In an Introduction to Biology, a textbook for upper elementary and middle grade, published by Wikijunior, we learn about a range of topics, including a detailed look at the human body and cells, and an overview of kingdoms, archaea, bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals.
This text is available in creative commons (CC-BY-SA), so you are free to share and reuse pretty much unrestricted, as long as attribution is provided and any resulting material is published the same way. This means the material is perfect for creating new projects or books of your own.
See more books like this in our Wikibooks category.
See more books about science in our Science category.
Sample text from Introduction to Biology
Biology is the study of Life. It helps us understand many things, such as how our body works, how our body keeps warm, and what we are made of. Biology is very important to know. Some subjects in Biology are Genetics, Zoology, Botany, and Ecology.
A Biologist is someone who studies Biology.
Biology is the study of Life. It helps us understand many things, such as how our body works, how our body keeps warm, and what we are made of. Biology is very important to know. Some subjects in Biology are Genetics, Zoology, Botany, and Ecology.
A Biologist is someone who studies Biology.
0.1 What is life?
Living things are different from things that are not alive. It is usually easy to tell what is living and what is not, except with really small “microscopic” life forms and colorless, lifeless-looking mosses.
Here are some properties of living things. Some non-living things can have some of these properties.
Living things can change and grow. However, volcanoes also change and grow.
Living things can move. However, the wind is moving air, and water always moves downhill.
You probably want to know how plants can move. They can grow, and sometimes move more rapidly than that, in response to things such as the sun or water. One example is that sunflowers will turn during the course of the day so that they are always facing the sun. Another example is that if a plant gets tipped over, it will want to turn upwards.
Living things can reproduce. That is they can produce copies of themselves, over and over. This is the most important difference between living and non-living things.
In order to reproduce, living things need nutrition, that is chemicals and energy sources in order to assemble the materials needed to reproduce themselves. In this process , living things must excrete waste. Waste is material which is of no use, or harmful.
Animals, bacteria, and plants are examples of living things. Rivers, mountains, oceans, and soil are examples of non-living things, but often they are homes for living things.
Cars and tables are not living things because they cannot reproduce themselves.
0.2 Levels of Life
Living things can be many sizes. Also, biologists organize the structures and groupings of living creatures according to size. A living creature is called an organism. Organisms can consist of single cells or multiple different types of cells grouped into tissues and organs. From small to large, these are how living things are grouped.
- Cells (1) – Most cells are only a few microns wide, so small they can only be seen with a microscope. A micron is one thousandth of a millimeter.
- Tissues (2)
- Organs (3)
- Organ systems (4)
- Organisms
- Populations
- Communities
- Ecosystems
- Biomes
- Biosphere
(1) http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/%2FCells (2) http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/%2FTissues (3) http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/%2FOrgans (4) http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/%2FSystems
To keep reading this free science ebook for kids, Introduction to Biology, select read online or download pdf from the buttons below, or read this text online at wikibooks, here: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikijunior:Biology
See our Most Recent Books
Festive Recyclable Arts and Crafts Guide – Planet Ark - A wonderful selection of recyclable crafts with a festive season theme, use them at school or at home for fun filled days. Sample Page fromFestiveRecyclable Arts and Crafts Guide Download the full book by selecting one of the buttons below the post. See more about recycling at https://planetark.org and https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/ Spread the love
Reading Nooks and Home Libraries! - Check out this great article that FKB contributed to: 7 Guidelines for Building a Home Library in Your Apartment Spread the love
Being Thankful – Early reading and writing - Thanksgiving may have come and gone this year, but there is never a time we shouldn’t reflect on what we are thankful for – especially coming up to Christmas when the greed overtakes the gratitude at times. This fun book has a page with a word then the next page where your child can fill ...
Creating a Successful Read-a-Thon in Just a Few Easy Steps - Reading is a wonderful way for students to enhance their literacy skills while enjoying the magic of storytelling. A read-a-thon is a fantastic event that encourages a love for reading and serves as an avenue for fundraising within schools or communities. Properly organizing a read-a-thon can lead to great success, benefiting students, local libraries, and ...
How to Choose the Right Books for Your Autistic Child - Choosing the right books for your autistic child can be a powerful way to encourage learning, build communication skills, and nurture emotional growth. Understanding your child’s unique interests, preferences, and sensory needs is key when selecting books that will capture their attention and promote a positive learning experience. In this blog post, we will explore ...
Pups! – Bookbot decodable reader - Pups! Is a short, very sweet book for young children and for children learning to read. Your child will love learning about puppies and following the words in this decodable reader. Sample Page from Pups! <Page 18-19 or 26?> Download or read online the full book by selecting one of the buttons below the poad. ...
Connecting High School Math Concepts to Cosmological Applications - Mathematics has long served as the universal language through which we decode the mysteries of our cosmos. From the elegant equations of Einstein’s relativity to the intricate calculations of quantum mechanics, mathematics provides the foundation for our understanding of the universe’s structure and behaviour. As you earn your Ontario high school diploma and explore advanced ...
The Snail’s Wonderful Journey - Cheta the snail goes on a journey on the bus. A fun story about a snail and a gecko and their journey on a bus. Sample Page from The Snail’s Wonderful Journey <End of Page 1> Download or read online the full book by selecting one of the green buttons below the post. Author: Aruna ...
Where is My Cat? - A young boy has lost his cat, will he find her? A fun book for young children inclusive of explorative activities on each page. Great for a fun read and the simple repetitive text makes it a suitable early reader or for ESL text. Download or read online the full book by selecting one of ...
From Manuscript to Market: How to Self-Publish Your First Book - Self-publishing has transformed the world of literature, enabling writers to bring their books to readers without relying on traditional publishing. With the right approach, you can successfully navigate the process and take your manuscript from a draft to a book on the market. Whether you’re writing a novel, a memoir, or a guidebook, self-publishing empowers ...See This Month Most Popular Books
The New Kid - The New Kid – Neha has just returned from a long vacation. Her friends give her a warm welcome. But in the time she was gone, a new family has moved in to the housing society and her friends have issues with the new kid. Neha wants to be friendly with him, but will her ...
The Lost Laugh – Fun animal adventure for young children - Hyena has lost his laugh a Fun animal adventure. Who will help him find it? This short beautifully illustrated book is lots of fun for young children. The Lost Laugh includes lots of repetition and simple language, making it a great book for early readers, older brothers and sisters learning to read will enjoy reading ...
The Lion Who Wouldn’t Try – Helping Promote Better Behaviour - In the Lion Who Wouldn’t Try is a story about trying, we see a story of a lion who is too afraid of failure to attempt anything. All the other animals are having fun, while the lion is moping around. He is too afraid of losing that he never ends up having any fun. This ...
Uncle Uh-Oh – Life Stories for Early Grade - In Uncle Uh-Oh from Kanika G, a grouchy old man moves in to a new neighbourhood full of children. He snaps at the kids there a few times and they are terrified of him. He doesn’t talk to anyone, no one even knows his name. “Uh-oh! Here he comes.” the kids start to say when ...
You! Yes You! – An Interactive Monster Hunt - You! Yes You! is a fun interactive children’s storybook. We’re going on a monster hunt, and what fun we’re going to have, shaking, blowing, tickling, and lots of surprises. This fun book is bound to keep young children entertained and asking for “Again! Again!” – make sure you follow the instructions, strictly! (And of course, ...
Why is Nita Upside Down – lessons in being different and good values - In Why is Nita Upside Down, a children’s book about being different, we learn important lessons about the value of being proud of who you are and that everyone is different. This book is created by Bookdash, a non-profit organisation dedicated to getting books into every child’s hands. By: Emma Hearne, Roxana Bouwer, Sarah Bouwer ...
Where’s Lulu – Fun reading for toddlers - In Where’s Lulu, a short fun book for very young children, Lulu’s hiding from her Mum, she doesn’t want to go out. But why is it she doesn’t want to go out? Find out more in this fun short picture book. Can you see her on each page? This book teaches children about the fun ...
Little Goat – Endearing young fiction - Little Goat wanders off in pursuit of some sweet grass, but does she know how far she’s going. Will Mother Goat find her again? Find out in this charming fiction for young children. This book with simple English is suitable for toddlers and those learning to read. Sample Text From Little Goat Little Goat went ...
A Calming Manatee - A Calming Manatee is about being beautiful, and more importantly what real beauty is. It is about how it’s more important what you think of yourself than what others think of you. It’s also about how important it is to be kind. The book is aimed at teaching young children about loving themselves and others, ...
The Fish and Chip Shop – Early Reader - The Fish and Chip Shop is an early reader picture book which describes a trip to get fish and chips for lunch. It’s lunch time, and this little boy wants to try the fish and chip shop. What do you need to do when you order food? What will he choose for lunch? Come and ...
Sponsored Links:
Note – if you sign up through these links, it doesn’t cost you any extra, but FKB receives a small donation, which helps us move towards our aim of
FREE Hardcopies!
All our posts are checked by Grammarly, the FREE online grammar checker (We still receive a donation even if you only sign up for the free account :-):
This site is hosted by Bluehost:
Leave a comment (it won’t be public) if you want help getting your own website cost-effectively.
