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Science lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 30 minutes

Viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists that cause disease

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-2England: GCSE Combined Science: Infection and response

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists that cause disease.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Pathogens, immunity and vaccines

Leads to: Vaccines, antibiotics and painkillers: what each can do

Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Pathogens, immunity and vaccines). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What type of pathogen causes rose black spot? (virus / bacterium / fungus / protist) → fungusPrompt: Colds and flu cannot be treated with antibiotics.
  2. Which is a way to reduce the spread of flu? (sharing cups / washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes / eating more sugar / taking antibiotics) → washing hands and covering coughs and sneezesPrompt: Flu spreads in droplets in the air and on hands.
  3. Disease: which statement is NOT true? (Skin is a barrier that stops many pathogens entering. / Mosquitoes spread malaria. / Heart disease is a non-communicable disease. / All bacteria cause disease.) → All bacteria cause disease.Prompt: Think about what each treatment really does.

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists that cause disease. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: What type of pathogen causes malaria?
  • Step 1: Protists are single-celled eukaryotes, often spread by vectors.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: protist
  • Answer: protist
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. What type of pathogen causes athlete's foot? (virus / bacterium / fungus / protist) → fungusPrompt: Antibiotics do not work against viral diseases.
  2. Under ideal conditions a bacterium divides every 30 minutes. A drop of milk starts with 10 bacteria. How many bacteria will there be after 3 hours? → 640Prompt: How many divisions happen in the time?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Why can a virus not reproduce on its own? (It must use the machinery inside a host cell / It has no genetic material / It only reproduces in water / It is too big) → It must use the machinery inside a host cellPrompt: Viruses are not made of cells.
  2. Under ideal conditions a bacterium divides every 30 minutes. A drop of milk starts with 10 bacteria. How many bacteria will there be after 3 hours? → 640Prompt: How many divisions happen in the time?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Pathogens, immunity and vaccines.
  • Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Vaccines, antibiotics and painkillers: what each can do.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-9.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists that cause disease

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Under ideal conditions a bacterium divides every 30 minutes. A drop of milk starts with 1 bacterium. How many bacteria will there be after 2 hours?

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    Why can a virus not reproduce on its own?

    • A. It must use the machinery inside a host cell
    • B. It is too big
    • C. It only reproduces in water
    • D. It has no genetic material

  3. Question 3

    What type of pathogen causes COVID-19?

    • A. virus
    • B. bacterium
    • C. fungus
    • D. protist

  4. Question 4

    Under ideal conditions a bacterium divides every 30 minutes. A drop of milk starts with 5 bacteria. How many bacteria will there be after 3 hours?

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    Which measure best reduces the spread of Salmonella food poisoning?

    • A. wearing a face mask
    • B. using mosquito nets
    • C. cooking chicken thoroughly and keeping raw meat apart
    • D. taking painkillers

  6. Question 6

    What type of pathogen causes measles?

    • A. virus
    • B. bacterium
    • C. fungus
    • D. protist

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Answer key: Viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists that cause disease

  1. 1. 16

  2. 2. A. It must use the machinery inside a host cell

  3. 3. A. virus

  4. 4. 320

  5. 5. C. cooking chicken thoroughly and keeping raw meat apart

  6. 6. A. virus