SCIENCE · PRIMARY 4

💊 Medicines

A summary of the lesson and a quiz to test your child's understanding of medicines and how to use them safely.

❓ Essential Question

Why do you think children should never take medicine without asking a parent or an adult first?

🎯 Learning Objectives

Identify how medicines can help treat common illnesses.
Identify and explain ways to use medicines safely.
Measure objects using standard units, and explain why standard units give more accurate and consistent measurements.

🧪 What Are Medicines & Why Do We Need Them

Medicines are substances used to treat diseases, injuries, pain, or other symptoms. Medicines are usually prescribed by a doctor through a prescription — a document with the details of the medicine or treatment someone needs.

Different medicines are used to treat different illnesses: some relieve fever or pain, others treat cough or a runny nose, and some creams soothe itchy skin.
Medicines come in different forms, such as tablets, liquids, and powders.
Besides getting them from a doctor, some medicines can also be bought at a pharmacy.

📖 Science Words

Word	Meaning
Medicines	Substances used to treat diseases, injuries, pain, or other symptoms.
Immunity	The ability of the body to defend itself from an infectious disease.
Epidemic	The spread of a disease that affects a large number of people within a community.

🛡️ How to Use Medicines Safely

All medicines come with instructions — always read and follow them.
Medicines can be dangerous if you take too much of them.
An adult, doctor, nurse, or pharmacist will let you know the correct dose to take.
For liquid medicine, use a dosing cup or oral syringe and measure in millilitres (mL) — a standard unit that keeps the dose accurate and consistent.
Never use a kitchen spoon to measure medicine — spoons come in different sizes, so they aren't accurate.

⚠️ Remember!

Medicines can be dangerous if given to the wrong person or in the wrong amount.

When giving medicine, measure the correct amount of liquid using a medicine cup or syringe.

Never take someone else's medicine, even if you have similar symptoms.

If you're ever unsure about a medicine, always ask an adult first.

📝 Quiz

Choose an answer, then click "Check Answer" to see if you're right. There are two categories: Science Concept (understanding key facts) and Science Inquiry (reasoning & applying what you learned).