Micro-organisms

Recognise that there are many very small organisms which can cause illness or decay or which can be used in food production and that these micro-organisms feed, grow and reproduce like other organisms.

Teaching ICT Ideas l Websites

Direct2U Lesson Plan

Children work in pairs or small teams to research one or more microbes (using an internet site www.commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/index.html) and prepare a short written document or computer presentation to present this information to their peers. A writing frame is provided for this.
 Direct2U

Use the Intel Microscope to observe mould on food.

Observe mould and yeast growing, using time-lapse photography

Children could use simulation software to show changes in the populations of micro-organisms in different conditions.

Powerpoint Resource - (Greenwich ICT)

An 8-minute video has been produced by the Food Standards Agency. It demonstrates the importance of good food hygiene, focusing on the 4 Cs (Cleaning, Cooking, Chilling and Cross-contamination).

Micro-organisms
Explore how factors such as temperature and humidity affect the spread of microbes.

Micro-organisms and antibiotics
Explore how levels of infection in the body are controlled by antibiotics.

How germs are spread
Explore and compare three ways of spreading germs - airborne, food based and human contact.

Micro-organisms activescience-gsk.com	Micro-organisms and antibiotics activescience-gsk.com	How germs are spread explorelearning.com

Children use secondary sources including CD-ROM and the Internet to find out about the uses of micro-organisms in food production e.g. yoghurt. (Snack Bar on Microbe Zoo website. See websites below)

Children to use secondary sources including CD-ROM and the Internet to find out about scientists e.g. Jenner, Pasteur and others who developed the ‘germ’ theory of diseases. (see websites below)

Use secondary sources e.g. videos, CD-ROMs to show a time-lapse sequence of decay e.g. within a compost heap.

Children create an information leaflet, or a multimedia presentation, of the information that they find.

Children grow mould on fruit and record its development using digital cameras.

Websites

BBC Science Clips	Science Essentials Channel 4	Information on Micro-organism Biology4Kids

Micro-organisms and antibiotics buginvestigators.co.uk	Microbe Zoo commtechlab.msu.edu	Microbes in the news commtechlab.msu.edu

What are Bacteria? archive.food.gov.uk	Stalking the mysterious microbe microbe.org	Making bread - Investigating Microbes bgfl.org

Microbe of the Month Facts about different microbes The Curious Microbe Tales of amazing microbes and curious environments.
	Understanding Meningitis meningitis-learning.org

Louis Pasteur	The Men involved in the discovery of Microbes	Edward Jenner
BBC history History learning site Zephyrus site		BBC history History learning site Zephyrus site