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Science at key stage 3    (Year 8)

Unit 8C: Microbes and disease
Section 4: a. Can micro-organisms be harmful?

QCA

Objectives
Children should learn:
  • that some micro-organisms can cause disease
  • that micro-organisms enter the body by a range of mechanisms

Activities

Outcomes
Children:
  • Ask pupils how colds pass from person to person in a class. Use their answers to explain the term 'infectious' and introduce them to viruses as a form of pathogen.
  • Discuss other infectious diseases and how they are transmitted. Provide pupils with reference sources with which to construct a table of methods of transmission, with examples of diseases and causative agents.
  • Help pupils to generate a list of ways to avoid infections and then use their ideas to write a leaflet for travellers to a long-haul destination on how to avoid infection by local diseases, eg water-borne intestinal infections, malaria.
  • recognise that micro-organisms can cause infections, eg food poisoning, TB, colds, tetanus, malaria, meningitis, athlete's foot
  • describe a range of mechanisms by which micro-organisms enter the body, eg food- and water-borne, droplet/air-borne, vectors, blood-borne passage across the placenta and via breastfeeding
  • produce a leaflet giving advice on avoiding infection

Points to note
  • Pupils may have had experiences of having immunisations for trips abroad, which can be drawn on. This should be handled sensitively for pupils whose parents do not agree with immunising children.
  • Pupils may raise the issue of AIDS during this work. The school sex education, PSHE policy and guidance should be consulted.
  • Extension: pupils could be asked to find out more about some current public health issues, eg the increase in tuberculosis, the increased demand for clean water in a UK city, 'blue flag beaches' and the factors affecting the safety of seawater.

Sections in this unit

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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.
1. a. What are micro-organisms and how do we grow them?
2. b. What are micro-organisms and how do we grow them?
3. c. What are micro-organisms and how do we grow them?
4. a. Can micro-organisms be harmful?
5. b. Can micro-organisms be harmful?
6. Checking progress
7. a. How can we protect ourselves against infectious diseases?
8. b. How can we protect ourselves against infectious diseases?
9. c. How can we protect ourselves against infectious diseases?
10. d. How can we protect ourselves against infectious diseases?
11. Reviewing work