.

Benefits we receive from biodiversity

If you think carefully about where we get the food we eat—the meat, fruit, cereal
and vegetables--, the materials our clothes are made of—cotton, linen or silk--, or our
furniture—wood, natural or processed, such as fiberboard--, you will quickly realize
that most of it comes from biodiversity. The plants and animals give us most of the
raw material for the products we need and find around us. We can affirm then, that the
importance of biological diversity lies in the benefits we get directly from it: food, fibers,
construction material and medicinal chemical compounds, among others.
Biodiversity also gives us many services which most people do not know about or value.
For example, vegetation absorbs part of the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by vehicles
and industries—which helps reduce the global warming effect on the planet—. Other
examples include regulating the local weather, capturing and maintaining the quality of
water, control of insect plagues and diseases, decomposition of the waste we produce,
formation and fertilization of soil, and pollination of crops by bees, butterflies, bats and
other animals.
Source: SEMARNAT, ¿Y el medio ambiente? Problemas en México y el mundo, available at: http://app1.semarnat.gob.
mx/dgeia/informe_04/04_biodiversidad/recuadros/c_rec1_04.htm
(Checked: September 23, 2015).

Questions
Q1. According to the text, what basic human needs are covered by the biodiversity
in Mexico.

a) Education b) Food c) Security d) Property

Q2. The text mentions that industry and vehicles produce carbon dioxide, however,
the production of this gas can also be attributed to:
Model
Answer. Combustion, deforestation, utilities

(electricity,
gas, etcetera).

This table indicates which Expected learning outcomes you used to solve each of
the problems. Identify which one you have to improve based on your answers.
Problem number Unit Learning
Acknowledging that we are a part of biodiversity by comparing
Q1 human characteristics to those of other living things; identify the
Biodiversity: common factors and diversity related to vital functions.
a result of evolution Represents overall dynamics of ecosystems, taking into account
Q2 their part in the exchange of matter and energy in food chains,
and in water and carbon cycles.

1
 Educational suggestions. Unit II
Lesson 1. The importance of nutrition
Page 57

• It is helpful to write and check with your students the expected learning outcomes and the
abilities that are favored in this block and each section thereof. When doing so students
will know what they are looking for, where are they heading to, and you will be able to
prepare the course materials in a better way.

• In your teaching activities the challenge will always be on two aspects: the class and the
course in general allow for the students to learn and enjoy the class, and for the teachers
to have fun while teaching and to learn something new. When you perceive a look of
wonder in your students and that it is a pleasure for them to be in class and learn, is highly
satisfactory, isn’t it?

• The topic of human nutrition, like all those involving the study of human beings, is
without a doubt fascinating. I invite you to, once the review of purposes and learning
outcomes have been made along with your students, investigate and encourage them a
little bit more about how wonderful is to know our body’s secrets.

• Studying and knowing the most common and every day processes of our life, is like
walking on a secure bridge, this involves knowing why food is processed in a given way,
what happen to it inside the body, etc. It’s like playing to eat.

• There is a core topic to talk about in this section: obesity and overweight. It is suggested
that you deal with these topics carefully, as a large number of kids suffers from this
problems, either themselves or their parents or siblings; however it most be tackled with
the required resolution and seriousness. Encourage them to find solutions, remember that
a strategy of the teaching-learning process in fact involves the development of a positive
perspective of the future.

Page 57

Activity. Let’s remember: What do you know about the digestive system?

• Besides reading, writing stories is a comprehensive didactic resource; it allows for the
students to develop their narrative and concentration abilities. Furthermore, it helps
to improve their reading and writing skills, which would be advisable for those having
difficulties on this regard. So apply it!

• On the other hand, many youngsters don’t handwrite anymore because they use
computers, and in many instances they just copy and paste texts. Please encourage them
to gradually get used again to the exercise of dragging a pen on a paper sheet, the tradition
of great minds and writers of humanity. Remind them that writing is the best way to learn.
Once they have finished, suggest sharing their writings.

1
Page 59

Activity. What I know about the digestive system

• This activity is a continuation of the activity from page 68. While checking the lesson text
and bringing associated explanations, ask the students to correct whatever is wrong on
their texts. Ask them to share corrections and to explain the new things learned.

Page 61

Activity. Identifying products

• Undoubtedly, the development of the activity will require a small research among parents,
or with food providers from any market or grocery store in your locality about what is
offered there.

• The most significant point of the exercise is to consider the transportation topic. This is
where product costs increase, and, of course, where more impacts to the environment are
generated.

• However, it is also important to take into account that thanks to the possibility to transport
food from one place to another, it is possible to have products that complement our diet, so
as to be complete, varied and nutritious.

Page 67

Activity. What’s my body-mass index?

• Showing some examples on the blackboard including data from some students is
recommended in carrying out the exercise. Once this is completed, ask the students to do
the exercise individually.

• If possible invite a professional on nutrition that you know. Maybe any father or mother
of any student or some specialist from a health or research institution. If you can’t find a
guest, you can search for a video on the topic and show it in class.

• Again it is recommended that you manage yourself carefully, since there might be some
overweight children in the group or which have relatives suffering from this condition.

Lesson 2. Biodiversity: as a result of evolution; the link between the

environment, change and adaptation
Page 69

• To read, and read, and read. Find out, stimulate curiosity, observe. These are undoubtedly
inevitable for a topic like the one in this lesson. Besides reading the textbook, it is
recommended to try to get some documentaries as indicated.

2
 • Ask the students, with due attention, patience and care, to explore the surroundings.
Preferably, suggest to do so in places having plants, no matter if there are a few plants,
even some flower or plant pots are helpful to observe a good number of insects

• It is recommended that most of the suggested activities in the lesson be accompanied with
an indication that students refine and use all their senses.

Page 72

Activity. What does the shape of the mouth say about an organism?

• Allow the students to unleash their deduction abilities

• Ask them to observe the mouths and mouthparts, then to deduce why they have that
appearance, to try to infer how they use them and then, investigate books or with other
people who knows about the topic.

Page 73

Activity. Who eats who?

• Most of the time, the most common examples that students identify involve large dams,
however it is convenient that, once the exercise is completed, you ask the students to
compare their answers and try to identify other relationships different to those they had
logged until that time.

Lesson 3. Interaction between science and technology to satisfy needs

and interests.
Page 79

Balancing present and future use of food resources towards sustainable

development

• Sustainability is necessary to ensure continuity of human life on the planet. Without

doubt, youngsters from new generations hear this concept more often. On many
information media, the enormous deterioration of ecosystems and social conditions of
humanity are addressed, this can generate anxiety in youngsters.

• Therefore, while it is important for students to know that we need to adjust many ways
of consumption and behavior, we also need to instill hopeful ideas. All based on the
commitment to act more responsibly in order to have a fairer society, and also more
conscious about having a attitude of care towards the environment.

3
Page 82

Activity. Young people and consumerism

• The information collected by the survey will led the students to an interesting reflection,
also, it will be highly probable that some coincide in that there is some inconsistency with
the answers gathered.

• It is important to be conscious about this situation, because of the number of youngsters

that exist, and because their current behavior is also decisive to the conditions they will live
in in the future.

Page 83

Activity. How much water do you use when you bathe?

• The exercise is simple and enjoyable. Besides this activity, we also suggest that you ask
the students to shower (including the body and hair) using just two liters of water. At first
these idea must sound crazy to students, however they can shower with even a less amount
of water.

• After that you can give the following recommendations:

a) Do not use soap and shampoo in excess.

b) Use a loofah or sponge to soap yourself, first you should moisten the sponge.

c) Then, you should soap your body and hair, and after that rinse by starting from the
head and using a small amount of water each time.

Page 84

Activity. Contribute to sustainability

• The topic on sustainability includes several aspects of life; environment, society and
economics. Thereby, the Letter to Earth is a call for developing our life in a more integral
and respectful manner and to acknowledge ourselves as part of a whole, and therefore
what one individual does will affect the others.

• This activity can be related to the activity How do you contribute?, carried out in block
1 on page 30. Perhaps, it would be appropriate to continue what they suggested therein
and try to complement it with what they just have thought and discuss about the Letter to
Earth.

4
Page 86

Activity. What can we do?

This activity can also be linked to the previous one, and the activity How do you contribute?
from page 30, block 1, as in each one it is important to insist on the fact that we all must be
committed to do all our life activities in a better and more responsible way, so it will allow
us to have more fairer societies, besides having environmental conditions suitable for a better
future.

Lesson 4. Project: developing active and participating citizens

Page 87

• One of the exercise purposes, as introduced in lesson four from the previous block, was
to start developing abilities associated to team working. The purpose of this lesson is to
continue strengthening those abilities, but also to particularly be interested in that the
students understand that any project needs a theoretical basis, research and appropriate
argumentation. This implies that, in order to plan, analyze and complete the work
regarding a project, it is necessary to find information sources, which will allow us to see
what do others think about the relevant topic, and therefore to complement what one is
watching or doing. Therefore, encourage your students to use the library, whether the one
in the classroom or the school’s library or any other available and nearby.

• Insist your students that every time they state something it is important to use arguments
they had read or had been explained by someone else, and annotate where did they
get that information. This will give a sense of formality to their work and help them to
develop a better supported method and in line with what a research or work project should
be.

5

Nutrition, the foundation for health and life
Topic
The importance of nutrition
Biodiversity: a result of evolution;
the link between the environment,
change and adaptation
Interaction between science and
technology to satisfy needs and
interests
Project: developing active and
participative citizens
Evaluation Unit II
Lesson planning Unit II
Week
Sub-topic
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Connection between nutrition and
how your whole body works
Appreciating the benefits of having
a great variety of Mexican, highly
nutritious food
Acknowledging the importance of
following a proper diet and drinking
plain water to stay healthy
A critical analysis of the information
on how to loose weight found on the
media
Comparative analysis of some
adaptations related to nutrition
Valuing the importance of autotrophic
and heterotrophic organisms in
ecosystems and photosynthesis as the
base of all food chains
Balancing present and future use of
food resources towards sustainable
development
Evaluating the importance of the
initiatives in the framework of the
United Nations Program for the
Environment in favor of sustainable
development
A brief reminder
Choosing a topic
Planning the project
Developing the project
Recording information
Processing and organizing information
Passing on the information. How to
present your findings
Evaluating the project
1
Evaluation Unit II
Read the following text carefully and answer the questions.

Nails and chalk

We know that all nutrients are important –an absence of any of them can lead to
symptoms of deficiency, and if the situation is prolonged, even death –, but we
have to pay special attention during puberty in order to get all the iron, calcium
and zinc we need. Iron is necessary to make sure blood gets enough oxygen,
and also to generate energy efficiently throughout our lives; the demand for it
increases during adolescence due to the growth of the body’s tissues (in males,
this growth corresponds mostly to muscle tissue), and to an increased volume
of blood. In women, iron is needed to recover what is lost during menstruation.
When there isn’t enough iron in a diet, the body’s reserves go down (deficiency)
and if this is not corrected, we can get anemia. Iron deficiency can also affect the
immune system, which lowers resistance to infections and impairs our ability to
learn; it has been found that anemia affects short term memory.
A study done in several countries showed that anemia is the most common nutri-
tional problem in adolescents, its prevalence being 22 to 25 percent without any
significant differences due to gender. The body’s requirement of iron during deve-
lopment or growth has to do with lean muscle mass. Approximately 475 milligrams
of iron are required for every kilogram of lean muscle. This means that, for every
kilogram of weight a male gains, he needs 42 milligrams of iron, while in women,
due to the greater proportion of fat, their body requires only 31 milligrams of iron
per kilogram of weight.
Even though female adolescents lose more iron than men due to menstruation,
it has been found that males may have greater requirements per kilogram of weight
gain; that includes greater growth and development of muscle mass than females.
Recommendations for the ingestion of nutrients for the Mexican population were
recently developed; the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of iron is 22 mg/day.
Iron can be obtained from red meat, legumes such as beans, and green leaves (like
spinach) if they are accompanied by sour food (such as sauces or lemonade); food
with added nutrients, such as cereal for breakfast, are also a good option.
The body also needs more calcium at puberty due to the rapid growth of muscles,
bones and glands; this is when the body retains more calcium. It is estimated that
women acquire about 50% of their bone mass about four years after the first signs
of puberty appear. Two years after menarche (a girls first menstrual cycle), women
have got approximately 85% of their muscle mass, and seven years after menar-
che no additional significant changes are observed. According to several studies,
Mexican adolescents do not eat enough high calcium foods.

1
Nutrition, the foundation for health and life

The high consumption of carbonated beverages within this age group has been
shown to contribute to a decrease in their calcium intake, with the added disadvan-
tage that their bodies do not take advantage of the calcium they do ingest due to the
high phosphate content of these beverages. Normally, we require a 2:1 phospho-
rous to calcium ratio to be able to absorb it (as in tortillas); carbonated beverages
(especially colas), have more phosphate than calcium, which is why we absorb less.
This panorama gets even worse when you consider that an excess of phosphorous
in diets causes the urinary excretion of calcium. This means that, when we drink
soda, not only do we not absorb calcium, but we also eliminate more through uri-
ne. It has been found that about 15% of energetics consumed by adolescents comes
from soft drinks. The 2004 National Addictions Survey of Mexico showed that
about 60% of adolescents are considered addicted to colas. Some countries have
managed to attain an adequate consumption of calcium by encouraging young
people to drink plenty of milk.
The Urban Food and Nutrition Survey in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City
showed that the per capita consumption of milk in adolescents from families with
low incomes is approximately one glass per day. This meets almost one sixth of an
adolescent’s daily requirement and is obviously insufficient, even considering the
ingestion of other sources of calcium such as corn tortillas and dried fish. An ade-
quate intake of calcium at this stage in life is considered to be from 1,100 to 1,600
mg/day, thus establishing the daily requirement for Mexican adolescents of both
sexes at 1,300 mg/day.
Zinc is another important inorganic nutrient during adolescence because it is
essential for growth, bone mineralization, sexual maturity and synthesis of nucleic
acids and proteins. A zinc deficiency can manifest through weight loss and fre-
quent infections such as the flu and diarrhea, since zinc intervenes in determining
cell function and immune response. Zinc is also involved in the biosynthesis of
proteins and nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), the deficiency of which is associated
with poor development in male testicles. Zinc deficiency in adolescents can also be
due to an increase in energy expenditure, which comes from rapid growth. Some
studies have shown that a slight zinc deficiency can influence growth patterns in
adolescents. In order to reduce this risk, we suggest you always eat foods high in
zinc, such as those of animal origin (milk, meat or eggs), wholegrain cereals, nuts,
almonds, hazelnuts, sesame seeds and wheatgerm.
Source: http://www.comoves.unam.mx/archivo/salud/110_nutricion.html
(Checked: September 24, 2015).

2
Questions

Q3. According to the text, a study shows that the deficiency of nutrients,
such as, ________________ leads to impaired learning in adolescents.

a) Zinc b) Calcium c) Iron d) Legumes

Q4. Foods, such as, beans, spinach, lemons and cereal provide adolescents with
important nutrients for this stage of growth; these products are rich in:

a) Calcium b) Zinc c) Phosphorous d) Iron

Q5. The text states that one glass of milk per day does not provide
enough calcium for adolescents, even if you add other foods, such as,
Model Answer. Corn tortillas and dried fish .

Q6. A deficiency in this nutrient causes weight loss and infections, such as flu
and diarrhea:

a) Zinc b) Iron c) Calcium d) Phosphorous

This table indicates the expected learning outcome you used in order to solve the
problems. Identify which one you need to improve based on your answers.
Students’ own answers according to their level of knowledge.

Problem number Unit Learning

Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6 Nutrition as a foundation Recognize themselves as a part
of health and life of biodiversity by comparing their
characteristics with those of other
living things, and by identifying
the connection and diversity of
vital functions.

3
 Educational suggestions. Unit III
Lesson 1. Breathing and health care
Page 102

Activity. Where does breathing take place?

• Allow the students to express their impressions about what they feel by breathing through
their nose or mouth. Guide them so that their perceptions lead them to an explanation
associated with the temperature that the body must keep; the protection against possible
pollutant agents, the importance of breathing to preserve life, etcetera.

Page 103

Activity. Sighs? Experiment with them

• The activity can be very amusing. Allow your students to play with and explore their
explanations, from physical and corporal to emotional reasons. In this regard, the eastern
civilization would say that the way one exhale and inhale tells about the way we feel
emotionally.

Page 105

Experimental activity. Let’s count together

• This activity can be done in classroom, but it can be done with other fiends from the
school during the recess.

• This activity can help them to complement the questions and answers they gave on the
activity Disabled?.

• Besides physical characteristics such as body complexion, the variables shown in the table
can influence a person’s heart rate. The combination thereof is what results in a range.
With some of these variables they can complete the exercise in class.

Activities, conditions or characteristics influencing the respiratory rate

Posture Physical Psychological
Environmental
(laying down, shape state
conditions
standing up, (healthy, (nervous, Genetic
Activity (mainly, Age Sex
sitting down, ill, frightened, inheritance
altitude and
bending pregnant, happy,
temperature)
down) sportsman) depressed)
At rest
Activity
(which may
vary from
moderate
to extreme)

1
Page 107

Activity. How often do you catch the flu?

• The exercise of remembering and analyzing possible differences found can be done in
classroom with all class members.

• You can ask the students to investigate why these differences occur. Generally, teenagers
are in a stage where their immunologic system usually is stronger. As an individual grows,
and having been in contact with a great deal of germs, its immunologic system strengthens,
i.e., it has developed defenses against those microorganisms.

• Also, there are other reasons which influence the immunologic system and it is convenient
to discuss them with the students, for example to be well fed and do exercise.

Page 109

Activity. Why do young people smoke?

• The exercise is better done when working in teams. Discussion between them can be very
interesting to lay the foundations of a set of values for allowing them to stay away from
tobacco.

• For group discussion, it is important to consider or include the following aspects:

advertising; mimicking; the desire to belong to a group; or social pressure; besides low self
esteem that incites teenagers to smoke, which makes them think they are grown ups and
feel self confident. In case they do not talk about said topics independently, allow students
to arrive to those conclusions by asking them questions.

Page 110

Activity. The effects of smoking

• We suggest that one student write on the blackboard the data shown in the textbook, then
ask the students to add all the additional data they know.

• Ask the students to continue the discussion started on the previous activity and pose some
questions, in case they don’t do so, like: Why didn’t I know about the tobacco effects on
health?, Why do advertising and media incite youngsters to smoke if said habit is harmful
to health? Among the points of discussion you can mention the fact that for a long time
large tobacco corporations hid that information.

• Ask the students to spread actions for allowing to help people to quit smoking and also
prevent people from entering this addiction.

2
Pages 111-112

Activity. How many smokers are there?

• This exercise can be done in the presence of the teacher or with the support from students’
parents during a weekend.

• Once the students have entered their data, ask each team to process their information
and to make charts, nevertheless, students must make one single table on the blackboard
including information gathered by the class. This will help in analyzing and to see the
importance of smoking in your community; notwithstanding the fact that only a small
sample has been analyzed.

• A core data, which must be included in the group discussion, is that the Mexican law
prohibits any outdoor advertising on tobacco at least 200 meters from any basic education
school, kindergarten, special education school or primary school. It would be interesting
to ask the students if the above is observed. If not, what do they consider must be done in
order to comply with it?

• If you desire more information about regulation on tobacco control in Mexico the
following link is recommended: http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0036-
36342008000900015&script=sci_arttext.

Lesson 2. Biodiversity: a result of evolution; the link between the

environment, change and adaptation
Page 113

• For better understanding of the topics and activities on this lesson, identify the organisms
more commonly found in your locality. This will facilitate your students’ work and also it
will make the topics easier to comprehend.

• If there is any higher research institution in your locality, ask the students to visit it, or you
can organize a guided visit, so as to interview some professionals working there, this can
be very stimulating for some students.

Page 115

Activity. Let’s observe the different kinds of respiratory systems.

• In order to carry out the activity you can ask the students to check their textbooks first, and
then if they want to widen the reviewed information for their research, you can suggest
consulting other books in the school library, or in any other higher education institution.

• You can suggest other organism known in your locality, or known by your students.

3
Pages 119-120

Experimental activity. A simulation of the greenhouse effect

• Before beginning with the experiment ask your students to discuss in class the hypotheses-
generating questions. Then tell them to write down their answers on their notebook.

• It is very advisable that students team up in order to do the experiment. Each team
member can bring a part of the required materials. Ask them to be careful so they can
bring them back home without any damage.

• At the end, all the students must share their graphs with the class. Group analysis is
important so everybody can analyze their results and suggest an analogy about what
happen in a greenhouse and then on the Earth, this can be very illustrative about the
consequences of the greenhouse effect.

Page 122

Activity. How to face the climate change

• For this activity, you can ask the students to read out loud the lesson text. Then, ask them
to think about it and truthfully answer the questions posed in the exercise.

• In order to encourage student participation, motivate them to gather themselves and

propose options to promote the preservation of natural resources, energy saving, water
preservation, and promote rational consumption of natural resources.

• Be conscious about them as they are an important part to achieve a change in the rest of
your family members, ask them to realize that what they do today will have repercussions
on the future.

Page 123

Lesson 3. Interaction between science and technology to satisfy needs

and interests.
• Again, the link between technology and society can offer an interesting opportunity to
analyze the topic from a number of perspectives. For example, advantages and drawbacks
of each of them can be analyzed, and then the topic as proposed in this lesson can be
started.

• There has been considerable progress in these fields, although we are also facing a
dilemma regarding the future of the planet. All this is because of the way we have based
the development of our societies: heavy consumers of energy and natural resources, with
little care about deterioration. With this in mind, you can conduct the analysis made by
your students.

4
Page 145

Activity. How long did they live, and why?

• Once each student has made the char, ask them to think about it and let them formulate
their hypotheses about the reasons that explain such increase.

• Guide them in exploring the progresses in science and technology, which have led to
changes in hygiene, medicaments, diet, and body care in general, and to the decrease of
some risks.

Page 148

Project: Building responsible and participating citizens.

• Despite the suggested topic to develop the project is air quality, you and our students can
propose another one which is more interesting.

• If you decide to use the one as presented herein, I recommend you to review the latest
documents released by the World Health Organization. Some interesting ones are the
following:

a) “Air quality and health” http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/es/

b) “Air quality is deteriorating in many cities in the world” http://www.paho.org/arg/

index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id =1314%3Ala-calidad-del-aire-se-
esta-deteriorando-en-muchas-de-las-ciudades-del-mundo&catid=334%3Aarg04-salud-
ambiental-y-desarrollo-sustentable&Itemid=511 (Consulting date: March 15, 2016).
Ask the students to review the documents and to find out if there is any air quality
program in their area.

• The lesson emphasizes the way the students organize their project information, motivate
them to learn how to use tables and maps, as these allow them to analyze and synthesize
their findings, besides making their reports attractive to those who read or see them.

• The fact that students succeed in making an informative capsule or a brochure, and also
applying their manual and creative abilities will make work in classroom more amusing
and interesting.

5
 Lesson planning Unit III

Respiration and its connection to the environment and health

Week
Topic Sub-topic
16 17 18 19 20 21
Respiration and health care How respiration and nutrition are
related in between to obtain the
energy for the body to function well

Analyzing some of the causes of the

most common respiratory diseases
such as flu, the common cold and
pneumonia, and identifying how to
prevent them

Analyzing the personal and social risks

of smoking

Biodiversity: a result of evolution; Comparative analysis: of some

the link between the environment, respiratory adaptations in living
change and adaptation organisms

Analyzing different causes for climate

change associated to human activities
and their consequences

Projection of for desirable

environmental scenarios

Interaction between science and Analyzing the implications of

technology to satisfy needs and technological advances in the
interests treatment of respiratory diseases

Project: developing responsible and A brief reminder

participative citizens Choosing a topic
Planning the project

Developing the project

Passing on the information. How to
present your findings
Evaluating the project

Evaluation Unit 3

1
Evaluation Unit III
Questions
Q7. Based on the information in this lesson, the illustration you see describes the
________________________process, which is necessary for a human
being to function. inhale
a) exhalation b) exchange of gases
c) respiration d) inhalation
diaphragm

inhale
exhale
diaphragm
diaphragm

Fig. 3.39

Q8. Read the following information and answer the questions.

Respiratory diseases
Infections that begin at the nose and go to the last alveolus in the lungs are called
respiratory diseases. They affect the nose, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
exhale
The infection depends on the type of bacteria, general health of the patient, and if
he/she has an allergy or not.
diaphragm
In most cases, these infections are not dangerous; that is the case of common cold,
which is not life threatening and can be prevented. However, due to their frequency,
these infections are a primary cause for seeing a doctor. On the other hand, these
infections can become very serious in some cases: they are the primary cause of death
among infectious diseases.
In cities with a high level of pollution, the most common ailments are those
affecting the respiratory system. These illnesses are caused by microorganisms
transmitted by a sick person to a healthy one, the air, when speaking, coughing or
simply breathing. They can also be transmitted by kisses, saliva and eating utensils
used by the sick person. Viruses and bacteria can attack any part of the respiratory
system.
Acute infections of the airways are the most frequent cause of death in children
younger than five and the elderly.
• Flu
• Tonsillitis
• Bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Asthma

1
Respiration and its connection with
the environment and with health
Preventing respiratory diseases
To prevent respiratory diseases such as the flue, tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia or
asthma, follow these recommendations:
• Protect yourself from sudden changes in temperature.
• Avoid crowds.
• Take a lot of vitamin C, eat fruits like oranges and guavas, drink lemonade, etc.
• Avoid drafts.
• Avoid getting wet in the rain.
• If you get wet, change your clothes as soon as possible.
• Don`t use utensils or other objects used by people with respiratory infections.
• Keep rooms well ventilated by leaving the windows open during the day.
• Avoid being in contact with sick people.
• Take care of yourself if you get the flu or a cold.
• Cover up well when you go to sleep.
• Go to the doctor as soon as possible if you catch a respiratory disease.
• Rest and drink plenty of fluids.
• Do not smoke.
Source: http://www.profesorenlinea.cl/Ciencias/Enfermedades_respiratorias.htm
(Checked: September 25, 2015).

Q8a. Of the respiratory ailments mentioned in the text, which one is the most common?
Model Answer. Common cold.

Q8b. What might be the cause of the main respiratory diseases?

Model Answer. Pollution degree.

Q8c. Where are more respiratory diseases found?

Model Answer. In cities with very high pollution degrees.

Once you have solved these problems, check the table; it indicates the Expected
learning outcomes in each one. Identify the areas you need to work on based on your
results.

Problem no. Lesson Learning

Respiration and its
Q7, Q8, Q8a, Q8b, Explains the basic process of the transformation and use of
connection to the
Q8c food, in terms of the whole body functioning.
environment and health.

2
 Educational suggestions. Unit IV
Reproduction and continuity of life
Page 136

• Although youngsters know a lot about the topic, they don’t necessarily know it that much.
Their information sources are, on most cases, doubtful, plenty of myths, false knowledge
and prejudice.

• From the general and specific learning outcomes in each section, you can extend and
deepen each topic. All your students will appreciate it, despite showing boring faces,
shyness or apathy. Generally, they feel shyness because, as adults, we don’t instill them
with this information. If possible invite some specialist to talk about the topic. Preferably,
choose a warm and kind person, who doesn’t address the topic like it were a medical
prescription. It is a fundamental topic for many decisions they will make in their life.

Lesson 1. Towards a responsible, fulfilling and safe sexuality; free of

fears, guilt, false beliefs, coercion, discrimination, and violence
Page 140

Activity. What do you think?

• Some people may find strange to make youngsters of this age think about genre. However,
it is a fundamental topic in order to achieve different conditions for respecting and
treating men and women. It has been found that at this age many attitudes and models
are acquired, which will govern the relationships with members of the opposite sex in
later life. When they start dating, this is the time where they can learn to respect and be
respected, please promote this fact to your students.

• Allow free speech of students about this important and delicate topic, because some social
groups in our country and the world consider such information very sensitive.

Page 141

Activity. Sexuality: rights and responsibilities

• For this exercise, you can suggest the students to consult the sexual and reproductive rights
for young people published by the Human Rights Commission in the year 2003.

• It is convenient that students team up to do the exercise, they can make annotations on the
blackboard or on flip chart paper sheets, but also, they can log their results individually on
their notebooks.

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Page 143

Activity. Think about this on your own

• Ask the students to carry out an activity as a task to solve in home. In addition, tell
them to write down their ideas, doubts, reflections and findings they have made on their
readings or inquiries on the Internet or with their relatives.

• Then, invite some students to talk about their ideas, in this regard, in front of the class.

Page 146

Activity. HIV around the world

• It would be convenient that they create a bar chart first so as to organize and analyze data
more clearly.

Page 151

Activity. The best choice

• Making a chart from data obtained from the table is recommended.

• Total Population that Mexico would have if it had maintained a growth rate of 3.5 %

• Later, one can analyze and think about in order to answer the activity questions. It is
suggested to guiding the students to think comparatively. For example, if currently we have
strong deficiencies on education, health, infrastructure and poverty, ask them to imagine
how would it be if we were one third more people than we are now?

Lesson 2. Biodiversity as a result of evolution: relation between

environment, change and adaptation
Page 153

• What would appear as a nature’s caprice to students, for example the creation of very
appealing organisms, or others with a very fancy behaviors, generally can be explained
when talking about the reproduction topic. Encourage your students (and yourself) to ask
themselves and explore the reasons why certain species behave in some ways or how do
they develop very peculiar behaviors.

• Remember you can get support from the expected learning outcomes to start with the
topic.

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Page 155

Experimental activity. Experiment with asexual reproduction

• The exercise is simple and, without doubt, in other instances, students may have observed
somebody from their family, or a gardener, doing a task similar to the one they will carry
out in the activity.

• Reproduction using cuttings is very rewarding, as one can use many types of plants. When
students carry out the activity, ask some gardener you know to go along with and advise
them.

• For analyzing their results and the reflection on the activity you can check table 4.4 shown
in page 184 of student’s book. Some advantages of asexual and sexual reproduction are
described therein. Additionally, other further advantages are identified therein in order to
enrich students’ information. “Among the biological advantages of asexual reproduction
there is the speed to divide themselves and the simplicity of the process, as they do not
need to produce sexual cells, or waste energy on courtship in order to achieve fertilization
like in most organisms having sexual reproduction. Another advantage is that an isolated
individual can have many descendants allowing it to populate new territories fast.

Page 157

Activity. How do they reproduce?

• Students can enter more data in the table with answer examples, annotating some
additional characteristics: How do descendants born? How many descendants come in
each event? When there is enough time, they can add this as a fourth column, or revise it
in class.

Page 160

Activity. How do you court someone?

• The activity topic gives rise to analyze two opposed reproductive strategies employed by
organisms: strategy r, which consists in producing a large number of offspring or eggs,
but giving very little parental care; and strategy k, with a few offspring, but a significant
amount of time and work is invested on its care and development.

• The first case “r” occurs in fishes and invertebrates, which lay a large number of roe and
never care about their future. By being many, the survival of some is ensured.

• The second case “k” is typical in mammals, they have a few offspring, but invest much
time in caring for them.

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Page 162

Activity. Who did you inherit what from?

• The list of features can be as lengthy as the students want it to be, as they can explore the
origin of their features.

• Encourage them to find the largest number of features, and even to try to find out more
about their relatives beyond their own parents.

Lesson 3. Interactions between science and technology in satisfying

needs and interests.
Page 166

Activity. Where is the transgenic production heading to?

• In order to support students work within this activity, we suggest that you read a pair of
articles about the topic published in recent years. These texts will help you get a clearer
idea on the opinions which may derive from the topic, and will allow you to support
your students’ performance. If possible, once they have played the roles, you may invite a
specialist to talk about the topic, or you and your students can visit an exhibition that may
be held in your locality, which addresses said topic.

• Transgenics do not harm health: a specialist

• Francisco Bolívar Zapata, emeritus researcher at the Biotechnology Institute of the

UNAM, says that at a social level transgenics have been demonized by some NGO’s,
which distort information without having scientific evidence.

El Universal
Mexico City, Wednesday April 28, 2010
Until now there is no scientific evidence on the genetically modified organisms, or transgenics, causing
harm to human or animal health, or the biodiversity, said Francisco G. Bolívar Zapata, emeritus researcher
at the Biotechnology Institute (IBT) of the UNAM.
Instead, he stated that pesticides used on crops kills, not only the organism that cause plagues, but other
species as well; they harm, even, human beings and pollute the environment.
Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary activity, which makes use of the knowledge generated from several
areas to study, modify and use biological systems from microbes, plants and animals.
This modification capability allows biotechnologist to offer options for developing foods, medicaments,
and bio-insecticides, said the awarded with the National University Award 1990, Asturias Prince Award
1991 and National Award of Science and Arts 1992.
During the conference “Por un uso responsable de los organismos genéticamente modificados”, in the
School of Medicine, he indicated that “with DNA methods developed since 1973, it is possible to isolate
genes from a organism and transfer them to another, which will generate transgenics or GMO (Genetically
Modified Organism), he said.

4
 In a communiqué, Bolivar Zapata said that biotechnology is directed to a responsible and sustainable use
of biodiversity, through the development of an effective, clean and competitive technology facilitating
the solution of problems in the health, agricultural, industrial and environmental sectors.

Greenpeace
Transgenics threaten our health and deteriorate the environment. They pollute other crops and destroy
family agriculture, worsening world’s hunger. Coexistence is not possible. We the consumers and farmers
have the right and responsibility to know and decide how and where to produce our food.
A transgenic (Genetically Modified Organism, GMO) is a living organism that has been created artificially
by manipulating their genes. The genetics engineering techniques consist in isolating DNA segments (the
genetic material) from a living being (virus, bacteria, plant, animal and even a human being) to introduce
them into the hereditary material of the other one. For example, transgenic corn, which is cultivated in
Spain carries bacteria genes allowing it to produce an insecticide substance.
The fundamental difference with traditional techniques for genetic improvement is that it allows for
overcoming barriers between species to create living beings which have not existed in nature before.
It is a large-scale experiment based on a scientific model, which is questioned.
Some of the risks from these crops to the environment and agriculture are the increase in the use of
toxic substances in agriculture, genetic pollution, soil pollution, biodiversity loss, development of
insect resistance, and “weeds”, or non desired effects on other organisms. The effects on ecosystems are
irreversible and unpredictable.

Page 167

Project: Building responsible and participating citizens

• As part of the advancement and support you must give your students in carrying out
their projects for the present block, there is the fact that students should take into account
and apply the criticism to their work as a fundamental part for their intellectual and
practical growth. Constructive criticism allows us to be aware of what makes our decisions
unsuccessful, allows us to learn, grow, see the world and see it in a different way.

• Encourage them to do self-evaluation exercises on a permanent basis, but also to look for
external evaluation from time to time. Tell them that new eyes see things that we can’t see,
because we have get used to them.

• One of the topics addressed in the block, in HIV prevention, is a fundamental aspect in
today’s sexual life of young people, particularly in the case of teenagers, which are about
to begin knowing about the care they must have for a healthy development of their sexual
life.

• Give them support on the part of organization and communications of results, together
they can identify people or specialists who may give them a set of talks or other guidance
about the topic.

5
 Lesson planning Unit IV
Planning of Block 4. Reproduction and continuity of life
Week
Topic Sub-topic
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Towards a responsible, Assessment of the importance of
satisfactory and safe sexuality,
sexuality as a cultural construct and
free of fear, guilt, false beliefs,
its potential at the different stages of
coercion, discrimination and human development.
violence. Acknowledgment of common myths
associated with sexuality.
Analysis of the personal and social
implications of sexual transmission
diseases caused by the human
papillomavirus and human
immunodeficiency virus, and the
importance of their prevention as part
of sexual health.
Comparison of contraceptive methods
and their importance to decide when
and how many children to have in a
healthy and risk free way: reproductive
health.
Biodiversity as a result of Comparison between sexual and
evolution: environment, change asexual reproduction.
and adaptation relationship. Comparative analysis of some
reproductive adaptations of living
beings.
Relationship of chromosomes, genes
and DNA with biological inheritance.
Interactions between science Acknowledgment of the incomplete
and technology in the character of scientific and
satisfaction of needs and technological knowledge regarding
interests. genetic manipulation.
Project: towards the What could be the main implications
construction of a responsible of a pregnancy or infection by HIV
and participant citizenship. and other sexual transmission diseases
(STD’s) in the life of a teenager? How
can HIV prevention be promoted in
the community?
What are the benefits and risks of
transgenic food crops?
Assessment

1
Evaluation Unit IV
Read the following text carefully and use the information to answer the question.

We have a great deal of curiosity about the changes in our bodies during puberty,
and sometimes we even worry. We become very preoccupied about our physical
appearance. Sometimes we do not like ourselves, but little by little, begin to accept our
new image. We also go through changes in the way we think and our way of being. We
no longer accept everything adults tell us as true and we may have the feeling that they
do not understand us.
Our moods are constantly changing: sometimes we are happy, enthusiastic
and very active; and at other times we feel lonely, sad and bored, and don’t want to
do anything. These sudden changes confuse us and our families, but you need to
remember that this is natural.
Friendship with others of our same sex is very important; we identify with them
and it helps us get to know ourselves better.
Source: http://www.conevyt.org.mx/cursos/inea/ineapdfs/jovenes/sexualid/lunidad1.pdf
(Checked: September 28, 2015).

Question
Q9. According to the text, the different behaviors, thoughts and feelings they
describe make it clear that both men and women face physical, mental and
emotional changes in adolescence, all of which describes what is known as:
Puberty
_________________________________.

This table indicates the Expected learning outcome you applied when you answered
the question. Based on your answer and with the help of your teacher, check if there is
anything you should go over again.
Problem no. Lesson Learning
Explains how sexuality is a social structure that is expressed
Reproduction and the
Q9 through a lifetime, in terms of affectionate bonds, gender,
continuity of life.
eroticism and reproduction.

1
 Educational suggestions. Unit V
Health, environment and quality of life
Page 175

• What topics or aspects are your students interested in, which are related to the studied
topics?, How can they develop a project that ca motivate them and allows then to combine
knowledge, likings and practice of positive and interesting actions? The challenge of this
block is to conjugate all of the above.

• Projects in block 5 allows for resuming the experiments from previous blocks regarding
sense and ways of team working.

• Your task, as a students’ companion and facilitator, is fundamental to encourage them,

make suggestion to them, and guide to a successful end.

• For anyone of the projects to be developed, invite them to team up and remember what are
the optimal conditions in order to work as a team. If necessary, ask them to review again
the approaches of former projects and put them into practice.

• Also, suggest listing minimal steps to carry out a project, from the identification and
decision making, to the way they will communicate their results.

Page 176

Project 1
Option 1: Promoting health and culture of prevention
• In this first project your suggestions can be particularly significant. Remember that
although your students are not that small, they still need help to identify those that can
occur in their daily life.

• In order for them to define with enthusiasm and interest the topic to be developed, you can
encourage them and interest them by inviting a specialist on topics about prevention of
accidents, addictions, or both. If you already invited them on another occasions, then you
can revise what was proposed in former sessions.

• Make together a progress presentation plan, so that you can listen and assess the gradual
progress of your students when they express their ideas and give results.

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Page 181

Project 2
Option 2: Biodiversity and sustainability
• The second project that your students can choose also offers a wide range of options. The
one we have developed as an example relates to the participation of the school community
in a better management of wastes generated by the school.

• A useful material is the manual prepared to promote school organization to manage this
problem. You can find it in internet at the following address: https://publications.iadb.
org/handle/11319/6772?locale-attribute=en. Once you have entered the page, you can
select to download the Spanish version.

• In that same site students can find other options for the very same topic: managing green
areas in school, water or energy.

• In this case you can also play a video or have a chat to stimulate their creativity and
help them to define what they want to do. Regardless the option they choose, students
can apply the methodology as suggested in the book. Put the different options under
consideration by your group and decide together according to their tastes (including yours,
of course), the possibilities offered by the school and community, besides the disposition
you may find in your students and other people that may get involved.

• The idea of working in some project for improving school conditions, and also allowing
for learning outcomes, gives a sense of solidarity and commitment which is worthwhile to
promote.

Page 221

Project 3
Third option for a project: Biology, technology and society
• The topic we have chosen to show as an example to your students is the way food can be
preserved. The interesting part of this option is that they can experiment in a simply way
with a very useful and educational activity, which is cooking. Besides, while they do so
you can lead them to think about the huge transformation this class of procedures have
underwent for preserving food thanks to the advancements of science and technology.

2
3
4
5
 Lesson planning Unit V
Planning of Block 5. Health, environment and quality of life
Week
Project Activity
29 30 31 32 33 34 35

Selection of the topic

Project: towards the Planning of the project

construction of a responsible
and participant citizenship.
Consult the options suggested Development
in the index (page 7) or
pick the option selected by
consensus of the group. Preparation and communication of
results

Assessment

Lesson Planning Biology UNIT V.indd 1 4/4/17 11:11

Evaluation Unit V

Read the following text carefully and answer the questions.

How a park was saved

In the 19th century, Chapultepec Park witnessed many important events in Mexican
history; two foreign interventions (the French and the American), the redecoration
ordered by Maximilian of Habsburg –including the Castle–, and the arrival of general
Porfirio Díaz, who, with José Yves Limantour’s help, turned Chapultepec into one of the
most beautiful parks of its time. Inspiring promenades, gardens, sculptures and fountains
are left from that time, as well as the lovely artificial lake and the beautiful Lake House
(Casa del Lago), which was used as a guest house for distinguished visitors of the time,
and later became the seat of the Automobile Club.
Another important event in the life of the Chapultepec Park occurred in July 1923,
when Mexican biologist, Alfonso Luis Herrera Lopez, set up the construction of a zoo
garden within its boundaries. Thanks to his knowledge and research on the origin of
life, Dr. Herrera headed the works for the construction of the zoo and had a key role in
documenting Mexico’s biology. At that time, he had already completed catalogues of fish,
birds and mammals, and made crystal replicas of several invertebrates at the National
Museum. He also compiled the catalog for the National Botanical Garden and published
Nociones de biología (1904) and La biología en México durante un siglo (1921).
The zoo opened its doors one year later, in 1924, with a collection of 243 animals,
and in 1929 it became part of the group of institutions subsidized by the Mexico City
government. The zoo was named after Dr. Herrera as a posthumous tribute in 1945,
thanks to his research on the origin of life and his theory of plasmology, as well as his
participation as the forefather of UNAM’s Institute of Biology, and as a professor at the
National Preparatory High School, the Heroic Military Academy and the Normal School
of Mexico.
In the 1960s and 1970s, a second and a third sections were added to the old park.
However, its deterioration became more and more evident. The park lost a large part of its
characteristic vegetation, such as the old ahuehuetes (Montezuma cypresses) –considered
sacred by the Mexica–, and underwent the erosion and pollution of its soil (an example of
some of the many problems affecting the park).
To the rescue
That was the park’s condition at the end of the 19th century. The management of
Chapultepec Park was turned over to the Mexico City’s Secretariat of Environment in

1
Health, environment and quality of life

the year 2000, and they begany to think of ways to rescue it. “Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum
Pardo, Secretary of the Environment, stated, “This is one of the most important parks
in the city due to its contribution to the environment and as a recreational space for both
the city’s inhabitants and people from other parts of the country, as well as visitors from
other countries. She added that its great biological, historical and cultural heritage is an
important part of the city.

The first step

First, unam’s University Program of City Studies (puec) assessed which were the most
serious problems that had to be taken care of. Then, they designed a master plan for the
restoration of the park. Mario Schjetnan, a renowned landscape architect, was hired
to coordinate all of the different tasks specified in the plan. Specialists from Chapingo
Autonomous University (uach) and unam’s Ecology Institute were called upon to help
with everything related to natural resources and ecology. The master plan included two
areas: the architectural and the environmental healing of the water, fauna and vegetation.
As a part of the architectural plan, changes were made to maintain harmony between the
natural landscape and human works. One of the main tasks was the total restauration of
the entrance to the park, known as “Puerta de los Leones” (The Lions’ Gate), to make
access for the 200 thousand visitors that went to the park each week. Avenida Acuario,
leading to the zoo, was widened, and the vendors removed to make way to new rest areas
for visitors. New urban furniture, like benches and trash cans, was also placed; new signs
were put at the main crosswalks as part of an educational plan to inform and sensitize
visitors on the importance of maintaining and protecting our park. The cleaning of the
lake –which is actually divided into two, the Greater and the Lesser–, drew the attention
of the public. The lake was dragged using an innovative “geotube” system, a device that
extracts mud and other sediments from aquatic areas. A wide variety of things was found:
objects people might have dropped into the lake by accident, such as cell phones and
toys, clothing, plastic bottles modified for fishing, and articles associated with witchcraft,
especially “love ties” and troll dolls. About 45 thousand of these and other objects were
found and turned in for further study to the “Castillo de Chapultepec” National Museum
of History’s Archeological Project.

Visible results
All of the work done by the different groups in each stage of the master plane was
multidisciplinary and interrelated. The results are plain to see. The first section of
Chapultepec Park reopened its doors last June 12, showing off its “new face” to society.
It is important for visitors to help keep it in good shape and not harm it by littering,
damaging the vegetation and structures, and polluting in general . Writer German Dehesa
described the park as, “our city’s most beautiful smile”.
Fragments taken from: http://www.comoves.unam.mx/numeros/articulo/84/de-como-se-rescato-un-bosque
(Checked: September 29, 2015).

The text you just read describes the activities that took place to restore
Chapultepec Park. You probably noticed that the main problems in the park
and the description of how it had deteriorated were mentioned first. You also
noticed the series of strategies that were undertaken to save the ecology and
landscapes in that part of Mexico City, as well as the final result brought about
by everyone’s work.

2
Questions
Q10. State a problem that requires immediate attention, so as not to affect
the health, the quality of life of your community’s inhabitants, and
nature in general.
The cleaning of vacant lots and streets that are used as garbage dumps,
because they pollute, they cause plagues and unpleasant odours and
they can become a source of infection for the community.

Q11. Describe the strategy or strategies necessary to follow in order to solve

the problem. Mention the different people or groups of researchers or
workers that should take part to solve the problem.
• Define the area to be covered by the project.
• Pinpoint the vacant lots and streets with a garbage accumulation problem.
• Make an action proposal and establish how much time would be invested.
• Communicate the action plan to the neighbours and ask them to participate.
• Create clean-up squads with groups of neighbourgs.
• Request the support of the local authorities in order to have the cooperation of
the sanitation service to recollect the garbage.
Q12. Imagine the final results, and how and where these improvements can
be appreciated by members of the community.
• The streets and the whole area would no longer be a source of infection
affecting the community.
• The area will be cleaner and nicer.
• The neighbourgs would enjoy their neighbourhood with a clean
atmosphere.
Q13. Finally, what would you like to achieve with your proposal?
• Live in a cleaner community that would not pose a health risk.
• Have a place to live decently without trash unpleasant odours and
plagues caused by the garbage accumulation.
• Contribute to the improvement of the environment.

This table indicates the Expected learning outcomes you applied when answering the
questions. Based on your answer and with the help of your teacher, check if there is
anything you should go over again.
Problem no. Lesson Learning
Asks pertinent questions to integrate the contents
of the course.
Presents different strategies and selects the most
convenient one based on their possibilities to solve
Q10, Q11, Q12, Health, environment, problematic situations.
Q13 and quality of life
Produces products, solutions and techniques using
imagination and creativity.
Participates in organizing forums to communicate
the results of the project.