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Topic: 6B Micro-organisms
This is a FREE activity. The spread of swine flu is increasing and it is estimated that 1 in 3 of the population will catch it with the under 14s being the most vulnerable.
In this activity children will learn about swine flu and its symptoms. They will look at how viruses spread and consider how they can be contained.
You will need Acrobat
Reader installed to open the activity sheets.
You will also need the latest version of the flash player to be able to play swf files.
· that certain symptoms indicate whether a person has swine flu
Children will demonstrate this by completing the task on page 2 successfully.
· to use scientific knowledge to decide whether information is accurate or not
Children will demonstrate this by completing the task on page 3 successfully
· how scientists make predictions about the spread of a disease
Children will demonstrate this by completing the task on page 4 successfully.
· how a virus can spread through a population with increasing speed
Children will demonstrate this by completing the task on page 4 successfully.
· that scientists use current data to revise their predictions
Children will demonstrate this by completing the task on page 5 successfully
Science:
QCA Unit 6B: Micro-organisms (short unit)
· that there are very small organisms called micro-organisms which can be harmful
· to consider the reasons for some common illnesses
Scientific enquiry
· that scientific ideas about diseases are based on evidence
Literacy
· persuasive writing - poster to advertise ways to avoid swine flu
Numeracy
· use a graph to predict the number of people infected at some date in the future
Introducing the activity
· Display Page 1 of the activity through a data projector or on an OHT. Discuss with the children.
Leading the main activity
· Display Page 2 through a data projector or on an OHT. Print out the page for the children as appropriate. Ask the children to discuss with a partner. As a class decide which of the symptoms are true. Discuss other symptoms of swine flu and emphasise that most cases reported in the UK have been relatively mild.
· Display Page 3 through a data projector or on an OHT. Print off copies for the children as appropriate. Children can cut out the boxes and sort into ‘True' and ‘False' groups. It may be useful to discuss the role the media has played, perhaps by highlighting what journalists have said and how this has compared to the scientists' view. Also there is an opportunity to emphasise how science works and how scientists are basing their ideas on science knowledge i.e. how viruses behave and what is known of previous flu epidemics and pandemics. Discuss what a virus is and consider the following practical activities to illustrate how it spreads.
· Display Page 4 through a data projector or on an OHT. Print off copies for the children as appropriate.Explain how scientists made a prediction in July 2009, based on their knowledge at that time, that the number of cases of swine flu were doubling each week. Encourage discussion of how scientists make their predictions about the spread of disease.
· Display Page 5 through a data projector or on an OHT. Print off copies for the children as appropriate. This graph shows the estimated number of cases of swine flu each week. The graph on Page 4 shows a prediction of numbers whereas the graph on Page 5 is based on known data. The children should compare the graphs and discuss why they are so different.
Write
your online review to share your feedback and classroom tips with other teachers. How well does it work, how engaging is it, how did you use it, and how could it be improved?
swine flu Oct 14th, 2009
Reviewer: Cally Oldershaw
i have not tried these activities, however I can see their potential in key stage 2 year 6 science.
I particularly liked the idea of the glitter glue and ball activity to show the spread of micro organisms
