A primary teacher employs our microorganism materials in classroom activities.

Revamped But Informal Explanation of Sue's Microorganisms Unit

Let's dive into how Sue, a Year 7/8 teacher, whipped up a captivating unit on microorganisms using the Science Learning Hub resources as her secret ingredient.

Avian Influenza Virus

Sue was all about keeping things relevant, so she picked microorganisms as her topic because it was oh-so topical. Her unit, filled with 12 exciting lessons, included experimenting with growing bacteria and fungi, making it a combination of biology fun and hands-on science. (Just remember to give a quick glance at the Ministry of Education's Safety and Science | Pūtaiao - Guidance for Schools and Kura when planning activities, especially when using Petri dishes!)

Scientist Visits

Sue started by using the Science Learning Hub resources as her learning base. But she knew that adding some real-life experts to the mix would make the unit even more appetizing. For instance, one student's parent—a scientist at the Ruakura Research Centre—visited the class with a colleague, whipping out some snazzy equipment, including Petri dishes! Sue even arranged for scientists to pop by with devices for students to play around with, offering hands-on experiences like peeping at maggots and nits through microscopes.

Learning Goals

Sue and her students set several cool learning intentions for their microorganisms unit:

Students will understand the differences between bacteria, viruses, and fungi and learn how they can affect us, both positively and negatively.
Students will learn how to safely grow bacteria and fungi under teacher supervision during fun experiments.
Students will investigate the impact of factors like temperature, moisture levels, and oxygen access on the growth rate of microorganisms.
Students will develop their detective skills by making predictions, observing, collecting data, reaching conclusions, and reporting on their experiments' results.
Students will delve into their science books to research and share info about the topic using scientific terminology.

Campylobacter Bacteria

Did you know that Campylobacter bacteria have a distinctive spiral shape and are a common cause of diarrhea and dysentery? These little critters can wreak havoc when they get into food and water through poor hygiene or contaminated sewage. Most chicken meat houses Campylobacter bacteria, so it's essential to cook chicken well or keep raw meat and its juices away from other food to avoid food poisoning.

Teaching and Learning Activities

The focus of the teaching and learning activities was on bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Students were tasked with researching fun facts about bacteria and exploring the roles of good and bad bacteria in making yogurt and cheese. They also practiced identifying and labeling various shapes of bacteria.

For one experiment, students labeled agar plates and smeared an unwashed fingerprint on one side. After washing their hands with soap and water, they repeated the process. The results showed that washed hands had more bacteria than unwashed hands, sparking some interesting discussions about hand-washing techniques.

Washing Hands

Washing your hands is crucial in preventing the spread of cold and flu viruses.

Fungus Growing Experiment

Students tried to sprout fungus using the Grow your own fungus activity idea, exploring conditions that fungi prefer to thrive in, such as cool temperatures, no oxygen, moisture, and control. For this experiment, students grew fungi on bread, but they quickly lost interest as it took a while to see results. To make it more interesting, the teacher could have documented the process with a series of photographs, which could then be reviewed with the class to observe the effects in each condition.

Assessment

Sue assessed students by having them record their experiments and by giving them a summative assessment test. She evaluated their work based on whether they had a suitable title, aim, hypothesis, methods, and results. Students were also expected to list all their equipment, use proper scientific terms, and draw their diagrams to scale with correct labels.

Microorganisms - introduction is a helpful collection of the resources Sue used in her unit.

The Grow your own fungus activity provides insights into the best conditions for fungus growth using various foods.

Video lessons can be a fantastic way to bring scientists into the classroom, especially when in-person visits aren't possible. Learn more about the benefits of using videos in Scientists talking to students through videos and how to use videos effectively in Using videos in the classroom.

Useful Link

On the Tāhūrangi website, check out the Ministry of Education's (2023) Safety and Science | Pūtaiao - Guidance for Schools and Kura.

Sue decided to focus on medical-conditions and chronic-diseases in her microorganisms unit due to their relevance in current times.
She employed a variety of experiments, aiming to make learning about chronic-kidney-disease, cancer, respiratory-conditions, and eye-health engaging.
In addition to the Science Learning Hub resources, Sue invited experts from health-and-wellness fields to share their knowledge, providing students with real-life insights.
One importance of fitness-and-exercise was emphasized when Sue introduced the role of physical activity in boosting the immune system.
Mental-health became a topic of discussion when students learned about the impact of stress on the body's immune response.
Skin-care gained relevance with a lesson on psoriasis, where students watched informative videos and conducted research.
The importance of proper nutrition in maintaining cardiovascular-health was covered, with emphasis on fruit and vegetable consumption.
CBD oil was mentioned as a potential natural option for managing skin-conditions, sparking curiosity among students.
Education-and-self-development became integral as students practiced goal-setting, productivity, and personal-growth skills throughout the unit.
Mindfulness techniques were introduced to help students stay focused during lab experiments and research tasks.
Students learned about different skills-training opportunities, including online-education platforms for continued lifelong-learning.
Job-search strategies were briefly discussed, with highlights on the importance of networking and resume-writing.
The power of learning as a lifelong journey was reinforced through lessons and discussions, encouraging students to set ambitious goals and strive for career-development.