ICSE Class 8 Biology Books – Chapters, Practice & PDFs

The ICSE Class 8 Biology books on this page cover 14 chapters, across the two books the table names Biology and Oxford. Every chapter row carries its PDF when one exists. Two Oxford chapters — 4 and 7 — do not have a PDF attached yet, so those rows offer no download.

A PDF alone will not tell you what is inside. This page adds, counted from the books themselves, each chapter’s named sections, its practice question count and its page length. A revision order and a topic finder follow, so the chapter you were set is easy to find. This page sits inside the wider ICSE Class 8 books collection.

Reference: CISCE-aligned ICSE textbook material.

ICSE Class 8 Biology Books: chapter PDF downloads

Biology

Oxford

ICSE Class 8 Biology Books: what is inside each chapter

Three columns matter in the table above. A section is one of the book’s own main headings; sub-headings are not counted. A practice question is a numbered item under an exercise heading. Pages is the chapter’s page length in the PDF. The sections below run in table order and say what each chapter actually teaches.

Chapter 2: Transport in Plants Absorption Conduction and Rise of Sap (Biology)

The journey of water, minerals and food through a plant runs through this chapter. It opens with the transport of water and minerals, and the claim that only the roots absorb water, tested in the ‘Start of the experiment’ section. Transport of food, water absorption by the roots, the speciality of root-hairs and the three types of movements of molecules come next.

Transpiration fills the second half — the factors that change its rate, its importance, how the plant uses water, and experiments that demonstrate it.

• Transport in Plants — Absorption, Conduction and Rise of Sap
• Transport in Plants
• Transport of Water and Minerals
• Only the roots absorb water
• Start of the experiment
• Transport of Food
• and 8 more

Practice sits in the Short Answer Questions set, which runs to 20 items.

Chapter 3: Reproduction in Plants (Biology)

Reproduction in plants starts with reproduction itself and asexual reproduction, worked through the book’s growing activities — grass grown by vegetative reproduction, then bryophyllum by leaf. Reproduction by root, artificial vegetative propagation, and the advantages and disadvantages of the process come next. Sexual reproduction follows, with pollination (a honey bee observation and a try-it-yourself activity), the fruit, and the dispersal of seeds, including seeds that pass through the human food canal.

• Reproduction in Plants
• Reproduction
• Asexual Reproduction in Plants
• To grow grass by vegetative reproduction
• Reproduction by Leaf
• To grow bryophyllum by vegetative reproduction
• and 12 more

Practice comes as a 14-question Short Answer Questions set.

Chapter 5: Reproduction in Animals (Biology)

Animal reproduction here moves from asexual reproduction to sexual reproduction, then to the life cycle of an insect. The human side covers the reproductive system, fertilisation, implantation, growth and birth. The chapter then treats adolescence and its related problems, before adulthood.

• Reproduction in Animals
• Asexual Reproduction in Animals
• Sexual Reproduction in Animals
• Life Cycle of an Insect
• Human Reproductive System
• Fertilisation
• and 5 more

Its Short Answer Questions set works through 14 questions.

Chapter 8: Health and Hygiene (Biology)

Health and hygiene begins with health itself and communicable or infectious diseases, grouped by cause — bacteria, moulds and fungi, protozoa, and worms. The second half moves from public hygiene to a healthy environment, immunisation and personal hygiene.

• Health
• Communicable or Infectious Diseases
• 2. Diseases caused by bacteria
• 3. Diseases caused by moulds and fungi
• 4. Diseases caused by Protozoa
• 5. Diseases caused by worms
• and 4 more

The chapter’s Short Answer Questions set carries 22 items.

Chapter 9: Pollution and Conservation (Biology)

Pollution and conservation opens with the classification of natural resources, then defines pollution and the categories of pollutants, using carbon dioxide as the worked example. The major kinds of pollution follow — air, water, soil, thermal and noise — with acid rain, the greenhouse effect and global warming treated under air pollution. A record sheet for observing pollution leads into the conservation of natural resources and of energy.

• Pollution and Conservation
• Classification of Natural Resources
• Pollution
• Categories of Pollutants
• How grave can be a pollutant – an example of carbon dioxide
• Major Kinds of Pollution
• and 17 more

The 23-question Short Answer Questions set is the chapter’s practice block.

Chapter 10: Food Production and Management I (Biology)

Food production begins with microorganisms — the general structure of bacteria, important uses of microbes, and mushrooms as their large-sized relatives — then names agriculture as the primary food source. Crop plants grown in India, horticulture crops, nutrients in crops and food crops come next, with cultivation methods for kharif crops and the three life-span categories of plants, including orchards. Soil, its types, agricultural practices, and the green revolution follow.

• Food Production and Management — I
• Microorganisms
• Bacteria—general Structure
• Important Uses of Microbes
• Mushrooms — Large-Sized Relatives of Microorganisms
• Agriculture – Primary Food Source
• and 12 more

A 15-question Short Answer Questions set provides the practice.

Chapter 11: Food Production and Management Ii (Biology)

The animal side of food production fills this chapter. It covers breeds of buffaloes, shelter and feeding for milch animals, diseases of cattle and the symptoms of sick cattle, then poultry, poultry care and poultry diseases. Fish farming and meat-providing livestock follow, with the care of sheep, goats and pigs and their diseases, before sericulture and apiculture.

• Food Production and Management — II
• Breeds of buffaloes
• Shelter and Feeding (Management of Milch Animals)
• Diseases of Cattle
• Symptoms of sick cattle
• Poultry
• and 10 more

Its Short Answer Questions set holds 9 items.

Chapter 1: Life Processes (Oxford)

Life processes follows transport in animals first: blood, its functions, blood cells, transfusion and blood groups, then lymph, the heart, blood vessels, circulation and pulse. The plant side covers absorption of water and minerals by roots, conduction, the ascent of sap, and the transport of manufactured food.

• Life Processes: Transport of Food and Minerals
• Blood
• Blood and Lymph
• Find out
• Functions of Blood
• Transportation
• and 16 more

Chapter 2: Growth Development (Oxford)

This chapter joins growth, development and reproduction. The plant half moves from asexual reproduction by roots, stems (sub-aerial and underground) and leaves, to sexual reproduction with pollination, fertilisation, fruit formation, seed dispersal and germination, including its conditions and types. The animal half runs from budding and binary fission to sexual reproduction, then human reproduction with the male system, the steps to fertilisation and the female system.

Growth and development are then treated in plants, in animals, in a butterfly and in humans.

• Growth, Development, and Reproduction
• Reproduction in Plants
• Asexual Reproduction in Plants
• Roots
• Stems
• Sub-aerial stems
• and 24 more

Chapter 3: Control and Coordination (Oxford)

Control and coordination runs through the sense organs first — eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin — with a section on their care. Coordination through the brain and spinal cord follows. The endocrine system comes next, with the pituitary hormone, thyroxine, insulin and adrenalin.

• Control and Coordination
• Eye
• Ear
• Nose
• Tongue
• Skin
• and 10 more

Four skill-based questions sit under the heading ‘Ii. Skill-based questions’.

Chapter 4: Health and Hygiene (Oxford)

This Oxford health chapter keeps to six named sections. It moves from types of diseases to deficiency diseases and their symptoms, then prevention of diseases, immunisation and unhealthy habits.

• Types of Diseases
• Deficiency diseases
• Symptoms
• Prevention of Diseases
• Immunization
• Unhealthy Habits

The skill-based set under ‘Ii. Skill-based questions’ holds 5 questions.

Chapter 6: Pollution (Oxford)

The Oxford book’s pollution chapter opens with pollution itself and air pollution, naming the major air pollutants. Water pollution, soil pollution and noise pollution follow, with a section asking for five non-biodegradable materials. It then moves toward personal goals for reducing pollution.

• Pollution
• Air Pollution
• Major air pollutants
• Water Pollution
• Soil Pollution
• Name any five non-biodegradable materials.
• and 2 more

Chapter 7: Food Production 1 (Oxford)

Useful organisms open this chapter — microorganisms, fungi, algae and animals — as the living side of food production. Poultry farming, livestock farming, and cattle and buffaloes follow.

• Useful Microorganisms
• Useful Fungi
• Useful Algae
• Useful Animals
• Poultry farming
• Livestock farming
• and 1 more

The ‘Exercises’ heading carries a 17-question practice set.

Chapter 8: Food Production 2 (Oxford)

Food production on the plant side starts with useful plants, types of crops and orchards. The agricultural practices then run in order — soil preparation, selection and sowing of seeds, irrigation, manuring, weeding, harvesting, storage of grain and crop protection. Modern hybrid seeds, crop rotation and organic farming follow, with two practice sheets and an appendix listing the book’s six units.

• Food Production and Management II
• Useful plants
• Types of Crops
• Orchards
• Agricultural Practices
• Soil preparation
• and 22 more

Four skill-based questions wait under ‘Ii. Skill-based questions’.

How to revise Class 8 Biology chapter by chapter

1. Start with Biology chapter 2 (Transport in Plants). It is the earliest buildable plant chapter on this page, and its Short Answer Questions set carries 20 questions.
2. Follow with Biology chapter 3 (Reproduction in Plants), then Biology chapter 5 (Reproduction in Animals). The plant side first, the animal side second — the two share the same vocabulary of asexual and sexual reproduction.
3. Tackle Biology chapter 8 (Health and Hygiene) next. Its 22-question set is the second-biggest practice block on this page.
4. Place Biology chapter 9 (Pollution and Conservation) mid-schedule, not at the end. Its 23-question set is the heaviest practice block here, so it needs a fresh session.
5. Take Biology chapter 10 (Food Production and Management I) after that, then Biology chapter 11 (Food Production and Management II). Chapter 11’s animal husbandry builds on chapter 10’s crops and microorganisms, and at 8 pages it is the quick pass.

A common mistake is to treat the Biology book and the Oxford book as two different syllabuses. The Oxford book’s own appendix groups the course into six units — life processes; growth, development and reproduction; control and coordination; health and hygiene; pollution and conservation; food production and management. A matching chapter in the other book is a second look at the same unit, not a new topic.

If your school uses the Oxford book

• Oxford chapter 1 (Life Processes) pairs with Biology chapter 2 (Transport in Plants): blood and circulation on one side, transpiration on the other, both under transport in the course.
• Oxford chapter 2 (Growth Development) pairs with Biology chapter 3 and Biology chapter 5 (reproduction in plants and in animals). It runs 18 pages, so schedule it with room.
• Oxford chapter 3 (Control and Coordination) has no matching Biology row on this page yet. It is the only buildable control and coordination chapter here.
• Oxford chapter 4 (Health and Hygiene) pairs with Biology chapter 8. Both treat disease, prevention and immunisation.
• Oxford chapter 6 (Pollution) pairs with Biology chapter 9 (Pollution and Conservation). Oxford’s version is the shorter look at the same pollution topics.
• Oxford chapters 7 and 8 (Food Production 1 and 2) pair with Biology chapters 10 and 11, in that order.

Finding the chapter you were set

• Transpiration → Biology chapter 2.
• Pollination → Biology chapter 3 and Oxford chapter 2.
• Immunisation → Biology chapter 8 and Oxford chapter 4.
• Acid rain and the greenhouse effect → Biology chapter 9.
• The green revolution → Biology chapter 10.
• Fish farming, sericulture and apiculture → Biology chapter 11.
• Crop rotation and organic farming → Oxford chapter 8.

Read from the table, the heavy question sets sit in Biology chapter 9 (23 questions), Biology chapter 8 (22), Biology chapter 2 (20) and Oxford chapter 7 (17). The long reads are Oxford chapter 8 (19 pages) and Oxford chapter 2 (18 pages). Biology chapter 11 (8 pages) fits a short session.

Sources and data verification

The counts on this page describe the two textbooks the table names: Biology and Oxford, exactly as the rows appear.

Every section count, question count and page count was read from those books, and each can be checked against the chapter PDF in the directory above.

This page covers the 14 chapters listed in the table. Four chapters are not on this page yet:

• Biology: chapters 1, 4 and 7 are not on this page yet — Blood the Circulatory Fluid in Our Body, Seed Structure and Germination, Endocrine System Hormones.
• Oxford: chapter 5 is not on this page yet — Conservation.

CISCE sets the syllabus and the examinations. Open the official CISCE website for the ICSE Biology syllabus and exam structure. Schools choose the textbook; CISCE prescribes none of them.

Class 8 Biology books: frequently asked questions