Lesson Plan for Bacteria and Viruses - Elementary

2020-11-19

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This lesson plan illustrates ways in which our Elementary level graded reader Bacteria and Viruses: How We Get Diseases can be used with students.

We hope that people using Read Listen Learn will find it useful.

You can read the article here and there is also a video of it on our YouTube channel.

 

Aims

The aim of this lesson is that students will be able to list the differences between bacteria and viruses and present on the ways in which they differ.

Class profile

Very little background information is required, only a knowledge of the terms, ‘bacteria’ and ‘virus’. The level of English needed to enjoy the article is high elementary, especially with reference to vocabulary. (The syntax remains at standard elementary level.)

Topic/teaching-learning area

Bacteria and viruses – their characteristics

Lesson fit

Knowledge of the terms ‘bacteria’ and ‘virus’ is required.

Prior preparatory work on the dos and don’ts of making effective presentations.

Learning outcome

By the end of the session, students will be able to make a presentation on different aspects of the characteristics of bacteria and viruses (such as habitat, effects on human health, etc.)

Anticipated Challenges and possible solutions

1. Anxiety will affect students’ ability to present to the best of their ability.
2. The weakest students may find the text too long and lexically too challenging.

Activity 1

• Student / teacher Interaction: student to student
• Materials: Article
• Timing: 10 minutes

Students are given different parts of the article about the characteristics of bacteria and viruses & read these. They work in groups with stronger students helping those who might struggle with the English.

Activity 2

• Student / teacher Interaction: student to student
• Materials: N/A
• Timing: 10 minutes

Students write information about the subjects in the list below as best they can with the limited info available to them.

1. Lifespan of bacteria
2. Lifespan of viruses
3. Habitat of bacteria
4. Habitat of viruses
5. Living conditions of bacteria
6. Living conditions of viruses
7. Effects on human health of bacteria
8. Effects on human health of viruses
9. Treatment of bacterial illnesses
10. Treatment of viral infections

Activity 3

• Student / teacher Interaction: student to student
• Materials: N/A
• Timing: 20 minutes

Students walk around the class and locate other groups who have information on aspects of the article they have not read so that they can ask questions, listen to the answers and fill in the gaps.

Activity 4

• Student / teacher Interaction: student to student
• Materials: N/A
• Timing: 15 minutes

Students work together to design presentations.

Activity 5

• Student / teacher Interaction: student to student
• Materials: N/A
• Timing: 30 minutes

Students write up the presentations as homework.