USAID/Liberia ABE:ACCESS IDIQ Contract AID-OAA-1-14 …Lesson 1 - 2: Our Soil Soil: There are four...

USAID/Liberia ABE:ACCESS IDIQ Contract AID-OAA-1-14-00073/AID-669-TO-17-00001 This document was made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) for USAID/Liberia Accelerated Quality Education for Liberian Children.

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Learner’s Workbook Science, Level 2

Supplemental Reading Materials

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Table of Contents

Topic 1: Earth ............................................................................................ 1

Lesson 1 - 2: Our Soil ................................................................................. 1

Lesson 3 - 5: Types of Soil, and Soil Formation ........................................... 4

Lesson 5: Soil and the Support of Life (Agriculture) ................................ 8

Lessons 6 - 9: Rocks: Some ways rocks are formed, types of Minerals in Liberia, Rocks and their Uses ............................................................................... 16

Lessons 10 - 14: Minerals in Liberia ........................................................ 17

Topic 2: The Solar System ....................................................................... 20

Lessons 15 - 21: The Solar System .......................................................... 20

Lesson 22: Our Stars ............................................................................... 24

Lesson 23: The Rainbow and its Colors ......................................................... 26

Lesson 24: Thunder and Lightning ............................................................... 27

Lessons 25 – 35: Matter and its Properties ................................................... 29

This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) for USAID/Liberia Accelerated Quality Education for Liberian Children.



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Topic 1: Earth

Lesson 1 - 2: Our Soil Soil: There are four main soil types in Liberia. These include sandy, infertile ones to

fertile, loamy soils. Soil is formed from the breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces of

rock. Very small pieces of rock mix with humus (the rotting remains of dead animals

and plants) plus water and air to form soil.

Activity 1: Draw a line from each picture to one of the soil descriptions.

Gravelly soils • Brown to dark brown color

• Cannot hold much water

• Medium fertility

• Found in hilly areas

Sandy soil • White to grey color

• Contains a lot of sand• Clay content

• Coconut and palm trees only

• Found in coastal areasLoamy soil • Dark brown/black color

• Fertile

• Can hold water

• Found near rivers

Laterite soil • Red color

• Hard to break up

• Not fertile

• Needs lots of fertilizers for crops togrow

• Upland rice grown



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Activity 2: The words and their meanings in the box below have got mixed up! Draw a

line from the word to the correct meaning. An example has been done for you.

Word Meaning

Humus Made up of small rock pieces, humus,

water and air.

Fertile soil The flat area of land which floods

when a river overflows due to heavy

rains.

Soil Soil that is rich in humus and contains

all the things needed for crops to

grow well.

Flood plains Dead plants and/or animals that have

rotted to provide a ‘natural’ fertilizer

to crops.

Lesson Notes



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Lesson 3 - 5: Types of Soil, and Soil Formation Activity 1: Where do you think soil comes from? Discuss. Write down your

ideas below.



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How is soil formed?

Rock Small pieces of rock. Very small pieces of

rock

Dead plant

Air and water



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Activity 2: Use the following words to help you complete the sentences below:

1. soil is very fertile, is dark brown/black and has a

high content.

2. Sandy soil is found in areas and is good for growing and

oil palms.

3. Laterite soil is a color and is not fertile. This soil needs lots of

for crops to grow.

4. Gravelly soil has smal l in it, it is usual ly found in areas.

Lesson Notes



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Activity 3: Look at the drawings of soil below and answer the questions

1. Which picture shows soils with very good drainage?

2. Would this soil be good for growing crops? Explain.

3. What soil would you choose for growing crops in? Explain – you should mention

texture, particle size, permeability (how easily water drains through the soil) and

humus in your answer.



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Lesson 5: Soil and the Support of Life (Agriculture)

Learning Points:

Ø Different soils have different amounts of nutrients, these nutrients are

‘food’ for plants and helps them grow strong and healthy.

Ø The different nutrients make the soil more or less acidic. Crops find it

hard to grow in soils that are too acidic. Ash from slash and burn

farming makes the soil less acidic for 2-3 years.

Ø Using fertilizers, rotating crops and terracing will all help to improve

the soil so that crops can grow.

Activity 1: Look at the two pictures of plants below and write words in the

boxes beside them to describe what you see, use the key word box to help

you. After this, answer the following questions.

Plant 1 Plant 2

Spindly: Thin and long/tall

Stunted: Small for its age, for example, the plant was smaller than it should have

been.

Scorched: Usually edges of something are burnt; for example, the edge of the paper

was scorched by the sun



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Which plant is the healthy plant?

Activity 2: Write a sentence to say why some soils do not have many nutrients in them.

Activity 3: If you have finished all the work, try to answer the following:

You farm on a hillside on which you have cleared all the trees. You have farmed bitter

balls on this land for 4 years but this year there are not many bitter balls, the bitter ball

plant leaves are yellow and there are very few roots. What should you do?

Note: A fertile soil contains chemical substances that help plants grow and stay

healthy. These substances are called nutrients. If one or more of these substances are

missing, the plant may become sick and may die.



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Activity 4: Read the following note:

Activity 5: Read the following passage about acid soils and slash and burn

farming.

1. What does adding ash to the acid soil do?

2. Is slash and burn farming good or bad for growing crops?

Acid and alkaline soils

Different soils have different nutrients in them. These nutrients are what makes

crops grow or not grow.

This is called the acidity and alkalinity of the soil.

Examples of more alkaline soils are ones that have a lot of lime or chalk in them,

acid soils are ones that have more humus in them and are darker in color.

Most crops grow well in soils that are a l i ttle acidic.

But many soils in the tropics including Liberia are too acidic for

crops to grow well.

The ash from slash and burn farming helps crops to grow well because

the acid level in the soil decreases. But after 2-3 years, there is no

more ash. This makes the soil become acid again and crops stop

growing well.

An acid soil means that there are not many nutrients.



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Activity 6: Testing the acidity or alkalinity of the soil

Chalky Soil Chalky Soil – nothing happens

Acidic Soil



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Nothing happens

1. How can you tell that loamy soil is acidic?

2. How can you tell that the chalky soil is alkaline?

Loamy Soil



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3. Nothing happens when you add vinegar or baking soda to another soil. Why do

you think this happens?

Lesson Notes



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Lessons 6 - 9: Rocks: Some ways rocks are formed, types of Minerals in Liberia, Rocks and

their Uses Types of Rocks

There are three basic types of rock: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.

Igneous rocks are volcanic and form from molten material. They are extremely common

in the Earth's crust. They include rocks like granite, which are formed by magma that

solidifies far underground. Typically, granite makes up large parts of all the continents.

The seafloor is formed of a dark lava called basalt, the most common volcanic rock.

Sedimentary rocks are formed from eroded fragments of other rocks or even from the

remains of plants or animals. The fragments accumulate in low-lying areas—lakes,

oceans, and deserts—and then are compressed back into rock by the weight of

overlying materials. Sandstone is formed from sand, mudstone from mud, and

limestone from seashells. Fossils are most frequently found in sedimentary rock.

Metamorphic rocks are sedimentary or igneous rocks that have been transformed by

pressure, heat, or the intrusion

of fluids. The heat may come

from nearby magma or hot

water intruding via hot springs.

Marble is metamorphosed

limestone, quartzite is

metamorphosed sandstone.



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Lessons 10 - 14: Minerals in Liberia

What is gold?

Gold is a precious metal. known to man.

Facts about Gold:

Gold is a good conductor of electricity and heat. Gold is shiny, soft and dense. It is also

malleable, which means it can easily be beaten into thin sheets or other shapes.

Throughout history gold has often been seen as a symbol of wealth. Gold is the most

popular precious metal for investments. The price of gold continually fluctuates and is

often linked to major economic events. Over the years gold has been used to create

expensive jewelry, coins and various forms of art such as the Egyptian pharaoh

Tutankhamun’s famous burial mask. In modern times, it has also been used for things

such as electronics and dentistry.Gold is a popular choice when it comes to rewarding

achievement with medals, statues and trophies. Academy Award, Olympic and Nobel

Prize winners all receive golden items in recognition of their achievement.

Diamonds

Thousands, millions and maybe even billions of years ago,

extreme heat and pressure turned pure carbon into

colorless diamond crystals 100 miles or more below the

Earth's surface. Today, diamonds are mined in areas that have

experienced volcanic activity in the past, as well as in gravel beds and ocean

floors.

Diamonds were first discovered and mined in India over 2,400 years ago. Over time,

diamonds were found in many other areas around the world, including many in Africa.

In today's trade, Africa, Russia, Australia, and Canada produce the most diamonds.



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Completely colorless diamonds are very rare and expensive. Most diamonds have a bit

of brown or yellow in them. Other rarer colors include blue, red, orange, pink, and

green.

While these beautiful and popular gemstones may look like delicate glass, they are

actually the hardest natural substance on Earth. While it's possible for diamonds to

shatter or burn under extreme conditions, only a diamond can scratch or cut

another diamond. In fact, diamonds take their name from the Greek word for

“indestructible."

Diamonds' tough natural properties make them popular in industrial settings, where

they are used in all sorts of machinery, such as drills and saws. Experts estimate that

up to 80% of all diamonds are used for industrial purposes. Only about 20% of diamonds

are gem quality and used for jewelry.

Iron Ore

Iron ore is one of the most abundant elements

on Earth. An important use of iron is in the

production of steel, an alloy formed when iron is

combined with carbon. Rock containing iron ore

is dug out of the earth in open cut mines. The

rock is crushed and the iron ore removed.

The iron ore is then put into a special furnace called a blast furnace. The iron ore melts

and the liquid iron runs out and cools. This process is called smelting. Steel is then

made from the iron.



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Lesson Notes



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Topic 2: The Solar System

Lessons 15 - 21: The Solar System

The Solar System and its planets

The Solar System is made up of the Sun and all of the smaller objects that move around

it. Apart from the Sun, the largest members of the Solar System are the eight major

planets. Nearest the Sun are four fairly small, rocky planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth

and Mars.

Beyond Mars is the asteroid belt – a region populated by millions of rocky objects.

These are left-overs from the formation of the planets, 4.5 billion years ago.

On the far side of the asteroid belt are the four gas giants - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and

Neptune. These planets are much bigger than Earth, but very lightweight for their size.

They are mostly made of hydrogen and helium.

Until recently, the furthest known planet was an icy world called Pluto. However, Pluto

is dwarfed by Earth’s Moon and many astronomers think it is too small to be called a

true planet.

Our nearest star

The Sun is our nearest star. The Sun provides us with light and heat. It also gives out

dangerous ultraviolet light which causes sunburn and may cause cancer. Without the



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Sun, there would be no daylight, and our planet would simply be a dark, frozen world,

with no oceans of liquid water and no life.

The Sun lies about 150 million km away from us. At this distance, it takes about 8

minutes for sunlight to reach us – even when it is travelling at about 300 000 km/s. This

means that we see the Sun set eight minutes after the event has actually taken place!

Mercury

Mercury is the first planet from the Sun. It is not very easy to observe since it is always

close to the Sun in the sky. Even when best placed, it is close to the horizon and only

visible for a few hours after sunset or before sunrise. Mercury is a small, rocky world.

It is only about as wide as the Atlantic Ocean and 18 Mercurys would fit inside the

Earth. Mercury is very like the Moon. Its surface is covered with impact craters. It has

no atmosphere and no water. The noon temperature at the equator can soar to 450°C

but the nights are extremely cold, below -180°C. There may be some water ice in the

deep, dark craters near the poles.

Venus

Venus is the second planet from the Sun, so it is always fairly close to the Sun in the

sky. It appears as a brilliant morning or evening “star” – the brightest object in the

night sky apart from the Moon. Venus is so bright because it is covered by clouds that

reflect much of the incoming sunlight. The yellowish clouds are made of sulphur and

sulphuric acid.

In some ways, Venus is Earth’s twin. It is about the same size and made of the same

rocky materials. It also comes closer to us than any other planet. However, it is

blanketed with a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide – the gas that we breathe out.

The carbon dioxide traps most of the heat from the Sun. The cloud layers also act as a

blanket. This that has caused the planet’s temperature to soar to 465°C, hot enough to

melt lead. This means that Venus is even hotter than Mercury.



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Earth

Earth is one of the eight planets that orbit, or travel around, the sun in the solar

system. It is the third planet from the sun. Earth travels around the sun at an average

distance of about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). It appears bright and bluish

when seen from outer space.

Earth is the only planet in the solar system that can support life. Life is possible on

Earth because the planet has water on its surface and oxygen gas in its air. Earth also

has the perfect range of temperatures for life. It is not too hot, like Venus, and not too

cold, like Neptune. The average temperature on Earth is about 15° C.

Mars - the red planet

Mars is often called the 'Red Planet' because it appears in the sky as an orange-red

star. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It orbits the Sun at an average distance of

228 million km, half as far again as the Earth, so human visitors would find it very cold.

Although summers near the equator can be quite warm, the average temperature is 63

degrees Celsius below zero - similar to winters in Antarctica. The nights are also

bitterly cold. The air is 100 times thinner than on Earth, and mostly made up of carbon

dioxide. Violent storms can whip up clouds of dust. Sometimes these spread rapidly

around the entire planet, hiding the surface from view.

Jupiter

Beyond the asteroid belt is Jupiter, the fifth planet from the Sun. Everything about

Jupiter is large. It weighs more than twice as much as all the other planets. Despite its

huge size, Jupiter is the fastest-spinning planet, rotating once in less than 10 hours.

Jupiter is five times as far from the Sun as the Earth, so its surface temperature is low,

around –145°C.

Jupiter is a giant ball of gas, with no solid surface. It is mainly made of the very light

gases, hydrogen and helium. Telescopes show a cloudy atmosphere with colourful belts

and spots. The largest feature – called the Great Red Spot – is a giant storm, several

times the size of the Earth. It has been blowing non-stop for more than 300 years.



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Saturn the gas giant

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. It was thought to be the furthest of the planets

until the telescope was invented. It is the second biggest planet. Saturn is made mainly

of the light gases hydrogen and helium. In a telescope, Saturn appears a pale yellow

colour.

Uranus

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It is the third largest planet in the solar

system. Uranus lies more than 2,800 million km from the Sun. At this distance, the

temperature -214 degrees C. Despite its size, it spins rapidly. A day on Uranus lasts

only 17 hours 14 minutes.

Neptune

Neptune is the eight planet from the Sun. Neptune is almost an identical twin of

Uranus. It is 57 times bigger than the Earth, but spins quite rapidly – one day lasts only

16 hours 7 minutes. Its average distance from the Sun is about 4,500 million km, and

one year on Neptune lasts for almost 165 Earth years.

Pluto

Pluto was considered the smallest planet in the solar system until 2006. In that year a

large group of scientists decided that Pluto was not a true planet. They voted to call

Pluto a dwarf planet instead. Pluto is very far from Earth. It is difficult to observe from

Earth, even with the most powerful telescopes.



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Lesson 22: Our Stars

• A star is a massive, bright, sphere of very hot gas called plasma which is held

together by its own gravity.

• Stars radiate energy created from nuclear fusion, which is a process that takes

place in a star's core and involves hydrogen fusing (burning) to make helium.

• The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is classified as a G2 yellow dwarf

star.

• After the Sun in our Solar System, the nearest star to Earth is Proxima Centauri.

It is about 39.9 trillion km away or 4.2 light years. This means it takes light from

this star 4.2 years to reach Earth. Using the newest, fastest space probe

propulsion systems would still take a craft about 75,000 years to get there.

• There are approximately 200-400 billion stars in our Milky Way Galaxy alone.

• Stars are usually between 1 and 10 billion years old. Some stars may even be

close to the age of the observed Universe at nearly 13.8 billion years old.

• Stars form in nebulas, which are large gases areas. As gravity attracts more and

more gas, young stars (called protostars) start to form in thick molecular gases

cloud areas of the nebula.

• The light from stars takes millions of years to reach Earth, so when you look at

the stars you are literally looking back in time.

• Stars do not actually twinkle. They only appear to twinkle due to turbulences in

the Earth's atmosphere deflecting the light that reaches our eyes.

• The stars have played a very important role throughout human history. They

have formed part of religious practices, been grouped into constellations, used in

astrology star signs, helped to design calendars and were very important

navigational tools for early explorations across land and seas.



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Lesson Notes



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Lesson 23: The Rainbow and its Colors

Facts about Rainbows

• A rainbow is a multi-colored arc that forms in the sky.

• Rainbows are created by both reflection and refraction (bending) of light in

water droplets in the atmosphere, which results in a spectrum of light appearing.

• A rainbow is not an object, it cannot be approached or physically touched.

• Rainbows can be seen not just in rain but also mist, spray, fog, and dew,

whenever there are water drops in the air and light shining from behind at the

right angle.

• Sir Isaac Newton identified the 7 colors of the visible spectrum that together

make up white light. All of which are present in a rainbow in the order red,

orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet (the acronym or name ROY G BIV is

a good way to remember these colors and their order).

Lesson Notes



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Lesson 24: Thunder and Lightning

What is lightning?

Lightning is a bright flash of electricity produced by a thunderstorm. All thunderstorms

produce lightning and are very dangerous. If you hear the sound of thunder, then you

are in danger from lightning.

What causes lightning?

Lightning is an electric current. Within a thundercloud way up in the sky, many small

bits of ice (frozen raindrops) bump into each other as they move around in the air. This

creates an electric charge. After a while, the whole cloud fills up with electrical

charges. The positive charges or protons form at the top of the cloud and the negative

charges or electrons form at the bottom of the cloud. Since opposites attract, that

causes a positive charge to build up on the ground beneath the cloud. The grounds

electrical charge concentrates around anything that sticks up, such as mountains,

people, or single trees. The charge coming up from these points eventually connects

with a charge reaching down from the clouds and - zap - lightning strikes!

How hot is lightning?

Lightning is approximately 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That is six times hotter than the

surface of the sun!

What color is lightning?

Lightning seems to be clear or a white-yellow color, but it really depends on the

background.

What causes thunder?

Thunder is caused by lightning. When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to the

ground it actually opens up a little hole in the air, called a channel. Once then light is



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gone the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave that we hear as thunder. The

reason we see lightning before we hear thunder is because light travels faster than

sound!

How do you know if lightning is nearby?

If you see dark clouds, then lightning could be present, but the best thing you can do is

to listen for thunder. If you hear thunder, then you need to go indoors. Don't be

outside, where lightning could strike! If your hair stands on end or your skin starts to

tingle, lightning maybe about to strike.

How far away can you see lightning and hear thunder?

Lightning bolts can be seen as much as 100 miles from us, depending on the height of

the bolt, the clarity of the air, and our elevation. Thunder, in comparison, has a much

shorter range of detection - usually less than 15 miles in a quiet rural setting and under

5 miles in a noisy city environment

Lesson Notes



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Lessons 25 – 35: Matter and its Properties Solids

Solids stay in one place and can be held.

Solids keep their shape. They do not flow like liquids.

Solids always take up the same amount of space. They do not spread out like gases.

Solids can be cut or shaped.

Even though they can be poured, sugar, salt and flour are all solids. Each particle of

salt, for example, keeps the same shape and volume.

Heating some solids can turn them into liquids.

Wood and sand are examples of solids.

Lesson Notes

Liquids

Liquids can flow or be poured easily. They are not easy to hold.

Liquids change their shape depending on the container they are in.



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Even when liquids change their shape, they always take up the same amount of space.

Their volume stays the same.

Heating a liquid can turn it into a gas. Water turns into steam.

Cooling a liquid can turn it into a solid. Water turns into ice.

Heating a solid can turn it into a liquid. Candle wax melts.

Cooling a gas can turn it into a liquid. When warm air hits cold air it produces water.

Water is a liquid.

Lesson Notes

Gases

Gases are often invisible.

Gases do not keep their shape or always take up the same amount of space. They

spread out and change their shape and volume to fill up whatever container they are in.

Gases can be squashed.

Heating a liquid can turn it into a gas. Water turns into steam



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Oxygen is a gas.

Lesson Notes

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