Life Sciences — Grade 10

Orientation to Life Sciences

Welcome to Life Sciences! This subject is about studying living things—from tiny bacteria to enormous whales, from ancient fossils to the ecosystems around us today.

The Chemistry of Life: Building Blocks of Living Organisms

Every living thing is made from the same basic chemical building blocks. A tiny bacterium in the soil and a large elephant are both built from similar molecules. This unit teaches you what these molecules are and how they work.

Cells - The Basic Units of Life

Every living thing is made of cells. A cell is the smallest unit that can carry out all the activities needed to stay alive. Whether you look at a large animal, a tiny bacterium, or a plant, you will find cells.

Cell Division – Mitosis

Every second, millions of cells in your body divide. This creates new cells to help you grow, heal wounds, and replace old cells. The process of cell division is called mitosis.

Plant and Animal Tissues: Building Blocks of Complex Life

In this unit, you will learn how cells group together to form tissues. A tissue is a group of similar cells that work together to do a specific job.

Term 1 Revision: Foundations of Life Sciences

This revision document covers everything you learned in Term 1. You will review:

The Leaf as an Organ

Why are leaves flat and thin? Why do some plants have shiny leaves while others have hairy ones? The leaf is a living factory that makes food for the entire plant. In this unit, you will learn how different tissues work together inside the leaf to keep the plant alive.

Support and Transport Systems in Plants

Plants need to move water, minerals, and food around their bodies. They do this using special transport tissues called xylem and phloem. These tissues work like pipes or highways inside the plant.

Support Systems in Animals: The Framework of Movement and Protection

Animals need support systems to keep their shape, move around, and protect their insides. A jellyfish uses fluid inside its body. A crab has a hard shell on the outside. You have bones inside your body. These are three different ways animals solve the same problem.

Transport Systems in Mammals (Human)

Your body is made of billions of cells. Each cell needs oxygen and nutrients to stay alive. Each cell also produces waste that must be removed. How do these substances travel around your body?

Term 2 Revision: Life Sciences Grade 10

This revision unit covers the four main topics from Term 2:

Grade 10 Life Sciences: Mid-Year Examination Preparation

This unit helps you prepare for your Grade 10 Life Sciences mid-year examination. You will revise all the content from Terms 1 and 2, practise exam-style questions, and learn how to manage your time during the exam.

Biosphere to Ecosystems: Understanding Life on Earth

This unit teaches you about life on Earth, from the biggest picture (the whole planet) down to local areas where plants and animals live together.

Term 3 Revision: Biosphere to Ecosystems

This revision unit helps you consolidate everything you learned in Term 3 about how life is organised on Earth. You will revise:

Biodiversity and Classification

South Africa is home to an incredible variety of living things. From the tiny bacteria in soil to the elephants of Kruger, from the unique fynbos plants of the Cape to the marine life along our coasts — life takes many different forms.

History of Life on Earth

Earth is about 4.6 billion years old. During this time, the planet has changed in many ways. Continents have moved. The air we breathe has changed. Living things have appeared, changed, and sometimes disappeared forever.

Term 4 Revision: Biodiversity, Classification, and the History of Life on Earth

This revision guide covers your Term 4 work on the diversity of life and Earth's history. You will revise how scientists organise living things, what fossils tell us about the past, and why South Africa's fossil sites matter to the world.

Grade 10 Life Sciences: Final Examination Preparation

This revision unit helps you prepare for your Grade 10 Life Sciences final examinations. You will review all four terms of work and learn how to answer examination questions effectively.