If I Cant See It, Can It Hurt Me?

Fifth Grade Life Science Unit

Content Standard
S5L4. Students will relate how microorganisms benefit or harm larger organisms. a. Identify beneficial microorganisms and explain why they are beneficial. b. Identify harmful microorganisms and explain why they are harmful.

Big Idea

Microorganisms

Related Content
S5L3. Students will diagram and label parts of various cells (plant, animal, singlecelled, multi-celled). a. Use magnifiers such as microscopes or hand lenses to observe cells and their structure. c. Explain how cells in multi-celled organisms are similar and different in structure and function to single-celled organisms.

How Students Learn

S5CS3. Students will tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating objects in scientific activities. c. Use computers, cameras, and recording devices for capturing information. S5CS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly. d. Locate scientific information in reference books, articles, and databases, and identify the sources used. S5CS7. Students will be familiar with the character of scientific knowledge and how it is achieved. b. Some scientific knowledge is very old and yet is still applicable today. S5CS8. Students will understand important features of the process of scientific inquiry. c. Scientists use technology to increase their power to observe things and to measure and compare things accurately. d. Science involves many different kinds of work and engages mean and women of all ages and backgrounds.

Tread Lightly! Keep Focused!

We started off on a question that the students were interested in. It sounded simple enough and then all of a sudden we were into territory that was way over their heads!

This is not a unit for classifying microorganisms. This unit focuses on evidence of the harmful

and beneficial organisms in the ecosystem. It builds on third and fourth grade understandings of habitat and food chains.

Enduring Understandings

There are organisms that are too small to be seen without magnification. Organisms large enough to be seen are macroscopic. Some microorganisms are harmful. Some microorganisms are beneficial. Microorganisms are living things. Microorganisms are not plants or animals. Microorganisms have important roles in an ecosystem.

Essential Questions

If you cant see them, can they harm you? How can microorganisms be controlled? How are microorganisms beneficial? How are microorganisms harmful? What roles do microorganisms have in the ecosystem? Where did all of those little things come from? Why arent microorganisms in tap water?

What Students Should Know

Use scientific vocabulary correctly. Recognize that microorganisms include such organisms as bacteria, algae, fungi (yeast and mold), and protozoa. Recognize that microorganisms play different roles in the ecosystem. Some are harmful and some are beneficial.

What Students Should Be Able to Do

View microorganisms using magnifiers or microscopes.

See next slide on pond water and hay infusion.

Identify the role a microorganism plays in an ecosystem. Make charts of the benefits and harmful effects of microorganisms.

Pond Water
Pond water scum is a good source of algae.
Ponds are a fantastic source of microbes which are easy to see with the proper magnification. Scoop up some pond water in a jar and examine the water using a magnifying glass and/or a microscope. How many different types of microbes can you see? Compare the types of microbes you find at the top of the pond with those you find near the bottom of the pond. Why are the microbes near the surface different from those at deeper levels?

Hay Infusion

Purchase spring water or use distilled water. Wash the inside of a jar with hot water, not soap and put the spring water in the jar. Add a handful of hay or dried grass and cover with paper toweling. Set aside for two weeks. After a few days, it may develop an unpleasant odor.

What happens next?

Stage 2-- Evidence

Day 2 Focus on Balanced Assessment

How do I know what students understand? How good is good enough?

Stage 3 Unit Design

Days 3 and 4 Focus on Instructional Decisions and Unit Design

How do I provide learning opportunities? When do I revisit, reteach, and reinforce understanding?

Previews of Coming Attractions Stage 2 Evidence (4 types)

Informal Assessment Observe students using magnifiers and/or microscopes to see that they are using them correctly.

Selected Response
Which of the following organisms are used to convert milk to yogurt? A. Bacteria B. Viruses C. Algae D. Protozoa

Constructed Response

Fill in a chart of how microorganisms benefit or harm larger organisms. Benefit or What it does Harm
Benefit Benefit Helps bread rise Makes milk curdle to give buttermilk, cheese, and yogurt Makes people sick

Microorganism
Baking Yeast Bacteria in milk

Bacteria in spoiled food Harm

Performance Assessment Wanted posters are Poster means of catching criminals because they a very efficient Wanted (hopefully) bring criminals to justice, and they show the warn people. They
community who the criminals are. The same can be true of announcing microorganisms that are wanted because they are beneficial to the community. They announce who they are and alert people of the benefits.

Draw a wanted poster of a microorganism. The wanted poster must warn people about the dangerous fugitives who are at large. The wanted poster could alert people to beneficial microorganisms. The poster gives a picture of the wanted microorganism. When making the poster one must keep in mind the crime or beneficial event itself; you have to give a detailed description of the events that occurred to make it a crime or a benefit. Then give some remarks on how to handle the microorganism, if apprehended. The most important element is the reward. Always state how much the reward is and who is receiving the reward.

Performance Assessment-Brochure are a scientist working in the Pretend you

food industry. You are in charge of human resources for your department (You hire people.). Explain what skills the people you hire must have to study the effects of microorganisms on your product. Make a brochure including skills, tools used, terminology, and education needed.

Sample Rubric
1
Engagement of Learner (Participation) Cooperation

Refused/did not join in task Watched others work on Worked on task part of Stayed on task until task the time completion Would not share with or Did not participate listen to others (caused a disturbance) Shared/listened part of Listened and shared the time with others

Science Knowledge Did not show any concept Tried but did not show Showed partial of understanding correct understanding of understanding concept Science Language Did not use any science vocabulary Did not accomplish goal Time without purpose Used vocabulary incorrectly Barely accomplished task Used some of the vocabulary correctly

Demonstrated an understanding of concept Used all vocabulary correctly

Productivity Effective Use of Time

Just did what he had to Was highly productive do No wasted effort stayed on target

Got off track frequently Did well once ideas were clear

Instructional Decisions
If I want students to know if microorganisms are harmful or beneficial, what learning opportunities will I build into my unit plan?

Resources and materials Time for students to learn (Calendar) Activities connected to the goal Different types of evidence showing student understanding

Resources

Centers for Disease Control

http://www.cdc.gov

American Dairy Association I Love Cheese:

Food and Drug Administration

http://www.ilovecheese.com/chee

http://www.fda.gov

Stalking the Mysterious Microbe

American Museum of Natural History--Infection Detection Protection:

http://www.microbe.org

http:// www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/infe

Yogurt:

Microbe World:

http://www.microbeworld.org/hom http://www.foodsci.uoguelph.ca/dairyedu/yogurt.html http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/zoo/

Microbe Zoo: