Living Things: Habitat

Welcome to class!

Welcome to JSS2 First Term.

Today in Basic Science, We will be discussing Living Things Habitat. Enjoy the class!

LIVING THINGS (HABITAT)

You must have realized that you as a human being cannot survive in water naturally,
likewise, a fish cannot survive on land. This is because both organisms have been taken
out of their natural habitats.

A habitat can be therefore be defined as the kind of place where a living organism
normally and naturally lives. From the example used earlier, the habitat of fishes will be
water.

Do not forget that living organisms refers to both plants and animals and as such, we
will consider examples of both plants and animals as we look at the major types of
habitat next.

There are three major types of habitat:

1. AQUATIC HABITAT:

The word ‘aqua’ translates to water, hence, this habitat simply depicts the water
environment like lakes, rivers, ponds, and wetlands.
Several factors influence the kinds of living organisms found in the aquatic habitat.
These factors include the temperature of the water and how much it changes,
availability of nutrients in the water and the degree of movement or flow of the water.

Examples of living organisms found in the aquatic habitat are fish, whale, turtles,
crocodiles, tadpoles, water lilies, water lettuce, dolphins, crabs, jellyfish, sea snails etc.

2. TERRESTRIAL HABITAT:

This habitat refers to the land environment. This can be further subdivided to forests,
grasslands and deserts. Terrestrial habitat can also include habitats that are made by
man (artificial) such as houses, farms, tents, towns, cities etc.

Also, we have some of these artificial or man-made habitats that are under the Earth-
like caves and mines.

Several factors influence the kind of plants and animals that grow and thrive in the
terrestrial habitat. Such factors include the temperature of the environment, the
humidity of the environment (i.e. the amount of moisture in that environment; in the soil
or that comes down as rain or snow), availability of nutrients in the soil and the degree
of flooding in that environment.

This habitat is for all organisms that can survive on land. Examples of such organisms
are human beings (just like you!), dogs, goats, camels, donkeys, lions, cactus plant,
pawpaw trees, mango trees etc.

[caption id="attachment_15260" align="alignnone" width="515"]

Terrestrial Habitat[/caption]
Some of these organisms live either on the ground or under the ground. Dogs, lions,
human beings, camels, donkeys etc. live on the ground, while ants live under the ground
but still move on the ground too.

3. ARBOREAL HABITAT:

‘Arbor’ is a Latin word for trees, therefore, this habitat refers to habitat within trees. It
can be at the roots, the canopies, the branches etc.

Arboreal basically refers to animals that live mostly or exclusively in trees. Examples of
such animals include monkeys, ants, birds, rodents, parrots, chameleons, geckos, tree
snakes and several insects.

[caption id="attachment_15258" align="alignnone" width="579"]

Arboreal Animals[/caption]

NOTE: Based on the features of each type of habitat explained above, you should be
able to classify living organisms into their respective habitats. Try it out!

In our next class, we will be talking about Adaptation of living things to their habitat. We
do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to
Adaptation Of Living Things To Their Habitat

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing the Adaptation of Living Things
to their Habitat. We hope you enjoy the class!

ADAPTATION OF LIVING THINGS TO THEIR HABITAT

You have been introduced to the various types of habitat in the last lesson. Considering
the examples given of living organisms that survive in each of those habitats, why do you
think they can all successfully thrive in just their habitats alone? What do they have that
the other organisms do not have, which makes it di icult or impossible for other living
organisms to thrive there?

All living organisms have distinguishing or peculiar features that enable them to thrive in
their own habitats. In this topic, we will look at these features and examine how they are
used.

Any special feature that helps an organism to live and survive in a particular habitat is
called an adaptation.
Let us now examine the features of major living organisms and how these features are
adapted to their habitats below;

ADAPTATION OF DESERT PLANTS

A major characteristic of deserts is the scarcity of water in the environment and as such
plants that live here have features that help them deal with the problem of water
scarcity. These features are:

1. Desert plants have a widespread root system with long taproot that enables
them to reach deep down into the soil and draw water for usage.

2. They also have developed water-storage tissues in their leaves and stems. These
storage tissues are used to store as much water as possible so that these plants
can have access to water in times of extreme drought.

3. Desert plants also have tiny or small leaves or have their leaves reduced to green
needle-like structures or tiny scales. The smaller the leaf, the smaller the surface
area and this eventually results in the reduction of the rate of transpiration (loss
of water or moisture) through the leaves.

ADAPTATION OF PLANTS THAT LIVE ON WATER

Plants that live on water have access to a lot of water unlike those that live in the desert.
Sometimes, this water is too much for them but they already have special features to
help them with the problems that may arise from this abundance of water.

These features include:

1. Presence of a poorly developed root system; since water is always available to

them.

2. Their leaves and stems are covered with a thin layer of cuticle that is permeable
so as to allow easy passage for essential gases that are needed for the survival of
the plant.

3. Their leaves have large air spaces which give the plant buoyancy in water.

ADAPTATION OF AQUATIC ANIMALS

1. Most aquatic animals, especially fishes, possess tails and fins for swimming and
balancing in water.

2. Aquatic animals have a streamlined body shape which helps them to swim fast
in the water. There is usually water resistance and friction between the aquatic
organism and the water, hence, their streamlined body shape helps to manage
that situation. This explains why water divers have a special streamlined
bodysuit because of the water-resistance and pressure increase with depth.

3. Possession of gills for breathing successfully in water and possession of swim

bladder which helps them to balance well in water without swimming
irrespective of their depth in the water.
ADAPTATION OF AMPHIBIANS

Amphibians are animals that can live both in water and on land. Examples of such
animals include frogs and salamanders.

They possess features that adapt them to both life in water and life on land.

Some of these features include:

1. Possession of a streamlined body shape to aid swimming in water.

2. Their skin is suited to prevent loss of water to the environment.

3. Possession of webs between their toes for swimming in water.

4. Their eyelids are also adapted to vision outside water.

5. Possession of lungs to enable them breathe on land.

ADAPTATION OF TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS

1. Possession of lungs required for breathing on land.

2. Possession of scales on their body, e.g. Reptiles, to reduce the loss of water
through the skin.

3. Possession of limbs that enables movement on land.

Individual living organisms still possess features peculiar to them that enable them to
live successfully in their niche.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will be talking about the Relationship between Organisms in the
same Habitat. We are very much eager to meet you there.
Relationship Between Organism In The Same Habitat

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing the Relationship between

Organism in the same Habitat. We hope you enjoy the class!

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANISMS IN THE SAME HABITAT

In this lesson, we will be considering several relationships that exist between organisms
in the same habitat.

Organisms living in the same habitat can either be of the same species or of di erent
species. For instance, human beings and goats live in the same habitat even though
they belong to di erent species.

Relationships usually exist between organisms living in the same habitat. When this
relationship is between organisms of the same species, it is referred to
as intraspecific relationships; when it is between organisms of di erent species, like
the example given above, it is referred as interspecific relationships.

Many of such relationships exist and we will be considering some below;

1. COMPETITION:
This kind of relationship occurs in every habitat and this is as a result of a limited
amount of resources. It is a relationship where two species, either the same or di erent,
are competing for the same resources. For example, on a land with few shrubs and
grasses, herbivorous animals like goats will compete for the available amount of food
on that land. Competition eventually leads to what is called “survival of the fittest”.

1. COMMENSALISM:

This is a kind of relationship where one member benefits from the relationship without
hurting the other member. The member providing the benefits does not gain anything
from the relationship neither is it a ected in any way. A very good example of
commensalism is the relationship between the Shark and the Remora fish; the remora
fish have a disk on their heads that makes them able to attach to the shark, it feeds o
the remnants of the shark’s food and also gains protection while the shark remains
una ected. The remora fish in this relationship is referred to as the commensal.

1. MUTUALISM:

Just as the word ‘mutual’ implies, this relationship is two-sided, i.e. both members
benefit from the relationship. Both species receive an advantage by working with each
other. An example is the relationship between flowers and honeybees; flowers provide
the honeybees with nectar and pollen on which they feed on while the honeybees help
the flowers spread their pollen from flower to flower in the course of their movement in
a process called pollination, and this aids reproduction amongst the flowers. From the
example given, you can see that both the flowers and honeybees are benefitting from
this relationship.

1. PREDATION:

This is a type of relationship between two species in which one species benefits by
obtaining nourishment from the other species, and to the other species’ detriment. The
species who gains from this relationship is referred to as the predator, while the one
who su ers is referred to as the prey. An example is the relationship between a Lion and
a Zebra; the Lion feeds o the Zebra and so the Lion is the predator while the Zebra is
the prey.

1. PARASITISM:

This can be classified as a predator-prey relationship. It is a kind of relationship where

organisms like fleas, ticks, viruses and mosquitoes feed o a host. These organisms are
referred to as parasites while the organisms they feed on are referred to as the host.
The parasites do not kill the host immediately but feed o on it slowly while increasingly
causing harm to it.

Based on the explanations given above, you should be able to classify relationships
between organisms you come across in your day to day activities.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will be talking about the Uniqueness of Human Beings. We are
very much eager to meet you there.
Relationship Between Organism In The Same Habitat

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing the Relationship between

Organism in the same Habitat. We hope you enjoy the class!

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANISMS IN THE SAME HABITAT

In this lesson, we will be considering several relationships that exist between organisms
in the same habitat.

Organisms living in the same habitat can either be of the same species or of di erent
species. For instance, human beings and goats live in the same habitat even though
they belong to di erent species.

Relationships usually exist between organisms living in the same habitat. When this
relationship is between organisms of the same species, it is referred to
as intraspecific relationships; when it is between organisms of di erent species, like
the example given above, it is referred as interspecific relationships.

Many of such relationships exist and we will be considering some below;

1. COMPETITION:
This kind of relationship occurs in every habitat and this is as a result of a limited
amount of resources. It is a relationship where two species, either the same or di erent,
are competing for the same resources. For example, on a land with few shrubs and
grasses, herbivorous animals like goats will compete for the available amount of food
on that land. Competition eventually leads to what is called “survival of the fittest”.

1. COMMENSALISM:

This is a kind of relationship where one member benefits from the relationship without
hurting the other member. The member providing the benefits does not gain anything
from the relationship neither is it a ected in any way. A very good example of
commensalism is the relationship between the Shark and the Remora fish; the remora
fish have a disk on their heads that makes them able to attach to the shark, it feeds o
the remnants of the shark’s food and also gains protection while the shark remains
una ected. The remora fish in this relationship is referred to as the commensal.

1. MUTUALISM:

Just as the word ‘mutual’ implies, this relationship is two-sided, i.e. both members
benefit from the relationship. Both species receive an advantage by working with each
other. An example is the relationship between flowers and honeybees; flowers provide
the honeybees with nectar and pollen on which they feed on while the honeybees help
the flowers spread their pollen from flower to flower in the course of their movement in
a process called pollination, and this aids reproduction amongst the flowers. From the
example given, you can see that both the flowers and honeybees are benefitting from
this relationship.

1. PREDATION:

This is a type of relationship between two species in which one species benefits by
obtaining nourishment from the other species, and to the other species’ detriment. The
species who gains from this relationship is referred to as the predator, while the one
who su ers is referred to as the prey. An example is the relationship between a Lion and
a Zebra; the Lion feeds o the Zebra and so the Lion is the predator while the Zebra is
the prey.

1. PARASITISM:

This can be classified as a predator-prey relationship. It is a kind of relationship where

organisms like fleas, ticks, viruses and mosquitoes feed o a host. These organisms are
referred to as parasites while the organisms they feed on are referred to as the host.
The parasites do not kill the host immediately but feed o on it slowly while increasingly
causing harm to it.

Based on the explanations given above, you should be able to classify relationships
between organisms you come across in your day to day activities.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will be talking about the Uniqueness of Human Beings. We are
very much eager to meet you there.
Uniqueness Of Human Beings

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing the Uniqueness of Human

Beings. We hope you enjoy the class!

UNIQUENESS OF HUMAN BEINGS

Have you ever wondered what makes you stand out from other animals? Why do you
think humans are considered superior to other animals? These questions will be
addressed in this lesson as we look into the uniqueness of human beings.

Human beings are classified as living things because of the ability to move, feed,
excrete, reproduce, respond to stimulus, grow and respire.

Although human beings are classified as animals, it is evident that they are special
because only they have the ability for reasoning and problem-solving. Human beings
are mammals and belong to the class called primates.

Apart from the features shared with other primates, human beings show greater
advancement than other primates because of their highly developed brain that
enables reasoning and problem-solving.

The unique characteristics of human beings brought about by their highly developed
brain include
 1. REASONING:

This is the ability of human beings to think rationally with exceptional cognitive abilities.
The ability to reason has helped human beings to be able to;

 think, learn and remember things,

 develop language, communication and power of speech,

 manipulate the environment to his advantage,

 socialize with other human beings,

 create and handle tools and machines,

 manipulate things easily with his fingers.

2. PROBLEM-SOLVING:

This is the ability to provide solutions to problems in the world of man. There are certain
instruments and tools that were in use for many years but have become obsolete now
because human beings have found a way to provide a better instrument to solve that
problem.

Problems like movement, cooking, long-distance communication, building, washing,

driving etc., have been solved by the invention of tools and machines.

For example, the problem of washing clothes with hands have been solved by inventing
washing machines; the problem of cooking with firewood has been solved by inventing
kerosene stoves, gas cookers and electric cookers; the problem of long-distance
communication has been solved by the use of telephones and video calls; and the
problem of movement has been solved by the production of cars, boats, aeroplanes
etc.
There are numerous problems that have been solved by human beings and there are
also a host of others that are still being worked on.

Problem-solving is very important because human beings constantly find ways to make
living easier for them.

1. INTELLIGENCE:

This can be defined as the capacity of an individual to act purposefully, think rationally
and deal e ectively with his environment. Intelligence usually develops with age and
over time. Inquisitiveness is an attribute that is characteristic of intelligence.
Inquisitiveness describes eagerness for knowledge and it is closely associated with
intelligence. Intelligence can be inherited but also requires a stimulating environment to
develop. Intelligence provides the ability to reason and solve problems, enables one to
memorize words, ideas, concepts and numbers quickly, helps one recognize similarities
and is very useful in skills such as observation, measurement and inference.

1. OBSERVATION:

This means looking at things carefully and closely to understand their features and
di erences. Observation is very important for research purposes. For instance,
observing the di erences and similarities between a goat and a table results in a
conclusion that the goat is a living thing while the table is a non-living thing.

1. MEASUREMENT:

This is the process of determining the size, quantity, quality or degree of something and
can be done with the use of measuring devices. For example, a ruler can be used to
measure length, a weighing scale can be used to measure weight etc. Other measuring
devices include meter rule, measuring cylinders, thermometer, speedometer etc.
 1. INFERENCE:

This is the process or act of forming your own opinion based on what you already know.
It usually comes after carrying out experiments and conclusions have to be made at the
end. It is common in scientific studies.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will be talking about "Measurement of Growth and Development
Stages". We are very much eager to meet you there.
Measurement Of Growth And Development Stages

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing "Measurement of Growth and

Development Changes". We hope you enjoy the class!

MEASUREMENT OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT CHANGES

Growth is an increase in height, weight and size of living things and can be measured.
There are some standard instruments for measurement that are used nowadays which
were not available in ancient times.

For instance, the standard instruments used now to measure length are rulers, meter
scales, measuring tapes, Vernier callipers, and screw gauges. However, ancient people
used instruments like – hand span, foot, arm length, ropes, sticks, etc. to measure
length.

However, we shall consider human growth in this lesson. Growth occurs as a result in
an increase in the mass of cells in the body which results in changes in height, weight
and size. It occurs through a process called mitosis.

Growth changes produce an increase in size as well as height and weight. When the rate
of growth increases rapidly in humans, it is called a growth spurt. The most important
growth spurt is the one which occurs at puberty and this spurt produces a rapid
increase in both weight and height.

GROWTH CHANGES IN HEIGHT

Children grow rapidly from birth till about age 2 years. It is said that at 2 years of age, a
boy has grown half his adult height while a girl at that age is slightly taller than half her
adult height.

After this time, growth slows. Between the ages of 6 and 12, growth is usually gradual
but steady. A human being usually attains a certain age where an increase in height
stops altogether.

The common way of measuring height is by using a vertical measuring scale while
length in children who are too young to stand is measured while children lie on their
back on a suitable device, such as a measuring table (called a stadiometer).

GROWTH CHANGES IN WEIGHT

Growth changes in weight are largely dependent on nutrition. A child who feeds well will
have a better weight than one that is malnourished.

Newborns normally lose about 8% of their birth weight during the first few days of life,
although this weight is regained at the end of the first few weeks. A lot of physical
activities occur between ages 6 to 12 and so children burn a lot of energy. During this
period, there is a noticeable decrease in fatty tissue which makes them leaner and look
taller.

Weight can be measured using a bathroom scale and the unit of measurement can be
kilograms (kg) or pounds (lbs.).
GROWTH CHANGES IN SIZE

Changes in the size and shape of the body are caused by di erent segments growing at
di erent times. Some parts of the body grow more than others during development until
they reach the final adult proportions.

At birth, the head is one-quarter of the length of the body compared with about one-
sixth in the adult. Body proportions change and so not all body segments grow by the
same amount.

Developmental changes can be observed by the appearance of certain characteristic

features and capabilities.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will be talking about Human Development. We are very much
eager to meet you there.
Human Development

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing Human Development. We hope

you enjoy the class!

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Have you noticed that a baby does not remain the same size after birth and that the
baby grows and develops? One of the changes that are easily noticeable in a healthy
baby some weeks or months after birth is an increase in size, height and weight. The
food the baby eats is important in helping the body to produce new body cells that will
add to the body size.

Development is a series of orderly changes by which a living thing comes into maturity.
These changes are cumulative and eventually add up to important and significant
di erences in humans.

Developmental changes are di erent from an increase in size (growth) and they move
from simple to complex.

Developmental changes can be broadly divided into:

1. INFANCY (CHILDHOOD):
This is the stage from birth till puberty and it is characterized by light bodyweight,
relatively small size, muscular motions, sitting, crawling, walking, talking, very rapid
growth particularly in the first two years of life and growing of teeth.

1. ADOLESCENCE:

This is the stage before adulthood. At this stage, puberty occurs. Puberty is a transition
stage and it is the period when the body of a school-age child turns into that of a
matured adolescent. Some of the observable features in this stage are common to both
boys and girls even though they also have their own distinct features.

In boys, the following changes occur:

1. Development of facial hairs, moustache, pubic hair and armpit hair

2. Deep voice or broken voice

 3. Developed reproductive organ with evidence of the production of the male
reproductive cell (sperm)

4. Growth in muscles and penis.

In girls, the following changes occur:

1. Rounder face and buttocks

2. Enlargement of hips

3. Production of the female reproductive cell (egg) as evidence in the

commencement of menstruation

4. Growth in breast, uterus and pelvis.

3. ADULTHOOD:

This is the stage of full maturity and it is characterized by an increase in weight and size,
the appearance of grey hair, gradual decline in body functions including the decline in
reproductive activity and weakness of organs.

TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT CHANGES IN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Growth and developmental changes can either be temporary or permanent. Permanent

changes remain for life and are not reversible.

The features associated with the human developmental stages are irreversible and
hence, permanent. Temporary changes are reversible and can be corrected once
discovered.

Permanent changes include:

1. Increase in size, weight and height

2. Walking, talking and growing of teeth in children

3. Pubertal development

Temporary changes include:

1. Growth of pimples on adolescent and young adult’s face

2. The fatness during childhood commonly called baby fat

3. Malnutrition or kwashiorkor

Temporary changes may naturally disappear after some time. They can also be
corrected medically or by a change in behaviour whereas permanent changes remain
with the individual throughout life.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?
Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will be talking about Earth in Space. We are very much eager to
meet you there.
Earth In Space

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing Earth in Space. We hope you
enjoy the class!

EARTH IN SPACE

The planet on which we live is called the Earth and it is currently the only planet that is
said to support life conveniently.

Our solar system consists of the Sun and nine natural heavenly bodies which move
around it. These bodies are called the planets.

They are in order, beginning from the nearest to the Sun and moving outwards; Mercury,
Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. All the planets revolve around
the Sun with each in its own orbit.

MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH

The Earth carries out two types of movements in space and these movements are what
results in day and night, and also the di erent seasons we have in a year. The
movements are:

1. ROTATION OF THE EARTH:

This is the movement of the Earth on its own axis. The Earth completes one rotation in
24 hours (a day). The rotation of the Earth brings about night and day. The Sun sheds
light on the Earth and the part of the Earth which faces the Sun, at a particular time, has
its day. The Sun is static and does not move, the planets all revolve around the Sun. As
the Earth rotates from west to east, the areas which have day move from daylight into
their night, while those having their night in turn, move into their day.

This is how day and night follow each other regularly. The Earth completes one rotation
in 24 hours and so, one day and one night add up to 24 hours. You can try out a simple
experiment to better understand the rotation of the Earth with an Earth globe and a
torch/flashlight. The torch should be switched on and shone directly on the Earth globe
while someone gently rotates the Earth globe on its axis. You will notice that only a part
of the Earth globe receives light while the other part is darkness, and as the Earth globe
keeps rotating, those parts that had light gradually become dark. This simple
experiment explains the rotation of the Earth.

1. REVOLUTION OF THE EARTH:

This is the movement of the Earth along a circular path around the Sun. This movement
explains why a year is 365 days long because it takes the Earth 365.24 days to revolve
around the Sun.

During this period, the Earth is angled di erently towards the Sun. The di erent angles
of the Earth result in di erent Sun intensities and so, we get four di erent seasons
which are summer, winter, autumn and spring.
As mentioned earlier, it takes the earth approximately 365.24 days to revolve around the
Sun. The .24 is converted to 6 hours but is usually ignored for the sake of convenience.
These six hours is not totally thrown away because 6 hours saved every year will make
one day (24 hours) over a span of four years. This extra day is usually added to the
month of February, therefore, every fourth year, February is 29 days instead of 28 days.
Any year this happens, the year has 366 days and it is called a leap year.

ECLIPSE

There are certain times when one heavenly body such as a moon or planet moves into
the shadow of another heavenly body; this occurrence is referred to as an eclipse.

There are two types of eclipses on Earth: an eclipse of the moon also known as lunar
eclipse and an eclipse of the Sun also known as solar eclipse.

The moon is the only satellite of the Earth and it moves in an orbit around Earth, and at
the same time, Earth orbits the sun. Sometimes, the Earth moves between the sun and
the moon in the course of its movement and when this happens, Earth blocks the
sunlight that is normally reflected by the moon. (This sunlight is what causes the moon
to shine; the moon does not have a light of its own.) Instead of light hitting the moon’s
surface, Earth's shadow falls on it because of the Earth’s obstruction and this results in
an eclipse of the moon also known as the lunar eclipse.

A lunar eclipse can occur only when the moon is full and can either be full or partial.
Sometimes when the moon orbits Earth, it moves between the sun and Earth. When this
happens, the moon blocks the light of the Sun from reaching Earth. This causes an
eclipse of the sun or solar eclipse. During a solar eclipse, the moon casts a shadow
onto Earth.

The movements of Earth with respect to its orbit, the Sun and the Moon results in so
many occurrences as we have explained above.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will be talking about Human Development II. We are very much
eager to meet you there.
Human Development II

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing Human Development II. We

hope you enjoy the class!

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT II

Certain factors which are necessary for human growth and development shall be
considered in this lesson.

FACTORS NECESSARY FOR GROWTH

Food is an important factor for growth, but apart from food, there are other factors that
are essential for growth, such as heredity factors, health care, rest and exercise, love
and care and glandular functions.

1. NUTRITION:

Nutrition is an act of feeding. There is a popular saying that you are what you eat. We
have six main classes of food namely carbohydrates, protein, fats and oils, vitamins,
mineral salts and water. Each class of food has a specific role and function in the body.
Therefore, for normal and healthy growth, one must eat a balanced meal or diet.
A balanced diet is a meal that contains all six classes of food in the right proportions.
We must always eat a balanced diet for healthy growth and development. Eating an
imbalanced diet might lead to malnutrition or poor nutrition and it can cause diseases
like ricket, kwashiorkor, beriberi, scurvy, night blindness, anaemia etc. a malnourished
person cannot grow well.

1. HEREDITY FACTOR:

Heredity is the transfer of characters from parents to o spring. The characters are
always carried by genes from the parents to o spring during fertilization at the process
of reproduction. Genes are the basic unit of heredity. Due to heredity factor, children are
likely to look like the parents in weights, behaviour, complexion and even growth
patterns.

1. REST:

We need to rest for growth. Resting after work and exercise makes the body to recover
from stress and tiredness, so as to grow well. Rest helps the muscles of the body to
relax.

1. EXERCISE:

Exercise is the process of carrying out some activities that will involve the use of our
muscles. We need exercise for growth. It helps the muscles to grow strong, thick and
healthy.
 1. HEALTH CARE:

Health care helps to prevent and cure diseases and infections so that a person can grow
strong and healthier. A healthy person will always grow healthier and stronger than a
sickly person.

1. LOVE AND CARE:

Love and care when given or shown to a person or a child helps in emotional
development and makes one happy.

Some hormones are associated with the psychological state of an individual. A happy
child will grow faster and healthier than a sorrowful or sad person.

1. GLANDULAR FUNCTION:

Hormones are chemical substances secreted by ductless glands found in the

endocrine system. Two major glands a ect growth: the thyroid gland and the pituitary
gland. The thyroid gland secretes thyroxine. Under secretion of thyroxine leads to a
growth abnormality called cretinism while over secretion causes goitre.

The pituitary gland secretes pituitary hormones which when under secreted might lead
to dwarfism, and when over secreted can lead to gigantism. All hormones secreted
must be in regular proportions to enable healthy growth.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.
Body Image

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will be discussing Body Image. We hope you enjoy
the class!

BODY IMAGE

When you look at the mirror, what do you see? What do you say to yourself? Do you feel
the need to lose weight or add weight, be taller, or modify your appearance in any way
possible? All these are related to body image.

Generally, humans are conscious about the way they look and what others think about
their physical appearance.

Body image refers to how you see yourself when you look at the mirror. It can either be
positive or negative. It refers to one’s perception of their physical appearance. When it is
positive, it means there is an acceptance of what one sees in the mirror regardless of
body weight or shape while negative means there is disapproval and the individual feels
the need to improve their bodies because they are unhappy with the way their bodies
look. Features like size, height, race, ethnicity, the color of skin, the color of eyes and
hair are major features considered in body image.

Description of Individuals
To describe the height of individuals, words like short, tall, petite, average height,
gigantic and towering can be used.

For describing size, words like plump, stocky, overweight, fat, pudgy, medium build,
athletic, slender, lanky, fit, slim, muscular, ripped and well-built etc. are used.

For Race, we have blacks usually Africans and Black Americans, Asians etc. We also
have diverse ethnicities within a country.

For the colour of skin, we have descriptive words like dark, light, fair, rosy, olive, pimples
etc. are used.

To describe the hair, colour, texture, shape, length and more are considered. Words like,
blond, fair, auburn, red, brown, black, grey, white, long, pu y, matted, short, curly, frizzy,
wavy, permed, straight, bald and receding are used to describe the hair.

We also have di erent eye colours like brown, green, amber, blue, grey and hazel, or
red.

From the above descriptive words, we can see that individuals vary when it comes to
their physical appearance.

The importance of having a healthy body image cannot be overemphasized and it

means that most of your feelings, ideas and opinions about your body and appearance
are positive. This automatically builds confidence and gives rise to healthy self-esteem.

Having a positive body image will improve:

 1. Self-esteem, which will eventually a ect positively the person’s interactions and
relationship with others. This goes a long way in bringing about positive
motivations in every aspect of a person’s life.

2. Self-acceptance, making the person feel more comfortable and happy with their
physical appearance without the urge to meet up with unrealistic social
standards that wants them to look in a particular way.

3. Healthy outlook and behaviours, making it easier for the person to lead a healthy
lifestyle in every aspect.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

In our next class, we will continue our discussion about Body Image. We are very much
eager to meet you there.
Body Image

Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s Basic Science class, We will continue our discussion on Body Image. We
hope you enjoy the class!

BODY IMAGE II

A person’s body image is influenced by many factors. These factors include family
environment, ability or disability, the attitudes of peers, social media, cultural
background, societal pressures and more. Another major and important factor is
puberty.

PUBERTY AND BODY IMAGE

According to the Oxford dictionary, puberty is the period during which adolescents
reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction.

During this period, the body of the adolescents experiences several changes as
discussed when we treated human development.
For adolescents, at this stage, they become very conscious of their body and physical
appearance. They become very concerned about what their peers think about their
appearance in their bid to conform.

At puberty, there are appearances of distinct features of the body like the breasts and
hips in the female body, broad shoulders in the male body, roundness of the face,
appearance of facial hair, etc.

Some male adolescents become concerned about the growth of their moustache and
beards because some believe it signifies maturity.

The girls become conscious of the size of their breasts and hips because it makes them
look more feminine and attractive.

Due to the images projected by the media of what a perfect body should look like,
adolescents beat themselves up trying to measure up and when they cannot, it results
in low self-esteem.

Adolescents can begin to exhibit such signs as criticizing their body, continually
comparing their body with others, not wanting to leave the house because of the way
they look, not doing activities or trying new things because of the way they feel about
their body, obsessing about losing weight, or about specific parts of his body, like his
face or legs, spending lots of time looking in the mirror or taking photos and looking for
changes or imperfections etc.
The following are some misconceptions about beauty and body image generally as
presented in the media:

1. There is the “Perfect Body”. This is a huge misconception because there is no

such thing as a perfect body. There may be one body type that the media is
displaying in magazines, on TV or in newspapers, but that is not the only
beautiful body type out there.

2. Sometimes, a lot of graphic editing has gone into making that body media
perfect.

3. What you see in the mirror is who you are. This is a very big misconception when
it comes to our entire body image. This misconception is totally based on the
physical attributes of a person and not the other wonderful attributes the person
possesses.

4. If I eat less I will look better. This is an extremely dangerous misconception to get
caught up in as it can lead to eating disorders and an unhealthy eating lifestyle
which is an entirely di erent subject.

5. Being overweight means you’re unhealthy. Being healthy is not totally dependent
on size. Weight gain happens as a result of several factors like heredity, hormonal
imbalances etc. and so it should not always be related to an unhealthy lifestyle.

6. You have to make a change to feel body positive. Losing weight, dying your hair,
getting a nose job, buying a whole new wardrobe, etc.

There are so many other misconceptions but what is most important is that every
individual needs to accept the way they look.

There is absolutely no need for comparison with others as no one is perfect. Everyone is
unique in their own way and our individual uniqueness should always be loved and
appreciated.

This will help the individual develop healthy self-esteem.

We have come to the end of this class. We do hope you enjoyed the class?

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and
trust us to respond as soon as possible.

We have come to the of this term. We've had an amazing journey and we can't wait for
you to join us in Second term as we continue to learn about Basic Science. We are very
much eager to meet you there.