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

Pathogens, immunity and vaccines

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-2England: KS4 Combined Science: Health, disease and the development of medicines

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Pathogens, immunity and vaccines.

  • 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: Heart, blood and circulation

Leads to: Viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists that cause disease

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 (Heart, blood and circulation). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Mei counts 16 pulse beats in 10 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute? → 96Prompt: How many lots of 10 seconds are there in one minute?
  2. What do arteries do? (digest food / carry blood back to the heart / make urine / carry blood away from the heart) → carry blood away from the heartPrompt: "A" for arteries, "A" for away.
  3. Blood and circulation: which statement is NOT true? (Red blood cells carry oxygen. / Arteries carry blood to the heart. / White blood cells help fight infection. / Capillaries are tiny blood vessels where substances pass to and from cells.) → Arteries carry blood to the heart.Prompt: One of these is a famous myth.

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Pathogens, immunity and vaccines. 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 organisms; malaria is spread by mosquitoes.
  • 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 ringworm? (virus / bacterium / fungus / protist) → fungusPrompt: Colds and flu cannot be treated with antibiotics.
  2. What do antibodies do? (clot the blood / digest food / carry oxygen / attach to specific antigens on pathogens, helping destroy them) → attach to specific antigens on pathogens, helping destroy themPrompt: Each antibody fits one antigen, like a lock and key.

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. Disease: which statement is NOT true? (Antibiotics kill bacteria but not viruses. / Skin is a barrier that stops many pathogens entering. / Mosquitoes spread malaria. / All bacteria cause disease.) → All bacteria cause disease.Prompt: Think about what each treatment really does.
  2. What type of pathogen causes the common cold? (virus / bacterium / fungus / protist) → virusPrompt: Colds and flu cannot be treated with antibiotics.

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: Heart, blood and circulation.
  • 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: Viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists that cause disease.
  • 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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Pathogens, immunity and vaccines

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    What type of pathogen causes ringworm?

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

  2. Question 2

    Disease: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. You can catch heart disease from someone else.
    • B. Some bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics.
    • C. Skin is a barrier that stops many pathogens entering.
    • D. Antibiotics kill bacteria but not viruses.

  3. Question 3

    What do antibodies do?

    • A. carry oxygen
    • B. attach to specific antigens on pathogens, helping destroy them
    • C. digest food
    • D. clot the blood

  4. Question 4

    What type of pathogen causes Salmonella food poisoning?

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

  5. Question 5

    How does a vaccine protect you?

    • A. It is an antibiotic.
    • B. It kills every bacterium in your body.
    • C. It makes you ill so you learn to avoid germs.
    • D. It trains white blood cells to make antibodies quickly if the real pathogen arrives.

  6. Question 6

    What type of pathogen causes HIV?

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

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Answer key: Pathogens, immunity and vaccines

  1. 1. C. fungus

  2. 2. A. You can catch heart disease from someone else.

  3. 3. B. attach to specific antigens on pathogens, helping destroy them

  4. 4. B. bacterium

  5. 5. D. It trains white blood cells to make antibodies quickly if the real pathogen arrives.

  6. 6. A. virus