What you need to know and be able to explain:
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Be able to give examples of microorganisms from all 6 Kingdoms
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What are relative sizes of different microorganisms as compared to each other? Review the scale model activity.
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Why are models useful/ used to understand microorganisms?
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Are viruses considered to be microorganism? Why is this disputed?
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How are viruses and bacteria different/ similar?
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Why are Bacteria classified into two separate Kingdoms? What are they and what are their basic characteristics?
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Do bacteria communicate? Be able to explain the basic ideas related to this presented in the
TED talk.
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How are microbes believed to be responsible for making the earth/atmosphere suitable for all the life that exists on it today?
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Know and be able to explain examples of both helpful and harmful bacteria
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Are antibiotics used to treat viral or bacterial infections?
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What is yeast? How are they used by humans?
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What is the process of yeast fermentation?
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How useful are our class microscopes in studying microorganisms?
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What magnification are our class compound microscopes capable of?
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What is the role of many microorganisms in a compost pile? Why is this role important for the cycle of matter on earth?