ICSE Biology Class 6 Syllabus

The syllabus consists of five themes - (i) Plant Life, (ii) The Cell, (iii) Human Body, (iv) Health and Hygiene, and (v) Adaptation.

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Theme 1: Plant Life

The Leaf

  • External structure (parts of a leaf in detail).
  • Kinds of leaves (simple & compound).
  • Types of venation (reticulate and parallel).
  • Functions of leaf (main functions).
  • Modifications (tendrils, spines, scale leaves).
  • Insectivorous plants. Need for modification with an example.
  • Vegetative propagation in leaf (example bryophyllum).

The Flower

  • Parts (4 whorls), structure and function of each whorl.
  • Pollination (self and cross): An idea about agents of cross pollination (wind, water and insects - their examples).
  • Fertilization: process in simple terms.
  • Formation of fruit - fate of each part (whorl) of flower after fertilization.
  • Parts of fruits: dry and fleshy, examples of dry and fleshy parts; parts of the pericarp of fleshy fruits (epicarp, mesocarp, endocarp) and function of each part.
  • Seed - parts (cotyledon, embryo: Radicle, plumule) and types (monocot, dicot)
  • Germination - conditions required for germination (moisture, warmth), seed germination of different seeds.

Theme 2: The Cell

  • Plant cell: Cell organelles and their functions.
  • Animal cell: Cell organelles and their functions.
  • Diagrams of plant and animal cell.
  • Only the following to be included: Cell wall, Cell membrane, Plastids, Nucleus, Vacuole, Cytoplasm - their structure and functions
  • Differences between plant and animal cells.

Theme 3: Human Body

Digestive System

  • Revisit previous learning.
  • Organs of the digestive system; function of each organ.
  • Process of digestion particularly of Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats.

Respiratory System

  • Main parts (nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs); functions of each part of the respiratory system.
  • Difference between respiration and breathing.
  • Mechanism of breathing (physical process with respect to diaphragm and ribs-inhalation and exhalation).
  • Mention of common respiratory diseases: asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis (T.B.).

Circulatory System

  • Main parts of the circulatory system (heart, blood, blood vessels).
  • Process of circulation in the body.
  • Components of blood (plasma and blood cells - RBC, WBC, platelets with their functions only).
  • Types of Blood groups (A, B, AB, O): mention only.
  • Blood pressure (concept only); heartbeat, pulse
  • Keeping the heart healthy through exercise and good food habits.

Theme 4: Health and Hygiene

  • Types of diseases (communicable and noncommunicable).
  • Communicable diseases: bacterial, viral, protozoal, diseases caused by worms (common examples of each).
  • Modes of transmission of diseases (air, water, food, insects).
  • Ways to prevent communicable diseases.
  • Non-communicable diseases: examples, ways to prevent them.
  • Hygiene - ways to keep the surroundings clean, safe disposal of garbage, healthy practices for hygiene.

Theme 5: Adaptation

Habitat - definition.

Adaptations of plants and animals to the following habitats along with characteristics and examples:

  • Aquatic habitat - floating, submerged and fixed plants; adaptations in fish.
  • Desert - adaptations in cactus as desert plant and camel as desert animal.
  • Mountain - adaptations in trees like Pine and Fir; mountain goat.
  • Air - adaptation for flight in birds, aerial plants.