Infection and Response: Pathogens and Disease
This lesson introduces the fundamental concepts of communicable disease, focusing on the nature of pathogens (bacteria, viruses, protists, and fungi) and the mechanisms by which they spread and cause harm.
Learning objectives
- Define the term 'pathogen' and identify the four main types.
- Explain how bacteria and viruses cause damage inside the human body.
- Describe methods by which pathogens are spread and how this spread can be reduced or prevented.
Lesson plan (60 minutes)
Introduction · 5 min
Do Now: Students list as many illnesses as they can and categorise them into 'catchable' and 'not catchable'.
Direct Instruction · 10 min
Teacher Explainer: Introduction to Pathogens (using the 6-step script) and key vocabulary.
Guided Practice · 10 min
Worked Example: Comparing Bacteria and Viruses. Class discussion on transmission methods.
Independent Practice · 20 min
Differentiated Worksheets: Students complete Support, Core, or Stretch tasks based on prior attainment.
Review · 5 min
Checking for understanding: Self-marking worksheets using the answer key provided.
Assessment · 10 min
Plenary: 8-question Multiple Choice Quiz to assess learning objectives.
Key vocabulary
- Pathogen
- A microorganism that causes infectious disease.
- Toxin
- Poisons produced by bacteria that damage cells and tissues.
- Vector
- An organism (like a mosquito) that carries a pathogen from one host to another but does not get sick itself.
- Communicable Disease
- A disease that can be spread from one person to another.
- Cilia
- Tiny hair-like projections on cells that waft mucus away from the lungs.
Core worksheet (first questions)
- Define 'pathogen' and name the four main types found in humans.
- Explain the difference in how bacteria and viruses cause damage to the body.
- Describe three methods of pathogen transmission and give an example of a disease spread by each.
- Explain how Malaria is spread and one way to reduce its spread.
Quiz (sample)
1. What is a pathogen?
- A. A microorganism that causes infectious disease
- B. A type of medicine used to kill bacteria
- C. A white blood cell that fights infection
- D. A harmless bacteria found in the gut
2. How do bacteria usually cause disease?
- A. By living inside cells and making them burst
- B. By eating the host's food in the stomach
- C. By producing toxins that damage tissues
- D. By blocking the flow of blood in veins
3. What type of pathogen causes Malaria?
- A. Bacteria
- B. Protist
- C. Virus
- D. Fungi
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