Understanding: Bacteria
Discovery School Education
©2004
Program Description:
Some bacteria have become immune to the best of our antibiotics, rendering oncetreatable infections deadly. But not all bacteria are harmful; in fact, some are quite helpful.
Learn how bacteria aid in meal digestion, the conditioning of the soil for plant growth, and
even the treatment of muscle disorders. This program includes 6 short segments, but we are
only going to focus on the first 5 of them:
 Living with Bacteria (10 min)
 The Staff of Life (12 min)
 Modern Medicine (8 min)
 Restoring Gold Hills (5 min)
 The Earth Between our Feet (8 min)
Assignment: 100 pts total
 As a table group of four; you’ll divide up the questions below. Each of you will
answer, in writing, the question using your notes from the video and additional
resources provided by the teacher. Use the back of this paper to keep track of your
notes during the video.
A. How does life on Earth depend on bacteria?
B. How do bacteria adapt to new environments?
C. How has the widespread use of antibiotics contributed to new health-care
problems?
D. How are bacteria economically important to humans?

Requirements for written response: 90 pts
o Written response must be a well-organized, well-written paper with
introduction, at least two supporting paragraphs and a conclusion.
o APA or MLA formatted works cited page that includes the video and at least
one other source. The other source may be the one I provide or you may find
your own.
o Typed. If you need a pass to the library during your study hall just ask. There
are also computers in my room (RM 348) you may use. If you run into printer
problems or don’t have one you may email it to me: stewartp@rcschools.net
o Follow the provided rubric for more details about how points will be assigned.

Presentation: 10 pts
o You’ll informally present your findings to your group during class on Friday.
My Question: ______________________________________________________________
Video Segment
Notes related to my question:
Living with Bacteria
(10 min)
Found all around us, bacteria
are the smallest living
organisms that can survive
without a host cell. Learn about
helpful and harmful bacteria.
The Staff of Life
(12 min)
Some bacteria make our food
taste good, others may make us
deathly ill. Discover the secret
behind sourdough bread, and
learn about the potentially
deadly E. coli bacteria
Modern Medicine
(8 min)
Antibiotics have become a
medical staple. But are bacteria
smarter than our drugs?
Investigate the global increase
in antibiotic resistance.
Restoring Gold Hills
(5 min)
See how a bacterium helped
solve a major environmental
problem in a small mining town.
The Earth Beneath our Feet (8
min)
Billions of different bacterial
microorganisms live on Earth.
Some are economically and
environmentally important to
humans. Explore the world of
microorganisms with scientists.