Microorganisms and other very small living things'

1
Micro-organisms and other very small living
things.

• Year 6

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General equipment list

• This list will evolve as I develop the unit.
• Lesson 1 equipment

3
Index

• Lesson 1 Germs Illness
• Lesson 2 Investigating how we could avoid
  micro-organisms ruining our food.

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Lesson 1 Germs and illness
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Lesson 1 Equipment

• Any books for younger children (10 year olds)
  about illness and infection would be useful.
• Any video material on this subject.
• Anything on Edward Jenner or Louis Pasteur.

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Why are we doing this lesson?

• To find out what micro-organisms are.
• To discover a bit more about what causes some
  illness.

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Starter

• Make a list of common illnesses caused by germs.
  (Leave out the nasty ones).

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Vocabulary

• To write into your book
• Micro-organism
• Microbe
• Germ
• Infection
• Infectious

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Links

• Use the links to find out more
• Edward Jenner and SMALLPOX
• Louis Pasteur
• You can investigate these people on the web or
  your teacher could print the web pages in the
  links.
• Work in pairs to produce a report about Edward
  Jenner or Lois Pasteur. Redraft into your book if
  you have time.

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Focus your learning

• Make a list of things we usually do to avoid
  infection from nasty micro-organisms.

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Lesson 2 Investigating how we could avoid
micro-organisms ruining our food.
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Equipment

• For students to use
• Mini whiteboards, pens erasers.
• Planning sheets (level 5)

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Starter How could we avoid micro-organisms
ruining our food?

• Work as a group using one whiteboard.
• Make a list of ways that might avoid
  micro-organisms ruining our food.
• Decide on a question that would be interesting to
  investigate.
• Report back your ideas and which one youve
  chosen to the class.

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Mouldy links

• Wikipedia
• Cooksafe
• Mould
• Yuk!
• In the fridge

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Getting a good question

• Work out exactly what question you want to
  investigate. (e.g. Will food stay fresh for
  longer if I keep it in a wheelbarrow?)
• Write the question as a title in your book.

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Variables

• Now decide on the variables
• Independent variable (The variable you will test)
• Dependent variable (What you will measure or
  observe)
• Control variables (A list of the factors youll
  keep the same).
• Subtitle VARIABLES. Redraft the variables into
  you book.

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Making a prediction

• Work as a group to devise a really good
  prediction. (whiteboards)
• What do you think will happen?
• Why do you think it will happen?
• Use your scientific knowledge and understanding
  to explain how and why things happen.

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Focus your learning

• Each group will read their prediction to the
  class.
• Subtitle PREDICTION. Redraft your prediction into
  your book.

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Lesson 3 Investigating how we could avoid
micro-organisms ruining our food.
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Why are we learning this?

• Objectives
• To learn how to plan an investigation to answer a
  question.
• To learn how to set your work out.

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And by the and of the lesson

• You will have planned your investigation.
• You will be sure about what you need to do.
• You will have written your investigation in your
  exercise book.

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Decide what you are going to do.

• Work in pairs using a whiteboard.
• You will be using pieces of bread.
• Plan your work in steps. This is an instruction
  text. Number each step in order.
• Report back Some pairs will be asked to read
  their plans. (Pick a victim)

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What should be in your book?

• What level are you working towards? Two minutes
  to decide and collect an investigation mat.
• Level 3 MAT
• Level 4 MAT
• Level 5 MAT
• This will help you decide what should be in your
  work.

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Bookwork

• Planning in your book!
• Use the MAT as a guide.

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Plenary

• Your teacher will pick out a few pieces of work
  to share with the class.
• What makes a good piece of work?

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Lesson 4 Investigating how we could avoid
micro-organisms ruining our food.
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This lesson

• You will be
• Setting up your test
• Drawing diagrams of your test.

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RISK!

• WARNING
• Some people are allergic to bread, especially if
  it contains nuts or seeds.
• You must never eat anything in the laboratory as
  there is a danger from microbes that will make
  you ill.
• Mouldy things can cause infection. Do not touch
  mouldy bread and wash your hands with soap at the
  end of the lesson.

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Part 1

• Set up your test exactly as you planned.
• Your teacher will tell you where to place your
  materials so that you can check them next lesson.

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Part 2 Drawing

• Make a drawing of your experiment on a
  whiteboard.
• Redraft it carefully into your exercise book.
  (Subheading Diagram)

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Plenary

• Work in pairs.
• Discuss what you think you observe next lesson.
  (2 minutes)
• Selected groups will report to the rest of the
  class (pick a victim).

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Lesson 5 Observations

• How is the test going?

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Objectives

• To check your test and make some observations.
• To write some explanations of what you see.
• To develop your ability to use a microscope.