Species at war QUESTIONS

I can answer… Evidence What makes us ill?

How can we avoid infection?

Why don't we feel ill as soon as we're infected?

How do we destroy microbes that get into our tissues?

Why are some infections impossible to treat?

Why are we are immune to most diseases once we have been infected once, or vaccinated?

SKILLS

I know how to… Prepare microscope slides

Use a microscope

Wash my hands thoroughly

CONCEPTS

I can understand that… Evidence There are microbes everywhere. Most are harmless but a few cause diseases by invading our tissues and multiplying inside us.

   

Our body has ways of keeping microbes out but if they enter our immune systems usually destroys them.

Antibiotics can cure bacterial infections, but resistant microbes develop when the toughest survive and reproduce.

Vaccines make us immune tospecific infections.

FACTS

I can remember that… There are 4 types of microbe: bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi.  

Bacteria, fungi and protozoa are living cells but viruses are just tiny packages of genes inside protein coats.

 

We pick up microbes from contaminated water, food, animals and other people.  

Some white blood cells engulf microbes, others produce antibodies.

We have many antibiotics but few drugs to combat other microbes.

KEYWORDS

antibiotic antibody B cell

bacteria diagnostic tests fungi

immune macrophage protozoa

resistant vaccine virus

student summary

Disease

QUESTIONS

I can answer… Evidence

What use are models? 

What if our modelisn't right?

SKILLS

I know how to…

Use a model to make a prediction.

Recognise when a model isn't good enough.

CONCEPTS

I can understand that… Evidence Models are simplified descriptions of reality that help to explain scientific ideas or make predictions.

   

They can be objects, ways of thinking or simulations.

Models are not exactly like thereal thing and we can often use different models to explain the same idea.

Every model has strengths and weaknesses and may need to be changed to explain new observations.

FACTS

I can remember… Physical models show things visually.  

Thinking models use analogies to explain ideas.

Computer models can animate processes or show changes over time.

A model is 'good enough' if it explains an idea or allows accurate predictions to be made.

KEYWORDS

analogy computer modelgood enough

model

physical model thinking model simulation

Species at war

student summary

Pandemic

QUESTIONS

I can answer… Evidence What makes plant and animal numbers rise and fall?

What decides how fast plants grow?

Why are there more herbivores then carnivores?

How can we control population sizes?

How can we control pests?

SKILLS

I know how to… Use food chains, food webs, pyramids of number and pyramids of biomass to show feeding relationships between organisms.

CONCEPTS

I can understand that… Evidence The living things in an ecosystem are interdependent, which means that changes in the population of one species affects other species' numbers.

   

The population of each species also depends on competition, predators, pollutants and diseases.

Population sizes often change when new species enter an ecosystem. 

Energy and biomass are transferred to consumers by eating, and to decomposers by decay.

Plants use photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and waterinto glucose and oxygen.

Glucose is used for respiration and to build new tissues, which increase the plant's biomass.

The more biomass plants produce, the more animals their ecosystem can sustain.

FACTS

I can remember… How to use these words correctly: biodiversity, biomass, ecosystem, habitat, producer, consumer, herbivore, carnivore, predator, prey, food chain, food web.

 

KEYWORDS

biodiversity biomass carnivore

competition consumer decomposer

ecosystem energy food chain

food web habitat herbivore

non-native organism

omnivore photosynthesis

population predator prey

producer pyramid of biomass pyramid of number

Species at war

student summary

Paradise Island

QUESTIONS

I can answer… Evidence

How can one person change things?

Who decides what scientists investigate?

SKILLS

I know how to… Extract relevant information from secondary sources.

CONCEPTS

I can understand that… Evidence New technologies, like vaccines and medicines, change lives but they take years to develop and cost millions.

   

Different technologies can be used to tackle the same problem.

Breakthroughs used to be made by individuals working alone, but today science is huge and expensive.

The purpose of most research has shifted from being a 'quest for knowledge' to finding ways to improve health and the environment, or increase profits.

FACTS

I can remember… An example of a scientific or technological development that has changed lives.  

Most scientists are employed by governments, big companies and charities.  

Charities fund research to improve health and the environment.  

Industry funds research that will increase profits.

Governments fund research that will improve the environment or make the country richer and healthier.

KEYWORDS

antibioticanti-malarial

medicineantiseptic

antitoxin diagnostic test eradication

insecticide malaria protozoa

resistant vaccine

Species at war

student summary

Big Science