If I Can’t 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
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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!
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“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.
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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
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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
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If you can’t 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 aren’t microorganisms in tap water?
What Students Should Know
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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
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View microorganisms using magnifiers or microscopes.
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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
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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?
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Stage 2-- Evidence
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Day 2 – Focus on Balanced Assessment
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How do I know what students understand?
How good is good enough?
Stage 3– Unit Design
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Days 3 and 4– Focus on Instructional Decisions
and Unit Design
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How do I provide learning opportunities?
When do I revisit, reteach, and reinforce understanding?
Previews of Coming Attractions
Stage 2– Evidence (4 types)
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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
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Fill in a chart of how microorganisms benefit or harm
larger organisms.
Microorganism
Benefit What it does
or Harm
Baking Yeast
Benefit
Helps bread rise
Bacteria in milk
Benefit
Makes milk curdle to give
buttermilk, cheese, and yogurt
Bacteria in spoiled
food
Harm
Makes people sick
Performance Assessment– Wanted Poster
Wanted posters are a very efficient means of catching criminals because they
warn people. They (hopefully) bring criminals to justice, and they show the
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.
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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
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Pretend you are a scientist working in the
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
2
3
4
Engagement of
Learner
(Participation)
Refused/did not join in
task
Watched others work
on task
Worked on task part
of the time
Stayed on task until
completion
Cooperation
Would not share with or
listen to others
(caused a
disturbance)
Did not participate
Shared/listened part
of the time
Listened and shared
with others
Science
Knowledge
Did not show any
concept of
understanding
Tried but did not
show correct
understanding
Showed partial
understanding of
concept
Demonstrated an
understanding of
concept
Science Language
Did not use any science
vocabulary
Used vocabulary
incorrectly
Used some of the
vocabulary
correctly
Used all vocabulary
correctly
Productivity
Did not accomplish goal
Barely accomplished
task
Just did what he had
to do
Was highly
productive
Effective Use of
Time
Time without purpose
Got off track
frequently
Did well once ideas
were clear
No wasted effort—
stayed on target
Instructional Decisions
If I want students to know if microorganisms are
harmful or beneficial, what learning
opportunities will I build into my unit plan?
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Resources and materials
Time for students to learn (Calendar)
Activities connected to the goal
Different types of evidence showing student
understanding
Resources
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Centers for Disease Control
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American Dairy
Association—I Love
Cheese:
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http://www.microbe.org
http://www.foodsci.uoguelph
.ca/dairyedu/yogurt.html
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Microbe Zoo:
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http://commtechlab.msu.edu
/sites/dlc-me/zoo/
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http://www.ilovecheese.com
/cheese_health.asp
American Museum of
Natural History--Infection
Detection Protection:
Yogurt:
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http://www.fda.gov
Stalking the Mysterious
Microbe
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http://www.cdc.gov
Food and Drug
Administration
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http://www.amnh.org/nation
alcenter/infection/infectionin
dex.html
Microbe World:
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http://www.microbeworld.or
g/home.htm